WASILLA -- As of noon Thursday, five candidates for Mat-Su Borough mayor had filed papers with the borough clerk and there's no telling how many more will sign up before today's 5 p.m. deadline.
Former borough assemblyman and School Board member Larry DeVilbiss joins longtime military man and author Bruce Walden, local farmer and political activist John Leiner, former Washington state legislator and Army combat veteran Brian Sullivan, and health services administrator David Wilson in the race to fill the seat vacated by former Mayor Talis Colberg.
Colberg resigned as mayor in the fall after accepting a position as director of Mat-Su College. A special election to determine his successor until October 2012 will take place Jan. 11.
DeVilbiss, a third-generation farmer who has lived on Wolverine Farm in Palmer for the past 54 years, said Thursday he was encouraged to run for mayor by several Republicans earlier this week.
"Monday morning, there was a delegation at my door," said De Vilbiss, who currently serves on the Matanuska Electric Association board and has been its president in the past. "I want to put a happy face on the borough that says, 'Open for business.' I think we have shut down legitimate business that should be here, like the wood chips at the port and our own power generation plant. I don't think our long-term good is served that way at all."
Fellow farmer Leiner, who has lived in the Valley since 1978 and owns Johnny Moose Farms in Palmer, said he decided to run for mayor for the third time because he understands what it's like to be the victim of corruption and abuse of power.
"I've suffered the abuse of the system to the maximum and yet I kept my sense of humor and my control and my patience," said Leiner, who calls himself "Johnny Moose."
In his 235-page "fictional" book "The Great Eruption of Alaskan Corruption" published in early 2009, Leiner details his contention that Quality Asphalt Products and Wilder Construction operations off the Glenn Highway ruined his farm by digging below the water table, causing his Grandview-area property to flood in 2005.
He also takes potshots at various former borough, Palmer, and state officials -- including former Gov. Sarah Palin -- and includes correspondence between himself and local officials.
"I know I can do a better job, and I'd rather die than abuse my power and dishonor my name," said Leiner, who has a degree in law enforcement and served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War.
Walden, who also has written a few novels, said Wednesday he feels he has a good chance of winning the seat this time because he has a lot of support from people in the community who are "sick and tired" of the lack of jobs in the Valley.
"We need someone with some vision who can look 30 years into the future," said Walden, whose dream is to someday build a 500-seat arena with a rotating stage for concerts and other Valley events. "We should be leading this nation, and we can if we're allowed to. We need high-paying industries here -- not just coffee shops and box stores."
Former short-term school board member Sullivan has said he's also hoping to provide vision for the borough and believes his experiences as a Washington state lawmaker from 1996 to 2001 and as an Army major and MP give him the ability to work with a variety of officials and provide stable leadership.
Two-year Wasilla resident Wilson, who works as special projects coordinator for Alaska Primary Care Associates in Anchorage, said Wednesday this is the first time he's run for public office, but he believes he can offer sound planning experience for the borough.
"Preserving family values, protecting and educating our most important resource (our children), and providing future generations the same quality of life we enjoy are my top priorities," Wilson said.
"If we can grow the Mat-Su Borough, while being fiscally conservative, then we can absolutely make a positive difference for the residents and businesses that call Mat-Su Borough home."
By K.T. McKEE
kmckee@adn.com