By Marcia Kuszmaul

Homer Independent Press

At its regular meeting 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, the Homer City Council will finalize the city’s 2026 legislative priorities and positions in advance of meetings in Juneau with the Alaska Municipal League and state legislators the week of Feb. 16.

The council postponed action at its previous meeting to gather more information about proposed fiscal year 2027 budget measures and new bills coming before the Alaska Legislature. Jenny Carroll, special projects coordinator, will have updated recommendations.

City Manager Melissa Jacobsen will bring forward a measure to amend the city election code. The changes were not available at publication time, but at the Jan. 12 council meeting, Jacobsen had noted that in the last election Kenai Peninsula Borough voters chose to change the borough election date to November to coincide with state and federal elections. 

While council members expressed a preference for keeping Homer’s traditional October date, they discussed pros and cons of aligning with borough election dates and directed Jacobsen to develop an ordinance to change the city election date for council consideration and public comment.

The council will reconsider an update to a resolution it previously approved in support of full funding of the state Municipal Harbor Facility Grant Program and consider a new resolution to raise the maximum grant amount of the program from $5 million to $7.5 million. 

The city’s current two-year budget for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, is nearing its midpoint and will be reviewed at the council’s 4 p.m. worksession.

The regular meeting also will include second public hearings and votes on measures such as floor replacement at the Homer Education and Recreation Complex (HERC),  purchase of network storage and a library security grille, road maintenance, changes to commission and board member terms, and updates to the city’s release of public records process.

All city council meetings are open public meetings held in the Cowles Council Chambers of City Hall, 491 E. Pioneer Ave. Full information is available on the city web site for how to get agendas and supporting documents, submit written testimony and attend meetings in person, via Zoom or by phone The regular meeting is broadcast live on KBBI public radio AM 890.

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