Hello everybody. Uh for the record, it's November 13th, 2025. Uh we're on the calendar from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. This is 2025 assembly retreat. Uh we're meeting at the CH2 ML boardroom, the Carstein Building, and we'll just go and do introductions around the table. Christopher Constant, chair, >> Anna Broly, vice chair. >> And Silvers, >> Peter Sa, >> Aaron Baldwin >> in the back. Jamie Hines, municipal clerk. Jennifer Mccclausen, assembly staff. Claire Ross, assembly staff, legislative services director. >> John Gregoire, facilitator. >> All right, so that's everyone in the room. We're missing a handful of members Scott Zack Cameron and Keith. And we have an agenda. I think it's got a lot of work. We may get done a bit early or not. We'll see what happens, how on point and uh ready to work people are. So um basically we break the day up into really three parts and then a quick closing. So the first welcome introduction, a brief agenda, some exercise also. Then the next section is the work plan and goal prioritization exercise. Then there is a conversation about capacity and workload and then uh closing comments. the clarity to ask that Felix and I provide some kind of homaly on the kind of we are we are we're soon to be departing >> and so um but we'll see if we get there. It's not on the agenda per se but we have been asked you probably hear enough of that coming from us over the next 5 months that you don't need it today but um so but before any of that I'm going to ask Jamie to take the lead because we had a really fun It's been a fun day. >> Fun with an exclamation star up at the side article in the New York Times that is kind of a bit misinformation, wrapped around in bad information, wrapped around in political activism. So, this relating to our election system. So, Jamie, you have the floor. >> Thank you. So, this morning I sent email recently, too. Uh, I was approached a couple of months ago by a local um asking if we would be interested in talking to the New York Times about our secure document portal system, which we um we piloted in 2025. Um, in 2024, we brought Democracy Live to a quality municipal services ethics and elections committee. Um and they presented on their secure document portal option for voting. Um and it ultimately the committee gave us the green light to go ahead. We put uh the amendments before the assembly on an ordinance to use secure document portal option for voting and um we got the contract signed really late um and so we weren't really able to publish it too much. um before the 2025 election, but we did use it. Um we put it requires a paper application that people print out from the website. Um and so when people would call and ask to vote by email, um we would ask them if they wanted to vote by email or a secure document portal. Um most people requested to vote by a secure document portal. Um, and I'll explain the nuances here in just a moment, but um, I can't remember how many people we had use it. Um, we had a lot of people who used it, were very appreciative of the system. Um, it democracy live has been used for over a decade by over 36 states and over 2500 jurisdictions. Um, and so we were not new to this. I toured a couple of jurisdictions in Colorado back in 2022 and all all of the jurisdictions there used Democracy Live and the secure document portal system. Um, and because I get the phone calls of from frantic voters saying, "I'm out of state. I'm out of country. I'm getting on a cruise ship. I need to vote. Um, it's very difficult to tell a voter, I'm sorry, you're out of block. And so to be able to ask and even with with email voting, they have to submit, they would have to print out an application. They have to fill it out, take a picture of it, send it back. We approve it. Then they have to be able to print out a ballot, affidavit, and instructions. And then they have to be able to fill out the ballot and then they have to be able to scan or take pictures and email it all back. Um it's email. It's sitting in our email servers. Um their server and our server. Um and so it's not exactly secure. Part of the affidavit is a waiver that they're accepting the fact that it's not going to be a secret ballot. Um, and so the thought behind the secure document portal is that um, they still have to fill out a paper application, submit that, and we then send them a link with instructions on how to vote. Um, they get a link. um they get a special piece of information like this is it's usually like uh a personal identifier whether it be the last word or their social or their voter ID number is their password to be able to access the ballot um they're provided their actual ballot um that when they hit submit it comes back to a secure document portal um that we have access to um we print it out but when we're printing it out. We're printing off the ballot stock. Um the nuance between an email and a ballot ballot stock is that email is 8 and 1 half by 11 and we are then the faximile team is pouring over that ballot and voting the ballot the same as the voter did on ballot stock and then it's running through the tabulator. So with the secure document portal, we submit it, we print it out on um ballot stock and it doesn't have to go through the faximly process and it's then submitted through the titulation system. Um the article sort of sounded like we were piloting this whole new this whole new mobile voting thing and democracy has been around since 2008. So, it's not it's not uh it's not new. We're not we're not the guinea pigs here. Uh it's been it's been around in many states for quite a while. Um and and as in the article said, um everybody who used it was very appreciative of the system. Um, I will say that uh Liz and I very carefully crafted what we were saying to each other and pretty much none of what we said actually made it into the article. So, it's clear that it was a it was a political play and and I regret that part of it. Um, our great local reporters wol me into believing that that reporter I have always had a fear of reporters and this is why and I have never had this experience before. I've always had very great experiences but um we will I can tell you that uh Alaska Public Media and Fox have already reached out. I'm sure all the rest of them will be reaching out directly. Um, and so we will be correcting it as as much as we can. So I apologize for it being not the way I expected it to go. But >> and I would just add the one thing that the article portrayed was that we are making a move to vote by phone. >> Yes, >> we are not making a move to vote by phone. That has never been the intent. It is not on the agenda. It is not authorized. And so that is what was presented in that article. We're not involved in that. And so if there's one takeaway I hope people hear is that is not and never was the plan despite what was presented as the case. That was an activist using the New York Times to push their cause and using us as a an example of what they want to see so they can move their work forward. But there is no intent, no effort, >> right? Um I will say that in about 2018 2019 um there was consideration to get rid of vote by email. Not a lot of people used it. 2020 and beyond it has vote by email has been used quite a bit. I think 400 people have used vote by email. Um and so how do we this is obviously a need. um we don't want to tell these 400 people that we have no way for them to vote. Um and so so 400 is the upper limit of what would be used in this world. Um and so >> no that's a little more accurately 400 is the upper limit of what has been used and there is no cap on it but practically speaking we're not advertising it. We are not pushing it out. It is only used by those who call and say I've got a problem. I can't vote. I'm out of town. It is impossible. And we already had a circumstance or situation set up for that which was the vote by email which is the least secure method. And so this is just one path. Jared. >> Yeah. Um is there is there any way to track who's people are voting by right now? Like when you're when you're looking at the election results, you can see um you know by pre you can't see that at all. Well, you have the number of ballots cast by electronic. You have numbers cast by They came in by mail, they came in by >> We have counts by source. >> Yeah. >> So, you can tell me how many the number, but I don't have it separated out on the results themselves. >> Yeah. But it is called out separately. >> It is called out separately. It's in a category unto its own. And so, yeah, the statement of votes cast probably doesn't associate to >> a district or precinct because we haven't built that