Homer City Council Candidate Sarah Vance grew up in Homer and is currently raising a young family here. KBBI spoke to Vance about capital projects, recreational cannabis, and what type of city council she would like to see.
Vance wants to bring a communal feel back to the city council.
“More than anything, just having a common sense for listening to the voice of the people and wanting to retain our core values and what’s important,” she said.
Vance prides herself on heavily researching local issues she is not familiar with. When finding out more information, Vance says she tries to get information from the source.
“One of the current issues that is controversial is cannabis, and I recently came from the police station to ask some of the safety concerns that our force is trying to deal with under these regulations and if there’s any way that can be measured,” Vance explained.
Vance did not go into further detail on specific regulations or safety concerns.
Currently, the council is entertaining recommendations regarding on-site consumption and opening up the spit to the commercial cannabis industry.
A retail marijuana shop is also on track to open this fall.
When it comes to capital improvements, Vance lists the new police station as a crucial project for the city, but she also has other improvements on her mind.
“I’d like to move forward on important capital projects like the sidewalk on Main Street,” Vance explains. “That has been more than a 20-year request, and we need to make it happen.”
Funding capital projects can be tricky in the current fiscal climate. With limited funding from the state, Vance has ideas on how to alleviate the financial burden.
“We could possibly sell some properties and raise some revenues and create a nice balloon payment and take out a nominal loan,” Vance said.
Vance kicked off her first run for public office after dabbling in politics for the first time this summer during a contentious recall election. Vance had a direct hand in the recall effort, serving as the spokesperson for the pro-recall political action committee Heartbeat of Homer.
Now three months later, remnants of the recall can still be seen on the council and on social media. Vance says she wants the new council to set the tone for Homer and be comprised of people that are willing to come together.
“I want to see a city council who looks at their position as civic responsibility, not a political playing field,” Vance remarks. “This is something that should not come with the colors blue or red.”
The council recently approved sending a resolution asking the state to revisit the statute for recalling elected municipal officials. The council also approved its own identical resolution. Vance opposes the measures and wants the “will of the people to dictate whether a councilperson’s actions are worthy of a recall.”
The election for city council will take place on Tuesday, October 3. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.