Thread by @AnchorageAction

Tonight's #ANCgov Assembly meeting - last regular meeting of 2021 - starts Tuesday, December 21 at 5 pm. See you in the Assembly chamber at Loussac Library!

The chamber is pretty quiet, most wearing masks. An unmasked Santa and elf from Save Anchorage are handing out something to Assembly members and Mayor Bronson. They wanted to join the party! #ANCgov

Gaveled in, with all members present. Constant, Zaletel, Perez Verdia on the phone.
Pledge-screamer Jeff Fenske punctuates the Pledge of Allegiance.
Land acknowledgement. A normal meeting, these days. #ANCgov

When the Mayor's Report begins, over a dozen people in the room hold up signs: Bronson Resign. Transparency is Democracy. "Let's Go Bronson."
He talks about the Port, "new" prosecution team for domestic violence, and elections ordinance. Doesn't look up from his sheet. #ANCgov

Chair's report. LaFrance lays out the many public meetings, presentations at community councils, work sessions and public hearings. And that the S version has changes that reflect what people were upset about. Details the false talking points and why they are false. #ANCgov

Next, committee reports.
Allard has some interesting gifts from Save Anchorage Santa on the dias. Was she naughty or nice? Coal or some toys? #ANCgov

Next, laid on the table items to add to the agenda. The Chair explains that generally laid on the table items are not preferred, because they don't have public notice and aren't available to the public.
The administration put forward 21 items, a total of over $17,497,000. #ANCgov

LaFrance says these 21 items and $17 million in contracts would take over 2 hours of meeting time, for contracts to continue next year. They are consent agenda items.
The Assembly instead scheduled a special meeting for next Tuesday, December 28, to take care of these. #ANCgov

Allard, with her usual tactic, asks Demboski a question to give her a platform. Demboski has decided to make this an issue too, saying they aren't nefarious and the usual "people will be out on the street," since they care about life & safety when it's convenient. #ANCgov

Members have questions: Is mass care funding part of the negotiated process? We thought it wasn't. Aren't some of these on the agenda already? No, they are separate.
Are these time sensitive? That's a question for debate on the motion.
#ANCgov

Confusion about whether the Eagle River members have a conflict of interest because they are ex officio members of the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce & would be voting on funding for that organization.
Then discussion of the conflict questions, and what ex officio is. #ANCgov

One step forward: the addendum to the agenda has been added to the agenda.
Next up, open mic night, officially known as Initial Audience Participation. Chair LaFrance reminds everyone of the rules. #ANCgov

First, Andrew Gray brings up Watergate, the mysterious fluoride incident. Someone had to.
"If there are issues with the drinking water, the public needs to know."
"I'm concerned what's happened that hasn't been reported yet."
"Mayor Bronson has violated the public trust." #ANCgov

Lots of grumbling in the room. The mob gets uncomfortable when confronted with things like the truth, accountability, or criticism of "their" elected officials. No hurt feelings or hesitation about insulting, threatening or belittling Assembly members, or last 2 mayors. #ANCgov

Next testifier talks about transparency, but against the elections ordinance.
Jennifer Anderson is next, the self-proclaimed "organizer" of Save Anchorage, says she moved districts over the Alaska Club building purchase that didn't happen, and she helped stop in 2020. #ANCgov

Must Read Alaska didn't seem to know that they were supposed to drum up outrage about the Assembly chamber ordinance (AO 2021-117) until this afternoon, Anderson slips in a mention, but don't expect a lot of talking points about it. Yet. #ANCgov

A member of Girdwood Board of Supervisors thanks Mayor Bronson for asking Governor Dunleavy to add the flooding to a disaster declaration.
Bronson figured out it's a good idea to 1. Actually help the city & 2. Keep Girdwood voters happy.
Who declares Bronson a disaster?
#ANCgov

Dustin Sherman, wearing a suit, starts out praising Clerk Barbara Jones and finding common ground. Also says he now lives in District 6.
What office is he running for in the near future? #ANCgov

The next testifier says "I didn't want to be here, but I'm here." Followed by a jumble of talking points against fluoride, that there's an election "county" clerk, that there shouldn't be tyranny, against Dominion Voting. The ADN reference suggests a Must Read reader. #ANCgov

Allard, who has trouble with understanding and following rules, once again asks to suspend the rules for a friend of hers from Eagle River.
Remember when she talked for weeks about how the Chair allowed doctors to speak longer & answer questions? Because *they* disagreed. #ANCgov

Quote of the year: "Don't be distracted by sensational journalism." But talking about the fluoride and safety issues in the chamber, not about Must Read and the Watchman. #ANCgov

A member of the public, who wasn't in line to speak & who hurried up after they moved on, made obvious eye contact with Allard, probably to get in the queue. A text flurry ensues.
Then asks "Can Constant repeat the question?" Because she looked busy texting. #ANCgov