in. But >> no, when they're printed out on their ballot stock and so they are distributed to the district or precinct that it was that it belongs, >> but you could generate a list of all of those who voted by email. >> I could. >> You wouldn't want to. have it. We we follow our retention schedule. So those applications are shred with retention schedule. >> So the information at the time is viable to secure, >> right? >> And so yeah, you can then go it's a laborious process. It's only 400. >> Somebody could sort by some identifier that's generated that can connect to which precinct. But that's like not the elections concern. That's the >> Yeah. >> outside concern. >> It's kind of odd to me. I mean, there's so many ways to vote. Like, how how do you get to a spot where the only way you're voting is like, how does that actually happen? >> Okay, we have an example. >> Please tell me how to >> But wait, let let me set the table a little bit. Imagine if you will, you are either running or will be running or have run for election and uh you pride yourself on voting in all your elections and your travel schedule screwed up such a way that you didn't get it done and you are no longer in town and you are going to be the one at risk of not voting and then forever he was in office and didn't even vote would be how you were labeled Daniel. >> Yeah, I did vote by on a cruise. >> Yeah, we get calls um people are on vacation. They are near the Grand Canyon. They don't have great service. They um I mean we get all kinds of stories specifically military and overseas. It's very difficult for the ballot to get all that way and that in the number of days that we have um mailing options. So, um, >> I also have a constituent whose parents, so they're seniors, she's my age, a little bit older. Her parents are really old. They were out of town and they didn't get their ballot and they had forwarded it, but something happened where the ballot didn't come and um it came pretty late for them for to figure out they needed to do something. And my constituent was complaining. They didn't even get to vote. I'm like, "Oh, but wait, there's one more chance. here's the application and they got that done and they got to vote. Never missed an election in 60 years, but their ballot didn't come. >> Jamie, just for reference, you can also vote by email in state election, correct? People can have an alternate way to vote in state elections. >> I'm not entirely sure. I know that there was I had ruled by a secure document portal option um in the past and I don't know. I think it was selfbuilt and I don't know off the top of my head if they can vote by email. How how long did you say democracy life has been? 2008. >> They are the only company that um I I can only say um Department of Defense and >> that's the only one I can say. This is important >> by many. >> Yeah. So, Anna, you have a question. >> Yeah. Um, just cuz I So, we can't vote by phone, but this does seem like a good education opportunity for talking to local reporters to just like re-enumerate like here is how it works, right? Um, and so I'm curious what what are the functions of phone because I know there's a voter hotline, but like so I know you're not calling to vote, but what situations are people using the phone? So before you get there, I will offer that Jamie and I made the decision today that we are going to have a work session at the election center sometime in December where we're going to physically go through all of these kind of procedures and steps before the election opens in January so that all members and an invited slate of reporters can come and join us for the fun so that you'll get a firsthand kind of opportunity. Number of us have been through it and could chapter and verse site how it works but new members haven't and you have the opportunity. So feel free to answer the question, but for everyone who is kind of curious, we will be having an official meeting down there where we're going to do that whole thing. >> Yeah. So it's called vote by phone is what they reported on. You're getting a link in your email. So you could vote by laptop, you could vote by computer, you voting by whatever you had to pay. >> So you're not making phone calls. It's a link and you tap the link and you put in your code and then your ballot is before you and you push the buttons and you see and then you hit submit and then >> and that's after you've opted into this whole process, right? >> Yeah. You filled out a paper application. You've signed it with your pen. You've submitted that somehow whether by facts are usually email and we have confirmed that that voter is an H voter and that this matches. If the signature doesn't identify the same as you would if somebody walked into a precinct and handed you match >> but it's not a precinct voting centers but yeah Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, I think that this whole conversation has made it clear that we have an opportunity in December to do a tour and exploration of our elections process again in advance of the 2026 election, notice of vacancy, which will go out the first meeting in January. And so, look forward to one more meeting and we'll do it down there for fun. one more um kind of tour in the world and invitation to folks who might have concerns or thoughts to come in and witness at least um what we're up to. So work sessions don't really allow questions from the public but uh >> could we send make sure we send it out to all the candidates who have filed as well. I'm sure this is something that will be asked on the campaign. >> Absolutely. And those every candidate >> file until January, >> right? And so we don't have that paper, but every >> we'll see what we can responsibility. >> Yeah, we'll see what we can do there, but we'll for sure make it known that this is available for them to come. And the clerk does offer campaigns kind of come in and see >> have tour set up >> during the campaign. So that's a built-in part of the process. I also intend I'll be gone but to set up in December an annual work session future chairs want to do it to go down to the election center in December so it just doesn't get left behind. It's not cuz the clerk was like well maybe we'll just invite everyone to come down. I'm like, how about we do it officially on the calendar? And so, okay, now my friends who have organized the strategic plan would probably like us to move on, but if you have questions, Jamie is the person and we'll come to the discussion about elections and this this process way way down the road. Um, but our role is unique in our elections. It's to stay out of the clerk's way and um make sure that it's done right, but really it's to stay out of the clerk's way. So, but we'll talk about that when we get there. So now John and Claire, you have the floor. >> I'll start with some housekeeping. There are snacks behind you and some hot tea. We don't have any water, but there's a water fountain at the end of the hallway and cups that you could grab. And then there's bathrooms at the end of the hallway as well. Um it's all and I'll hand it over. We uh John Gregor has professional road systems and we've used them for consulting for um facilitation for a number of years now and they um seem to understand the assembly process. So, we invited John back to help organize the session. So, I'll hand it over to John. >> Thanks. Uh, I did bring a bowl of presents, so if you want a little fidget toy, grab one. You don't have to put them back either. They're yours to keep. So, great. Um, I want to get started with a little introduction. And because we're doing a retreat uh before we go into planning and business, it's always nice that I can force you to do something a little different and personal. So, I wanted to go around with introductions and have everyone just sort of share a bit about who you are. Uh not necessarily your platform, but uh what brought you here? What's your what's your story? What's a day, a week in the life like for you? What matters to you? And then if there's any little detail that is important that you're bringing into the room today so that people know like you know I've got a bad foot so if you see this non-verbal it's my toe hurts it's not you. Uh any little thing like that that you want to disclose as well. So I'll go ahead and start um model away. Uh I graduated high school in 1993 and in 1994 was doing uh nothing good and my uncle who was stationed in Anchorage uh came to visit New Hampshire and I got in a camper and drove back with him to Alaska thinking I'd be here for a summer. Fell in love, haven't left. Um and specifically fell in love with Anchorage. Uh love this community. I've lived