Pacific Councilmember Katie Garberding recently announced that she will seek reelection to Position No. 1.

“I can do a lot for the City, and I think the City has some areas that still need some attention,” she said. “I think with a good team we can do some good.”

Garberding was first appointed by the council to fill the seat vacated by the appointment of Mayor Leanne Guier in August of 2013. That term ended on Dec. 31, 2013.

Garberding was again appointed to the council last May, this time to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of former Councilmember Gary Hulsey.

Garberding said she mulled over the time constraints of serving on the council again before deciding to run.

“I do a lot of volunteer work with the USO. They’re a great organization,” she said. “I wanted to make sure I had enough time to seriously get involved.”

Garberding said she hopes to become an advocate for the youth of Pacific, if reelected.

“I am concentrating on working with our senior center and our teen center to try and get more services for (them), especially the teens,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of things activity wise for them. There is a lot for the seniors and younger kids but not enough positive outlets for the teens in the city.”

Garberding said she hopes to establish a mentor program to give positive reinforcement to teens.

“There are lots of single-parent homes with teens who need a mentor-type person in their lives,” she said. “(They need) someone they can relate to and get positive feedback from, to pick themselves up and get headed in a positive direction.”

Garberding continued:

“I think this city has moved forward in such a positive way, and I’d like to see it keep moving that way and become a real hometown, with the community coming out to help out everyone.”