Karl W. Kassel (born September 10, 1952) is an Independent (United States) politician and former Mayor of

Fairbanks North Star Borough The Fairbanks North Star Borough is a borough located in the state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,665, down from 97,581 in 2010. The borough seat is Fairbanks. The borough's land area is slightly smaller than that o ...

, Alaska, serving from 2015 to 2018. He is a retired businessman and government administrator.

Biography

Karl W. Kassel was born in 1952 in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

. After graduating from the

State University of New York at Brockport State University of New York Brockport (also known as SUNY Brockport or Brockport State, and previously The College at Brockport) is a public university in Brockport, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY). History ...

with a degree in physical education and a minor in recreation, he moved to

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

.Mowry, Tim (5/19/08). "Retired Parks and Recreation chief doesn’t plan on leaving the state". ''

Fairbanks Daily News Miner The '' Fairbanks Daily News-Miner'' is a morning daily newspaper serving the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the Denali Borough, and the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the farthest north ...

''. Kassel lives "

off-the-grid Off-the-grid or off-grid is a characteristic of buildings and a lifestyle designed in an independent manner without reliance on one or more public utilities. The term "off-the-grid" traditionally refers to not being connected to the electrical gr ...

" in a rural corner of the FNSB near the former

Murphy Dome Air Force Station Murphy Dome Air Force Station (AAC ID: F-02, LRR ID: A-02) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station west-northwest of Fairbanks, Alaska. The control center station was closed on 1 November 1983, and was re-designat ...

. His house, built in 2009 and occupied by Kassel and his family beginning early the following year, was noted for a combination of window placement, solar panels and a heat exchange system, which resulted in little usage of fossil fuel oils to heat the home. Kassel has traded on the similarity of his name to that of the

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

broadcaster

Carl Kasell Carl Ray Kasell (; April 2, 1934 – April 17, 2018) was an American radio personality. He was a newscaster for National Public Radio, and later was the official judge and scorekeeper of the weekly news quiz show '' Wait Wait... Don't Tell ...

. He has participated in fundraising efforts for public radio station (and NPR affiliate) KUAC where he offers to record an answering machine or voice mail greeting, similar to the prize offered on '' Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'' where Kasell records such a greeting.

Political career

2008: Campaign for state house

Kassel was unchallenged in the primary and received 1,844 votes. His Republican opponent was Mike Kelly. He lost the election receiving 5,020 votes as opposed to 5,024 for Kelly, a difference of only four votes.Delbridge, Rena (12/10/2008). "Kelly keeps seat by 4-vote margin". ''

''. In 2008, following his retirement as parks and recreation director for the

(FNSB), Kassel ran for the

Alaska House of Representatives The Alaska State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of approximately 17,756 people per ...

from the 7th District, which covers most of the FNSB north of the city of

Fairbanks Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the po ...

. As the Democratic nominee challenging embattled

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

incumbent Mike Kelly, a bitterly fought campaign led to a close result and a recount of votes. In the end, Kelly would outpoll Kassel by only 4 votes.

2010-present: Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly

Kassel defeated incumbent Guy Sattley, who had served five mostly non-consecutive terms on the body starting in 1990, to claim Seat I. Seat I is a three-year term. In 2012, Kassel was elected by his fellow Assembly members to serve as the body's presiding officer for the following year. Kassel ran for borough mayor in 2015 and was elected. He served one term and did not run for a second term. See

List of mayors of Fairbanks, Alaska The following provides a listing of the individuals who have served as mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska, as well as the ten mayors of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, a county equivalent which includes the city. Fairbanks, a home rule in the United S ...

References

External links

Karl Kassel for state house homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kassel, Karl 1952 births Alaska Independents Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly members Living people Mayors of Fairbanks, Alaska State University of New York at Brockport alumni