Chair Report
At each Regular Assembly Meeting, the Chair gives a report on recent community events and issues of interest before the Assembly. If you missed the Chair's Report, you can catch up below.
Notice: this page contains the opinion and views of the Assembly Chair, which do not necessarily represent the views of the Anchorage Assembly or Municipality of Anchorage.
June 9, 2026
View the recording of the remarks.
Good evening everyone and welcome to our regular business meeting. Today I will highlight a couple items of recent Assembly business, ways to have fun and engage with your neighbors this month, and usual reminders to start the meeting.
Anchorage School Board Joint Session
Last Friday, the Assembly had our quarterly joint meeting with the Anchorage School Board. At that meeting we discussed several topics:
- What we know (and don't know) about state education funding after the regular Legislative session ended with some items still pending
- Anticipated impacts on our local budget, and interaction with the tax cap
- Ways to collaborate to improve operational issues like snow plowing and making sure our kids can get to school safely
We also discussed a big, complex subject that the School Board, Assembly, and community are all interested in: what does our future look like? How do we, as a community, work through difficult decisions like right-sizing, budgeting, and making the best choices within the real constraints we have? As a next step, I as Chair will work with School Board President Jacobs to bring a proposed path forward that allows for an inclusive process while still respecting the two bodies' separate lanes and authorities.
Alaska Municipal League Board Meeting
I had the opportunity to engage with our peers across the state at the Alaska Municipal League board meeting, in the Municipality of Anchorage's designated seat on that board. AML is a statewide organization representing all local governments, and is governed by a board with representation across each region, as well as liaisons from associations such as clerks, attorneys, and other municipal professions. We discussed financial matters as well as how to implement AML's strategic plan, with goals for the organization like strengthening local capacity through shared services, and supporting the next generations of local government leaders. AML is a leading and trusted voice for federal and state leaders about how their choices impact the work we do for our communities—and any member of the assembly and the municipality can get involved!
Smart 911
It's been really nice to enjoy some warmer days in the past few weeks, but with the warmer weather, that means it's now forest fire season and we know some other parts of the state are already experiencing that. To help us all prepare:
- This month's CivicAnchor display at Loussac Library features highlights tips, tools, and resources from the Anchorage Fire Department's Wildfire Division to help you and your family stay prepared during our wildfire season. You can learn more at the CivicAnchor display out in the Loussac atrium or visit muni.org/CivicAnchor.
- Staying prepared also means staying informed. Smart911 is the Municipality's official emergency notification system for all emergency alerts and provides customized, reliable, real-time information from emergency responders. This free service lets you choose which alerts you want and allows you to share important information about your family and home with first responders in the event of an emergency. To sign up, text ANCHORAGE to 67283 or visit muni.org/Smart911
Events: Juneteenth & Summer Night Market
Summer in Anchorage means a full calendar of community events! Here are a few coming up between now and our next meeting:
Next Friday, June 19th is Juneteenth, celebrating the end of the Civil War and emancipation from slavery—and it is now a Municipal holiday! Two upcoming events if you'd like to celebrate:
- Monday, June 15th is the annual Ebony Aurora Awards & Juneteenth Luncheon, co-hosted by Alaska Black Caucus and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce at the Dena'ina Center, 11:30 to 1pm. This special event honors community leaders recognized as 2026 Ebony Aurora Award recipients.
- The annual Juneteenth festival will take place on the Park Strip downtown from 1-6pm on Friday, June 19th through Sunday June 21st, hosted by Juneteenth Anchorage, NAACP Anchorage, and Stand Up Alaska. This event is open to all and the theme is Celebrating Black Excellence: Past, Present, Future.
The Summer Night Market kicked off last Friday, and will run downtown every Friday through July 31st (except July 3) from 5:30-8:30pm on F Street between 6th and 7th Avenue. It's a great market with live music, food trucks, vendors, a kids zone and beer garden, great for all ages. Thank you to Downtown Partnership for sponsoring the music this year!
May 26, 2026
View the recording of the remarks.
Good evening everyone and welcome to our regular business meeting.
Memorial Day
I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Monday’s ceremony on the Park Strip, and ceremonies like it across the country, reminded us that freedom requires sacrifice, and that it is our responsibility to honor those who sacrifice their lives for our nation. What’s said less often, but is equally our responsibility as a nation, is to ensure that in asking our fellow citizens to make these sacrifices, the reasons are worth the heavy price they, and we, have to pay.
