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Vaccine passport needed for Alaska Municipal League annual conference in Anchorage

Suzanne Downing
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25
Vaccine passport needed for Alaska Municipal League annual conference in Anchorage

The Alaska Municipal League kicks off three days of meetings for city officials from around the state. But anyone who plans to attend must show proof that they have been vaccinated with a Covid-19 shot. Optionally, they can show a negative Covid test. The event takes place at the Captain Cook Hotel Nov. 15-17.

Attendees must upload their vaccination papers into the AML “CrowdPass” portal, using the instructions shown above. CrowdPass is a government-approved information-gathering system.

The event is expected to draw 400 or more local municipal officials, mayors, borough assembly and city council members, municipal managers, administrators, attorneys, and other appointed officials or municipal staff. Many state and federal officials attend, alongside Alaska’s business leaders and community organizations.

The organization said that it will take other measures to prevent the spread of Covid, including testing on site, vaccinations on site, distancing, and mandatory masking.

DRAFT AGENDA

Alaska Municipal League 71st Annual Local Government Conference

Sunday, November 14

4:00 pm            Registration Open

6:00 pm            Networking Reception                                                              Quarterdeck

First-time Attendees and Newly Elected Officials

Monday, November 15

7:00 am            Registration open

7:30 am            Breakfast                                                                                 Discovery Ballroom

  • Announcements – Nils Andreassen, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League

8:00 am            Opening Session                                                                       Discovery Ballroom 

  • Welcome – Pete Petersen, President, Alaska Municipal League
  • Land Acknowledgement

9:15 am            Untold Stories 

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, local governments have served on the front lines, working to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents, and driving economic recovery in our communities. Together, local governments have highlighted our critical role and the key services cities and boroughs provide, demonstrating to the public and to our federal partners that local government matters.

Now, we have an opportunity to tell the full story of our efforts and how we have made incredible differences in the lives of our residents through the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act, historic investment in our nation’s counties and cities. Let’s demonstrate how local governments are helping our residents stay in their homes and keep food on the table. How we are supporting small businesses. How we are steering our communities into the future and helping our residents THRIVE.

11:30 am          Break

12:00 pm          Lunch and Funders Forum                                                         Discovery Ballroom

                        Moderated by Lisa Parker, City Council, City of Soldotna

1:00 pm            Break                                                                                       Exhibit Hall

1:15 pm            Concurrent Sessions

  • Regional Water and Sewer Utilities                                     Endeavor Room

Moderated by Mark Springer, Mayor, City of Bethel

  • John Nichols, Director, Rural Utility Management Services, ANTHC
    • Chris Cox, Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative
  • Structuring Health and Retirement Benefits                        Fore Deck

Moderated by Nikki Velock, Council, City of Wasilla

  • Josh Franzel, Managing Director, MissionSquare
    • Thomas Showalter, Services Director, Alera Connect HR
  • Alaska Municipal Climate Network                                     Mid Deck

Moderated by Michelle Hale, Assembly, City and Borough of Juneau

  • Carole Triem, Assembly, City and Borough of Juneau
    • Willy Dunne, Assembly, Kenai Peninsula Borough 
    • Donna Aderhold, Council, City of Homer 
  • Childcare and Early Learning                                                 Adventure Room

Moderated by Terry Haines, Council, City of Kodiak

  • Stephanie Berglund, CEO, thread Alaska
    • Anna White, Program Manager, Early Childhood Success, Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, National League of Cities
    • Shawnda O’Brien, Director, Division of Public Assistance, DHSS
  • DCRA Municipal Refresher – Elections                                 Club Room 1
    • Mike White and Melody Nibeck, Local Government Specialists, DCRA 

2:30 pm            Networking Break                                                                     Exhibit Hall

3:00 pm            Concurrent Sessions

  • Alaska’s Broadband Strategy                                                Endeavor Room

Moderated by Nils Andreassen, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League

  • Hallie Bisset, Chair, Alaska Broadband Task Force
    • Christine O’Connor, Alaska Telecommunications Association
  • Housing and Homelessness                                                 Adventure Room

Moderated by Valerie Therrien, Council, City of Fairbanks

  • Chris Kolerok, Director, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Cook Inlet Housing Authority
    • Daniel Delfino, Director, Planning Alaska Housing Finance Corporation 
    • Brian Wilson, Executive Director, Alaska Coalition of Housing and Homelessness
    • Kelda Barstad, Program Officer, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority

Moderated by Fannie Suvlu, Mayor, City of Utqiagvik 

  • Jake Kowalski, Government Finance Officers Association
    • Tim Mearig, Director, Facilities, Dept. of Education and Early Development 
    • Tim Sandstrom, Director, Rural Programs, Alaska Energy Authority
  • Benefiting from SEMT                                                         Mid Deck

Moderated by John Whiddon, Council, City of Kodiak

  • Katherine McDonald, Office of Rate Review, DHSS
    • Sheavon Brunelle, SEMT Coordinator, State of Alaska
  • DCRA Municipal Refresher – Open Meetings Act                 Club Room 1
    • Jed Cox and Mike White, Local Government Specialists, DCRA

4:15 pm            Afternoon Break                                                                       Exhibit Hall

4:30 pm            Committee Meetings

  • Legislative Position Committee                                           Endeavor Room
    • Sabrena Combs, Chair, Legislative Position Committee 
  • Resolutions Committee                                                       Endeavor Room
    • Jim Matherly, Chair, Resolutions Committee

5:30 pm            Nominating Committee                                                            Library

The AML Nominating Committee will conduct this formal meeting to develop and approve the final candidate slate for the AML board of directors. 

