The Anchorage Assembly has scheduled a work session for July 25 titled “Worksession Draft AR for Better Public Meetings Project.” While the meeting’s time and location are publicly posted on the Municipality of Anchorage’s online calendar, there are no additional details or documents available to explain the purpose or scope of the proposed resolution. The public is being kept in the dark about what constitutes a “better public meeting.”
This lack of publicly accessible information has raised concerns among citizen observers who have noted a growing pattern of the Assembly not releasing documents in a timely manner prior to its work sessions and committee meetings.
The “Better Public Meetings Project” is a national initiative by liberals ostensibly to improve the quality and effectiveness of public meetings through the use of community-engaged research, civic engagement scorecards, and civic infrastructure assessments. Spearheaded by the left-of-center National Civic League, the project worked with select pilot communities to develop strategies aimed at creating more collaborative, deliberative, and inclusive public meeting processes.
Last month, Assembly chairman Chris Constant mouthed “F-U” at a woman who was waiting to testify in a public hearing. He denied doing it, but it’s all on tape and he made his feelings clear to the woman.
A key component of the project focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion, with an emphasis on making public meetings more accessible and welcoming to community members who may not typically participate in government proceedings.
The project is funded by the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution Foundation.
It is currently unclear whether Anchorage is applying to participate as a pilot community or if the Assembly is simply considering adopting some of the project’s recommended best practices. With no supporting documents posted ahead of the meeting, residents are left in the dark about the Assembly’s intentions.
The work session is scheduled for Thursday, July 25, at City Hall in conference room 155. At some point before then, citizens might see documents posted at this municipal website tab.