Christine Hill, dressed up for tonight's meeting, in her seat in the "Look at me! I'm on TV!" section, next to Save Anchorage Santa & sidekick.
What if the reason they all want constant camera coverage of meetings, all angles, is to make sure they're always in the shot? #ANCgov

Portia Erickson, formerly Portia Noble, community engagement director - currently for Bronson and formerly for Americans for Prosperity - talks about figuring out relief funding. #ANCgov

Still adding items to the agenda, sorting out what can wait till next week.
Next, consent agenda items. Unless pulled for a vote, these are passed as a full list and approved.
Items pulled get reading, discussion and a vote. #ANCgov

Bronson and Demboski have abandoned the theater of him getting in the queue and delegating to her speak. Now she just speaks, apparently. #ANCgov

Allard continues the war against the Anchorage Daily News, saying "journalism should be neutral."
Interesting take.
She complains about paying the newspaper to publish notices about the election, who published a letter from the Deputy Clerk about election rules. #ANCgov

Perez-Verdia asks why they are asked to approve grant funding for 2021, just 10 days before the agreement ends. Fair question.
Everyone wants to fund Campfire Alaska, the question is timeliness.
Dunbar points out Assembly members were contacted about this back in office. #ANCgov

Allard, energy flagging & bored with an item that's already taking too long, decides to throw a bomb: "So this was the prior administration DROPPING THE BALL on this funding?!"
Larry Baker walks it back. The crowd, having something to do for one moment, snickers. #ANCgov

More routine business on the agenda, reconsideration for funding items.
Bronson has had time for a good Solitaire session. You can always be the winner if you're the only one playing.
Dinner break, back at 7:10. #ANCgov

Back on the record, starting with appropriations items & appointments to boards, then a lease from ACDA for the 6th transit center. The "controversial" items later. #ANCgov

Rivera moves to bifurcate approval of the Houseless Lived Experience Advisory Commission, separating the vote on Jason Robinson from the others. Says he cannot support his appointment based on community feedback. #ANCgov

Constant says he reluctantly plans to vote yes, "I hope to be surprised, in a good way."
The rest of the appointed members to the Houseless Advisory Commission are approved, not Robinson. #ANCgov

Next, ACDA ground lease approval.
Zaletel is concerned about the terms, not having the final agreement in writing, has questions.
ACDA needs it by December 30.
Demboski cuts in and says it can wait til January.
Maybe the administration should talk to itself? #ANCgov

Constant: "We understand the developer and ACDA's wishes. We have a draft, we need the ground lease, not just the concept, to approve."
Dunbar also has questions about subleases (assignment in the document) and whether it also requires the labor agreement. #ANCgov

Weddleton points out wanting to see the full agreement is helpful, so the city doesn't get stuck with having to pay liability if the deal falls through.
After a break, Larry Baker says they support the project and will work on resolving the legal issues. #ANCgov

Feels like a lot of inefficiency in the meetings are the administration not doing its homework, not coordinating with itself, not planning ahead.
Maybe they need more staff?
Maybe just stop driving away staff?
The Assembly wants to support this, when it's ready. #ANCgov

Next, the liquor license renewals, Divots Golf and Mad Myrna's.
Since Nial Williams and Dustin Darden aren't here, we don't have to be treated to irrelevant testimony about bioweapons & harming children. So both easily pass. #ANCgov

Next, the reason everyone is here: AO 2021-110(S), changes to election code. Chair LaFrance reiterates none of the lies told about this technical ordinance are accurate, the new version even addresses their concerns.
None of that will change the Save Anc. talking points. #ANCgov

Randy Sulte, running for Assembly in District 6 (South) is on the phone list. Will he complain that his Save Anchorage friends can't harass workers?
He acknowledges the S version. Still says "people don't trust elections, especially with vote by mail & rank choice." #ANCgov

Maybe mistrust in elections is less about what happens locally, more about the brainwashing about the 2020 election.
Next testifier zeroes in on "restrictions on recording devices." Why does everyone want to film this? Do all these wanna be stars have an audience? #ANCgov

The people who do not trust the government and worry about constant surveillance keep wanting even more cameras. A human watching the ballots 24/7, AND a camera watching them and the votes. #ANCgov

Andrew Brennan speaks in support, and points out that the opposition is pushing conspiracy theories all comes from people not accepting the 2020 presidential election.
The election-fraud mob scoffs and laughs, unable to absorb the idea that they might be wrong. #ANCgov

Polly Carr also testifies in support, recommends reading more about how the election process has many controls in place, and not to assume that this process can or would control the outcome.
Next testifier says the Clerk has too much power, wants constant surveillance. #ANCgov