  • Pat Branson, Chair, Nominating Committee

6:00 pm            Awards Dinner                                                                         Fore Deck

A relaxing evening recognizing municipal leadership in Alaska. 

  • Elected Official of the Year
  • Municipal Employee of the Year
  • Vic Fischer Lifetime Service Award
  • Emerging Municipal Leader Award

7:30 pm            Adjourn Day One 

Tuesday, November 16

                        AMAA Concurrent                                                                     Quarterdeck

7:30 am            On-site Registration and Testing

7:30 am            Breakfast and AML-JIA Business Meeting                                  Discovery Ballroom

  • Kevin Smith, Executive Director, AML Joint Insurance Association
  • Joe Evans, Founding Trustee, AMLJIA Board of Trustees

8:30 am            Announcements

8:45 am            Concurrent Sessions

  • Cybersecurity                                                                     Endeavor Room

Moderated by Lyn Carden, President, Alaska Municipal Management Association

  • Rita Reynolds, Chief Information Officer, NACo
    • Jacob Wylie, Support Engineer, WaveRider 
    • Brian Sams, President, Tanium

Moderated by Bruce Botelho, former Alaska Attorney General and mayor of Juneau

  • Dawn Begay, Native American Affairs Coordinator, City of Albuquerque, NM
    • Terry Sloan, Intergovernmental Tribal Liaison, City of Albuquerque, NM
    • Christopher Constant, Vice Chair, Anchorage Municipal Assembly
    • Meghan “Sigvanna” Topkok, Council, Nome Common Council, and Staff Attorney, Kawerak Inc. 
    • Dennis Robinson, Vice Mayor, City of Unalaska, and Qawalangin Tribal Council board member
    • Steven Eisenbeisz, Mayor, or John Leach, Municipal Administrator, City & Borough of Sitka  
  • Encouraging Alaska Business Development                         Mid Deck

Moderated by Stephanie Nowers, Assembly, Mat Su Borough

  • Jon Bittner, Director, Small Business Development Center
    • Katie Ashbaugh, Buy Alaska
  • Professional Development Opportunities                            Adventure Room

Moderated by Melissa Jacobsen, Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks

  • Tim Rahschulte, PDA Leadership
    • Teri Cothren, VP, Workforce Development, University of Alaska Anchorage 
  • DCRA Municipal Refresher – Title 29 Jeopardy                    Club Room 1
    • Jeff Congdon and Lydia Mielke, Local Government Specialists DCRA

10:00 am          Senator Lisa Murkowski                                                            in all rooms

10:15 am          Networking Break                                                                     Exhibit Hall

10:30 am          Concurrent Sessions

Moderated by Rob Palmer, Borough Attorney, City and Borough of Juneau

  • Ranked Choice Voting                                                         Adventure Room

Moderated by Meghan Topkok, Council, City of Nome

  • Jason Grenn, Alaskans for Better Elections
    • Gail Fenumiai, Division of Elections, State of Alaska
  • ARPA Implementation, Reporting and Compliance              Fore Deck

Moderated by Brent Johnson, Assembly, Kenai Peninsula Borough

  • Eryn Hurley, National Association of Counties
  • Municipal Bond Packages and Cash Management               Mid Deck

Moderated by Joan Miller, Alaska Government Finance Officers Association

  • Deven Mitchell, Alaska Municipal Bond Bank Authority
    • Garrett Macdonald, Cashvest by ThreePlusOne
  • DCRA/AEA Municipal Training – PCE and Bulk Fuel Loans    Club Room 1
    • Lydia Mielke and Jed Cox, Local Government Specialists, DCRA
    • T.W. Patch, Director of Planning, Alaska Energy Authority

11:45 am          Break   

12:00 pm          Lunch                                                                                       Discovery Ballroom

Gubernatorial Candidates Debate

  • Mike Dunleavy, Republican (invited)
  • Les Gara, Democrat (confirmed)
  • Bill Walker, Independent (confirmed)

1:15 pm            AML Membership Announcements                                           Discovery Ballroom

  • Legislative Position Committee – update to members on 2022 Position Statement
  • Resolution Committee – update to members on 2022 resolutions submitted
  • Nominating Committee – update to members on the slate of AML Board candidates
  • Board Candidates – candidate one-minute intros

2:00 pm            AML and Partner Program Services                                           Discovery Ballroom

  • Affiliate Reports
    • Melissa Jacobsen, Past President, Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks 
    • Lyn Carden, President, Alaska Municipal Management Association
    • Scott Bloom, Alaska Municipal Attorneys Association
    • Joan Miller, Alaska Government Finance Officers Association
    • Rich Everidge, Chief, Alaska Fire Chiefs Association 

2:45 pm            Networking Break and Exhibitor Drawing                                   Aft Deck

