CITY OF HOMER

WHAT IS A CITY CLERK?

 

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

491 E. PIONEER AVENUE, HOMER, ALASKA 99603

 

Office phone - 235-3130 or 235-8121 extension 2224, 2226 or 2227.

Email address: clerk@ci.homer.ak.us, jjohnson@ci.homer.ak.us, mjacobsen@ci.homer.ak.us, rkrause@ci.homer.ak.us

Main Home Page address: http://clerk.ci.homer.ak.us

 

City Information/Kiosk Locations

  • City Clerk's Reception Area in City Hall
  • Pudgy's Meat Market
  • Captain's Coffee Roasting Co.
  • Port/Harbor Office (Harbormaster's Office.)
  • Redden Marine Supply of Homer

 

 City Of Homer’s Question of the Week Locations

  • Homer City Hall                                
  • Captain’s Coffee Roasting Co.
  • Latitude 59
  • Spenard Builders Supply
  • Duncan House
  • Kachemak Bay Campus
  • Espresso Express
  • Fat Olives Restaurant
  • Redden Marine Supply of Homer
  • The Washboard
  • Homer Public Library

 

Homer City Clerk's Office – Present Staff

v  Jo Johnson – City Clerk as of February 5, 2007

o   Hired part time 03/14/03

o   Became full time Deputy Clerk I 01/01/04

o   Became Deputy Clerk II 05/10/04

v  Melissa Jacobsen – Deputy Clerk II as of February 5, 2007

o   Hired full time 06/24/04

v  Renee Krause – Deputy Clerk I as of March 13, 2007

 

 

Former City Clerks

  • Nelda Calhoun – 1964 -1967 Clerk
  • Ethel A. Beamer – 1967 - 3/11/70 Clerk
  • Lynn Royal – 3/11/70 - 8/19/71 Clerk
  • Mary Epperson – 8/19-10/26/71 Acting Clerk & Treasurer
  • Jack J. Greene – 10/26/71-3/1/73 Clerk & Manager
  • Charlotte Calhoun – 6/12/72 - 3/1/73 Deputy Clerk, 3/1/73 - 11/14/77 Clerk
  • Becky O'Neill – 11/14/77 - 2/19/80 Clerk
  • Kathleen F. Herold2/19/80 - 7/85 Clerk
  • Narda Koby – 7/85 - 8/85 Acting Clerk
  • Kathleen Corriveau – 8/85 - 12/85 Clerk
  • Anne Winters – 12/85 - 1/86 Acting Clerk
  • Patti J. Whalin - 1/86 - 9/90 City Clerk, 1/90 - 6/90 Interim City Manager, 6/90 - 9/90 City Clerk, 9/90 became City Manager Assistant, 4/92 - 6/92 & 2/94 – 5/94 Interim City Manager, 6/92, 5/10/1994 – 1998 City Manager
  • Mary L. Calhoun – 9/27/87 – 1/90 Deputy Clerk, 1/90 – 6/90 Acting Clerk, 6/90 – 9/90 Deputy Clerk, 9/90 – 2/5/07 Clerk

 

Homer City Clerk
The Homer City Clerk is appointed by the City Manager and confirmed by the City Council as provided by Alaska State Law. The Homer City Clerk is overtime exempt, in other words does not receive monetary compensation for overtime.

The Clerk's job description and duties are set in part by Alaska Statute Title 29 and the Homer City Code.

