Assembly Report for November 21, 2006

EAGLE RIVER-CHUGIAK COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONSIDERED BY ASSEMBLY: The Assembly concluded a second public hearing on an update to the 1993 Eagle River-Chugiak Comprehensive Plan. Action on the plan was delayed until December 12, 2006 in order to allow members to consider 31 amendments proposed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and 6 floor amendments drafted and presented by Assembly member Debbie Ossiander, and another substitute version of the ordinance, AO 2006-93(S), prepared by the administration. Public testimony focused on the adequacy of density limitations in the plan, measures to protect the rural lifestyle of the area and addressing the challenges of new residential construction in one of the fastest growing areas of the state. Assembly members Ossiander and Fairclough and will prepare another substitute version of the ordinance for action in December.

ASSEMBLY PLODS THROUGH NEW ETHICS CODE, POSTPONES ACTION UNTIL DECEMBER 12th: Six years in the making, the Assembly on Tuesday waded through a thicket of 20 floor amendments to a new ethics code and then voted to postpone final action until December 12 pending further legal review of the measure.

Assembly members debated and then rejected a bizarre proposal added by Assembly counsel Julia Tucker and East Anchorage Assembly member Ken Stout which would have barred the mayor from even announcing his candidacy for higher office while serving as mayor. Apparently not followed in other cities and counties throughout the country, this unusual provision quickly drew the wrath of Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich and the threat of a veto on constitutional grounds. Insiders say the mayor could have easily mustered the four votes necessary to sustain a veto of the entire ordinance. Members also rejected another zinger directed at the mayor which would have prohibited him from "political campaigning" or making "political endorsements" weekdays between the hours of 7:00 and 6:00 pm, without exceptions for national or municipal holidays such as President’s day or the 4th of July.

The code outlaws so called "consulting contracts" between assembly members and private companies on municipal issues and prohibit those same officials from representing private interests before the Assembly, School Board and appointed boards. The code also bar members of the state legislature from representing or lobbying for private interests before the Assembly. The new code also contains more explicit definitions of "financial interests" which will disqualify a member’s participation in voting; standards governing gifts and gratuities, and procedures governing investigations conducted by the Board. An amendment previously adopted by the Assembly prohibits members from voting on matters where the body has found they have a "substantial financial interest" even though their disqualification makes it more difficult for developers to muster the eight votes necessary to pass a protested rezoning action.

An amendment passed Tuesday night forbids the "use or depiction of a uniform in political advertisements if the uniform identifies the person as a municipal employee" regardless of its ownership. Another amendments applies ethics rules governing elected officials in Sec 1.15.015 to candidates for municipal office equally. Another amendment removed a prohibition against campaign contributions by lobbyists which was in the earlier draft prepared by Ms.Tucker and Mr. Stout.

RUTH MOULTON, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER, DEAD AT 75: Anchorage was saddened to learn Saturday morning that Ruth Moulton lost a one year battle with cancer, leaving the Fairview and Downtown neighborhoods without one of their strongest and most able leaders. She was 75.

All of us can count the ways she gave of herself to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods and to speak out for ordinary Anchorage residents. I will always remember her tireless advocacy for a Town Square in the 1980s which brought about that project, her relentless efforts to petition voters to adopt a local alcohol tax in the mid 1990s and her continuing crusade against the unfair concentration of social service agencies and halfway houses in the downtown area. Most recently, she was very active in fighting to keep the community’s dream alive of a south Anchorage Coastal Trail and even going toe to toe with the Begich administration over private use of Westchester lagoon.

She was a founding member of Friends of Neighborhoods in the 1990s and mastered the use of the initiative petition as an effective tool against recalcitrant municipal government. Legend has it that it only took her one hour and a clipboard on a public street to convince former mayor Tony Knowles to abandon plans for a road through Town Square shortly after the PAC was built.

An excellent recap of Ruth’s life and the countless causes she supported to make Anchorage a better community was written by Rosemary Shinohara of the Anchorage Daily News on November 18, 2006. Rosemary’s article is found at:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/anchorage/story/8419589p-8313879c.html

WE’RE ALL MEETING AT ST. ANTHONY’S ON NOVEMBER 27th: Hundreds of local residents from 13 churches will meet on Monday, November 27th at 7:00pm to present a comprehensive vision for Anchorage’s youth to Mayor Mark Begich, School Superintendent Carol Comeau, and Police Chief Rob Huen. The meeting will take place at St. Anthony’s Catholic church on 825 S. Klevin St. in east Anchorage. Given the issues of youth violence and gangs in neighborhoods, a compassionate and clear vision for our youth is urgently needed in Anchorage. This public meeting is sponsored by Anchorage Faith & Action Congregations Together (AFACT) a community wide religious group consisting of several thousand Anchorage residents who are members of Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, CME, and non-denominational churches.