3:15 pm            Concurrent Sessions

  • Ports and Harbors – Coastal Infrastructure                          Fore Deck

Moderated by Alvin Osterback, Mayor, Aleutians East Borough

  • Mike Fisher, Northern Economics
    • Rachel Lord, Executive Director, Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators
    • Kolby Hickel, Port of Alaska, Municipality of Anchorage
    • Robert Venables, Executive Director, Southeast Conference
  • Quality of Life                                                                     Mid Deck

Moderated by Walter Sampson, Assembly, Northwest Arctic Borough

  • Nick Farline, Valdez Parks; Alaska Recreation and Parks Association
    • Beth Weigel, Museum Director, Juneau-Douglas City Museum
  • Modernizing (Online) Sales Tax Collection                           Adventure Room

Moderated by Suzanne LaFrance, Assembly, Municipality of Anchorage

  • Clinton Singletary, Tax Administrator, Alaska Municipal League
    • Karl Kaufman, Landye Bennett, Blumstein LLC
  • Partnering with Nonprofits                                                 Endeavor Room

Moderated by Liz Lyke, Assembly, Fairbanks North Star Borough

  • Laurie Wolf, President & CEO, Foraker Group
  • State Procurement Partnership                                           Club Room 1

Moderated by Dawn Wesley, Shared Services Director, Alaska Municipal League

  • Linda Polk, Office of Procurement, Department of Administration
    • Jonathon Harshfield, State Property Manager, Department of Administration 
    • Mindy Birk, Procurement Policy Officer, Department of Administration 

4:30 pm            Afternoon Break

6:00 pm            Trivia Night                                                                              Fore Deck

                        A fun event to socialize and reconnect. 

8:00 pm            Adjourn Day Two          

Wednesday, November 17

8:00 am            Breakfast – AMLIP Annual Meeting                                           Discovery Ballroom

8:30 am            Elections                                                                                   Registration Desk

Vote for new board members and officers

9:00 am            Annual Meeting                                                                        Discovery Ballroom

                        Members take actions on:

  • Policy Statement
  • Resolutions
  • Elections

Concurrent Sessions

                        Grant Writing Workshop

12:00 pm          Adjourn Annual Conference

12:00 pm          ARSSTC Annual Member Meeting                                             

4:30 pm            Side Session – Coastal Caucus

Suzanne Downing: Journalism’s biggest fail yet is the criminally produced Steele Dossier

Suzanne Downing
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By SUZANNE DOWNING / MUST READ AMERICA

The infrastructure-pork bill is in the rearview mirror, Democrats have finished off the champagne, and they have turned their focus to the President Biden’s Build Back Better Act, with $1.75 trillion to be added to the existing $30 trillion national debt.

Americans can expect the corporate news media to shamelessly promote this spending package, and media has every reason to do so – there’s pork galore in it for newspapers and news broadcasters.

Under the BBB Act, the federal government will pay for one half of journalists who cover local news. All news companies have to do is show they cover “local” news, at least some of the time.

Here’s how it works: The BBB gives a tax credit of up to $25,000 per “local” news journalist for the first year, and then $15,000 for each subsequent year for four years. That’s 50 percent of a $50,000 reporter for year one and 30 percent for three years, giving news organizations the ability to use existing revenues to pay for political reporters on news that is not strictly local — more political reporting from Washington and more reporting with spoon-fed conclusions from D.C. think tanks that prop up the liberal narrative.

The legislation also provides a tax deduction of up to $150,000 for the cost of producing sound recordings, which includes television, movies, live theatrical production, and podcasts.

The corporate media bailout can’t come at a worse time for the credibility of journalism. In a Gallup poll this year, just 36 percent of all Americans have a great deal or fair amount of trust in mass media; 89 percent of Republican-aligned voters do not trust the media.

Exhibit A is the Steele Dossier, also known as the Trump-Russia investigation. To review, it was political opposition research funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016-17 to tie Donald Trump to a conspiracy with Russia. In an effort to win the presidency, Clinton damaged the republic.

Former FBI director Robert Mueller was brought on as special counsel to investigate the origins of the dossier. In a 448-page report, he officially debunked the entire Steele Dossier and other non-dossier conspiracy charges that Democrats and the corporate media had spun against Trump in 2016.

This month, Department of Justice special counsel John Durham won an indictment against one of the main actors – a Russian spy — for lying to the FBI about sources he used in the conspiracy dossier.

According to the indictment, on July 31, 2016, the FBI, using the Steele Dossier as its shield, opened up an investigation it called “Crossfire Hurricane” to determine if the Trump campaign was coordinating with the Russian government. The investigation was exclusively based on the now-discredited opposition research produced by Clinton’s campaign law firm and a research group called Fusion GPS, all funded with millions of dollars from both the Clinton Campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

The indictment against Russian operative Igor Danchenko describes that Clinton’s campaign was fully responsible for the ginned-up lies against Trump:

“Earlier that year, a U.S.-based international law firm (“Law Firm-1”) acting as counsel to the Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign (the “Clinton Campaign” ), had retained a U.S.-based investigative firm (U.S. Investigative Firm – 1”) to conduct research on Trump and his associates. In or about June 2016 , (“U.S. Investigative Firm – 1)”, in turn , retained U.K. Person-1, a former officer in a friendly foreign intelligence service (“Foreign Intelligence Service – 1 ), and his U.K-.based firm to investigate Trump’s purported ties to Russia,” the grand jury has charged. 

