The speakers kept coming late into the night on Tuesday and the Anchorage Assembly will take more testimony tonight about the mayor’s plan to house vagrants and treat the drug-addicted in hotels and other facilities across the neighborhoods of Anchorage. They were passionate, prepared, and undaunted by the sometimes hostile questions of Assembly members Chris Constant and Forrest Dunbar.

If public testimony on A0 2020-58 ends tonight, the Assembly will vote on the plan to rezone a massive area of Anchorage to allow vagrant services in family neighborhoods, without having to go through the Planning and Zoning Commission. The meeting is at the Loussac Library at 5 pm.

That’s just the first part of the ambitious plan that few have actually seen. Two more ordinances involve purchasing buildings and starting a major social service undertaking, all paid for with federal COVID-19 funds.

The vast majority of speakers have opposed the plan, in spite of a concerted effort by the city to get social service sector workers to testify in favor of it.

Prior to Tuesday evening, the breakdown on the testimony was 75 percent opposed:

Mayor Ethan Berkowitz is not taking this opposition lying down. It’s his last eight months in office and he wants to deliver something on his promise to solve homelessness.

On Tuesday night, there were more social workers and nonprofit representatives testifying in favor of his vagrant plan, although they were still heavily outnumbered.

The Mayor’s Office and the homeless coalition have been spending dollars to try to bend the curve of public opinion, pushing Facebook messages to people they think will come and testify on the mayor’s behalf.

Ad buys on social media are now in the thousands of dollars: A sampling of the ads that are currently running on the Facebook feeds of hundreds of thousands of Anchorage “likely” respondents shows that the spend on these three ads alone is likely over $1,000. Other ads similar to these are now retired, but have run in recent days.

The optics are awful. Some Anchorage residents, and members of the Facebook Group called Save Anchorage, are hopping mad that the municipality would lobby social workers to testify in favor of the mayor’s plan to spend $22 million in CARES Act money on four buildings to use for homelessness services close to homes, schools, and daycare centers.

A few social workers did speak in favor of the plan on Tuesday evening but 90 percent of those favoring the plan appear to be employed by the “Homeless Industrial Complex.”

One man who spoke did not identify himself as an employee of the Rasmuson Foundation until he was questioned by Assembly member Jamie Allard about his employment status, when he admitted he works for the foundation. It was an awkward moment for the gentleman.

Another social service worker who spoke was actually in opposition to the plan.

Sherrie Laurie, executive director of the Downtown Hope Center, told the Assembly that around her facility, human and drug traffickers gather, and that those conditions can be expected to arise in family neighborhoods if shelters are placed there.

Laurie also responded to a question from Assembly member Allard, saying that she had not been notified about the plan to buy two hotels, an old Alaska Club on Tudor Blvd., and Bean’s Cafe, even though she runs a shelter that houses 70 women and her clientele would be affected.

When asked why she was not notified, she demurred and said she did not wish to speak about it publicly.

But Downtown Hope Center was at the center of a controversy when it would not allow men dressed as women, who call themselves women, to enter the facility and lay on the floor mats next to the shelter’s women clients, many of whom are traumatized by men.

The city’s Equal Rights Commission heard a complaint against the Downtown Hope Center to force them to take transgenders. The center, represented by now-Attorney General Kevin Clarkson, won that case. The mayor and Assembly member Chris Constant in particular are not friendly toward the faith-based center for women.

The Juneau Assembly mandated face masks be worn in all public places. The mandate, effective immediately, will expire in 90 days if not renewed as an emergency ordinance by the Assembly.

Examples of places where people are now required to wear a mask in Juneau include:

• Grocery stores, pharmacies, and all other retail stores.
• Restaurants, cafes, bars, and breweries – including food preparation, carry-out, and delivery food operations. There is a limited exception for customers while they are eating or drinking in one of these settings.
• Buses, taxis, and other forms of public transportation when passengers are present.
• Personal care facilities.
• Child care facilities.
• Communal areas of offices where people from multiple households are present.
• Elevators and indoor communal spaces in other buildings.

The penalty for violating the ordinance is a civil fine of no more than $25. Any individual who’s issued a ticket and believe the ticket is issued in error can submit an appeal, similar to appealing a parking ticket.

