Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Election

September 25, 2025 Seward Folly Staff

Voters residing in the Bear Creek Fire Service Area will be voting for Seats A and B for the Bear Creek Fire Service Area Board. Seward-Bear Creek Flood Service Area Board Seats C, F, and G are also open, but have had no applicants.

The Bear Creek Fire Service Area includes residential areas up to mile 9 of the Seward Highway, Bear Lake, Stoney Creek, Camelot, Exit Glacier Road, and Johnson Avenue off of Nash Road. Voting will take place Oct. 7 at the Bear Creek Fire Station or by mail-in ballot.

Absentee by-mail application deadline is Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Citizens can apply in the Seward City Clerk’s Office or with the KPB Clerk’s Office. Absentee voting is available in the Seward City Hall September 22 to October 6, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.(Monday through Friday) and during Election Day. 

There are two candidates running for Seat A of the Bear Creek Fire Service Area:

Seat A Candidates:

Brandon Tatum –  Accommodations Owner, Restaurant Owner in Bear Creek Area 

Community Service: Alaska Medical Missions, Seward Volunteer Fire Department, Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps 

Statement (reproduced exactly as submitted): “I am running for Seat A to ensure that the Bear Creek Fire Service Area is managed with transparency, accountability, fiduciary responsibility, and truth. The people of Bear Creek deserve leadership that listens, communicates clearly, is responsible stewards of resources and acts with integrity. As a steward of public trust, I will prioritize open dialogue with the public, responsible budgeting, oversight to ensure every dollar is spent wisely in support of our fire services. I believe in open meetings, honest reporting, and decisions grounded in facts — not hearsay. Accountability means holding ourselves to high standards and being responsive to the community we serve. I will advocate for clear communication between the service area and residents, and I will work to support our firefighters with the tools and resources they need to protect us all. I will advocate for the support of our firefighters and continuous evaluation to ensure Bear Creek Fire services meet the highest standards.”

Doyle Brueckner – Seward City Church, Board Member Spring Creek Correctional Center

Community Service: Samaritan’s Purse – Volunteer Little League – Coach

Statement (reproduced exactly as submitted): “I have been a member of the Seward community for the past 14 years. A few months ago I was asked to help out on the Bear Creek Fire Service Board by filling in a temporary open seat. I accepted the challenge and was pleasantly surprised with the current state of the fire department and the direction things are moving. If elected, I will continue to support Chief Brackin and the strong culture of partnership he has cultivated with the other Seward area emergency services. My goal is to ensure residents of the service area continue to receive quick emergency response, competent fire suppression, and the highest possible quality of pre-hospital care available.”

There are two candidates running for Seat B of the Bear Creek Fire Service Area:

Seat B Candidates:

Thomas G. Reese – Retired Seward Coal Terminal Foreman, Railroad Dock Superintendent, and Journeyman Electrician 

Elected Experience: Vice President of the Seward Chapel Inc. 

Community Service: Mentoring foster children 

Statement (reproduced exactly as submitted): “I was at the very first meeting to organize the Bear Creek Fire district held many years ago in the basement of the Catholic Church. Seward wanted to annex out to mile 7 but couldn’t really provide adequate services. The Bear Creek Fire Service Area provides a critical need to our community and in my retirement years I want to be more of a support in an area which I am capable to serve.”

Greg Haas – Education: US Coast Guard Service, AVTEC Maritime Instructor, Owner Stoney Creek Brewhouse 

Elected Experience: Seward Chamber of Commerce 

Community Service: Seward Multi Use Recreation Center, Mount Marathon Race Committee, Seward Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 

Statement (reproduced exactly as submitted): “My name is Greg Haas and I hope to earn your vote for Bear Creek Fire Service Area Seat B. Many of you know me through making beer, teaching at AVTEC, and promoting Seward’s recreational center. I’d like to think, I am doing well with two of those and still hold out for the other. After retiring from the Coast Guard, I’ve learned how our community works — by listening to our priorities. I feel this is a great time to step back into public service. Throughout my active-duty career, my priorities were safety, community, and collaboration — these values fit with this service to our neighborhoods. As a skillset, at first I wasn’t sure I could hold water compared to recent members with careers in emergency services. But then, I considered my own time on CGC MUSTANG responding to emergency calls, overhauling the Coast Guard EMT course, being a local maritime safety instructor, and my presence on other Boards, it’s a fit. I hope there is a list of competitive candidates for this seat. We need folks that will judiciously advocate for our tax dollars and ensure our crews have the right training.”

Two of these four candidates will join the Bear Creek Fire Service Area Board this fall, each bringing their own perspective and hopes for the future.