Monday’s council meeting was bittersweet as the community bid farewell to one mayor and welcomed another.
Newly elected mayor Shelly Erickson’s first act, following her swearing-in ceremony, was to recognize outgoing mayor Rachel Lord’s years of public service as both council member and city leader. Lord was first elected to the council in 2017; she was elected mayor in 2024.
Erickson commended Lord’s work on major projects including the Homer Harbor expansion and the Homer Comprehensive Plan and Title 21 updates, as well as Lord’s efforts to connect the community to its local government.
“Rachel’s service on both the City Council and as Mayor reflects countless hours of dedication, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of the Homer community,” Erickson said. “The City of Homer extends its sincere gratitude for her years of service and recognizes the lasting contributions she has made to the community she has proudly served.”
For her own part, Erickson said she’s looking forward to the next two years and expects Homer to “do great things.”
“Thank you, everyone, for your support and faith in us and faith in me. Away we go,” she said.
Reelected council members Bradley Parsons and Caroline Venuti also were sworn in to serve another three years each. Both expressed enthusiasm for continuing their work for the city.
Official election results, certified last Friday by Homer’s Election Canvass Board, show a vast majority of voters — 80% — approved the Homer Accelerated Roads and Trails Fund’s renewal for another 20 years, through 2047.
In the council race, Venuti received 1,192 total votes and Parsons received 997. Challenger Matthew Bullard received 660.
Erickson, running unopposed, received 1,687 votes out of 1,774.
Homer also saw a surge in voter participation this year, with the city, borough and state elections all combined for the first time. The Canvass Board reported 2,206 of 5,460, or 40%, of registered voters cast ballots.
Voter turnout in 2025 was 25%. The 2024 city election — the last time a new Homer mayor was elected — saw 33% voter turnout.
Erickson’s shift to mayor creates a vacancy on the council. The city will appoint someone to fill her seat until next fall’s election. Applications, available on the City of Homer website, are due by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16.
In other council news
In a letter addressed to Aleutian Airways CEO Brian Whilden, the council seeks to address public concerns with air service reliability in Homer.
“We hope for your continued success and service to Homer,” the letter reads. “That said, residents of Homer and surrounding areas have experienced delayed and cancelled flights to the extent that many people no longer trust Aleutian Airways to meet their needs.”
The council invited Aleutian representatives to attend a future meeting and asked the airline to reevaluate its Homer flight schedule to develop a more attainable one.
After a two-month wait to see if the HART fund would be renewed, council members also passed Ordinance 26-41, approving $150,000 from the HART Fund for trails development related to the Woodard Canyon Looped Trail. This funding will go toward planning and design to turn an existing “primitive” roadbed into a more viable trail, enabling the city to address concerns about steep slopes and the road’s stability for users.
In further election news, Rachel Lord wasn’t the only one recognized for her service to the community on Monday. At the start of the regular meeting, while still mayor, Lord honored Kelly Cooper for her role as Homer’s representative on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and, in her latest term, Assembly vice president.
Cooper did not run for reelection and voters elected Theo Noomah to be the new District 8 assembly member. Noomah was sworn in Tuesday.
“Kelly has long recognized the importance of making local government accessible and encouraging public participation,” Lord said, reading aloud her commendation for Cooper. “As a local business owner and long-time Homer resident, Kelly brought a practical perspective to public service, emphasizing collaboration, responsiveness and respect for the diverse viewpoints found throughout the Borough.”
The next regular council meeting will be 6 p.m., Nov. 23 in the Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers and via Zoom.
Two special council meetings will take place at 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16. As of Wednesday, the agendas for these meetings had not been published on the city website.
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