Reminder: multiple testifiers last week work for the Bronson administration, or like Randy Sulte tonight, are running for office. Or, like Louis Imbriani, probably will. #ANCgov

Michele Bryant Wrightson, who repeatedly said Assembly members on the phone were "absent," and that they all need to look at her while she speaks, decided that phone testimony is acceptable now. Then calls to return to in-person voting only. #ANCgov

Jonathan Marsh testifies in support, says he's read the whole thing, doesn't seem to change the process, points out some small things like the definition of "signature."
The conspiracy theories sound a little silly tonight when the actual ordinance language gets quoted. #ANCgov

Allard uses the usual worthless-question tactic, asks "were you there and saw the behavior at the last election?"
The mob cries out "hearsay!"
They need to see very clear proof & evidence, at least if it doesn't line up with their beliefs already. #ANCgov

Irene Quednow reads back Dunbar's comments last week about how questioning elections is dangerous for democracy. Then questions the 2020 election. And brings up the 2016 election.
An attempt to bring her back on topic gets booed.
Not much to say about the ordinance. #ANCgov

Dustin Sherman, who is trying to sound reasonable tonight, says everyone should feel welcome as an election observer.
Does he feel that way about the Clerk's office workers who are there to do a job? Are they welcome too? #ANCgov

Next testifier says she supports the ordinance, worries about the safety of the staff after what happened last time, and said she did read the ordinance: "All this brouhaha seems to be about nothing." Yep. #ANCgov

The talking points tonight:
"The Clerk is unelected and has too much power."
"We need cameras everywhere streaming all the time."
"Elections are full of fraud."
Then bring up other elections.
And, repeat back to whatever they said last week in the first hearing. #ANCgov

Peggy Robinson, who is an experienced election volunteer, testifies in support. Describes how she worked with observers in the last election, how training is helpful. That some were "just sure they were going to catch us doing something wrong." #ANCgov

Dave Weir, repeating the same talking points. Why not body cams in the counting area? There needs to be no "roadblocks" for observers. To coddle volunteers who need to have everything explained, or else it's fraud.
First one to call for executive branch role in elections.#ANCgov

More testimony about coddling the "observers" - they need to allow as many as the campaign wants, answer all the questions, be available all the time. When can the Clerk staff do their jobs? Why not just give the observers the whole job? That's what they want. #ANCgov

Interesting that they are not OK with an unelected official in the Clerk's office, but seem to be OK with an unelected shadow mayor.
They want an elected Clerk, presumably so that position can become political (it's not) & they can dump money in the race to get their way. #ANCgov

The testifier who claims to support the ordinance claims that the Clerk could just allow no observers. The mob agrees.
It would be helpful if any of them had read the ordinance, before confidently yelling about why it's so bad. #ANCgov

Can someone pass an ordinance against testimony fraud? That's the real issue here. Pretending that this is just concerned citizens, and not Bronson & Allard trying to squeak out another political win. #ANCgov

Tahnee Seccareccia speaks to her experience as an observer, supports requiring training & making sure observers know what they are supposed.
Ends by calling out that the concerns about consolidation of power in unelected positions should extend to Demboski. #ANCgov

Allard asks a bad faith question.
Tahnee responds.
Quinn Davidson points out this is not a clarifying question.
Allard has another bad faith question, then has a tantrum because "you won't let me ask it anyway." #ANCgov

Yarrow Silvers testifies about common sense changes, points out people don't want to be filmed while voting, and that no one should be opposed to not allowing someone working or volunteering for a campaign to help people vote. Makes sense! #ANCgov

Yarrow also says that if observers who behave like some people behave in the Assembly chambers, then they should be removed. Makes sense! #ANCgov

"Sherry, District 6" testifies. Last time she was up there, she was Sherry Couburn, with Alaskans for LIBERTY & MEDICAL Freedom. No wonder she "couldn't wear a mask" at Election Center & wasn't let in.
Kennedy lets her keep talking. #ANCgov

It's an amazing level of entitlement to demand that the entire city revolve around assuaging one group of people that "their rights aren't being trampled" and everyone has to constantly prove there isn't massive fraud.
Must be nice to get that much attention all the time. #ANCgov

Bronson seems to only really pay attention to public testimony, doesn't look up much during the actual business.
Or maybe someone just propped him up at a good angle. #ANCgov

Bronson decides to show proof of life in the meeting, and that he has read at least page 8 of the ordinance.
He brings up something he has personal experience with, so he's qualified to speak on it, and will.
Were we all supposed to clap? #ANCgov

How many hours have we collectively lost to the words "Miss Allard has a question"? Can we get those weeks back? #ANCgov

