The City of Homer recently finished its first ever Citizens Academy session, a program aimed to get residents more involved in the procedures of local government agencies.
Homer City Clerk Jo Johnson said 14 people participated in this year’s program.
Johnson: “They were able to view the Port, Public Works and the water and sewer treatment facilities, the clerks office, the finance department and the library and they would meet either at City Hall or the facilities.”
Keri-Ann Baker, who just moved to Homer from Florida, participated in this year’s program.
Baker: “It was a great experience. I’m new to the city, I’ve only been here since about mid-November so we got to learn a lot about the way the city works, meet a ton of the employees and I’d met quite a few of the city employees before and we toured several different city facilities and the knowledge I learned from the course was pretty exciting, particularly for a new resident. But I think that long time city residents being exposed to this kind of information would be very valuable too.”
Last year Soldotna’s branch of Alaska State Troopers offered a similar program to enhance public awareness of the troopers’ role in the community.
The city of Homer is slated to offer the Academy again this fall.