End of Legislative Session
Next, I’ll move on to the end of the legislative session. Welcome back to all of our legislators who are heading home. Last Wednesday was the end of the regular legislative session. We’re still reviewing everything that happened last week, but we can be happy to see that a number of Anchorage priorities successfully moved forward:
- Several wins for Anchorage include capital funding for the Port of Alaska, opening AIDEA funding for workforce housing development, expanding our options to incentivize new and affordable housing, and one-time funding for our school district and others around the state.
- A technical matter that impacts our budget was the passage of a provision that slows growth of local contributions to schools relative to state funds, which will mean a lesser hit for the amount that will need to come out of our general budget next year to go to the schools. More on that in the coming months.
- Two bills the Municipality has supported for several years –Defined Benefits for Public Employees and an Election Reform bill that would have cleaned up our voter rolls and protected Alaskans’ right to vote no matter their geography – did manage to pass both houses, and we thank the legislators for that, but were vetoed by the Governor. So, we know there is more work to be done there.
The Municipality will be sharing a more detailed report on how we faired this legislative season, and of course, we’ll see what happens in the special session regarding the gas line development project.
Summer Events
Next, I’ll mention that although it doesn’t feel like it, we are well into the summer festival season and I encourage everyone to put on a coat and participate, to be in community with your neighbors and enjoy people and events that make Anchorage special. A few events this Saturday, May 30th
- Culture Flag Day and Festival on the Park Strip, noon to 6pm, to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage month.
- It’s also Merrill Field Aviation Celebration from 10am to 3pm, rain or shine, with music, activities and food trucks at the UAA Aviation Hangar, UAA ramp, Stoddard’s ramp and North Edge Hangars and ramp.
Process Reminders
Two brief procedural announcements:
- First, we have a work session on AO 2026-72 regarding HLB land disposal for a natural burial cemetery originally scheduled for this Friday, May 29 has been moved to the following Friday, June 5 at 1pm, following the Assembly’s joint meeting with the Anchorage School Board from 10am to noon.
- If you are here to testify this evening on item 14D, AO 2026-62 to create a Public Safety Commission, the sponsors, of which I am one, intend to open the public hearing and continue the hearing to the next regular meeting of June 9.
May 12, 2026
View the recording of the remarks.
Good evening everyone and welcome to our regular business meeting. I will commit to generally keeping chair reports brief, but will also ask a bit of indulgence today, because we have several things to highlight!
First, recognizing the new Assembly:
Last week, Vice Chair Volland and I shared a message, also published as an opinion in the Anchorage Daily News, to communicate our approach in this role, invite the public to better understand the legislative process, and to keep engaging with our diverse body. A brief highlight:
As Assembly Leadership, we’re committed to laying a foundation of service, supporting our colleagues to work towards their goals and strengthening the trust in local government that brings meaningful change to our community. Some principles for how we approach this work:
- Start with learning. Local government is complex, and we work best when we start with information and understanding.
- We each carry part of the load. We have more work than hours in the day, but every member brings something: expertise, a community connection, passion for an issue they care about deeply.
- Focus on issues and find solutions. We won't always agree, and we welcome vigorous debate. The legislative process precisely to work through hard problems and arrive at the best available solutions.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Next, as we will recognize shortly, May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Anchorage is home to people from many cultures spanning the Asian continent and across the Pacific Ocean, with local opportunities to learn, celebrate, enjoy music, dance, food, and unique traditions. I strongly encourage members and the public to participate, not just in May but year round!
I also want to say “Salamat Po,” or “thank you very much” in Tagalog, to the Asian Alaskan Cultural Center for Asian Cultural Night this past Friday at the Performing Arts Center. Each year AACC chooses a culture to feature, with this year showcasing the Philippines, with a beautiful performance by the Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center in San Diego. Mark your calendars, the next featured culture in 2027 will be China!
Short Term Rental Registrations
Next, an update on the Short-Term Rental registrations. Since implementation of the short-term rental registration ordinance on May 1, approximately 550 units have been registered. The Clerk reports that implementation has proceeded smoothly so far, with registration applications currently processed within one to two business days after submission.
As a reminder, unit(s) needs to be registered by Thursday, July 30, 2026. More information about the new registration requirements, including Frequently Asked Questions and step-by-step how to instructions, is on the website at
muni.org/str.