“During the U.S. presidential election season and afterwards, U.K. Person-1 and employees of U.S. Investigative Firm -1 provided the Company Reports to multiple media outlets and to U.S. government personnel,” the grand jury indictment says. 

In 2017, the Trump-hating mainstream media bit down hard and published the dossier. Local papers parroted the reports from the big boys — the Washington Post. Last week, the Washington Post pulled it down off of its website, and admitted that “parts “of the report have been discredited.

No kidding. All of it is discredited, according to both Mueller and Durham.

The real criminal here is Hillary Clinton, and the Clinton campaign, which committed treason against a duly-elected president. Clinton, and most of her surrogates, including the collaborating media, will never face charges.

Axios, an independent digital news agency, calls the Steele Dossier reporting “one of the most egregious errors in modern journalistic history, and the media’s response to its own mistakes has so far been tepid.”

The Steele Dossier was quite simply a plot to overthrow the president, and the mainstream media got caught helping the attempted coup.

This is the same media that is now going to pimp the Build Back Better Act on behalf of Democrats in Congress, and get tax credits as their reward.

The House may vote on the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act this week, with its rich rewards for the lying, scheming, and treasonous corporate media.

Suzanne Downing is the publisher of Must Read Alaska and Must Read America.

Suzanne Downing: Cast off Columbus Day? Read all about it before you do

Trump takes on Congressman Don Young, wants to back primary challenger

Suzanne Downing
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70
Trump takes on Congressman Don Young, wants to back primary challenger

Former President Donald Trump is going after Congressman Don Young, just as he is going after Sen. Lisa Murkowski. He wants both of them retired and considers them “Republican in Name Only.”

In a message on Saturday, he said he was looking for someone to primary Young and several other House of Representative members from around the country, including Rep. Liz Cheney, who he called RINOS, sellouts, and losers. He said he was looking for Republican Patriots.

“You will have my backing!” he said.

Perhaps Trump has not heard or met Nick Begich, a Republican who filed for Congress in October.

Nick spoke in Sterling, Alaska at a Bikers for Trump rally in 2020, and FEC reports show he donated over $500 to Trump’s campaign. He is the grandson of former House Rep. Nick Begich, who died in a plane crash in 1972.

Nick was Congressman Young’s campaign co-chair in 2020 and has told the congressman on numerous occasions that he would someday file for the seat.

Young has served as Alaska’s lone congressman since the elder Begich died and there was a special election held the following March. He is the Dean of the House, the longest-serving member, which is an honorary title.

Trump didn’t say why Young had fallen out of favor with him. He recently was one of 13 House Republicans who voted for the massive infrastructure bill, and President Joe Biden’s Chief of Staff Ron Klain credited Young for putting the deal together.

The infrastructure bill has received criticism from some conservatives for having unnecessary spending in it.

The two Republicans congressional candidates will be on an open primary ballot, in which the top four vote-getters will be on the General Election ballot, where the voters will rank them according to their preference.

In 2020, Young won 192,126 votes to win with 54 percent against Democrat Alyse Galvin, who had 159,856 votes. Trump won Alaska’s majority with 189,951 votes, or 52.8 percent.

In 2018, Young won with 149,779 against Galvin’s 131,199 votes.

Trump has already endorsed Alaskan Kelly Tshibaka in her race against Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Tshibaka is headed to Mar-a-Lago in February for a fundraiser with the former president.

Nick Begich III draws in list of early endorsements in first week of campaign
It’s official: Congressman Don Young files for reelection

Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly challenges Sen. Scott Kawasaki

Suzanne Downing
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Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly challenges Sen. Scott Kawasaki

Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly has filed for State Senate for the newly designated district Seat P, challenging Sen. Scott Kawasaki. District P was District A under the previous political boundary plan.

Matherly, who is politically popular, has won four elections in a row in Fairbanks, two for City Council and two as mayor. His term as mayor ends next fall.

“It’s a logical progression for me. I think I’m ready for this. Redistricting didn’t hurt either,” he said, referring to the redrawn boundaries that were finalized last week.

A third generation Fairbanksian, his mother and grandfather were born and raised in the Golden Heart City.

Matherly first ran for Borough Assembly in 2000. Although he lost, he ran in 2010 for City Council, and became the first two-term mayor since Rep. Steve Thompson.

“Fairbanks has been really good to me and I’m grateful to serve them. Fairbanks has always wrapped its arms around me,” he said.

Matherly spent 25 years in radio, and 25 years in banking. He’s done over 3,000 weddings as a DJ, and still does fundraising events, including political events and wedding parties. He has six children, including three in high school in Fairbanks.

“With ranked choice voting I am not sure what to expect,” he said. “I just know I’m in it. I think I have a pretty good shot if I work hard at it.”

Also filing for office is Aaron Gibson, a member of the Fairbanks City Council. It appears he is filing for Rep. Steve Thompson’s seat. Thompson has told people he is not going to run.

Mayor Jim Matherly, outspent 2-1, wins reelection in Fairbanks race

Oklahoma National Guard first state to defy Pentagon on vaccine mandate

Suzanne Downing
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15
Oklahoma National Guard first state to defy Pentagon on vaccine mandate

A statement by the Brigadier General of the Oklahoma National Guard makes it clear that it’s not OK for the federal government to force the Covid-19 vaccine on the men and women of the Sooner State’s National Guard.

