Kenai’s outspoken borough mayor has had enough of the government ordering citizens around on account of COVID.

Mayor Charlie Pierce’s New Year message encourages government leaders across Alaska to “get out of the way and let people live their lives.”

“I also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year,” the mayor wrote on his Facebook page. “2020 has been a tough year. My heart goes out to businesses and families all over the Kenai Peninsula and Alaska that are struggling.”

He added that the Kenai is “open for business.”

“It is not the government’s role to shut down your businesses/family, tell you when you can and can’t meet, tell you that you can only have 6-10 people at your house, or close down churches,” he said. “These policies will bankrupt an already struggling economy, and I will not have any part of that.”

Pierce added that he is a “firm believer that ALL our kids need to be back in school.” The Kenai School District has been under increased pressure from the community to reopen school to in-person learning. They currently have plans to begin this, but not until Jan. 19.

“Let’s put the kids first and show them with our actions that we believe in them by getting them back in school,” Pierce said.

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