Public Safety Advisory Commission Proposal at CivicAnchor
Next, our monthly CivicAnchor feature at Loussac Library is the proposal for the Public Safety Advisory Commission, an ordinance which will be heard on May 26th. Visit the display in the Loussac atrium or online at
muni.org/CivicAnchor by the end of May to learn more about the history of the Public Safety Advisory Commission, and how to share your thoughts on the proposal.
The CivicAnchor display revolves monthly, so I encourage you to visit it regularly to stay updated on current projects within the Municipality.
Anchorage History Quilts
Speaking of displays, you probably noticed something new behind the dais tonight.
To celebrate Anchorage's centennial in 2015, the Anchorage Log Cabin Quilters’ Guild members held a juried show of quilts to depict people and places significant in Anchorage's history in each decade of our community’s first one hundred years. This ten-quilt exhibit, including four quilts reflecting the decades since the Municipality was established in 1975, was first displayed in the 2014 Great Alaska Quilt Show, then again at the 2015 Centennial celebration on the Park Strip.
This year, in celebration of our 50th Muni-versary, the Municipality of Anchorage commissioned a quilt representing our most recent decade, 2015 – 2024. The five quilts will be on display here in Assembly Chambers through the official end of our fiftieth year, which we will recognize in September.
Instructions to New Members
Finally, I want to personally welcome new Assembly Members to their first meeting!
To help you get up to speed on our processes, I will go slow tonight, and do my best to help you along, as will your neighbors on the dais. If you're unsure of anything, please ask for a point of information, or talk with your neighbor to get clarification. We'll work through the agenda and procedures together.
April 28, 2026 - Chair Brawley
View the recording of the remarks.
After being voted in as the new Assembly Chair, Assembly Member Anna Brawley gave the following acceptance speech:
To my colleagues: thank you for your confidence in my leadership, and for Vice Chair Volland, reflected in this organization vote. Also congratulations to the new members, and colleagues returning to the body for another round. You have agreed to do a job that is difficult, impossible to do perfectly, but is also rewarding and meaningful.
The 12 of us are entrusted with leading the legislative branch of the Municipality, representing 290,000 residents from Eklutna and Chugiak, from Cook Inlet to the Chugach Range, down to Girdwood and Turnagain Arm (and of course, to quote two former colleagues, you can’t avoid Midtown). I look forward to working with all of you, the diverse communities you represent, and the unique perspectives, values, and energy we each bring to this dias.
We are inheriting an Assembly that is strong, committed to its policy priorities, and already hard at work toward achieving positive changes for the good of our community. But I also want to emphasize that this body, this institution, has been now entrusted to us 12, and it is ours to steward, to shape under our collective leadership and care. I am excited to continue strengthening, stewarding, and shaping this branch—we can anticipate more changes to come, after we all take time to settle into our roles.
I look forward to the next year of our work together, to realize some the results of our shared work, and also have some fun along the way.
April 28, 2026 - Chair Constant
View the recording of the remarks.
Tonight’s Agenda
Tonight we’re going to adjust the agenda in a few different ways. We’ll make some changes to the order of the recognitions resolutions and we’ll take up the certification of the election after we complete the first quarter budget amendment. It’s really not fair to the new Members to be asked to approve a half billion-dollar budget when they haven’t had the benefit of spending the last year working on it. So we’ll take up the certification of the election as the final action before this body dissolves and the new Assembly is empaneled.
Youth Representatives
Tonight will be full of goodbyes, but before we get caught up in the action, I want to recognize the final meeting of the current Youth Representative cohort. Over the past school year, these three young leaders (Kennedy Bowser of Chugiak High School, Gwyneth Eggleston of Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School, and Jacob Lavarias of West Anchorage High School) have brought thoughtful perspectives, energy, and a strong commitment to civic engagement in Anchorage.
One thing they did which was quite amazing is that they helped lead a voter registration drive in high school senior social studies classes and this year, we had resounding results. Over 300 high school students registered to vote before the municipal election and it’s the most we ever had in that category of people to register to vote between February and March. And if an amendment to the budget passes later tonight, we will be setting up a high school civic leadership day, but we’ll have more discussion about that later tonight. It’s pretty exciting and that’s built on the work of these three youth Representatives – thank you for your service to the Municipality.
As a reminder to anyone who has a high school student in their lives, the application for next year’s cohort can be found at
muni.org/assembly and applications are due by May 8, for ages 16-19.