Thread by @AnchorageAction

Assembly special meeting starts at 6 pm on Monday, November 1 at Assembly Chambers.
Agenda: Public hearing & planned action on the homelessness and transition from mass care plan, and other items originally scheduled for the October 27 meeting. #ANCgov

Meeting has gaveled in. Everyone present, except Quinn Davidson who is excused.
The man who always yells "LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL" is apparently not present tonight.#ANCgov

Chair LaFrance states the Friday November 5 meeting is canceled due to a notice issue, and it will be on the next regular meeting on November 9 instead. #ANCgov

The agenda is items not taken up last week at the regular meeting.
Next up: vote on more board and commission appointments.
Constant moves to bifurcate approval of Stacia Green from the others. He raises an issue with her qualifications for a finance seat. #ANCgov

Other appointments approved.
Stacia Green's appointment will be taken up on November 9, with a request that h the administration share a rationale of why she meets the requirements.
Mayor Bronson is present in the meeting tonight. #ANCgov

Chair LaFrance reminds the public, and her fellow members, and the executive branch, that public testimony is for the public to be heard, and that members will not answer questions during debate. #ANCgov

Public hearings and votes on land use issues: a conservation easement, rezoning, the things that are normally on the agenda.
Many of these items were actually on the agenda more than 30 days ago, originally on the agenda for September 28. #ANCgov

Things are muted in the room. Perhaps everyone is tired of so many meetings. Maybe the Assembly can catch up on its business tonight. #ANCgov

Next land use issue: a rezone for creating a new snow dump site and access to the site in West Anchorage next to Connor's Bog.
Normal Assembly business. #ANCgov

It's remarkable how much a lack of constant disruptions and disrespectful behavior sets the tone for a productive public meeting. #ANCgov

Testimony about mitigating impacts of the proposed West Anchorage snow dump. Suggestions from the community to improve on the proposal. Local community planning in action. #ANCgov

Allard and the administration look bored to distraction. #ANCgov

Constant: "It really resonates with me, the comments about what happens with the moose in our community." Land use issues in Anchorage means planning for and around moose. #ANCgov

Moving to a vote on the snow dump site, just the first part.
On to the rezone issue. Questions from Weddleton about some of the details. #ANCgov

Dinner break, back sometime before 8.
Not a lot of the Save Anchorage organizers in the room, only several of the groupies. They must not have told people to show up tonight. #ANCgov

Back on the record.
Now to extending the length of the suspension of the plastic bag ban.
Both Dustin Darden and Nial Williams arrived, possibly from the School Board meeting also happening tonight. #ANCgov

A testifier speaks to upholding the plastic bag ban. Darden testifies to the audience, again, and seems to misunderstand what the ordinance does. He again creates a disturbance by claiming the Chair is, when telling him to stop.
He's out again. #ANCgov

Giving Dustin Darden and Nial Williams more attention for this behavior is generally unhelpful. #ANCgov

A testifier says that after doing years of city cleanups, she noticed fewer plastic bags blowing around outside once the bag ban was in place.
LaFrance asks Nial to stay on topic. He won't. #ANCgov

Another frequent testifier reminds Nial that there is a long list of agenda items. Even the others are tired of him.
Another testifier speaks in favor of the environment. #ANCgov

A testifier asks: why does Anchorage keep going back and forth, having to talk about everything for a long time? Good question. Ask the people who keep slowing meetings to a crawl. #ANCgov

A phone testifier says it's been so long since she signed up, she can't remember what it's about.
Then more anti mask testimony. #ANCgov

Francesca Allegrezza asks to hold up the entire meeting by having signed up for phone testimony, then driving to the meeting, and asking everyone to wait. #ANCgov

Motion to extend the bag ban passes 7 to 3.
Weddleton moves to take up the non controversial items first, so items like board and director appointments and the homelessness plan will be at the end. #ANCgov

Public hearings and votes on Solid Waste Services rate increases for 2022. Rate increases or changes like these need approval and notification of the public.
Testimony about quid pro quo, but interestingly only blames the Assembly for possible wrongdoing, not the Mayor. #ANCgov

Eloquent testimony about why it's important to maintain government & public utility services, and why individuals can't have the same standard of living in a city of they try to manage their own water & trash.
Also, the Assembly cannot shut down public utilities. #ANCgov