outside of Fairbanks for a very brief period of time and could not wait to get back here. Uh, also at one point moved to Seattle for grad school thinking I was like done with Anchorage and then like 90 days of rain. I understood grunge music and was like, I hate this place. Thank good to get back here again. Um, so personally really love it here. I just turned 50, so I'm dealing with that this last week. I know it's a wild experience. Uh, two kids. My wife and I have been married going on 18 years. Um, I met her when we were both 22 at Choku Charlie. So, nice. Remained friends for over a decade and then finally got the courage to ask her to marry me and she said, "Yeah." So, there we go. Pretty wild. Um, I'd say what matters most to me is my family and uh creating a a world that they will remain around us. And then fishing is probably the other thing that matters most to me. This has been a summer of fishing. Uh my son is obsessed with fishing. He's 16, just got off his provisional, but he's a very good driver, so don't worry. Um, and he continues, even though he doesn't need to, to invite me to go fishing with him. And so I'm just gonna keep saying yes until he doesn't. And that's about me. And I will pass in this direction. >> Oh, we're at staff, too. >> Yeah. You're here. >> I hadn't prepared. >> I celebrated a birthday to this week. Um, I born in Washington State and grew up in Seattle. Uh, worked, my dad worked for Holland America Cruise Lines. He got me a summer job at the SeaTac airport after my senior year of high school, like holding up a sign and helping people get their luggage off the baggage claim. Um, and that led to a job in Skagway. And, um, I worked in Skagway during summers in college. And then when I graduated, I bought my first car and packed up with everything I own and moved up here. Um, I have a husband and a son. Son is 26. We fostered him at age 17 and a half. Wanted to be parents for as short time as possible, but then he stuck around, end up adopting him. Um, and he I think a lot of you know his story that he has a head injury and he's pretty high functioning but um lives at home and can be a little bit extra sometimes. So feel like maybe we got a little more parenting than we wanted to. But he's great. We love him. Uh and I enjoy being outside as much as possible and ski and mountain bike most days after work. >> All right. I'm an alcoholic. Moved to moved to Alaska in the early 2000s. My dad was in the Air Force. So, we got stationed up here. Um, and then he got orders uh 2005 to Texas and I had to make a really tough decision of whether I was going to move with my family or not. Um, and I was like, well, I'm seven. I should actually probably go. So, I did. >> Um, yeah. I lived in Texas, Montana, uh Japan, graduated high school in Japan. Uh did college in Texas and came right back to Alaska right after. Um lived in Juno for a few years for work. Also hated it due to the rain. Uh totally totally over it. On on a nice day, Juno is the most beautiful place in Alaska, I think. But those days are very far and few in between. um live in Eagle River to represent um have a son. He is all actually problematic. He's turned into quite a few committee meetings and stuff. So I appreciate that. Um yeah that's >> You can't hide, Jennifer. >> I tried to Chris. >> Ellie Ellie's the only one successfully hiding. She's not in the room. >> Okay. Hi, Jennifer. Um, let's see. I grew up in Texas and got out of there um as quickly as I could at 18. Um, and I moved to Colorado for college. I lived in Colorado. My family mostly also lives in Texas, so we do get to go back and see them. Um, and also spend a lot of time in New Mexico. Um, let's see. I met my husband in Colorado. We worked in a bar together and uh, we've been married 18 years. I think I have a 10-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter. We moved here um about seven years ago. We bought our house about a month before the big earthquake. So, that was exciting. Never been in an earthquake before. Um and I just say I love Anchorage so much and also find Alaska really hard place to live sometimes. So, it's like it's both. Um, so Jamie Hines, I was born and raised in Cody, Wyoming, actually Wy, Wyoming, which is 30 minutes outside of Yellowstone. I have a very different opinion of Yellowstone than most people. Um, I car sick and I was forced to sit in the back seat with their rain like this. And >> actually, the show. >> Yes. Yeah. Um, I moved up here directly after college. I met my husband at work. We both worked at More Heating. I was a dispatcher. He was a parts driver. Um, he started working for First National Bank of Alaska. And in his elevation through their system, we moved around a lot. So we moved to Kodiak, we moved to Glenn Allen, we moved to Sila, we moved to Hannes, we moved to Eagle River and I thought we were done moving and then he got another opportunity and we moved to Kai and um and then I thought we were done moving again and then he got another opportunity and then we moved back to Anchorage and I thought I was going to divorce him at some point. Um I fell into the profession in Hannes. Um agreed with Jared that there is um 364 crappy days a year in Juno. There is one nice one. Um I became a deputy clerk in 2009 in Hannes. We moved to In River in 2012. Um I started for the office in 2014 as the business license official. Maybe it was 2015. Um when we moved to Kai, I was the deputy clerk in Kai, became the clerk in Kai, started as the president of the Alaska Association Municipal Clerk. Went through that rotation and then deciding not to divorce my was the election administrator starting in 2022. Um, and then Barbara said she was going to retire and encouraged me to apply for the job. And here we are. And I have two kids. One is 14 and one is 18. They both have torn ACL's when you teach them how to ski at two. Eventually replacing their ACL, I think fair warning. But Paige is going to college in um Billings, Montana. She got a skill despite having to ACL and so we'll see how that goes on January middle of January and Chandler is missing this year again because he tore his ACL against so it's been a it's been a rough year but but that is here we are. >> Um I am Aaron Baldwin Day. I am English born and raised. I uh grew up in a little neighborhood right across Northern Lights from Weather Junior High on a street called Boto. I had my first kiss at the corner of Northern Lights on Lake just outside of Junior High. um and had the mortifying experience of having because of Anchorage um one of my mom's best friends passing through the intersection at that exact moment and she called my mother and told my mother that she saw me kissing a boy um and that was a whole conversation at dinner. Uh um what else? Um I graduated from East went to Texas for college was in Texas for about 10 years. married a New Mexico boy that I met in school and uh he was very persistent. Um so we've been married 20 years and we have two kiddos, a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old. My daughter um graduated from West last year and uh is hanging around Anchorage still because um with our political environment being what it was, she was unable to get her student visa to go to the school she applied to and was 1700 in Spain. And so she is trying to figure out what to do with her life while her admission is deferred and we figure out how to uh get all of that taken care of. Uh my son is a senior at Polaris and um is looking at a whole interesting variety of schools, but it's really really strange to be in this world where like I'm watching humans out into the world. Um let's see. I um I really really enjoy fat biking, mountain biking. I am a terrible cross country skier. Even though I grew up here as a kid, I didn't actually learn to cross country ski until I was an adult and my son taught me. Um, and so I cross country ski badly. Uh, but it is an activity that I enjoy. Kind of keeps me sane during winter months. Um, I love barbells. I've spent some time as a crossfit coach and about a decade actually and I really love that. Uh, so I'm I'm a strength training enthusiast, I guess you could say. Uh, less so now than I was pre-COVID, but still a part now. And yeah, I love to cook. Um, that's actually a way that I decompress that better stated, I really like to eat delicious food, which incentivizes learning how to make delicious food. Um, so I really love to love to cook and I love to have people over. We have a um we have a 12 foot dining table in our upstairs and we like to have it. So that's a part of our family culture. It's just hospitality. We have a very open door policy and uh for that reason I very