David Dunsmore recommends specific changes to code.
"Randy Ruedrich & I don't agree on much, but we suggested changes after a couple recounts."
Randy, of course, testified last week, without disclosing he's former GOP chair & tries to write all the redistricting maps. #ANCgov

Allard: "I just want to make sure there isn't false information out there." Just on this one thing.
Then keeps undermining Vote by Mail.
Bronson is back to signatures. This might be the only thing he remembers from that experience, so we'll keep hearing about it. #ANCgov

The audience is thinning out, especially among the "all elections are fraud" crowd. Save Anchorage Santa is still here. Christine Hill left. Nial Williams and Cassie Fretwell are here, though. #ANCgov

Joel McKinney, worried if things aren't constantly live streamed, didn't wear the white suit this week. #ANCgov

Nial is up. Says that "anyone who works for the Muni, or is a consultant, should have to disclose that."
Good idea: Terrance Shanigan, Brice Wilbanks, Judy Eledge & Randy Ruedrich should have, last week. #ANCgov

Nial is also well versed in the legal limits of his harassing behavior.
"I record everything all the time, for my protection. And yours." Amen to that.
He also has a YouTube channel. Do they all, now? #ANCgov

Public testimony finally closed.
After a short break, debate begins on the S version.
Weddleton has amendments. #ANCgov

These amendment changes are so technical, the Save Anchorage elf does "hallelujah hands" for Perez Verdia, Allard doesn't support it but Kennedy does, and the Save Anchorage elf again praises Clerk Jones. Confusing! #ANCgov

Jones points out the Clerk discussed this change about requesting ballots, but because it creates a barrier to voting, they didn't see it as a best practice. So they left it out, for discussion.
Even Bronson supports this amendment, blames the state list. So confusing. #ANCgov

Discussion about how having to ask for a ballot when out of state would be a barrier. Still lots of concern about fraud & illegal voting.
To clarify, the Muni is not "randomly mailing ballots to everybody" as Allard claims. #ANCgov

Finally voting on the first amendment.
Nope, Allard has a question. Never mind.
She asks if military members overseas get a ballot mailed automatically. Does she not want troops to vote? #ANCgov

Amendment fails 5 to 5.
Next amendment relates to fax voting. Allard points out she knows of exactly 1 person who voted by fax in the military. But somehow worried about the possibility of massive fax fraud?
Amendment 2 passes 10 to 0. #ANCgov

Weddleton's amendment 3 passes also.
Amendment 4, about recording rules and sitting too close.
Once again, Bronson brings it back to signature verification, the part he did that one time. #ANCgov

Meeting extended to 11:30.
Amendments continue. Vote on #4, passes 10 to 0.
Now an amendment from LaFrance, another technical change. People continue to trickle out. #ANCgov

Another technical amendment, with intent to provide 24/7 streaming of the ballot location at Election Central.
The issue is apparently with YouTube, which can't live stream for more than 12 hours. Can only be intent language for now. #ANCgov

Even Bronson is stepping back the commitment to actual live streaming, suggests they could just record. Not what they wanted.
He also offers to send Brice, "he can fix anything." What are the odds Brice has also gotten Bronson's new router and cable box set up at home? #ANCgov

Allard gets impatient, reverts back to election fraud points. Frustrated she can't ask attorney questions.
This is only about intent language, because of YouTube.
Maybe someone should talk to YouTube about their role in spreading election conspiracy theories, too. #ANCgov

David Dunsmore comes back up to speak to his recommendations, now in amendment 9.
Amendment 10, addressing when a voter makes a mistake and marks it out.
Next, Kennedy amendment allows for write in candidates to have observers. And people like Randy Ruedrich. #ANCgov

Dustin Darden now standing in line, presumably just in time to claim 3 more minutes of YouTube fame. Does he already know there's a 12 hour limit to live streaming? Probably. It's probably tyranny & a violation of Constitutional rights. #ANCgov

Meeting and debate extended till midnight. Amendments to amendments. Only the most committed Save Anchorage people remain, apparently keeping their commitment to the idea this is more tyranny. #ANCgov

Next amendment would assign an election official to be the point of contact just to babysit observers, answer their questions, make them feel better.
One less person doing the actual election work, so the few people who believe election fraud is real can feel better. #ANCgov

Taking up one last item today, about police funding for a facility upgrade.
Darden speaking about his rights, aggressively claiming the Chair is infringing them. Off topic. Won't stop talking. Claims he has 4 seconds for over a minute.
#ANCgov

A quick last vote on this funding item. Passes 10 to 0. Reconsideration vote passes.
Election ordinance will continue debate at the special meeting next Tuesday, December 28th.
Adjourned. #ANCgov

... did anyone else remember Bronson saying "We want the RIGHT people voting" during debate last night? Who does that mean? Maybe they should ask him to elaborate next Tuesday. #ANCgov