Lane Chesley

Lane Chesley

Candidate QA: Lane Chesley

Former Homer City Council member Lane Chesley seeks to move on to Kenai Peninsula Borough government service with his run for the District 8 KPB Assembly seat now held by Assembly President Kelly Cooper.

Because of term limits, Cooper cannot run for reelection and is running as an independent for the District 31 House of Representatives seat against incumbent Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer.

Chesley would have had opposition from Paul Hueper, owner of a bed and breakfast, but Hueper failed to get a hard copy of his declaration of candidacy to the borough clerk’s office by the filing deadline. Hueper had filed his paperwork with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. The borough clerk ruled Hueper not eligible, clearing the way for Chesley to run unopposed.

Born and raised in Batavia, Illinois, Chesley moved to Alaska in 1979 to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he graduated in 1984 with a bachelor of arts in sociology and social work with a minor in Alaska Native studies. He married his wife Melody in 1983, and they have one son, Gareth, now 31.

Chesley has worked in construction, commercial fishing, fishing supply and marine safety. His recent work experience includes project manager for Puffin Electric; project manager for SOLAS Marine Services, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and vice president of operations, Eugene Stolzfus Architects.

He has served on the Homer Advisory Planning Commission, the Homer City Council and on the South Peninsula Hospital Inc. Board of Directors and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies Board of Directors. His hobbies include gardening, dipnet fishing and moose hunting.

Chesley identifies politically as an independent and in his candidate statement writes, “I listen to all sides of issues.”

Question: What made you decide to run for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly?

A: My decision to run for assembly is based on three of my passions:

1. expanding health care services and making health care more affordable to the residents of Homer and the South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area;

2. supporting the school district to keep students, educators and support staff healthy, safe and adequately funded;

3. pursuing economic development opportunities that bring living wage paying jobs to our community.

Q: What do you see as the three biggest issues facing the city currently?

A: 1. services and health care for our expanding senior citizens. Projected increases by 2030 for ages 75-84 is 83% and ages 85+ is 86%.

2. viability of our fisheries economy.

3. viability of our tourism economy.

Q: What could the borough be doing better in terms of handling and mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic (if anything)?

A: I think the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and administration are working very hard and have been effective in addressing the effects of the pandemic. I look forward to the post-pandemic work of figuring out the most effective strategies used and how to better prepare the borough for the future.

Q: What will be the biggest priority/priorities heading into the borough’s next budget cycle?

A: Assessing the negative impacts of the pandemic on the school district budget and the revenue streams that fund the borough.

Q: What skills do you bring to the table that would make you an effective assembly member?

A: I have served 12 years in public service roles including the Homer Advisory Planning Commission, Homer City Council, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies and South Peninsula Hospital Board of Directors. These opportunities have given me skills in: being a productive participant in a governing body, understanding of ordinances and regulations, developing and managing budgets, understanding planning and zoning land use issues.

Q: What is your favorite book and why?

A: My favorite book is “Positive Fishing: The Art of Angling Your Outer Limit.” A premise of this book is that the most successful fisherman are those who dig deep within themselves to keep making that one extra cast with the belief that it will be the one to catch that sought after fish. In other words, the only way to catch a fish is to have your line in the water! This lesson applies to all that I do in business and public service to keep an optimistic attitude and strive hard to go that extra mile to solve whatever problem I am working on.

More in News

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Job Center is seen here in Kenai, Alaska on April 15, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)
Minimum wage increases to $13 per hour on July 1

Since 2014, Alaska’s minimum wage has increased from $7.75 to $11.91 through the Alaska Wage and Hour Act.

Leads for the Sterling Safety Corridor Improvements Project field questions and showcase their “preferred design” during an open house meeting at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Preferred design alternative for Sterling Highway safety corridor introduced at town hall

The project is intended to redesign and construct improvements to the highway to reduce the number of fatal and serious collisions.

Alaska State Troopers badge. File photo
Recovered remains confirmed to be missing Texas boaters; fourth set of remains found

Remains were recovered from the vessel sank that in Kachemak Bay last August.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland speaks during a meeting of the KPBSD Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
KPBSD issues notice of non-retention to pool managers, theater techs and library aides

Those notices were issued due to the ongoing uncertainty in state education funding.

National Guard members put on hazmat suits before entering the simulation area on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Natalie Buttner / Juneau Empire)
National Guard begins exercise in Juneau simulating foreign terrorist attacks

Operation ORCA brings 100 personnel to Juneau, disrupts traffic around Capitol.

Woman of Wisdom Roberta Highland holds her award from South Peninsula Haven House in this photo taken July 25, 2020, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy South Peninsula Haven House)
Borough assembly commends Roberta Highland

The longtime Homer resident passed away in April 24 at age 75.

Anchor Point Library director Deanna Thomas works the front counter on Friday, June 6, 2025, in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Anchor Point Library awarded Rasmuson grant

Grant funding will relieve issues with the building’s septic system.

A Sitka black-tailed deer peers through the undergrowth of the Tongass National Forest in an undated photo. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Alaska developing plans to introduce deer to southern Kenai Peninsula

Strategy development for the project follows a public proposal introduced in 2023.

Most Read