2004 Annual Report - City of Fairbanks

CITY OF FAIRBANKS
The City of Fairbanks is located in the heart of Alaska’s
Interior on the banks of the Chena River in the Tanana
Valley. The town was originally founded in the early 1900’s as a trading
post serving stern-wheeler riverboats and early gold prospectors. The
town still plays an important supply role in Alaska due to its proximity to
the Arctic region and North Slope oil fields. The City has a population of
approximately 30,224. The Golden Heart City, as it is known to most, is
64.8 degrees North Latitude and 147.7 degrees West Longitude.
The City is governed by Mayor Steve Thompson and the members of the
Fairbanks City Council. There are six Council members; Jerry Cleworth,
Jeff Johnson, John Eberhart, Howard Thies, Don Seeliger and Scott
Kawasaki. The Council meets twice a month to discuss matters of City
business.
In the summer of 2004, the City was enveloped
by heavy smoke from neighboring fires.
Visitors arriving in Fairbanks during this time
were mostly accepting of the weather
conditions and did not let it deter their plans
for seeing what the city has to offer. Residents
and visitors were offered the option of going to
local schools and other public buildings to get
relief from the smoke and keep children
occupied without having to send them outside.
Fairbanks is home of the Yukon Quest, Top of the World Basketball
Tournament, World Ice Art Championships, Tanana Valley State Fair and
Golden Days Celebration. Fairbanks also hosts the Open North
American Sled Dog Races, the Midnight Sun Run, the Equinox
marathon, the World Eskimo and Indian Olympics, the Festival of Native
Arts, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival and numerous athletic,
cultural, and community events.
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