A municipal task force charged with reforming how the Anchorage Assembly hears public testimony will hear its own first public comment starting next week.
A Wednesday statement from Amanda Moser, the city's deputy clerk for elections, says that the Citizen's Task Force will convene for two public hearings at the Assembly chambers in the Loussac Library. The hearings, both scheduled for 6 p.m., will be held Sept. 3 and Oct. 1.
"Task Force members seek the advice of the community on the elements of a public hearing process that would give the public a clear set of expectations about when public hearings will be held and a consistent process for how to have their point of view heard and considered in the deliberation of the Assembly about ordinances," Moser wrote.
The 11-member task force, formed in June, includes three former Assembly members -- charter commissioners Jane Angvik and former state Sen. Arliss Sturgulewski, as well as Jim Barnett. Other members of the task force include members of local unions and businesses, as well as board members of local community groups.
A widespread uproar over the Assembly's handling of public comments nearly cost Assembly Chair Ernie Hall his job in April's city elections, after he cut off testimony on Assembly Ordinance 37, the city's narrowly passed labor law rewrite. Write-in challenger Nick Moe, who cited Hall's decision as his motivation to run, appeared close to beating Hall before a final count gave him a 553-vote lead over Moe.
In 2009, then-Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander held months of public testimony on a controversial equal-rights ordinance, dominated by speakers who opposed the measure on religious grounds. The ordinance passed the Assembly, but was vetoed by newly elected Mayor Dan Sullivan, who took office during the Assembly's public-comment sessions.
At a May 21 Assembly meeting, the body voted to indefinitely withhold testimony on the proposed Ordinance 63, a measure to revise the Assembly's public-comment policies.
According to Moser, the public can also send ideas for task force to Moser's email address, MoserAK@muni.org, or drop them off in person at City Hall. The task force's recommendations to the Assembly will be made on Oct. 8.
Contact Chris Klint