Sullivan is Again the Municipality’s Mass Shelter, Housing up to 360 People:
On Tuesday, the Anchorage Assembly unanimously voted to expand capacity at the Sullivan Arena to house 160 additional unsheltered people.
Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson had already expanded capacity of the Sullivan, violating city code, by designating a wing of the building as a warming area for as many as 178 people. People staying in the warming area did not receive a bed, food or services and went on a waitlist for a shelter bed in the main facility.
This additional capacity brings the total to 360, making the Sullivan the municipality’s mass shelter again after a brief hiatus when Bronson bused the city’s homeless to Centennial Campground for the summer.
Homelessness was the cornerstone of Bronson’s campaign in 2021. He promised to not use hockey arenas to house the homeless and claimed he would work with churches for housing and treatment. He did neither, and the return of the Sullivan as a mass shelter represents a huge setback for his administration.
Bronson failed to move an earlier request for expanded capacity at an Assembly meeting two weeks ago. While the administration vented frustration that they had to wait two weeks to expand capacity, the Assembly maintained that it is impossible to vote on policy that is put before them at the last minute, with no information or discussion as to why it’s necessary.
“(You) do something last minute, don’t explain it to anyone, don’t approach Assembly members and say, here is what we are looking to do, and this is why, and then expect us to vote on something without any knowledge of it,” Austin Quinn-Davidson said. “Frankly, it just feels like amateur hour.”
Several Assembly members expressed frustration and asked Bronson why he chose to increase capacity without Assembly approval or declaring an emergency. Bronson claimed there was no emergency, despite record school closures and record outdoor deaths among the homeless.
“Cold weather is not an emergency,” Bronson sniped during Tuesday’s meeting. “If we are going to declare an emergency every time there is cold weather, we would have five months of emergency every year. I can’t take legal action when the time is emergent to help people.”
Better version of Bronson incomprehensibly describing how he can’t (doesn’t want to) take the legal action, followed up with “what an idiot.”
Meanwhile, while Bronson makes an ass of himself, CO activates the national guard with the first sniff of snow. https://t.co/NV2BpBHTCD
— AKroadweed (@AKroadweed) December 21, 2022
Also at Tuesday’s Assembly Meeting:
- The Assembly approved a process for filling Assembly seats by appointment when members Forrest Dunbar and Jamie Allard leave the Assembly to join the Alaska State Legislature.
- The Assembly heard testimony on an ordinance that would allow more accessory dwellings (ADU’s), otherwise known as mother-in-law apartments, to be built within the municipality. Lack of affordable housing is a concern in Anchorage and this ordinance is expected to lead to the creation of 1,000 units of housing by 2040. The majority of the testimony was favorable, although a few Anchorage residents expressed concern about the height of dwellings, possibly shading yards, or about a possible increase in short term rentals amongst owners of ADU’s. The ordinance was eventually postponed due to the late hour and in order to hear more feedback from the community.
- The Assembly confirmed Virginia McClure as Library Director. Bronson failed to appoint a permanent director for over a year, instead leaving Deputy Director Judy Eledge to fill the role on a temporary basis. Eledge lacked the necessary experience and her tenure as acting library director was controversial, leading to the mass exodus of employees, allegations of a hostile workplace and a wrongful firing lawsuit.
- Kent Kohlhase’s confirmation as Bronson’s appointee to Director of Public Works was postponed due to his current status as Acting Municipal Manager. On Monday, Bronson abruptly fired Municipal Manager Amy Demboski after she sent him an email detailing concerns about code violations regarding the Sullivan expansion. Demboski has been Bronson’s closest ally and the driving force behind many of his policies. She was named for the Municipal Manager position before Bronson took office, and while the Bronson administration has had constant turnover, this is the largest shake-up to date.
Anchorage School District Floats Plan for Making up Instruction Time Due to Snow Closures:
Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt floated a plan for making up snow days by adding 30 minutes to each school day from Jan. 30 to March 9, as well as making planned half-days into full days. This would add approximately five days of instruction time back to the school calendar for the school year.
Coming up:
With the holidays coming up, there will be no Assembly or School Board meetings for the remainder of the year. The Alaska Current will continue to keep an eye and ear out for any unexpected happenings. If you have any comments or tips please contact me at yarrow@thealaskacurrent.com. With that, Happy Holidays!
