By Traci Chapman
Contributing Writer
Two men stepped up for the chance to fill the Ward 4 Yukon City Council seat as candidate filing closed Wednesday – while a council veteran will continue her service after filing unopposed for her Ward 3 seat.
Archery Traditions owner Ken Wilkins will face Aric Gilliland, an Epic Charter School teacher and local small business owner, in a Feb. 11 election that will determine the city’s next Ward 4 representative.
The seat is now held by Mayor Mike McEachern, who couldn’t seek re-election due to council term limits.
Ward 3 Councilwoman Donna Yanda, who now serves as vice mayor, will continue her service without need for an election after she was the sole person to file for that seat. Yanda is a funeral home owner and funeral director.
Owner of Archery Traditions for five years, Wilkins, 60, was named 2019 Yukon Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year. He said Thursday filing for the Ward 4 seat just seemed like the right thing to do.
“I knew that Mike (McEachern) was term limiting out, I live in Ward 4 and just felt like it was something I wanted to do to serve our community,” he said.
In addition to teaching at Epic Charter School, 40-year-old Gilliland owns Gilliland Landscape and Christmas to Remember, a live tree and wreath delivery service. Gilliland is also head coach of Yukon Rugby Club.
“I am running for City Council because I love Yukon – I believe in good stewardship by doing our very best with what he have and working hard to wisely plan for our city’s improvements and current and future growth,” Gilliland said.
Yukon City Council members are elected to four-year terms. The next term starts in May 2020.
The council meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month in council chambers, 12 S Fifth.