frequently have an indeterminate number of teenagers hanging out of my house. I think it given Friday or Saturday night um because they know that warehouse that people just kind of come and loiter which is great. It's how we like it. Uh let's see what else. Um, I am actually feeling really low energy today. Uh, so in the vein of sharing something about where you're at, um, I am feeling so emotionally beat down, uh, from just some like really contentious uh, public engagement work that I've had to do recently. And I'm just really really weary of managing other people's feelings. So, just so you know, um I'm a little I'm a little weary, maybe a little tender today. So, be kind. If anyone feels the need to cry, you come to me and maybe I also spend some time as a pastor, so um I'm also very comfortable with other people's tears and feelings, but just like emotional management for other people is like exhausting sometimes. So, anyway, that's why I'm at today. I'm really glad to be here. Great. Um, hi everyone. Felix Rivera. Um, unlike Aaron, I did not have a nosy neighbor tell someone the first time that I kissed. I was able to tell my mom. So, >> um, but, uh, yeah. So, uh, grew up in the military. My dad was in the army. Um, it's like a lot of, um, Puerto Rican men, it's like the number one way that men get off the island is by joining the military. Um, so, uh, was born while my dad was stationed in Louisiana. So, I remember one time this reporter called me Louisiana native and I'm like, that's strange. I left Louisiana when I was like, I don't know. two years old. I don't even have any memory of it, but sure. Call me Louisiana native if you want. Um, grew up mostly in Texas. Um, when my dad left Army and then joined National Guard, um, we moved to San Antonio and, um, much like Jennifer was looking for my first opportunity to get the hell out of there. So, um, I left, uh, Texas after I after I graduated high school in 2008 and, um, actually went to this fine institution here, uh, if you, so um, actually have some good memories of this boardroom because I was the, uh, student body president and so I was invited to be one of the people to sit in those side chairs. I wasn't at the big boys table. I chairs. Um but yeah, so uh came up here, studied at Alaska Pacific University, and I think much like a lot of other people's stories, just fell in love with the community, fell in love with the place, and I felt like this was much to the chagrin of my parents who still live in San Antonio, Texas. They thought this was going to be like a little adventure for Felix and that he would come back. Um but no that was not the case. Uh ended up um staying here and um after I graduated in 2011 did a lot of um political stuff, a lot of nonprofit work um and I think a lot of all of those things is eventually what got me to um serve on the assembly. Um, I guess since we're sharing a little bit about other things that we like to do. Um, yeah, I I as most of you know, am an avid gamer. So, I like playing video games. Um, I like reading. I like the idea of cooking, but actually like making time to cook. I like watching other people cook. I like watching a good cooking show. Um yeah. Um that's probably about you. I'll give you a glass of mine. >> Miara Silvers. I don't like talking about myself faces with that. Um I was born in Glenn Allen. I have two kids. I have a dog. um moved to Anchorage when I was six, lived in Colorado. That's where I graduated college with a degree in environmental science. And what else was I supposed to say? Um I like to garden. Stop it. >> When Boro says she likes to garden, what she means is she has the most gorgeous like I don't even know what to call it. Bower. What is it? Like your your backyard? >> My front yard. >> Yes. Huge. >> It is. She's not like a gardener like the lawn replace her with flower beds. >> It's stunning. It is stunning. She's like a master gardener, so don't underell that. >> Daniel Voland. Um, I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, Federal Way, Washington. Um, my favorite house that we lived in was a little hobby farm. So, we raised pigs and horses and dirt bikes and goat. That was really fun. um went to undergrad, studied biology at Pacific Lutheran University, which is in Tacoma, and then went to optometry school in Forest Grove, Oregon, which is really pretty farm and wine country, about 40 minutes west of Portland, so also kind of close to the Oregon coast, which I really love. Um, living in that area is where I think I first fell in love with active transportation. um being able to ride my bike from the campus uh 15 minutes to Hillsboro and then get on the Max and take that downtown and explore Portland on my single speed hipster bike. That was really fun. Um after I graduated, I moved I was really loving um Portland, but I moved back to Seattle. Um moved in back in with my parents for about six months. Um that was fun. They were living downtown sale at that point and uh up the hill from the international district. Then I moved to Capitol Hill and then Ballard. Um so I liked that season. But my uh Alaska origin story is that I started coming up to Alaska every other month to do remote eye care. So traveling all over the state. I've been to over 30 communities doing that. Um, and yeah, it's just been awesome to be able to volunteer at dog sled races or see my patients out on St. Louis Island go on a whale hunt. Um, it was very just immersive and then felt totally foreign and different to me as kind of a city guy um to be able to explore Alaska. And now I love anything outdoors. really into wild ice skating as a lot of you know. I plan to disclose that at an upcoming meeting about wild ice skating much. Um, but I love backpacking, downhill skiing, crosscountry skiing, um, or just walking juniper on a coastal trail. I feel like I'm doing like a hinge pile. Let the record show. Anyway, yeah. Um, and I I genuinely enjoy most days being on this. I think it we get to dig into um really interesting topics and there's always something more to learn and I enjoy um being able to help my constituents. There are days where less I too feel feel drained by some of the the public engagement, but happy to be doing this for the time being and really appreciate being able to work with all of you. >> Um, hi, I'm Anna. Um, I am from the Midwest. Um, also I'm using my emotional support notes as I like to say. Um, uh, so I'm originally from Ohio. My family is from Chicago and upper Michigan. Um, like like the up. Um, I don't have an accent, I don't think, but somehow in there I might have acquired some pieces of one. Um, my background is actually I would call myself an art kid. Um, I really like to draw and these are all things that like I feel like is a past life of myself, but um, that's really what I first wanted to be. I got into writing and then eventually discovered history. Uh, became overeducated and thought I was going to become a history professor, decided that was a terrible idea and then found planning um, when I lived in Chicago. And so I ended up going into city planning um and that's kind of the the pipeline that both led me up here. I got hired to do a planning job with a consulting firm and then ended up in um you know not the same as planning but a lot of what we do is in the same realm. Um also my parents um are joiners I would say like they were involved in their church. I'm not religious now, but my um family was raised Presbyterian. Um and just, you know, my mom was on the neighborhood board, whatever, right? Like whatever was going on. She would hand out the candles during Christmas because they would do those little like, you know, put lights on the end of your driveway thing. So, um that's probably my origin story as far as like why I sign up to do things like this, community council, all of that. Um uh also I am a mix of a bunch of things. So, I am uh Scotch-Irish, uh, Serbian. I'm an eighth Filipino, which is why I get involved in Filipino things, even though I look white. Um, if you looked at my grandma, you would see, um, she she looks Filipino. Um, and but that was never part of our family culture. And so, um, I feel like I am a mix of a bunch of different things and yet none of those things, which is an interesting place to be, um, as an American, I think. Um, I, uh, am hyperfocused on work. um I could probably make other choices that would make my life easier in a lot of ways and somehow I don't do that and then I gravitate between this is a great idea and this is a terrible idea. So I think sounds like we all feel that way sometimes. Um uh also when I moved up here to Alaska I acquired a family. So my partner James um we are not