By Will Payne
On April 6th, 2021, Jeremy Richards (61%) defeated Raymond Cunningham Jr. (39%) for the seat of Homer mayor.
Richards began his mayoral campaign after being approached by members of the Homer community who thought they needed fresh ideas and people in city hall.
Despite not having any background in politics, Richards has been an integral part of the Homer community since he moved there with his wife in 2002. He has taught and coached at Prairieview-Ogden, and since 2007 he has been a volunteer firefighter.
Richards will serve a four-year term as mayor of Homer. When in office, he wants to transform the village into one where younger people from all walks of life move to.
“Initially, I said I would really like to see growth in the Village,” said Richards. “We have an aging population, and I would like to see younger couples and families move into the area to set up roots.”
Since taking office, Homer has already seen an economic boost with new stores arriving in town. Some of these new businesses include a Dollar General, a machine shop on the east side of town, and plans for a car wash to come in later this year.
Both at national and local levels, we are seeing candidates and elected officials utilize social media applications such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to reach a wider audience. Richards has fully embraced this idea, as he regularly communicates with people of his community through his Facebook page.
“I think it helps in keeping transparency as far as letting people know what I think,” said Richards. “In a small town you’re going to have hearsay and rumors that go around, and this allows me to talk to people individually. Maybe they cannot meet me out at City Hall, but they can shoot me a Facebook message. That transparency and ability to talk one-on-one is a huge advantage.”
One of the issues in Homer that Richards has been vocal about recently is the improvement needed in the infrastructure of the town. He regularly posts updates on his Facebook of construction projects regarding the roads and sidewalks in town.
Along with the roads and sidewalks, Richards has overseen the plans for a new water tower in Homer, and with the rendered design set, construction on the project will begin soon.
In his first month as mayor, Richards has fit in seamlessly. His modern approaches both on social media and for the Village of Homer bode well for the future of the area.
