Hogan hits the ground running

• ‘Join Haven House with HPD,’ says newest council member

By Aaron Selbig
Homer Tribune
If you had never seen the Homer City Council in action before and picked Monday night’s meeting for your first live experience, you probably would not have guessed that Kevin Hogan was the new kid on the block.

Freshly inaugurated during a special council meeting Oct. 20 and seated comfortably to the right of Mayor James Hornaday, Hogan got right to business at his first council meeting – making good on campaign promises to bring a different perspective to the council and to focus budget discussions on the expense side of the city ledger.
“How many city positions are we cutting?” Hogan asked City Manager Walt Wrede.
When told the answer – eight and a half – Hogan wondered how much more money could be saved if, instead of cutting positions, the city instituted some type of pay cut to its employees.
“My preference would be to reduce salary levels rather than cut jobs,” he said.
Hogan then surprised everyone with a suggestion to Homer Police Chief Mark Robl that public funding for the South Peninsula Haven House should come through the Homer Police Department rather than the Homer Foundation.
“If (the Haven House) were inserted back in the budget, would you be OK if they were inserted in your department?” Hogan asked Robl.
“But they are a nonprofit group,” said council member Beth Wythe.
“It’s possible. You could do that,” said Wrede. “I think the police and the Haven House have a very positive relationship.”
The idea – one that’s been on his mind “for some time” – is not for the city to take over the Haven House, but to direct public funding to it through the police department, said Hogan.
“I don’t like seeing funding for things that have a public purpose going through the Homer Foundation,” he said. “I think Haven House performs a public safety function and it should be funded under the public safety department.”
Haven House Executive Director Peg Coleman was made aware of the idea last week before leaving town, said Hogan, and “concurs” that her organization logically falls under the umbrella of public safety.
Hogan plans to formally introduce his idea – in the form of a budget amendment – at the next council meeting Nov. 23.
“Maybe I’ll get shot down in flames, but it’s worth a try,” he said.
No one should be too surprised that, instead of hanging back and feeling things out at his first council meeting, he came out firing, said Hogan. In addition to his service on the Port and Harbor Commission and the Economic Development Advisory Commission, Hogan has been attending council meetings – and often testifying before council members – for some time.
“I live in this town and I have an investment of time and money in this town,” said Hogan, who owns the Auction Block Co. on the Homer Spit. “I want to see our town go forward and not become a ghost town.”
Hogan respects his fellow council members, he said, and isn’t out to make trouble.
“I’m sure most people would consider me a pain in the ass,” he said. “I’m going to have to hold my tongue a lot and I think I’ve already been doing that. I’m just here to try to represent the taxpayer as best as I can.”

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Posted by Newsroom on Oct 28th, 2009 and filed under More News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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