married. Uh we will hopefully be soon partly for health insurance reasons to be honest. Uh but we've lived together for a long time. Um he had a very different path than I have. He's from Wyoming and Valdes. Um he has two kids uh that he had early in his life and so I acquired a family uh pretty soon after I moved up here. Um and so uh one kid is just turned 21, lives in LA with her grandmother doing good. Other kid also at Polaris um and is a senior um and so uh that was also interesting to kind of step into that um because I was not in the path that I had imagined for myself. Um, I also have I consider myself straight, but I have a number of queer people in my family, um, transgender, non-binary, um, even probably multiple generations back. And so, that is a very personal issue for me. Um, even though it's maybe not one where I, um, you know, I'm in the space of ally and not identifying that way myself. Um, I have been trying to rediscover all the hobbies that I enjoy. So, things like gardening. Um, I like being creative. I like color. uh as you all know because I talked about it a lot. We've been fixing up this house. Um so learning how to do that and um it's very gratifying to be working with my hands. Um and that work's never done obviously. So I've been joking. It's been the year of labor for sure all my free time too. Um and lastly I would say uh when I meet with folks just to kind of get a sense of who they are, I always say what's your deal? You know, and not in a negative way, but just kind of like what are you about? You know, and not just your story. And I would say mine my my driving force is really that I feel and from all of what I know about history nothing is guaranteed right there is no I don't believe that there is a set end date that things inherently get better no matter what all of those things and so I am driven by the fact that it takes effort to make things the way that you would hope they would be. So that's that's why at the end of the day why I'm here. >> All right leaves me. Wait, Ellie came in the room. >> Hey Hello everyone. >> You love your share a little bit about ourselves. >> Yeah. Yeah. Hey, that's great. Um hello. Um I moved to Anchorage from Denver in 2017 and worked at UAA for 5 years advising student organizations. Um, I was in student government myself at CU Denver and um, found that to be just such a fulfilling evolution of my being in college and a way to make an impact. Actually, fun fact, if you go to Denver, um, you're driving around downtown, you drive down Spear Boulevard and you'll see a building in the C Denver campus that's right there downtown with a huge rock wall that hangs over the boulevard. That building has my name on it. I helped um carry forward a student referendum for a student fee to fund this um student wellness center and it's my maiden name so RIP Ali Cesy but it was this really profound moment that helped me realize that one person can make a big difference. Um I had a great boss right out of college. I worked at the institution in institutional communications, so branding and speech writing uh for the chancellor and my boss encouraged me to get a masters in public administration. So when we had the opportunity to move to Anchorage, I pursued my MPA at UAA. A pro tip for anyone who's looking at higher education, you should work at the institution and use that tuition benefit for your own yay classes and get a degree for cheap. um and being involved um and seeing the way that uh students live in the community, right? UA is a a primarily commuter college. So, um students living out in the community are affected by the choices that you all make as the assembly every day. It got me very quickly connected to local government and paying attention to the legislative process and the issues that you all were dealing with. It was super fun to talk with students about things that the assembly was working on. Uh the plastic bag band comes to mind as one that was just a really fun debate amongst students and something that they got to see their own input and participation in the public process um reflected in the outcome. So that got me tuned in. I got the chance to connect with the elections team and do some work and they're 24 unite with Claire and Jamie and join the team. It's been uh a super rewarding few years. I tell everyone who asks that working for the community has just been an amazing experience and super rewarding to pour oneself and one's talent into the community and see that feedback benefits. >> All right. 166 days, 6 hours, and no minutes. That's where I am right now. Um, not that I'm counting. So, >> I am from California, born in Santa Maria, small farming town. Um, lived all over that state in the north in the central parts when I was young. Went to college, Calpali. Um, and came here out of college. I went to DC for 6 months and really hated it. um was to mendous and so um but I came up for the holidays to Anchorage. I have family up here >> and the airline I came up on was Western Pacific Airlines which no longer exists. routes through routed through Denver. And um I should have known something was up because as we're pulling out of the gate at Denver, there's Bart Simpson like 15 ft tall on the plane next to me. And uh that was a Western Pacific airplane >> and I flew up to Alaska and the next day they went out of business and they had no flight home back to DC. And I took that as a sign, looked around and realized Alaska had claimed me. And that was 1997, a while ago. And so my first work was in like Covenant House uh helping kids who are homeless on the streets and the volunteers of America Arch program which is a residential treatment center for adolescent addiction serves kids from statewide. And I did that work for a few years became a counselor kind of the highest level counselor you could be in the organization. And there was this one kid our our ritual the end of a treatment course was to have a final group. The group was called hopes and fears. in which everybody gets around the kids and tells them my hope for you is this and my fear for you is this. And there was this one kid who graduated and I couldn't find any hope for him. I couldn't I had no hope for him. And I realized that was a me problem that I wasn't cut out for clinical care because they need someone who every time can find something to hope. And so that was the point in my career when I moved towards policy and started working on the state's behavioral healthcare system uh by contract. the company I currently work in my day job or my whatever kind of job you call that whenever I'm not doing this job and uh that was on the downsizing of API and the upsizing of community based supports the rumor the upsizing of community based supports and the integration of behavior uh comorbid care dual diagnosis kind of making sure we're treating the individual's addiction but at the same time their mental health and other issues and there was a real shift at that time. So I did that work for a number of years. Then got involved in community and civics work. Actually I met Diana Tillian. I don't if any of you knew who she was. Clam's wife. >> Octopus. >> She painted with Octopus Inc. And I was down I I dated someone in Homer. And so we would go down there all the time around Catcher McB. And this lovely old woman said to me, you know, it's the strangest thing. I could teach at Yale, but I can't teach at the University of Alaska because I don't have a degree. And I've lived my whole life on an island in Katamak Bay. Would never have had the chance, but I've traveled the world with my girlfriends, painted art everywhere. And I just decided that day I was going to get her an honorary degree with university. And um I ran that up the the chain, figured out all the steps. Uh my friend Susan Readyddy put me in touch with Lee Gorsuch who was the UAA chancellor at the time and he said you need to get letters of support. So I went to the senators and I went to the governor's office and I met all the people and I think only one person out of the hundreds I talked to gave me a partisan like why would I do that for them? I'm not like them. But everyone else didn't matter what their strife were like. Yes. They signed on board and that connected me with Alaska civic culture from the pre-statehood to the statehood to the kind of 50th anniversary era. I was the vice chair of the state's 50th anniversary state celebration commission appointed by Marcowski. Um and in fact our meeting on Friday was really interesting to me. It's I wrote a letter to the editor that will probably go out soon, but about Friday where governors and mayors and like all kinds of people were there. My reflection