Assemblyman Chris Constant sent an email blast out to correct the record, as he sees it, on who is the real chief equity officer for Anchorage. Responding to an email about a Martin Luther King Day event announced by the Mayor’s Office, Constant wanted people to know that the mayor’s appointee is not the real equity officer.
Constant said that the real chief equity officer is Clifford Armstrong III, not Uluao “Junior” Aumavae.
“Just so folks know, Clifford Brown III is still the Chief Equity Officer and the individual names [sic] as Chief Equity Officer by the Mayor is in fact a special assistant,” Constant wrote, asking others to add their voice to the “permanent record.”
Mayor Dave Bronson’s City Manager Amy Demboski responded with an email of her own, which also went out to the wide group of people:
“On behalf of the Municipality of Anchorage, I am sending this email to correct the misinformation being spread by Assembly Member Constant. ‘Clifford Brown III’ (I think Mr. Constant meant “Armstrong”, not “Brown”) is not an employee of the Municipality of Anchorage. Furthermore, Uluao ‘Junior’ Aumavae is the Chief Equity Officer.
“If members of the press have questions as to the employment status of Municipal employees, those questions may be directed to Niki Tshibaka, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Municipality of Anchorage, at [email protected],” Demboski wrote.
Bronson released Armstrong in October and hired Aumavae. Armstrong had been hired by the unelected acting mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson, who named him to the role after it became apparent to her that Bronson was going to win election to the mayor’s office. It was a move intended to insert a leftist into the conservative administration. But Bronson wanted to pick his own team.
By the ordinance passed by the leftist Assembly and signed by former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, the chief equity officer can be hired by the mayor, but cannot be fired by the mayor. The Assembly retained that power. Bronson says that is a violation of the separation of powers, hobbling the mayor from being able to enact an agenda he or she was elected on.
The matter is likely to end up in court, as Bronson in December sued the Assembly over his right to name his own team. The complaint was filed in Anchorage Superior Court. Former Municipal Manager Bill Falsey, who worked for former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, is the lawyer representing the Assembly in this matter, which has not yet had a trial date set by Judge Dani Crosby.
The back and forth between Constant and Demboski continued, with Constant insisting that Armstrong is the chief equity officer.
“You are right. I did mean Clifford Armstrong III. It isn’t misinformation,” Constant wrote to Demboski. “The Mayor has sued the Assembly asserting that the Municipal Code is in violation of the Charter. But until such a time, any assertion that another individual is the Chief Equity Officer is in fact misinformation.” Constant cc’d the entire list of email addresses, including all members of the Assembly.
Demboski responded: “There have been many discussions about the separation of powers between the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch recently, and I think it would be helpful for you if we recap a basic principle: the administration of government (which includes Human Resources) is the responsibility of Executive Branch, of which you are not a member, nor do you have access to employee records. You Sir are incorrect and are spreading lies at this point. Mr. Armstrong is not an employee of the Municipality of Anchorage. Period,” Demboski wrote.
“If this is confusing, I welcome you (and members of the press) to reach out to the Mr. Tshibaka, who will be more than happy to confirm the employment status of past or current employees,” she continued.
“Furthermore, I view your continual cc’ing of Mr. Aumavae, and telling members of the community he is not in the position, which in fact he is in, is harassing a Municipal employee. I strongly encourage you to cease this harassment of this employee; it is inappropriate, unprofessional, and clear intimidation by an Assembly member who will be voting on this employee’s nomination.
“Lastly, I want to point out that your emails on this matter are a clear violation of the Open Meetings Act, as you have included all Assembly members while spreading your propaganda in this email chain,” Demboski concluded.
The Live your Dream Youth Summit is Monday, Jan. 17, at the Spenard Recreation Center from 12-3:30 pm.
Anyone else wonder if Constant is hitting the sauce before he sends out these inane, potentially illegal emails? Good on Demboski for pointing out the obvious to Constant, who probably can’t see the forest for the trees due to his obstructionist agenda. Constant, Fe-licks, Meggie, Suzie, Spineless John, Sneaky Pete, KP-V & AQD need to remember this is not DC, and people see the these swarmy tactics for what they are. Despite the ADN & KTUU trying to paint the assembly as heros and the Bronson Administration as evil. I predict the four conservative candidates for Assembly will win running away with the vote in April, and we can have an assembly that will work with the Administration rather than obstruct it.
Sounds to me like Chris pissant is racist against the Pacific Islanders community and wants to deny them representation
Yes Constant your hand signal tells me you are the loser. In the 45 years I have lived in this city, I have never seen such immature people like you in office and that includes loser Dunbar. Get over yourselves and stop spending our taxpayer money like it was your own checkbook.
I meant to say: Just so you know, you are bothering me…
So glad I left Anchorage. Juneau is a clown show, true, but we don’t have a Chris Constant. Yet.
You elected this fools Anchorage. You deserve this quality of leadership.