In a statement posted on the Oklahoma National Guard website, Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, the adjutant general for Oklahoma, said:

“This policy is not anti-vaccine. I and the Governor are both vaccinated. I encourage all our Oklahoma Guard Members to get vaccinated if they choose to do so. We want to educate and inform our Soldiers and Airmen so that they can make an informed decision regarding the DoD Vaccine Mandate,” Mancino said in the statement.

“Under Title 32, Congress established a dual framework for the National Guard. The states receive federal funding in return for being made available to the federal government when called to active duty by the President.

“Under Title 32, the Oklahoma National Guard is a state-controlled and federally-funded entity and takes orders from the Governor and his designated chain of command. When mobilized by the President, under Title 10, the Oklahoma National Guard takes all orders from the President and his designated chain of command.

“Failing to follow the Governor’s lawful orders while on Title 32 would be both illegal, unethical, and against our sworn oaths. Nothing in this order prevents anyone from taking the vaccine. Also, nothing in his order eliminates the Federal Requirement. The Governor is hoping for Federal Relief from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and in the interim has granted state relief from this requirement,” he wrote.

Until a Guardsman is activated under Title 10, Mancino said they follow the lawful commands of the governor of the State of Oklahoma, who has not mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for Oklahoma Guard Members. Once activated to title 10 status, Guardsmen are subject to all Title 10 laws and mandates until returning to Title 32 status.

“If you [Oklahoma Guard Members] are not mobilized on Title 10 orders, the only entity that can give you a ‘lawful’ order – that is an order backed by the authority of law – is the Governor and his designated State chain of command.  That ‘law’ is Title 32 U.S. code,” Mancino said. “This is easily seen by the fact that the UCMJ does not apply to you in Title 32 status. Instead, you are governed by the Oklahoma Code of Military Justice (OCMJ).”

Brig. Gen. Mancino provided clarity to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s order that soldiers and airmen in the Oklahoma National Guard are relieved from this requirement until mobilized in accordance with the Constitution, the Law, and sworn oath, the statement said.

“The Governor’s request is with Secretary Austin for decision, and the National Guard Bureau has indicated it will conduct a legal review of our position,” Mancino said. “The proper venue for the resolution of these issues is the Governor’s office, Congress, and the Federal Executive branch. Not the court of public opinion in the press or on social media,”

The order came one day after the governor replaced the adjutant general, after Maj. Gen. Michael Thompson, who had served as adjutant general since November 2017, said he would enforce the order from the Pentagon.

On Nov. 2, Gov. Stitt had written to Department of Defense Sec. Lloyd J. Austin III, asking him to suspend the vaccine requirement for Oklahoma National Guard personnel. He said the mandate violates the personal freedoms of many Oklahomans, as it “asks them to potentially sacrifice their personal beliefs in order to not lose their jobs. All of our national guardsmen take this calling very seriously. These are patriotic citizens who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect others in our communities during times of greatest need.”

JKS-Ltr-to-SecDef-Austin-RE-Covid19-Vaccinations_November-2-2021Download

The Pentagon said that it would have a response, and said that a vaccinated force is a ready force. Sec. of Defense Austin could respond by activating the force, and thereby bringing them under his command and forcing the vaccine. But there would likely be a heavy political cost to doing so.

Anchorage schools remove ‘Gender Queer’ graphic memoir from school shelves

Suzanne Downing
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21
Anchorage schools remove ‘Gender Queer’ graphic memoir from school shelves

Anchorage School District has removed a book titled “Gender Queer” from school library shelves after complaints from parents.

According to a parent, Superintendent Deena Bishop wrote “This particular book was ordered in a batch purchase of a library association ‘award winners’ package.”

According to the Amazon review, author “Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears.”

The book has since been moved to the public library, according to a note from Superintendent Deena Bishop.

“As I shared with you in my reply, I have asked for a review of this book. Yesterday, a final report of this review and a meeting with all librarians took place. I will share the update to you now. I am recommending this book not be in circulation in our libraries. We had found one copy and will remove it from circulation,” she wrote.

“It will be available to the general public via the Muni’s local public libraries; however, students will not have access via the shared resources process for an electronic or hardback copy. Thank you for your feedback on this book. It is an adult novel, and while many adult authors such as Stephen King and Jody Picoult, are appropriate for our teen readers, our assessment is that this one is not appropriate for our school libraries,” she wrote to a parent.

It’s unclear how many children had access to the book that was chosen for them by librarians, presumably with librarians with masters degree in library science.

One of the pages in the ‘Gender Queer’ memoir.

This is the same book that a parent started reading aloud to a school board in California in October, making national news. Orange County School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs directed police officers to remove parent Jacob Engels when he began reading it into the microphone during the public testimony portion of the meeting. He had found the graphic novel in the local high school library, and discovered detailed written and graphic depictions of sex acts, some of which may be considered pornographic.

Engels was removed when he got to the part about “a new strap-on harness,” which “fit my favorite dildo perfectly. School Board Chair Jacobs said “the language he just read is inappropriate for this forum. This is the first time I’ve heard of this and the board has heard of this. We will look into it, and I do hope the book is removed. OK? And if not, we’ll be back here having this conversation again, but I can guarantee you, I did not know that book was in the library.” The Orange Times and Observer wrote that the book was indeed removed from the school library shelves.