of my experience in Alaska goes back to 97 and Maestrom was the oldest mayor who was there who was the mayor when I first came. And it's interesting Anchorage's first 50 years back thinking about Alaska's first 50 years. Vic Fischer is gone just a year or two ago. So we're in Anchorage at that point now where the first wave is gone and the second wave is still here and this is the third wave I think in some ways. So it's good and interesting to be part of that. Then I have just a couple of notes. Um Jared, you disclosed that you were an alcoholic and joked. Was that just a joke or was that >> a joke? I'm good. I'm good. >> I just want to clarify and no judgment on my part. Um, and Jamie and my first contact was actually when I was working to um, and a liquor license that was not working very well and it was causing more harm than good to a high level. And I have letters that I found as I was cleaning out my office uh, that were signed by Jamie like 2012, 2015 or something like, "Wow, this the world's how they collide." >> Huh? It was Spirits of Alaska. It was the second one in the middle of the Fairview neighborhood. and now there's none and the neighborhood is better for it. And I'm not anti-alcohol, but um that was a real harmful operation. Drug dealing across the counter and sex trafficking in the streets and big parties overnight and was really intense. It >> was a traumatic assembly meeting for me as well. >> Yeah, I was just going to say >> it was and the right thing came in like microphone into my mouth for me because I apparently couldn't talk loud. What's interesting is the power of assembly members of the assembly as a body is really great. And Dennis Wheeler was the municipal attorney at the time. We killed that liquor license and there was no procedure for a liquor license to be revived. It was dead once it's gone and evaporates. But Dennis negotiated to keep us out of court with the owners of the Spirits of Alaska that they could, if the state would allow, we didn't object to recreate that license for the purpose of selling it so they could be less harmed because it wasn't them. It was really the environment. And so the assembly agreed and because of that agreement, it made this kind of miracle happen. So you have a lot of power. Um, and Aaron, we need to do some CrossFit and make some food. like >> like I don't know and mountain bike but it's not the season I don't love fat tire biking. Felix and I met when he was in college. My roommate at the time was in leadership with him at APU. So that's been a little while and um Ally the plastic bag ban is such a thing we get credit for it but really where it started was Fort Yukon Alaska first bag ban in the world. And so it's an Alaskan thing because they were just so sick of seeing plastic that they couldn't get rid of blowing along the tundra. So we were just followers on rural Alaska, which seems to see things first. So I'll end where I started. 166 days, 5 hours, and uh 53 minutes or so depending on when the certification vote happens. So with that, there you go. Do folks want a quick five minute break before we get into work? >> We're only half an hour behind. >> We're actually No, we're we're doing great. Especially with the small numbers. >> Yeah, >> George. >> George is around somewhere. He might show up. Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Which one? >> You guys want to see >> it? This is it. security, but they also can look and see if somebody's >> right here. What's that? I I don't know. >> I don't know. I may I may not. >> I think I scored my points on the Navy friend this week. >> Oh my god. >> I'm going to enjoy it. I'm sorry you got suckered into that letter. >> That letter. >> Yeah, your name is I >> thought about two months ago. this is a huge like >> so I might follow up with them and just say like hey look this is a conversation >> you know what I'd like to do with them but it's a risk >> is appoint them in some at some point very narrowly to convene a group that talks about how we square the two impulses that we need housing and we need neighborhoods demand protection like so get them actually up to speed on the matter >> right the problem is >> where they're all at. It's where they're all from, you know, >> the plan for 25 years. Then are we still doing that or are we doing >> right, but they're supposed to be a trusted convenor, right? And they have a process for doing that. >> But the risk is their president is Roger, >> right? It wasn't even Patty. It was that. But uh Patty just got in front of it because she had been here. amazing. >> And that's the in the realm of fights. Like I just don't see how this community moves forward on anything without having huge fights every time until you go to college. >> Well, it's it is possible, but it's what is possible is taking marginal steps, coming up with agreements, civil agreements for how we can make decisions cuz we're not going to agree on this or that. And what they're trying to do is elevate every chance at title 21 to a total revision. Like >> that's the point is those are supposed to be for our policy direction, >> right? And it is and it's been in every plan since. >> And if what the specifics aren't working cuz we wrote it 25 years ago in different conditions, then you either have to change the plan to say it's okay >> or have a process for working through specific That's partly on the staff, too. >> Tom Davis, he's not staff. >> He's not staff, but he basically, >> right? >> They look to him as the leader. >> The funny thing is like looking back, >> because of the position I'm in right now, like calling Hey, like how you feeling? You know, so it's like seeing it doesn't mean I'm going to give in. >> No. And it's okay, you know. >> Well, my point is like, okay, there's two alternatives, >> right? >> And you got to see it on balance like all of the things. And in the end, they're happy with the work we're doing. >> That's the reality >> on any specific issue. And that's why we kind of generally have a practice of doing our best to keep hot items off the agenda from January >> until April, you know, like just do your best. Of course, some things make it through because time or reality just demand >> somebody like we saw last time. >> But we have the power as a body to like >> okay let's take this up then you know and so it's a pretty important impulse in my opinion to keep good order stability is to th it down little window then go hog wild. pushing things through whatever >> and they remember the last thing. >> It's a nice speaking the old days I was going through my stuff, you know, cuz like just consolidating. I found this like community works they >> and I found that for the birthday and it was like this little poster and so I was like oh man that's a different world >> what a different world >> it wasn't that long ago >> funnier back but definitely still Hey Jamie, would you check the article? It's been updated. >> Yes. >> And verify the updates are good. >> Um I mean they made the switch. >> As long as they use democracy, not the only >> I can't tell. >> I don't know if democracy confusion on his part about the technology because >> yes >> when we when we said can you make this change he said I'll reach out to Bradley and Brian I was under the impression >> and then he replied back into Well, in other states that directly you can go website that you are who you say you are and then we send a ballot to you that you want Where did you teach CrossFit? >> Um, a couple places. Um, so I was at CrossFit Alaska for two years and then I helped open Redux CrossFit which just closed actually. Um, but I took I retired from it was very healthy. I needed to reclaim some time in my life but continued to do So what happens like right now rehabilitative program by case basis ends up working with a lot of basketball players who are kind of in the like weird shadowy middle ground between being discharges would be not quite ready to return to sportic freelance work with some of those guys and wrote programming for friends I haven't post normally for a while now so You ever run across Bill Miller? >> I can take classes with him, but a lot of people in the CrossFit >> little short stock. >> Yeah. Fall X cop. >> Bill Miller. That's CrossFit Exposure. >> Is that where he is? >> Yeah, he was he was at Crossure. Vic Nicholas. >> Yep. >> He's a firefighter now. >> Yeah, I know. >> And like so the coach that hired me was Tony. So now is that >> well I mean I guess there was a period there where CrossFit Alask >> Yeah. So let's jump back in. that >> we're transitioning to the work plan and goal prioritization exercise which is really a bulk of the time today is