Next two liquor license approvals: Midnight Sun getting a distillery license, and a Brown Jug Liquor location in Muldoon. #ANCgov

LaFrance reminds the testifiers concerned about public records that documents are available online, or you can make an appointment with the clerk to further view records. #ANCgov

5 minute break before the next public hearings. #ANCgov

Reorder of the agenda again: taking up the homelessness resolution. Public hearing open.
First testifier interested in sharing ideas about homelessness, and supports a plan that has shelters for different populations, not 1 mass shelter. #ANCgov

Yarrow speaks in support of housing, services, and having small shelters. She asks for an amendment to limit capacity of any shelter to 200 or less.
Roger Branson states the Houseless Resource Advocacy Council also formally supports this plan. #ANCgov

The next testifier shares alarm about Mayor Bronson's comments last week to a business event about forcibly moving people out of camps. Says it feels disingenuous for his administration to endorse the plan and then say this. Asks for more urgency, it's getting colder. #ANCgov

Testimony closed.
Amendments: Zaletel moves language to clearly tie the exit strategy to COVID 19. Passes, only Allard against.
Another one: removes the locations specified, to avoid the impression that sites have been e selected. Administration approves this. #ANCgov

Kennedy points out a true statement, the engineering report names those sites. Why take it out?
Zaletel responds the public has been confused by naming them, as they were just studied.
Kennedy wants transparency, with unclear motives given that the Admin already agrees. #ANCgov

Constant has an amendment to not only list those sites in a memo, but also other locations to be considered. More comprehensive and does not imply approval. #ANCgov

Allard seems to be looking for reasons to oppose this, even if she's getting out of step with her allies. Does she not agree with the process? Did she want the mass shelter? Or is she just being disagreeable? All of the above? #ANCgov

Constant introduces the memo as an amendment, with a summary of and how to find the engineering report. #ANCgov

Bronson and the administration have been very quiet. Maybe because only one of the 3 on their team is left, and they haven't been part of the 500 hours of negotiation mentioned in the resolution. And because they aren't trying to stop this from passing. #ANCgov

Dunbar asks whether the engineering study looked at distributed sites, not just a mass shelter. Zaletel confirms that is true. He speaks to the ongoing process, and will oppose a large shelter. #ANCgov

Rivera also thanks the team for the process. He asks who will be participating in the negotiation? Baker states they are figuring it out, will have a full team, will stay true to the work to date and agreements made. #ANCgov

Constant reiterates the importance of staying true to the agreements, things can fall apart. And need to act, but "have to go slow to go fast."
Weddleton agrees, supports Gerace and others working on the team. He is hopeful for finding a real solution. #ANCgov

Bronson defers to his negotiator. In context of prior meetings, this is wise.
Allard takes a neutral statement & uses it as opportunity to claim victory after 6 years of inaction. She must have been reading Sunday's ADN op ed. She knows the real story, she was there.
#ANCgov

Zaletel points out the community did have a plan in place, and this is consistent with all that prior work. She reiterates that housing is critical to solving homelessness, and we need to act. Passes unanimously! #ANCgov

Constant explains that the item about mayoral appointments and Assembly confirmation is being worked out still, and will be on the agenda for November 9.
On to other items. #ANCgov

After a short break, some revenue bonds for the Port of Alaska. And some bonds are several years old, approved but not spent. The administration answers questions about why. Finance answers them: projects take a while. #ANCgov

More mundane business, appropriations items (about funding). #ANCgov

Next, HLB disposal of city land. Kennedy moves to postpone, they are still working out the issues. And there needs to be a new Real Estate Director appointed. #ANCgov

November is so far a very productive month for Assembly meetings and conducting city business! Let's hope that holds. #ANCgov

An ordinance about cemetery code, and how long family-placed memorials & decorations can stay onsite. Amendment would allow the to stay for 30 days.
Durand states it is a maintenance issue. #ANCgov

Last item on the agenda: they are opening the public hearing on the appointment & confirmation hearing tonight, then will immediately continue the hearing to next Tuesday. This happens. #ANCgov

Just time for a bit of audience participation before the meeting ends at 11.
It took about 34 days, but the Assembly finally finished a full agenda of items from September.
Adjourned. #ANCgov

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