Information you may obtain from the City Clerk's Office

§  Public Disclosure of Records Unless Restricted or Confidential

§  City Council & Commission Agendas & Minutes

§  Council & Commission Meeting Packet Information

§  Information Regarding City Policies & Procedures

§  City Code Ordinance Information

§  City Ordinances, Resolutions, Legislative Memorandum & History Thereof

§  Public Hearing Information

§  Liquor License Approval

§  Games of Chance & Contests of Skill Permit Approval

§  Contract, Leases, Licenses, Agreement Information

§  Easement & Right of Way Information

§  Standard Construction Specs for the City of Homer, 2000 Edition

§  Cemetery Maps, Plots & Deeds

§  City Projects

§  Notary Services

§  Election Information

§  Voter Registration, Absentee Voting

§  City Candidacy Declaration Papers

§  Initiative and Referendum

§  Legislative Directory Assistance

§  Historical Homer Information

§  Local Improvement District Process & Procedures

§  Homer Accelerated Roads & Trails (HART)

§  Homer Accelerated Water & Sewer Program (HAWSP)

§  Capital Improvement Program

§  Legislative Requests

§  Bid and RFP (Request for Proposal) Information

§  Fee Schedule

§  Lease Policy

§  Records Retention Schedule

§  City Directory – Names of City Employees & Legislative & Advisory Body Information

§  Basic and general parcel numbers, maps, owner of record and legal descriptions as listed in the Borough Tax Rolls

 

Code of Ethics

Believing in Freedom throughout the World allowing increased cooperation between municipal clerks and other officials, locally, nationally and internationally, I do hereby subscribe to the following principles and ethics which I affirm will govern my personal conduct as municipal clerk:

* To uphold constitutional government and the laws of my community;

* To so conduct my public and private life as to be an example to my fellow-citizens;

* To impart to my profession those standards of quality and integrity that the conduct of the affairs of my office shall be above reproach and to merit public confidence in our community;

* To be ever mindful of my neutrality and impartiality, rendering equal service to all and to extend the same treatment I wish to receive myself;

* To record that which is true and preserve that which is entrusted to me as if it were my own; and

* To strive constantly to improve the administration of the affairs of my office consistent with applicable laws and through sound management practices to produce continued progress and so fulfill my responsibilities to my community and others.

These things, I, as municipal clerk, do pledge to do in the interest and purposes for which our government has been established.

Colonial Development

When the early colonists came to America they set up forms of local government to which they had been accustomed, and the office of clerk was one of the first to be established. When the colonists first settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, they quickly appointed a person to act as recorder. That person kept all the vital records for birth, marriages and deaths for the church, as well as various other records of appointments, deeds, meetings and the election of officers at the annual town meeting. The settlers were well aware of the importance of keeping accurate written records of their agreements and actions including grants of land, regulations governing animals, the collections of taxes and the expenditure of town funds. State statutes have formalized many of the duties first delegated by vote of the town and has added others.

Between 1742 and 1756 the town clerk was responsible for maintaining residency records to substantiate a person's voting rights. The town clerk was required to administer and record the oath of office taken by town officials. By 1776, the town clerk was empowered to call town meetings to elect selectmen if a majority of the selectmen had moved from the town or were absent in the service of the country.

 

Early Beginnings

The Municipal, Clerk is the oldest of public servants in local government, along with the tax collector. The profession traces back before Biblical times. For example, the modern Hebrew translation of Town Clerk is "Mazkir Ha'ir" which literally translated, means city or town "Reminder." The early keepers of archives were often called "Remembrancers", and before writing came into use, their memory served as the public record. In the eighth century, the Frankish Kings of France depended on the Mayor of the Palace to perform all manner of clerical and administrative tasks for the King including collecting taxes and fees, publishing documents, keeping state records and assisting in the enforcement of the King's justice.

Historical Summary

Over the years municipal clerks have become the hub of government, the direct line between the inhabitants of their community and their government. The clerk is the historian of the community, for the entire recorded history of the town (city) and its people is in his or her care.

 

Professor William Bennett Munro, political scientist, 1934: "No other office in municipal service has so many contacts. It serves the mayor, the city council, the city manager (when there is one), and all administrative departments without exception. All of them call upon it, almost daily, for some service or information. Its work is not spectacular, but it demands versatility, alertness, accuracy, and no end of patience. The public does not realize how many loose ends of city administration this office pulls together.