to dig into the work plan and try to identify what your priorities are before we then go into the capacity and workload brainstorm discussion. Um, I believe I'm to pass it Felix to sort of set the stage about this for you, give you some background of how this work plan came. Um, before I'll pass Felix and then I'll get you set in the exercise that we're going to do and how we're going to do it. Wonderful. All right. So, um, yeah, I'm just going to give you all just a little bit of context and history of where the work plan came from. So in 2019, I became chair of the assembly uh after we reorganized during our normal process after we certified the election in April. And this was one of the first projects that I kicked off as chair and went through uh many months and we got done in on December 17th when the assembly formally adopted uh this resolution which adopted the assembly's vision and goals for 2019 to 2021. So, it was really a strategic plan, strategic vision document. It was a lengthy process. We actually hired a professional facilitator um to help guide us through that process. And in the end, what we ended up with were a variety of buckets. Um we ended up with five different buckets. And so, you'll see like where we started and then where we are now. Communications, homelessness, quality of life, public safety, and economic development were the buckets that we started off with. And we really in each of these defined what do we know now? What's the landscape? What don't we know? What do what questions do we still have? What are short-term and long-term goals? Who are we going to work with to get these things done? And how are we going to hold ourselves accountable to getting this work done? So in the end that produced a 12-page document that was arduously edited paragraph by paragraph by all members of the assembly. There were some assembly members who I think weren't as jazzed about this project, but I think most assembly members were very interested in this idea. So that was like a little bit of what we did, a little bit of the why. Um, so when I uh first became the chair and really leading up to me becoming the chair, I knew that there was something missing on the assembly side. And uh and I knew that because in so many of the conversations that I had with current and former leaders, so many of the conversations were centered around what is the mayor's vision for the city and really minimizing our role and we were just supposed to do whatever the mayor said our vision should be, right? And um I had actually worked in the mayor's office prior to getting elected and we spent a day I remember working in in's office. We spent a day in Russian Jack um where all of the uh top execs came together and we formed the mayor's strategic plan for his first term. And it's something u I was a experience that I really remember and I've also worked like I introduced a lot in different nonprofit boards. So had a lot of experience from that board level of strategic planning. So I really thought of this from two perspectives. We need some type of communications tool because um for I'm sure for some of the new members, but certainly for some of the uh members who served a little longer, you probably get asked a lot, what is it that you do as an assembly member? And sometimes it's a little bit difficult to answer that question in like a succinct kind of way because we do so much different stuff. Um, so really using this sort of as a communication tool to the public of here are our priorities as a necessary and then really try to craft some sort of shared strategic vision. Now this was never meant to put anyone in a box, right? We're all independent sovereigns. We don't have to stick to just what our strategic vision is, but it did help us to align some of our work where we could find alignment. So this took this document took us through mid 2021 and then around there I started asking so what are we going to do because we are going to getting close to the end of this document and do we want to go through a whole other process to update do another threeear strategic plan and that's when we came up with the idea of doing annual updates instead of just doing a three-year cycle. So, um, yeah, that's just a little bit of like how this started, why we started it, and why and I were on it. >> I guess I would just add to really tap into what you made a point about this kind of it's interesting because there's a strategic plan, a direction. It's general guidance here. We're going these are things we're working on, but every member has a right to be doing whatever they want to be doing. Some people look at that as kind of a hazard like we have this plan or we can't have this plan because we have these individual efforts. I have come to conclude that having those two directions, if you will, that are parallelish, that are happening simultaneously, might be going different directions is an asset because we are all independently connecting with our neighbors and our constituencies and have our values and we have these shared efforts. I think we heard someone last week arguing that it's not like a a regular board where the board gives direction and the you know the administrators do it right. That's actually the beauty of it. That's not the bad part about it. So I just would offer it's worked out really well. >> Can I ask? >> Sorry. Um yeah, I think that's really good context and I think um there is this interesting tension where we do make decisions as a body and we're individual rights. So we're legislators. We're different than um what you would think of as serving on another board. Um where ultimately you all walk out of the room and this is that's the direction. Um but I do think it's valuable and something I guess as I've been reflecting on thinking about this retreat and why it matters is because um in terms of the culture of the organization, it changes with all of us, right? we have our staff that is some continuity and and depending on how long folks serve they they provide continuity um but ultimately we have to continue to build the culture of the assembly the culture of the institution and so this is one of those ways to do that and so it doesn't mean that we all um you know say this is the only thing we're doing or that we're not that we're hemming ourselves in but I think it is something important to keep in mind and then I think I would put on the table that every member has some responsibility to contribute to that culture institution in some way so it doesn't again mean like we all agree on this or we all um are saying we're only going to be doing these things. But I think like because of term limits and just because of the nature of this job um it is up to the 12 of us to take some ownership of what this body looks like. Um and so that I think that's part of the the goal too. And so it doesn't mean anything should change. This isn't the only way to do it. But um I guess that's a question I want to put on the table from peers to keep thinking about through this process. I'll add those five categories that Felix mentioned turned into these. This is the backside of the 2024 accomplishments turned into these um six. And then last year it got turned into these seven. So that's every year the body has kind of tweaked it as needed for the times. And then at some point you started adding top priorities of and it's kind of weird. the camera is kind of explain like how do these match this? And for the most part, all of these smaller categories fit into one of the priorities. And these priorities are just a really helpful way for you to focus on what what needs to rise to the top if you're dividing your time. Um >> I would offer a slight nuance that >> yeah, >> all of those things that are on those lower boxes are things that people have said, >> I'm going to work on this, right? >> We don't have a team of staff that we send out go forth and do. We have teams of staff that help us go forth and do. And so every one of those items that makes it on the list are with people who have raised their hand and said, "I will work on that." And so if nobody worked on it in the year, it's fair to take it off. If no one's going to actually work on it, but this is not us projecting on a staff that doesn't exist to do things that we want done but can't get done. This is where I raise my hand and say, "I'm going to do this work." That's a very important piece for people to recognize. We do the work. supported by the teams. >> But I might also just add that um to Felix's point, it is also a communications tool. And one of the coolest ways that I've seen the work plan used is as um new or as Jamie and Claire met with department