Longtime Homewood resident Chris Lane running for mayor
Longtime Homewood resident Chris Lane announced he will be running for mayor in this year’s election.
Lane, 66, has been a resident of Homewood for almost 50 years. He and his wife, Leslie, have two children who both grew up in the Homewood City Schools system.
Lane is the founder of Homewood-based C Lane Company, one of the Southeast's leading produce distributors. He said his entrepreneurial spirit and devoted leadership will be a driving force to bringing much-needed change to the city of Homewood.
During his time living in Homewood, Lane has been an active supporter of the Homewood community. As a Homewood business owner himself, he understands the importance of local businesses and the value they bring to Homewood, he said. Chris Lane has been a vocal advocate about citywide issues and concerns and seeks to bring transparency to the residents of Homewood, he said.
His platform focuses on three main issues. First is transparency. According to his website, he wants to focus on hiring a city manager and maintaining an up-to-date website. He also wants to livestream meetings and provide post-meeting minutes.
“Significant barriers currently exist to effective citizen engagement in Homewood, and we need to focus on building trust between citizens, the mayor and the Council,” he said. “Government leaders need to broaden their approach and embrace their responsibility to facilitate, support and empower citizens as stakeholders, trusting that they can and will effectively guide decision making.”
His platform also outlines the need for unification, and he said a strong community is one in which people have a sense of inclusion and connectedness.
Last, his campaign seeks to focus on historic preservation.
“Homewood is a city built with charm, and we should protect and preserve its foundation,” he said. “To protect and preserve the city of Homewood's charm, we will work closely with contractors/developers to ensure updates meet Homewood standards.”
Chris Lane attended Shades Valley High School and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alabama.
Visit Lane’s website at chrislaneformayor.com for more information.
The election for Homewood mayor and City Council seats is Aug. 25. Qualifying starts July 7 and goes through July 21.
If you are running in this year's election for mayor or for a seat on City Council, please email ischnader@starnespublishing.com to be featured in our upcoming election guide.