The following is a press release from Arcata City Councilmember Alex Stillman’s campaign. It is the third such announcement to come out in the past week following releases from Stillman’s fellow councilmembers Stacy Atkins-Salazar and Sarah Schaefer, who are also running for re-election in November.

A fourth candidate, newcomer Genevieve Serna, has also announced her intent to vie for one of the three seats up this cycle. The Outpost has an interview with her scheduled next week:

Press release from Alex Stillman:

Arcata City Councilwoman Alex Stillman recently announced that she is running for re-election to the Arcata City Council in the election to be held November 5, 2024.

In 1972, Alex Stillman was the first woman elected to the Arcata City Council. As a member of that council for eight years, and mayor for four, she helped create the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, the county’s first bus system and the Arcata Community Forest. They passed a General Plan that protected Arcata’s open space and agricultural lands, and established the Aldergrove Industrial Park to incubate small businesses. These projects have helped define and serve Arcata is to this day. 

“I love Arcata! I have since I moved here in 1970 to attend college as an older student, and then raised my children here. I just fell in love with Arcata’s small-town atmosphere and how people were willing to jump in to work on projects to improve things. It is a wonderful quality that makes Arcata a great place to live,” said Stillman. “I also adore all the beautiful historic buildings and have worked hard to protect and save them.”
 
Stillman was re-elected to the city council in 2006 and 2010, and served for eight years. Those councils accomplished several large projects which made the Arcata Marsh, agricultural lands and wetlands more resilient relative to sea level rise, built a public restroom near the Plaza, and established Carlson Park to provide new housing and recreation opportunities for the Valley West area of Arcata. During that time, Alex represented Arcata on the Humboldt Transit Authority and championed increasing public transit routes and bike lanes, and served on the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission and  the Headwaters Fund Board to further economic development.
Stillman was re-elected to the city council for a two-year term in 2022, and serves as Vice-Mayor. 

“I am running for re-election because I want to continue working to create more housing, especially affordable housing. I want to continue the work we are doing to make Arcata more pedestrian and bike friendly, with more trails and increased public safety. With a new city manager coming, a General Plan update in the final stages and a tight state budget cycle, I can help provide continuity and smooth transitions,” said Stillman. 

Stillman currently represents Arcata on the Humboldt Transit Authority and advocates passionately for expanding public transit and increasing ridership. She participates in the Countywide Housing Consortium and works closely with the Arcata House Partnership which serves the houseless community. Alex serves as the sole municipal representative on the Governing Board of the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District, and she is Chair of the Humboldt County Aviation Committee which works to attract new airlines to Humboldt County. 

“Dating back to when we served together on the city council and created the Arcata Marsh Project, the Sustainable Community Forest, and the Arcata & Mad River Transit, I have always admired Alex‘s deep engagement in our community. Her willingness to run for another city council term offers us her ability to be a bridge between our rich history, and the challenges Arcata faces today and in the future. Arcata is in good hands with Alex on the city council,” said Wesley Chesbro, former Arcata City Councilmember and State Senator. 

Local architect Joyce Plath says, “Alex contributes wisdom, integrity and the energy to get things done. I wholeheartedly support her re-election to the Arcata City Council.”

“The Arcata we enjoy today — our marsh, community redwood park, trails, preserved agricultural lands and an appropriately accessible and scaled freeway — is a result of courageous and visionary planning implemented decades ago. Alex was a key architect in those initiatives, the very things we cherish today. I can’t think of a better person to help Arcata craft the next chapter in our towns’ growth. Alex will ensure we keep a firm and informed hand on our past as we develop our next courageous visions for Arcata,” said Arcata resident Laura Middlemiss.

Sunny Brae resident Robin Hashem says, “Alex Stillman has the most energy, focus and desire to help people of anyone I’ve known. I believe her to have a sincere interest in the future of Arcata as a place for action-oriented forward thinkers that appreciate what our North Coast has to offer everyone, as well as a good place for our families to grow. She will always challenge people to examine the issues at hand with a clear eye and will provide a much needed balanced perspective on Arcata’s past and the future to come, a perspective hard won with her many years of service to Arcata.”

Along with her city council duties, Alex plays an active role in many other areas of our community, including serving as president of the Historic Sites Society of Arcata, chair of Godwit Days Migratory Bird Festival, chair of the Fire Arts Center and a volunteer at the Arcata Marsh.

“When I served on the council in the 1970’s, I would often think about my children and future grandchildren when I made decisions. Now, those grandchildren are grown, and some things, especially our hurting climate, are urgent,” said Stillman. “I want to continue to do all I can to help our community grow in a way that provides housing for all income levels, preserves our open space and agricultural lands, has lots of opportunities for active recreation, and maintains our unique and wonderful character.”