Craig Compeau: Lifelong Alaskan shares story of character revealed in Fairbanks North Star Borough mayor’s race

By CRAIG COMPEAU

I was born here in 1960, and have worked at our 79-year-old family business full time since 1978. I have lived through the 1967 flood, the pipeline, and the mid-1980s real estate crash. In other words, I’ve lived the good times and the bad.  

I recall my dad telling me in the 1970s, as John Butrovich walked out of our retail business, “that’s the only honest politician I’ve ever met.”  I never forgot that, and over the years I put a lot of thought into what it takes to be both honest, and a politician. With all the political pressure, lobbyists, special interest groups, campaign contributions, and the like, I’ve watched people that I’ve supported bend to these pressures, and lose focus on what they stepped into the ring for in the first place. 

Fifty years later, I think back to those words my dad said on our showroom, and I put a lot of emphasis in the character of the candidate, and not the promises they make along the campaign trail. So when I get ready to cast my vote, I look at that persons past, his or her values, and most importantly to me, their character.  

In 2012, I watched a Republican State Senate candidate run against a Democrat, the head of a local union. It was a highly contested race, with two decent men, both candidates with strong convictions and vastly different positions on state finance, and their priorities if elected. 

Just a day or two before the election, I was driving in downtown Fairbanks on the way to a doctor appointment. I hadn’t voted, but had a good idea of who I wanted to vote for.  

As I approached a busy intersection, I saw 20-30 union employees holding signs for their union boss, who was also part of that sign-waving party. It was the middle of the day, and in the middle very busy construction season. I wondered where his opponent was, until I got to my doctor appointment.  There, in the lobby, was that candidate. He was taking his elderly father, who was in a wheelchair, to his doctor’s appointment. The man in the chair had also been a political figure in Alaska.  In fact, he had been a mayor, a state senator, and a lieutenant governor. He was a key player in authoring the Alaska State Constitution in 1955. But now he was ill and needed help from his son. 

As I sat there in the lobby watching John Coghill putting the care of his dad, (Jack Coghill), in front of politics, it struck me.  I want someone to represent me that cares less about being in the political spotlight than looking after his family. 

Fast forward a dozen years later. John Coghill has watched with the rest of us the decline of our borough. From school curriculum, to Taj Mahal animal shelters, to parental rights, and mixed gender sporting events. So John decided to throw his name into the hat for North Star Borough mayor.

He was already a very busy guy, working at the Fairbanks Rescue Mission helping unfortunate Fairbanks folks try to get back on their feet and turn their lives around. But John knew he had the skills, patience, and experience to help the Borough get back on its feet. To turn it around. To get a handle on out of control spending. And to bring a level of calm and competence to a Borough that has made headlines with its childish actions. 

Last week I was speaking with John Coghill at a luncheon event, and he was apologizing for not knocking on doors like he would have wanted to during this campaign. No, it wasn’t because of an injury. 

 “God has recently blessed me with three young children that needed to be adopted”, John told me.  “I had to be there for them.”

That reminded me of an old Bear Bryant quote.  “Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.” 

Craig Compeau is a 64-year resident of Fairbanks and the owner of Compeau’s, a four generation family marine and powersports business.