This artical has been corrected. The following correction ran in the print edition of The Homer News on Oct 5 2006
Correction: Due to a reporting error in a story about the CIP project list in the Sept. 28 edition of the Homer News a quote regarding the library project was incorrectly attributed to Barb Seaman. Valerie Connor said "I think this is a premature concept considering the paint is barely dry on the new library," during public testimony. The Homer News regrets the error.
The Capital Improvement Program, or CIP list, is used by the city to apply for state or grant funding. Projects at the top of the list are considered higher priorities. And with 60 projects on the list, opinions varied as to which ones should get top billing.
Most of the proposals got rave reviews. But the expansion of the library and deep water dock got at least a couple thumbs down.
Rika Mouw said a busy dock on the end of the Spit would hurt the town’s two biggest industries. And it wouldn’t enhance what Homer has now.
“We’re not an industrial community,” she said. “Our industry is fishing and tourism. The current population and influx of new residents are not an industrial population. It would be starting a whole new thing.”
Roberta Highland also said she has concerns about the dock, especially if used for a staging area for the proposed Pebble mine.
“I’m concerned about Homer supporting some project that may be doing harm in another area (of the state),” she said.
Others worried increased truck traffic could clog Homer’s roads, a point council member Val McLay countered during his closing comments.
“One individual said freight isn’t something we want here at this time. Well, freight is something we’ve had for many years. This dock was built for that purpose,” he said. “If we create a freight terminal here it would not create more truck traffic than the traffic we had shipping logs out of here on a regular basis. And we’ve lost a lot of that income off the end of the Spit that we are trying to entice back.”
Others took issue with council member Doug Stark’s proposal to expand the new Homer Public Library.
“I think this is a premature concept considering the paint is barely dry on the new library,” said Valerie Connor. “We need to wait on that one.”
Projects like a new city hall, a new equestrian park, the Jack Gist softball fields, a senior citizen access trail and the upgrade to the Ohlson Mountain rope tow, however, gathered support.
Charlie Franz said he supported looking for funds for a new city hall so the college can expand into the current building.
“I would like to ask you to think of expansion of the college as an investment in our community, an investment in the future,” Franz said.
That sentiment was shared by others like Bob Shavelson and Rika Mouw, while others, like Bill Smith and Seaman said the new city hall and proposed Town Center infrastructure improvement project should be merged.
“It’s a better draw if it’s one piece,” Seaman said.
Fred Lau came out to support a nine-unit housing facility for seniors, saying there is a waiting list of 45 people looking to get into the center right now.
Jeanie Fabich, Highland and a few supporters who simply raised their hands when asked, praised the idea of the Cottonwood Equestrian Park.
Valerie Connor, Mouw, Lau, McLay, and Ray Kranich all said they wanted to see the senior trail built.
Kranich said such a trail would affect a lot of people for little money.
And several citizens, like Nell Gustavson who touted the Ohlson Mountain rope tow as a unique and valuable community asset, got straight to the point of a night of public comment.
“It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease,” said Gustavson. “We really got a squeaky wheel up on Ohlson Mountain, so we’d appreciate some grease.”
Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart@ homernews.com.
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