Homer City Council certified its election during last night’s regular meeting, swearing in incumbents Rachel Lord and Caroline Venuti for a third term in office.
During council comments, Lord and Venuti both thanked voters, with Lord making remarks on the relatively low voter turnout.
“It was shocking to me some of the conversations I had with people who had no idea that there was a vote or how they could possibly vote for me or if they were even eligible to vote for me,” Lord said.
In addition to certifying the election, the council approved three resolutions to fund contracts working on the Beluga Slough green infrastructure project.
The council also postponed an ordinance to create separate departments for the library, information technology and community development — the last of which includes recreation services.
After rejecting an amendment proposed by Councilmember Shelly Erickson to postpone voting on the ordinance to April next year, the council unanimously approved postponing the vote until January 8.
Members had different reasons to postpone the vote. Venuti wanted a clearer idea of the city’s finances before creating a new department.
“We need an audit and we need a finance report. You need us to create a new department,” she told City Manager Rob Dumouchel, “let's get the audit. Let's talk. Let's get a better financial picture of where we are and I think I'm on board.”
Councilmember Jason Davis wanted to wait to give champions — people meant to focus on specific issues — a chance to engage with city staff before establishing a new department.
“I hope that in the interim, it'll be possible for those champions to meet with staff and to look at how we can what we can do to really emphasize to the community and to ourselves that we take this Parks and Rec thing really seriously and that it’s the hugest hole, deficit that we have in our in the governance of our city,” Davis said.
City council will meet again for a regular meeting on Oct. 23.
