ALPENA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL CANDIDATES: ACC instructor Walchak seeks Alpena council seat
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ALPENA -- Karol Walchak loves teaching at Alpena Community college and being an influence in the lives of youth.
But she yearns for a bigger role to help even more people.
Now that her own children are grown, she is looking for something fulfilling to do with her spare time, and she said serving on the Alpena Municipal Council may do the trick.
Walchak is one of five candidates vying for a pair of council seats during Tuesday's election in Alpena.
"I have all of this time now and I'm in a really good position in my life to give back to my community," she said. "I have the mental resources, financial resources, and time resources that I can devote to giving back to my community and this is one form I think works."
Helping to maintain and protect the natural resources in and around Alpena and to work with others to help bolster the area's recycling program are high priorities of Walchak.
"I really want to see Alpena become a city with real good recycling, because I've lived in a lot of places where it's much simpler than it is here," she said.
To help pay for added recycling services, Walchak said a millage would have to be considered, but she acknowledged that adding another tax to residents, many of whom are struggling, isn't ideal. She said acquiring grant funding is a preferable way to pay for the costs.
Walchak said it seems everywhere she looks, there are projects going on, and new buildings popping up. She said the area has clawed its way back from the Great Recession and continues to bounce back from the negative impacts COVID-19 had on the local economy.
"I love that downtown is rebounding. It is so wonderful and it is even better than when I was a child," she said. "We have outdoor dining in multiple places, and have beautiful little shops, apartments, and restaurants and the entire downtown is just reenergized. I think it is one of the largest assets Alpena has."
Walchak said the parks are also important for the people who live in Alpena, and for those who choose to visit. She said local government and business owners are putting the waterfront to good use and she wants to play a role in making it even better.
As more businesses look at Alpena as an investment opportunity, it becomes more likely some may seek tax abatements from the city. Walchak said she is in favor of them on a case-by-case basis and would support the ones that made the most sense, as long as the companies followed through on the investment and hiring terms agreed upon.
"I'm really am in the middle on this," she said. "I also think we would need more input from the people on issues like abatements. It needs to be opened up for discussion to a greater audience, and let the people have more of a say."
As election day nears, Walchak said she intends to give serious consideration to allow recreational marijuana to be sold in the city, and to help strengthen relationships with Alpena's municipal neighbors. She said she is excited for the opportunity to serve and promises to listen to the people's thoughts, concerns, ideas, and demands.
She said it will take everyone to make Alpena the best it can be, and she believes the best is yet to come.
"I have faith in this city," Walchak said. "I believe in the people. I believe in our ability to govern, and I believe in our trajectory. I believe in my ability to be able to help lead. I think I can do this job and represent the people. I want to give back to the place that helped shape me, The place that helped form the kind of person that I am."
The Walchak File
∫ NAME: Karol Walchak
∫ AGE: 63
∫ FAMILY: Single, 2 children, 3 grandchildren
∫ EDUCATION: Ph. D in English, communication and linguistics from the University of Nevada, Reno
∫ ELECTED EXPERIENCE: None
∫ OCCUPATION: Instructor at Alpena Community College