Watch Jacob Engel reading the book and being removed from the school board meeting at this link. Or here:

Waste and abuse report: Anchorage School District spent $711,000 in dues to two school board associations since 2011

Suzanne Downing
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Waste and abuse report: Anchorage School District spent $711,000 in dues to two school board associations since 2011

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE…

Anchorage School District is a dues-paying member of the Association of Alaska School Boards. It should get a gold-plated certificate, considering how much it pays for its membership.

The school district also pays dues to the National School Board Association, which recently was caught collaborating with the White House to start treating parents as terrorists and have protesting parents investigated by the FBI.

The cost of belonging to these two organizations has been growing over the past decade in a state where the average annual education spend per pupil is nearly $18,000, more than 46 percent higher than the national average of about $12,200.

National School Board Association apologizes for treating parent protesters as terrorists in last month’s letter to Biden

The dues Anchorage pays to the Association of Alaska School Boards has been exploding: It went from $1,954 in 2011 to $146,599 in 2021, a growth of more than 7,400 percent.

Payments to the National School Board Association have seesawed, according to the chart below, which has information obtained through a public records request. In the chart, it appears the small 2021 payment of $225 is simply because the payment has not yet been sent, received, or recorded.

The average cost of dues to these two school board associations is over $71,000 per year over the past 10 years, even as the number of students has dropped from about 50,000 to just under 43,000.

In fact, over the past five years, when student numbers have fallen fast, the Anchorage School District has paid the Association of Alaska School Boards an average of more than $95,000 per year.

In 2017, the AASB collected $547,541 as dues from public sources, and the AASB also received $598,107 in government grants that same year, according to the Alaska Policy Forum, which conducted a survey of these costs.

In terms of being represented on the association, Anchorage in a minority position compared to the other districts that are members. Anchorage School District may be the biggest, but has just five voting positions in the Association, which has 51 member districts in Alaska.

AASB is not without controversy. Last week, the AASB met in Anchorage to discuss incorporating the concept of “systemic racism” into its overall goals and objectives for the organization. And it booted out a citizen who was trying to film the proceedings, which inform school board policies across the state.

The Anchorage School District also belongs to the Council of Great City Schools, which is targeted toward the largest school districts in the country, and which pushes a radical leftist agenda, including Critical Race Theory, the theory that whites are inherently racist.

The dues Anchorage taxpayers pay for membership in CGCS are more than $40,000. See their dues sheet at this link.

But wait, there’s more: The Anchorage School District belongs to a group called the Coalition for Alaska Education Equity, for which there is a fee of more than $27,000 a year. In 2016, the group collected $160,571 in dues.

According to the Alaska Policy Forum, CEE collected $145,000 in membership dues, and an additional $171,982 in government grants. It’s main purpose is to sue the State of Alaska to get more money for rural school districts.

“Under the CEAAC banner, the organization focused on the perception of school inadequacies in rural Alaska by filing lawsuits asserting inequitable state funding, with two lawsuits being settled in CEAAC’s favor after years of legal wrangling,” the Alaska Policy Forum wrote.

“Despite a significant funding advantage over other states, Alaska has continued to produce very disappointing results in national standardized testing. Scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) between 2003 and 2019 showed that Alaska’s combined math and reading standings sank more than any other state—ranking 49th or lower in six of eight categories by 2019,” APF wrote.

School Board member Dave Donley has in the past attempted to have the district end its membership in the Coalition for Education Equity because the Anchorage School Board is paying far too much for the value received. But it has since been added back to the budget.

Although the Coalition for Alaska Education Equity is a fringe group, the National School Board Association is a heavyweight and most Americans might see it as mainstream. And yet, after its recent missteps in trying to characterize parents as terrorists, nine state school board associations have pulled out of that national advocacy group.

According to Fox News, newly released internal emails reveal that the National School Boards Association actually coordinated with the White House and the Department of Justice before sending President Biden the “notorious letter that compared concerned parents to domestic terrorists. Emails provided to Fox News show that NSBA had coordinated with the White House for weeks beforehand,” Fox wrote.

“Viola Garcia, the NSBA president whom the Department of Education later named to a federal board, sent a memo to NSBA members on Oct. 11 (but dated Oct. 12), providing a timeline of the NSBA’s interaction with the White House ahead of the letter to Biden, which the NSBA sent on Sept. 29,” the story continues.

“Five days later, on Oct. 4, the DOJ issued a memo directing law enforcement to investigate threats to school boards. On Oct. 22, the NSBA issued an apology for the letter,” the News group wrote.

Board member Donley has asked the Anchorage School Board to censure the National School Board Association for its actions to cause the FBI to investigate protesting parents. His resolution was referred to the Governance Committee and it has not been seen since by the left-dominated Anchorage School Board.

School board member wants Anchorage School Board to condemn national group due to its stance on ‘parents as terrorists’

Win Gruening: Juneau’s vote-by-mail belly-flops, so what happens next?

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Win Gruening: Juneau’s vote-by-mail belly-flops, so what happens next?

By WIN GRUENING

With every passing day, the justification for Juneau switching to universal vote-by-mail becomes murkier, more problematic, and less convincing.

