A woman in opposition of the city council member recall of Aderhold, Lewis, and Reynolds, repeatedly told me that we did not understand the hurtful implications this recall would have in our community. “It’s just so hurtful,” she would say.

Hurtful? Yes, these three council members have indeed hurt the very social fabric of our community; forcing friends and business associates to voice their convictions regarding national political issues that have previously been kept at bay. Circulating a “sanctuary city” resolution with an anti-Trump agenda in February, they drew a line in the sand that forced members of our community to choose sides.

If the conservative majority had kept their head down as they have done these past eight years, the City of Homer would have been deemed a sanctuary city, and therefore federally unlawful. In 2016, the City of Homer received a whopping $1 million in federal money; not counting the individual federal grants that go to our 180+ nonprofit organizations. All of this money and more could have been lost: all due to the carelessness of these three council members. Hurtful to Homer? You bet.

As if that weren’t enough, numerous Homer business owners have already received cancellation after cancellation because of the backlash of the national coverage regarding this proposed resolution. We are yet to see the negative economic impact these three council members have unleashed; thus stealing bread from the tables of those who elected them. Who gets to clean up the mess and again regain Homer’s popularity as one of the places to visit before you die — the people of this small community who have carved out a living with their bare hands.

Most importantly, council members Aderhold, Lewis and Reynolds have betrayed our trust. They flat out lied to us as the citizens of Homer, and abused their power as elected officials. It is their job to represent us, the people of Homer, not their own political agendas. How can we now trust anything that bears their name or fingerprints? We can’t, and we won’t.

Hurtful to Homer? Yes, yes, indeed.