Exceptions include:

• Any child under the age of 2 years. These very young children should not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation;
• Any child under the age of 12 years unless a parent or caregiver supervises the use of face coverings by the child to avoid misuse;
• Any child in a child care or day camp setting, although such settings may provide their own requirement for use for children age 2 years old or older;
• Any individual for whom wearing a mask or cloth face covering would be contrary to his or her health or safety because of a medical condition or mental health condition, and any individual unable to tolerate a mask due to a physical or mental disability;
• Individuals who are speech impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing, or individuals communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, where facial or mouth movements are an integral part of communication;
• Any individual who has trouble breathing or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance;

Before the ordinance, Juneau required masks in several public facilities, like the public libraries, pool, and on Capital Transit. Businesses also required masks, although not every business did so.

The Juneau School District last week also requires masks or similar facial coverings for all persons on Juneau School District grounds, at District facilities, or at District sponsored events.

This school property mandate covers people of all ages, from infants on through elderly, without exceptions, except ones granted by the Superintendent.

HEALTH CARE BEHEMOTH SAYS IT SELF-REPORTED

Southcentral Foundation issued the following statement regarding the investigation and termination of three of its Anchorage-based dentists earlier this month:

“After receiving an anonymous complaint, SCF conducted an independent investigation that substantiated serious compliance issues in the SCF Dental Department.  The investigation showed the dentists falsified health records by attributing one dentist as the provider of routine dental exams when that dentist did not actually perform the procedures.  All procedures were performed by qualified dentists, and there was no impact to customer-owner safety. SCF has self-reported the compliance issues to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will fully comply with any investigations.  SCF takes seriously any allegation of misconduct and has taken immediate action.  

“As a result of this investigation, the employment of Drs. Kevin Gottlieb, Thomas Kovaleski, and Clay Crossett was terminated by Southcentral Foundation on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

“Gottlieb had been with SCF since 1989 and served as the Vice President of Resource and Development and Chief of Staff. Dr. Thomas Kovaleski served as the Director of Dental and started at SCF in 1986. Dr. Clay Crossett served as Dental Director and had been with SCF since 2000.

“The terminations have no impact on dental services provided or customer-owner safety at Southcentral Foundation. SCF will provide more information as it becomes available.”

Southcentral Foundation is an Alaska Native-owned, nonprofit health care organization. The organization receives approximately 44 percent of its funding from the Federal Indian Health Service through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 49 percent from third party reimbursement (primarily federal Medicare and Medicaid) and 7 percent from grants and investments.

Managing more than 80 health care programs and services, the organization serves 65,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, and 55 rural villages in the Anchorage Service Unit.

CEO, Katherine Gottlieb is married to one of the men. She started her career at Southcentral Foundation in 1987 as an administrative assistant and worked her way up, according to the group’s website.

The new five-story dental clinic, which opened in 2018, is named the “Dr. Katherine and Dr. Kevin Gottlieb Building.” It was built largely with taxpayer dollars.

“Nearly all those receiving health care at SCF are Alaska Native and American Indian people of Southcentral Alaska (the Cook Inlet Region), although the organization has recently begun offering care to employees who are not Alaska Native people. Approximately 10,000 of these customer-owners live in remote villages,” the group states on its website.

The organization is considered a national model and has won numerous awards, including:

National Institutes of Health Tribal Health Research Office Storytelling Challenge (2017)

Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (2017, 2011)

Anchorage School District Spirit of Tomorrow Award (2014)

Level III, Patient Centered Medical Home™ three-year recognition – for SCF’s Anchorage Native Primary Care Center (2009-2012, 2012-2015, 2015-2018), Benteh Nuutah Valley Native Primary Care Center (2015-2018), McGrath Regional Health Center (2015-2018) and Nilavena Subregional Clinic (2015-2018). McGrath and Nilavena are rural Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The Patient Centered Medical Home standards emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication and patient involvement.

Indian Health Service Director’s Award (2012)

Alaska Cultural Humanitarian Award (2012) – presented by the Alaska Psychological Association

Cerner Consulting Project Excellence Award (2011)

League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Business Award (2010)

Alaska Performance Excellence (APEX) Award (2009)

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services SAMHSA Science & Service Award (2009) for behavioral health/primary care integration

Joint Commission accreditation (ANMC hospital, Anchorage Native Primary Care Center, Alaska Spine Institute building, and Mt. Marathon building) a nationally recognized symbol of quality

Level II, Trauma Center (ANMC hospital) – reverified in 2019 as a Level II Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). ANMC was Alaska’s first Level II Trauma Center – first receiving verification in 1999.

