Houston council hopefuls make their case at Mat-Su Sentinel forum
The Thursday forum was the first such event in over a decade.
HOUSTON — Dozens of residents filled Houston City Hall this week for the first city council candidate forum held in more than a decade.
The Thursday event, hosted by the Mat-Su Sentinel and moderated by editor Amy Bushatz, brought together the six candidates running for the city’s three open council seats in the October election.
Candidates took turns answering a series of seven wide-ranging questions gathered from residents through an online form or submitted in writing at the event.
Topics included candidates’ goals and priorities for Houston, their vision for the city’s future, their views on new taxes, and ideas for tackling persistent road maintenance needs.
The forum was first such event held in Houston since 2010 and ran about 90 minutes. Candidate timing was provided by Kim Erickson, a volunteer with the Susitna Rotary chapter.
Residents were encouraged to stay after the event and meet candidates one-on-one.
“This forum was an honor to host,” Bushatz said. “Part of the Sentinel’s mission is to provide civic connection, and giving Houston residents a chance to hear directly from candidates in a nonpartisan, moderated setting helps strengthen our community.”
The 2025 Houston City Council candidates are:
Council Seat E:
- David Childs
- Jason Kahn
Council Seat F:
- Ron Bass
- Callie Courtney
Council Seat G:
- Laurie Fauber
- Dan Lewis
An interactive, digital voter guide featuring candidates’ responses to more than a dozen questions submitted by Houston voters and produced by the Mat-Su Sentinel is also available. A similar voter guide is under production for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s upcoming Assembly and School Board election, scheduled for Nov. 4.
Election Day in Houston is Oct. 7. Early voting opens Sept. 23 at Houston City Hall.
-- Contact Mat-Su Sentinel at contact@matsusentinel.com