Wrangell voters overwhelmingly approved bringing in the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium to take over Wrangell’s hospital. The deal would see the nonprofit known as SEARCH run the struggling hospital while it constructs a new facility.
94 percent voted in favor for the deal. It will still need to be signed off by a vote of SEARHC’s board of directors.
SEARHC is also working on a similar deal to take over Sitka Community Hospital.
Wrangell voters chose Steve Prysunka as the city’s new mayor. Prysunka has served on the local assembly for four years and is a volunteer firefighter. He got 80 percent of the votes.
David Powell was re-elected to his assembly seat. Mya Delong won the other assembly seat. She beat out Dale Parkinson by less than 50 votes. Someone will need to be appointed to Prysunka’s old assembly seat down the road.
Aaron Angerman will serve a three-year term on the school board. Annya Ritchie will serve a one-year term. Aleisha Mollen was re-elected to her school board seat.
Brian Merritt and John Martin will serve on the port commission. Their race was uncontested.
Olinda Chaffee-White will serve on the hospital board, though it may be absolved or turned into an advisory board.
KSTK recently did a story on low voter turnout in Wrangell. Last year under 300 people voted. More than double that came out this year, with 763 ballots cast.
