This week, KUCB is profiling candidates running in the October 1 municipal election. Today, we hear from Katherine Labert, who is running a write-in campaign for city council seat C.

Katherine McGlashan served on Unalaska’s city council for ten years. Her last term ended in 2011. Since then, she’s gotten married and changed her name to Katherine Labert, and focused on work and family.

"I’ve had two years off," Labert says. "And I feel refreshed and ready to get back in the game and make decisions on behalf of the community."

Labert says several community members asked her to run for office -- but not until after the regular filing period ended. That's why she's running a write-in campaign for city council.

To get back in the swing of things, Labert’s been watching meetings on television and she attended the last two in person.

She says this council has spent a lot of time working on the funding and construction of federally-mandated upgrades to the city’s utilities for the past few years -- and not much else.

"The council is stagnant," Labert says. "What have they done that really affects the community? We have all these projects. That’s a given. We have our budget. That’s a given. Everything has to go through the system and these are things that are mandated by [the Environmental Protection Agency] and [Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation]. Those are things we have to do. But what have we done for locals or fishermen or industry that’s going to make a difference?"

Labert says there are a few projects that the city took the initiative on, like paving Ballyhoo Road and the Unalaska Marine Center backreach.

But she points out that the city's has made little progress on alternative energy. Labert was part of the council trip to Iceland in 2005, to investigate geothermal power.

Labert says she wants Unalaska to work through land ownership issues at Makushin Volcano. And Labert's interested in wind energy, even though it’s been a while since council seriously considered it as a power source.

"I think anything that’s going to help us financially to lower the cost of living would be great. And it’s something that will be here forever," Labert says.

She wants also wants to hear ideas from constituents. To do that -- and get the word out about her write-in effort -- Labert’s been campaigning around town.

"I do have these wristbands that are out and I have postcards in everybody’s box, and I have these flyers professionally done that I’ve been putting up around the community," Labert says. "I've just been going around to businesses, asking them for their vote and listening to their concerns."

Her opponent, Roger Rowland, has run a low-key campaign by comparison.

There are two other council seats up for election this year besides Rowland's. Labert says part of the reason she's challenging Rowland is his attendance record at city council meetings.

According to city records, Rowland’s missed 13 regular meetings during his last three years on council.

"I think that’s a huge number for any council member," Labert says. "If he does stay in contact [with the public], that’s great. But I think community members wants to see their elected official up at the meetings, and attending, and knowing what they’re talking about."

Rowland is a commercial fisherman who participates in several fisheries. He says he misses meetings if they conflict with the timing of the seasons.

Labert says she respects her opponent and his livelihood. But she’s hoping that her history and visibility in the community will help voters remember to write her in for seat C when they hit the polls next week.