The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will resume public meetings in Homer and Seward this year, following a vote by members to amend their schedule.
The move was prompted by requests from both communities, including Homer City Council and the Mayor, and was proposed by Homer Assemblymember Lane Chesley.
“I believe it gives the citizens of Homer a chance to meet assembly members from all over the borough, and to get a chance to meet with the mayor and a lot of the administrative staff that comes along for the meetings,” Chesley said.
The Assembly is scheduled to meet in-person in Homer on September 19 and in Seward in April of next year. The borough used to hold meetings around the peninsula prior to the COVID pandemic, and since 2020 have broadcast them via Zoom and on KBBI and KDLL Radios.
There was some assembly debate around whether to host town halls in lower Kenai Peninsula communities, but Assembly members unanimously voted to resume in-person meetings.
Chesley says it also aims to boost public engagement with borough leadership and staff.
“And it's also a great way for the people who aren't from Homer then to have those connections with the people in Homer, the council, Mayor and staff in City Hall,” he said. “And then it does give that chance for the public down here to have face to face meetings with the senior managers, the department heads from the borough and the mayor.”
Resuming in-person meetings around the Kenai Peninsula do come at a cost. Acting borough clerk Michelle Turner told the Peninsula Clarion each in-person meeting outside of Soldotna costs about $2,200. Additionally, assembly travel time and administrative staff hours totals about $16,700 per meeting.
“It's money well spent and well invested,” Chesley said.
The borough assembly is now negotiating the upcoming budget, and the next meeting will be May 16, in Soldotna and also live on KBBI.org.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the next borough assembly meeting would be June 6. The next meeting will be May 16.