Ouch ?.
I would like to say “Nanny Nanny Noo Noo!, That Constant was only voted on by one district!” Then I see the six others from Anchorage and admit you’re right. We also deserve Bronson and that gives me hope.
This is just Constant’s way of acting as Mayor. And if Armstrong is the equity officer, why didn’t he show up to work for several weeks? I want on this gravy train where I can be an officer of the municipality of Anchorage, as deemed so by Constant, and get paid for nothing. We as tax payers are outraged by the stupid actions of the Assembly.
If the assembly are in clear violation of codes, acts or policy why are they not written up, fired or sued?
A recall is not enough, it needs to go higher than that. You can fire someone for gross misconduct without a recall or an election. This administration needs to grow a pair and do it.
Chris Constant; stop the pissing contest and quit wasting taxpayer money.
All friends relative and supporters of the true equity officer, Uluao ‘Junior’ Aumavae, show up at the next assembly meeting and peacefully protest.
The city’s own lawyers have already schooled Chris Constant and the liberal assembly members on this subject. But he is obviously of the mind that the law doesn’t matter if it’s something HE wants.
It’s sad, and the solution is obvious, Vote these idiots out. I mean if you can with the liberal City Clerk who is obviously the chosen tool of the assembly to control the outcome of muni elections,
Give Mayor Bronson and assembly that will work with him. Anchorage was a wonderful city when my family moved here over 30 years ago. Today I dread every trip to Anchorage.
According to all news accounts, Clifford Armstrong abandoned his position after Bronson became Mayor. I know if I just stop coming to work, I’m going to get fired. Why is the Assembly so adamant about continuing to pay someone a six figure salary that won’t even come to work? Junior Aumavae is doing a good job. The Assembly should support him.
They won’t support anything or anyone endorsed by Mayor Bronson. Throwing away six figures of taxpayer money away on a man who doesn’t come to work is nothing to Chris Constant as long as he can oppose the Mayor. He is a sad excuse of a man.
Good luck Anchorage, you have dug yourself a huge liberal hole I hope one day you can climb out of it.
You write like a 5th grader. Reading you rants is more entertainment than informative facts.
You wrote three sentences that were journalistic. The rest was a blow by blow pissing contest laced with your sophomoric opinions.
You literally stated that mayor Berkowitz signed the ordnance then the acting mayor appointed to the position in accordance with the muni ordnance(s) made the appointment and the the new mayor Bronson violated the ordnance(s)
This comment is an example of a deranged person who thinks that he/she has some superior intellect or journalistic talent. It’s a laughable editorial effort to show off, that even an imbecile and a moron such as YTIC has a position at the MRAK table. Go back to junior high writing class and learn basic, formatic sentence structure. Then, try again……. Idiot!
Your history lesson neglects the part where the city attorney told the assembly that Bronson had every legal right to fire Armstrong, and that “the ordinance” under which he was hired was illegal under both the city charter and state constitution. Class dismissed.
What is the definition of “ordnance” and the plural “ordnance(s)?”
.
ordnance noun
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ord·nance | \ ˈȯrd-nən(t)s \
Definition of ordnance
1a: military supplies including weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and maintenance tools and equipment
bombers dropped heavy concentrations of ordnance on every targeted airfield
— Ron Dick
b: a service of the army charged with the procuring, distributing, and safekeeping of ordnance
2: CANNON, ARTILLERY
Several pieces of ordnance bombarded the entrenched enemy.
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So what exactly are you trying to say?
Talk about “talking in circles”!
This comment is an example of a deranged person who thinks that he/she has some superior intellect or journalistic talent. It’s a laughable editorial effort to show off, that even an imbecile and a moron such as YTIC has a position at the MRAK table. Go back to junior high writing class and learn basic, formatic sentence structure. Then, try again……. Idiot!
3-2-1 another assemblyman constant apology is coming our way when a friend of his points out how insensitive his off the cuff comment sounds about another community who has one person of their own community elevated into city hall office by a duly elected mayor.
This does trigger some less than serious thoughts:
– If Constant and his fellow travelers believe they have the power to hire and fire, how do they then exercise that power?
– If Constant and his fellow travelers have hired, how do they issue paychecks? How about medical coverage and benefits? How about the rest of the HR / ER train?
– How do they assign work? Conduct evaluations? Monitor progress or the lack thereof?
It takes some sort of executive agency to do all this, which we have in the form of an elected Mayor. In effect, Assembly hires work for the Mayor, as he is the one who pays and compensates them for their time. Cheers –
Never criticize someone’s grammar without checking your own first.
Part of the fix: Stephanie Taylor is currently campaigning against Forrest Dunbar. Pass the word.
Amazing how this Assembly has become a circus, with the exception of our “2”with Constance being the Ring leader of the other 4.
Can’t have a circus without a bunch of clowns
We all need too breath! been a instense, 2 years!
Constant cant have a check moment? I think we
all can?
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