Jack Roderick: A Mayor’s Memoir

I became mayor of the Greater Anchorage Area Borough in October 1972 after an election that pitted me against ten other candidates for the job. My late wife, Martha, credited our dog, Jamie, for my win. Martha loved to tell the story of how she knocked on door after door during the campaign, urging residents to vote for me.

“Oh, yes, I'm going to vote for your husband,” most said.

Somewhat surprised, Martha asked why.

“Oh, you know, because of that ad.”

“What ad?”

“The one with the dog.”

The one with the dog was the extra footage shot after we filmed the planned TV spots. The cameraman had captured footage of our family’s back yard badminton game, with our black and white mongrel dog watching the shuttle-cock go back and forth over the net, his little head moving back and forth in time with each play, his cute little tail keeping a steady beat. Unbeknownst to all of us, Anchorage's Humane Society sent out fliers endorsing me. As I would later learn, any ordinance pertaining to animals always drew the biggest crowds to assembly meetings, far surpassing even those related to children’s issues.

Though I am forever grateful to Jamie, I mostly credit Bryan “Tim” McGinnis, then a recent Harvard graduate and Anchorage borough employee, for helping me win over voters. Soon after I announced my candidacy, Tim visited me at home.

“I can help get you elected,” he said. I immediately invited him in.

I had no experience in government service but knew my background made me a good fit for the job of mayor. Years as a Peace Corps Director in India taught me the value of public service, and subsequent years as a pipeline industry consultant and lawyer convinced me that Anchorage was poised to experience significant economic development. Tim helped me capitalize on that experience and develop a platform that would later become an action plan for my years as mayor (197two1975): government that is responsive to all citizens and not just the few (i.e., developers); taxes and government services that are restrained and made cost-effective; organized land-use planning; and quality public transportation.

My campaign also focused on maintaining Anchorage's quality of life and supporting more bike paths and greenbelts. These items—bikes and parks—were new to me and relatively new to Anchorage. During the campaign, we ran television ads about how if elected, my administration would clean up a favorite recreational area running through the heart of Anchorage—Campbell Creek. To reinforce such conservationist thoughts, we made our campaign colors green and blue.

My proudest accomplishment as mayor of Anchorage was the creation of the community councils. The idea was sparked at a luncheon in 1973 with Portland Oregon's mayor, who explained how he once formed neighborhood groups to help get him elected and afterwards, kept them as advisors to what his constituents were expecting. If I could make a similar system work in Anchorage, I could emphasize what I thought were the two most important issues facing our community: land use and transportation. If Anchorage residents became more involved in their neighborhoods, they might respond more favorably to land decisions and to the possibility of a public bus system.

I introduced the community council idea to the Assembly at one of their evening meetings, and, somewhat to my surprise, a majority voted immediately to pass this somewhat radical idea—direct public participation in public decision-making. The success of these bodies allowed me to strengthen my land planning efforts and, ultimately, launched Anchorage’s “People Mover” public transportation system.

I assume that a few Assembly members may still curse me for having encouraged non-elected citizens to take the time to fashion their own strong—and mostly well thought-out—opinions before taking their concerns and complaints to the Assembly.

 

It must sometimes feel to elected officials like democracy is about to unravel. I hold the opposite view. The essence of democracy, I believe, is public participation. And now with our community councils, Anchorage has the right balance for a healthy community.

 

 

 

During his more than sixty years in Alaska, Jack Roderick has been a truck-driver, small business entrepreneur, lawyer, teacher, and author of Crude Dreams. A Personal History of Oil & Politics in Alaska, published by Epicenter Press in 1997. During 1967-68, he served as regional director of the U.S. Peace Corps in India, and in 1970-71, was government relations advisor to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company (TAPS). Elected Mayor of the Greater Anchorage Area Borough in 1972, he served until the City of Anchorage and the Borough unified in 1975 to become the Municipality of Anchorage. Roderick is now writing his memoir.