The Anchorage Assembly met March 22 and approved a surprise resolution by 9-2 to authorize the assembly’s lawyer to pursue legal actions, including an injunction, against the mayor of Anchorage to halt what it considers an unauthorized payment to Roger Hickel Construction, Inc. for construction work at the Navigation Center site at Tudor and Elmore.
The work was done per contract but the Assembly has no intention of paying for it, saying the work was not authorized by the Assembly.
On Feb. 24, the Bronson Administration issued a memorandum to the Assembly saying the city plans to settle the invoice from Roger Hickel Contracting, Inc. in the amount of $2.455 million by March 24.
Assembly leadership issued a response immediately upon receipt of the memorandum, reminding the Administration of AO 2022-105, adopted two months earlier, which requires Assembly approval to authorize payments for, “supplies, services, professional services or construction… provided to or performed for the Municipality without an Assembly approval required by Anchorage Municipal Code section 7.15.040.”
