Homer Alaska - News -

The city has had a long-term contract with Perkins/Coie of Anchorage and Tans has been the lead city attorney for 19 years.

A lot has changed around town in that time, he said.

"Homer has grown from a sleepy little town to a vibrant place," Tans said.

While he couldn't remember what case he first worked on as Homer's attorney, he did remember the most contentious annexation.

"That was interesting," he said. "It may not have been a highlight for many people, but as an attorney, it was a highlight."

City Manager Walt Wrede said the city likely will put the attorney contract up for bid, as Perkins/Coie isn't going to replace Tans with another general muni- cipal attorney.

On the other side of a city career, Barbara Howard was sworn in during Monday's council meeting and took the seat vacated by Lane Chesley, who resigned March 17.

Howard was unanimously appointed to the council on April 14, and has a long history in public service. She was a municipal clerk in California for 18 years, participated in public policy development for more than 20 and has served as an elected official in various capacities.

Since moving to Homer to become a full-time resident in 2004 after retirement, Howard became highly involved in local issues.

Before being appointed to the council, Howard sat on the Homer Advisory Planning Commission, was secretary for the Homer Chamber of Commerce board of directors. She still is the vice president of the South Peninsula Hospital Inc. board of directors and is the acting chair of South Peninsula Hospital Foundation Inc.

Her first official action as a council member was to vote down a beach policy ordinance that would have instituted a permit program for using motorized vehicles on city-area beaches. The ordinance was voted down unanimously.

In other news, the council:

* Approved a new beer and wine liquor license for Cosmic Kitchen's planned restaurant on the Homer Spit.

* Authorized spending nearly $290,000 of Homer Accelerated Roads and Trails Program funds for the Spruce-view/Noview Road reconstruction and paving local improvement district.

* Introduced an ordinance creating the Scenic Gateway Corridor Overlay District to further regulate development along the Sterling Highway from Rogers Loop Road to the intersection of the Sterling Highway and Pioneer Avenue. The ordinance was amended to affect only the property 150 feet from each side of the centerline of the highway. A public hearing and second reading is scheduled for May 12.

* Introduced an ordinance that would establish a residency incentive credit for full-time Homer residents. The next reading was postponed until the fall so the council could work on the issue more. The council is discussing several mechanisms to return some tax money back to its citizens including a sales tax cut, a property tax rate reduction and an energy credit.

* Appointed council member Francie Roberts to the Transportation Advisory Committee.

Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart@homernews.com.