Level II, Pediatric Trauma Center (ANMC hospital) – verified in 2018 as a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

No sooner did the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly vote in favor of an all-mail-in election, than a petition with more than 1,800 signatures has emerged to defeat the measure. This matter looks like it’s headed for the ballot.

Norm Blakely, an Assembly member in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, only needed 1,362 signatures to put the question of mail-in-only elections to the voters. He says it’s not right that six people in the entire borough are making that monumental decision.

The petition is still available for signatures until Saturday, according to MRAK sources. It can be found at Nikiski Hardware and Alaska Trade and Loan in Soldotna. The group of activists behind the referendum will turn the petition into the Borough Clerk for signature verification on Saturday.

That’s where it will get tricky. The borough’s Clerk Johni Blankenship has been leading an effort around the state to move all boroughs to all-mail-in ballots, and she has become known as the champion and subject expert for that voting method, which is hotly contested between liberals and conservatives.

The Assembly had passed by the vote-by-mail ordinance on June 3 and again on reconsideration on June 16.

Mayor Charlie Pierce vetoed the ordinance, but the Assembly had enough votes to override him. If it stands, every registered voter in the borough will receive a mail-in ballot starting in 2021.

Alaska Republican Party Chairman Glenn Clary has named Miranda Strong of Lane Powell as the attorney for the party, upon the resignation of Stacey Stone Semmler, who has served as party attorney for the past four years.

Semmler had announced during the last State Central Committee that her workload at her day job at Weddle Barcott & Holmes was getting busier due to all the businesses she is helping due to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 virus.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank outgoing counsel Stacey Stone Semmler of Holmes Weddle & Barcott. She has worked hard to assist the Alaska Republican Party for the past four years. I have enjoyed working with her and expect to watch her continued success in future years,” Clary said.

“Many of you will remember that Lane Powell represented “StandTall With Mike.” Miranda has practiced in the area of administrative and regulatory law, with a focus on compliance,” said Clary.

Strong has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy with emphasis in legal studies and an master’s degree in public administration. She earned a JD from the University of Washington School of Law in 2012. She has served as an assistant Attorney General and special assistant to the Attorney General in the Alaska Department of Law – Opinions, Appeals, and Ethics Section. 

The House race for District 24 is shaping up to be quite a contest in the primary, which is the deciding election in this conservative district.

A fundraiser tonight at the Petroleum Club in Anchorage is key for candidate Tom McKay, who is challenging Rep. Chuck Kopp in the primary.

The fundraising picture shows McKay within striking distance. In the 30-day report at the Alaska Public Offices Commission, it appears that after McKay started his campaign on June 1, he raised $23,000 and has $10,000 in the bank to help his campaign reach voters during the final stretch toward the Aug. 18 election.

Kopp, on the other hand, raised $28,000 and had $27,000 in the bank, but he had spent $35,000, meaning he is $9,000 ahead of McKay. That’s a lot of money for the final push.

But there’s a twist. The day after the 30-day reports were due is tonight’s fundraiser for McKay, and it’s clear he’ll come even with Kopp for that final stretch: The co-hosts are filled with determined heavy-hitters such as Scott Jepson, Kevin Durling, Larry Baker, Joe Mathis, Mayor Dan Sullivan, and former Rep. Ralph Samuels, Bob and Jeannie Penney, and Portia Babcock. There’s even Chuck Heath and John Hendrix on the list of co-hosts. The event starts at 5:30 pm on the deck of the Petroleum Club on C Street.

Adding to the tension in this race is the news that Alaska Family Action is not giving its primary endorsement to Kopp this year, after the board could not decide whether it could still stay with him after he organized with the Democrats and put hardline abortion advocate Ivy Spohnholz and Matt Claman in charge of key committees: Health and Social Service and Judiciary committees.

Board member Fred Dyson issued his own endorsement of Kopp, but others on the board have been reluctant because, Must Read Alaska has learned, Kopp is seen as perpetuating one of the biggest problems in Alaska when he defended the soft-on-crime bill SB 91, and because he has allowed the House to be run by Democrats.