Over half of the 652 ballots that were received, but not counted, were those of 357 voters that were thrown out because the post office failed to postmark their ballot envelopes.

Last week, those voters received form letters from the city clerk notifying them they were among the disenfranchised. Most, no doubt, were livid.

As detailed in my two previous columns, problems associated with Juneau’s recent VBM election have made voting more confusing and unreliable, resulting in almost 8 percent of ballots being invalidated for various reasons. VBM did not increase turn-out, as barely 30 percent of registered voters participated, 28 percent less than voted last year and below voter turn-out in past elections where in-person voting was used. 

Finally, the demonstrated lack of security of the Alaska voter database (it was hacked last year) coupled with the vulnerability of haphazard mass mailings of unsolicited ballots, has undermined people’s confidence in elections.

Voters are likely to trust vote-by-mail even less next year.

There also seems to be confusion about the actual costs of the new system.

Mayor Beth Weldon noted in a radio interview after the election that vote-by-mail elections are more expensive, $400,000 more per year than in-person elections. This is significantly more than previously reported when the Assembly studied the issue last spring. This is in addition to the estimated $700,000 for equipment and building renovations required for vote counting. 

Later, Mayor Weldon clarified her comments by providing a city staff memo that reflected a significantly lower annual operating cost. Nevertheless, the cost will exceed four times that of a conventional precinct election.

Despite Juneau’s low turn-out, during a post-election KINY interview, City Manager Rorie Watt stated the Assembly is “convinced that vote by mail is a good, long-term decision.” Mayor Beth Weldon offered this explanation for the disappointing voter turn-out: “…we didn’t have a big bond package. We didn’t have a big controversial thing. We didn’t have a vastly contested race.”  

Maybe so, but isn’t this a tacit admission that issues and candidates drive turn-out, not whether voters feel VBM is more convenient?

If that’s the case, why is the Assembly spending over one million of our tax dollars this coming year to get this misguided effort off the ground?

Some unfairly blame the Alaska Division of Elections for not keeping the database of registered voters current, thereby allowing ballots to be mailed to invalid addresses and to the names of voters who have died or moved to other states. 

But, under state law, every eligible person over the age of 18 applying for a Permanent Fund Dividend is automatically registered – whether they intend to vote or not. In addition, the Division of Elections’ annual voter list maintenance process must comply with state law (AS 15.07.130) and the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act. Voters are not required to update their registrations (and rarely do) and they cannot be removed from the voter list for simply not voting.

Annually, the Division of Elections notifies registered voters who may no longer be eligible but, by law, these voters cannot be removed or declared inactive unless they haven’t contacted DOE nor voted in any local or state election for at least four calendar years.

The 2020 census data reveals that 75.4 percent of Alaskans are 18 years or older. This results in a potential voter population of 552,976 – almost 42,000 voters fewer than are currently registered.

Barring a seismic shift in state and federal law and voters who voluntarily update their status, excessive numbers of ineligible voters will remain on active voter rolls. 

Unfortunately, city taxpayers will continue to bear the needless cost of printing and mailing ballots that will never be used. (Over 18,000 ballots were not returned in 2021 –  around 70 percent of the ballots that were mailed to voters.)

Despite evidence to the contrary, Juneau’s city leaders continue to insist that vote-by-mail was a wise expenditure. With increasing pressure on municipal finances, an uncertain economy and struggling businesses, it’s hard to understand why this initiative, with no measurable benefit, hasn’t been responsibly re-evaluated.

One can only wonder what other questionable spending is in the works. The City and Borough of Juneau is now concluding an unofficial survey of citizens about a brand-new city hall. Presumably, the results, including the comments, will be shared with the public. Following the disappointment of vote-by-mail, will a new city hall be the next “best” thing?

After retiring as the senior vice president in charge of business banking for Key Bank in Alaska, Win Gruening began writing op-eds for local and statewide media. He was born and raised in Juneau and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970. He is involved in various local and statewide organizations and currently serves on the board of the Alaska Policy Forum.

Win Gruening: Vote-by-mail doesn’t deliver, but does the Juneau Assembly care?
Win Gruening: Vote-by-mail voter’s remorse, buyer’s remorse, or perhaps both

Dave Donley: Proposed six-year plan for Anchorage includes building 3 new schools

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
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Dave Donley: Proposed six-year plan for Anchorage includes building 3 new schools

By DAVE DONLEY

State law requires Alaska school districts to have a six-year capital plan; that includes major maintenance projects such as new roofs, large remodeling projects and new schools.

The Anchorage School District administration reports a maintenance backlog of about $800 million. For years before the 2018 earthquake, the Anchorage School Board had a formal policy to maximize the coverage of new bond funds, by prioritizing needed remodeling and roof replacements, rather than building new replacement schools.  

School board members were told that policy needed to be repealed to do the needed earthquake repairs, and the board did so. 

It appears that wasn’t all that was really intended by that policy repeal.

A newly proposed Six Year Capital Plan proposes bonding to tear down three existing elementary schools and replace them with three new schools at a total cost of close to $100 million. The three schools are Inlet View, Wonder Park, and Tudor Elementary. The first of these is Inlet View and the School Board is deciding, at the November 16 meeting, if it is on the 2022 School Bond. 

