Filling out the remaining term of departing member Jacob Butcher, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Board appointed Anthony Pitcher, a conservative and father of nine.
Pitcher has lived in Alaska for 21 years, having moved north to work on a dairy farm, and later getting involved in electrical work, he told the board during his introductory remarks. He has children who have graduated from high school, some who attend charter school, one who home schools, and two who are not yet school age. He has been a volunteer with Boy Scouts and in his church youth programs.
“I was raised by a very patriotic father who instilled in me that education is very important, not just for career paths, but also for history,” Pitcher said to the board, adding, “if we don’t learn from history, then we are destined to go through some hard times.”
Pitcher attended Pasco High School in Eastern Washington and has been an electrician for over 20 years. Since 2007, he has run Pitcher Electric.
The school board held a special meeting to hear from each of the applicants for the seat, which will come up for reelection in November of 2025. After the vote was taken and Pitcher was chosen, Superintendent Randy Trani swore in the newest member and a regularly scheduled meeting began to take up normal business.
The board has retained its conservative character with the choice of Pitcher to replace Butcher in the District 5 vacancy. During the most recent election, conservative candidates prevailed. The board has one member considered liberal: Ted Swanson.
