The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly accepted the resignation of member Jeremy Bynum on Monday, as he prepares to represent House District 1 in the state legislature.
Before the members voted to accept his resignation, they took turns reflecting on his time on the assembly and voicing appreciation for his commitment to the role. Multiple members, like Sharli Arntzen, commended his thoughtfulness and attention to detail.
“Your willingness, as everyone has said, to really dig into an issue and turn it over many times to make sure that you’re understanding it and then communicating it to those around you, so they also can understand it,” Arntzen said, addressing Bynum.
Bynum thanked his colleagues, saying it had been a pleasure working with them and that the relationships made through the assembly had made him a better person.
“But I will be here, and I will continuously be engaging,” said Bynum. “And I will come and talk about the things that are going on while I’m visiting Juneau for the few months a year that I’m there. Because this is home, Ketchikan.”
Bynum will officially become the representative for southern Southeast Alaska once he’s sworn in at the start of the session in January. The borough has already opened applications for candidates interested in filling Bynum’s seat, which can be found on the borough website.
The assembly is scheduled to vote in a temporary member during their Jan. 6 meeting. That person will then serve until the next local election in Oct. 2025, when the community will vote in a candidate to finish out the final year of Bynum’s term.
Any qualified borough voter is eligible to apply for the seat, as long as they have been a resident for at least one year. The deadline for those applications is Dec. 30.