Inlet View Elementary School

This comes at a time when over the past five years the ASD student population has dropped from about 50,000 to this year’s projected 42,800.    

Wonder Park is currently about 58 percent occupied and Tudor is at 70 percent occupancy. In 2020, Inlet View Elementary’s design costs was combined with the earthquake repair projects bond by a 4-3 Board vote. In the 1980-90s the District had proposed to close Inlet View. 

Inlet View absolutely needs at least a major remodel costing about $15-20 million but possibly more. The new school has a total price tag of over $30 million and seems to be growing.

I strongly support a major remodel project at Inlet View to address existing needs.  These needs include a new sprinkler system, a multipurpose room, relocation of the office to help secure the entrance, some increased capacity, and many other overdue upgrades.  

The school administration points out if every student in the area went to Inlet View, increased capacity would be needed even without out-of-area students. They argue that if universal pre-K education was implemented (at a cost of tens of millions just in the Anchorage area) the extra classroom space will be needed.

Prior to several years ago, district guidelines indicated Inlet View was essentially at capacity, but not overcrowded.  Then the guidelines were changed and pre-pandemic it measured at 120 per cent capacity.  But that is not the full story.  

About 70 of the about 240 students at Inlet View come from outside that school’s boundary area. The administration has allowed this despite it creating what is now measured as overcrowding at Inlet View.  

I do not support students currently at Inlet View having to go to other schools, but the district should stop allowing new outside area students to go there. Without these additional students Inlet View is not over capacity.

There are five schools that border on Inlet View’s boundaries with lower occupancy: Turnagain 69%, Willow Crest 82%, North Star 67%, Denali 78%, and Government Hill 86%.  

Also, before just recently Central (less than a mile from Inlet View) was only 70% occupied. Obviously, some very basic phased-in (to not impact current students) boundary adjustments would eliminate over-crowding at Inlet View.

It is important to note that the experts explain that sprinkler systems in schools are not a student safety requirement; they are to reduce potential property damage.  All occupied schools are safe, even without sprinkler systems, or they would not have students in them.  

Turnagain Elementary is of similar age as Inlet View and was very successfully remodeled just a few years ago. A similar major remodel at Inlet View is estimated to cost about $15-20 million. Major remodels are projected to last about 20-30 years while new schools can last 50 years.  

The experts say it is more cost effective to tear down Inlet View and build a new school.  Probably true; but spending twice as much for a larger school than needed has immediate lost opportunity costs unless unlimited funds are available. Remember all these school building costs are now 100 percent on the Anchorage taxpayer as the State no longer reimburses new school construction debt.  Many other schools in Anchorage badly need remodels, new roofs, and security upgrades. Those projects will be delayed to pay for a new Inlet View school.

Inlet View is a great school, and its parents are a great example of how parents can be effective advocates for their students. Although the Inlet View Community Council, and it seems most of the neighborhood residents, support the total new school plan, some do not. Quite a few have told the School Board they believe the 2020 bond language’s use of the word “site” meant any new school would be located where the current school is now and not the south end of the current school property as ASD is proposing.  

Among other concerns they also question the new school being two stories and the soil conditions at the new proposed southern site.  Concern has also been raised by the District’s Capital Improvement Advisory Committee who declined to adopt a recommendation citing earthquake risk reports: “The reports depict the Inlet View location within the Bootlegger Cove Special Landslide Areas, and thus at risk in a large seismic event.”

The other proposed new schools at Wonder Park, and Tudor are currently significantly under capacity (58% and 70%) and are mostly surrounded by schools currently under 80 percent capacity (and even as low as 57%).  Clearly in addition to saving close to $50 million in property tax debt with remodels instead of new schools; other reasonable cost saving options are available, but they may be painful.

A word about school roofs: Even the best commercial roofs only last up to 30 years. The district has over 90 schools and buildings. That means, no matter how well maintained, in any given two-year cycle about six roofs will need replaced; they are costly.  The district aggressively maintains existing roofs and is using new technology to make roofs last longer for less cost. But still, every school bond will need a certain number of roof projects on it.

A word about elementary school security; while violent threats to middle and high schools can come from inside, almost all threats to elementary students and staff originate outside the school. Many of our elementary schools where not designed to meet an external threat. The administrative offices are not located where they can control the front doors. The district has been bonding to remodel elementary schools all over town to relocate offices, increase door security, and upgrade video monitoring. Up to $30 million is needed to complete this effort and $16 million was proposed to be on the 2022 bond to continue these projects. I strongly support prioritizing these projects to protect our most vulnerable students.

Finally, the complex matter of bonded debt retirement; when it comes to debt retirement an old dollar does not equal a new dollar.  For years now the district has been retiring more debt than it is adding with new bonds. But the real value of this decrease to Anchorage taxpayers is being greatly reduced by the loss of State bond reimbursement funding.  The district is retiring bonds that had up to 50 percent state subsidy with new bonds that are 100 percent paid for by Anchorage taxpayers.  Accordingly, the cost of even the reduced total debt is going up every year as more of the State reimbursed bonds are paid off.  

Now the question Anchorage taxpayers face is: Do we want to build three new elementary schools?

This communication is from Dave Donley as an individual and not on behalf of any elected, appointed, or military position he may hold including the Anchorage School District and School Board.

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