directors, being able to hold up the work plan and say, "This is what assembly members are looking to do this year." Um and so to the extent that the administration can support or provide um that staff assistance, right, it's helpful to be able to say this is where as you mind um sending me a PDF copy of the work the most updated version I still have. >> I'm working on one that's not stage. So what our goal for today is to try to identify what your priorities are going to be moving forward. So to start in the interest of of making it somewhat manageable, we're working with these four housing action, energy infrastructure and transportation, public health, safety, quality of life, and good government as the four areas. The idea is uh I'm pivoting a little bit because the numbers are small. I'm going to break you into two groups and we're going to compete complete a world cafe style exercise where you will rotate to each of these different categories. Brainstorm whatever it is you legitimate brainstorm thoughts, ideas, whatever you want to put out there. Then you want to evolve that brainstorm into actions that you think should be assembly driven and actions that you think should be assembly supported or have assembly involvement. And the idea of doing the brainstorm first before you go to the actions is that you'll evolve what you articulate in actions and write a better action, something that could uh be done. We'll have you go to all four categories. There is a fifth category over here that's other and that is you feel like what this thing doesn't fit in any of these four categories but we want to get it on the table and note it. Um and so at any time during the exercise if you have an other write it down on your piece of paper. Did everyone grab one of the I don't have the example of your >> Yeah, they each have it the work your own notes. >> You have your own work plan notes page. So just write that down and then when we're in transition between you can walk over to the other and add it to it. So we're going to do this in in iterations. We'll probably you'll probably visit a couple of them more than once. Uh we'll have sort of a lightning round at the end for you to get take one last look at it. See what the other group wrote. Uh and then we'll prioritize. I'm going to give you four stickers and let you choose four things that you would prioritize just to see what emerges. That doesn't mean that all of the other things won't happen or that you can't prioritize something else, but if you were forced to say these are the four things that I'm going to make sure happen, you do that. Once we have that picture and you can step back and see it, um then we'll transition into the capacity and workload discussion. How are you guys going to make this a reality? How are you going to work as a team to execute these things? Um, and then also, uh, photographs of all of these will be taken. It'll be then documented and come back to you to see after this. So, it won't just disappear. Any questions about that? Okay. So for before we transition into groups, I would say take a look at this and go through it and then make any notes, capture any of these items that uh you want to make sure, especially if one of these bulleted items is still in process, isn't done, needs to be done. Uh if one is done, then it's not you don't need to put it up for future priorities. if it's accomplished or is going to be accomplished in the next 60 days, you don't necessarily need to put it up there. Um, so go through the bullets, identify the ones that you would want, and then begin brainstorming, thinking about what's not on here that you want to add, and then the groups I have are Chris, Aaron, Jared, and Yaro, and Felix, Daniel, and Anna. So, group A, Chris, Aaron, Jared, and Yaro. Group B, Felix, Daniel, and Anna. And I'm going to start group A over here in public health, safety, quality of life. And I'm going to start group B over here in housing action. >> So, you're going to have about 20 minutes, 15 minutes to brainstorm. And for the first round, I really want to focus on brainstorm. >> Yep. You got some markers here. Listen, >> there is a close. Yes, >> definitely start with >> so increase affordability. Perfect. Or that's >> right where you write this piece first, right? >> We're just doing >> Yeah, we're starting to brainstorm. If you have a controlling action right? >> You want to start, >> but anyone can. >> Yeah, I really can't write. I don't I'm not going to say I'm illiterate, but Do you want to be happy I'm happy to be described I actually >> I would love starting to appreciate the various dashboards that are getting pushed out that give us real time or realish time information on what's happening what we've asked for homelessness that's on the police enforcement of certain laws that's on >> so time data we're going to real time policing we should have real time data So >> good along those lines. I'd also like for us to actually have >> computer like data collection systems that talk them to each other. >> Yeah. >> But that has to come with money. But >> you know put any smoosh on your ideas right now or idea. >> This is just brainstorming sessions. >> Yeah. Just brainstorming. idea fill out one thing with one department >> or that same people running the exact same fills out this about their people that fills out this thing and they know there's other thing it's like wait a minute >> you know put Scott Kindle in parenthesis he's got an idea Is that right? >> Application side. It's on the interoperability of the reporting. That's what I think also you're talking about is that um >> the various tools that various departments are using figure out some way to uniformly report a simplified system for public access >> so that it's like you don't have to go tracking here you can find it so maybe even >> I don't know how much I would like on technology. I would like a grant system. >> I'm actually working on that. >> They let me Are you including not requiring insurance for the like small >> I'm just helping them make a new But this is tax incentives. >> You're shifting insurance. That's what that one is really. That's the question. >> Well, yeah. >> Eliminated for the bidder. It should go on to the >> Well, sure. And but like so I understand why if you're contracting like >> to do something then yeah, they should have their own insurance, but like a childare operator shouldn't have to prove insurance in order to apply for I mean I think like small >> Yeah. And but it's you can put it >> on. >> So for directly related to public safety yes I think that we need to start addressing better illegal drug use, public drug use >> in our community. >> Godamn that >> there. That's simple enough. >> I just got an offer that we need police officers to do. >> And even if we get to our full compliment, we don't have enough of the demand. That's the reality for me. >> NHD. >> I'm working with this something I'm actually already working on, but I'm working with Cameron on a human trafficking push. So, I think that would be a good >> antihum, >> but I think that'd be a really good thing with a coordinated effort. Alaska. >> It should be because you know that requires >> well but but the reality is folks are coming in on airplanes to Ted Stevens airport and entering into the sex trait who's >> right and so >> we've got about 10 more minutes. So if you're going to reach out to them too, we should also >> I mean we have local partners here, right? >> Yeah. I would love to say the office of rural affairs is like >> building Alaska and um >> is that here or is that >> ultimately we end up owning and possessing who are coming in from there and they fall into the skids of the traps and they can't get out and then they end up in the sex traffic or the drug traffic or on the streets or right and so it's like >> or we have somebody who's getting >> discharged efforts um >> like incarceration I recently did a simulation I got sent back to jail every single Dang it, Jared. >> Believe it or not, it's not a crowd, >> but you can go to an idea. >> That's going to be me. That's your That's your >> crazy literally been in state where they have verified your identity. >> Why do you not get this? >> They they give them a voucher now, but if you lose the voucher and also like doesn't always have the best staff >> and it's Yeah. >> It's just crowded and under underfunded. There's not enough of them and there used to be more. >> Um I added a second AFC Academy. >> I agree. There may be a third >> if they do get to the 80 retirements that have been identified. >> I'm not sure. >> So they only have one plan. >> Yeah. >> Oh, >> and they did none for a couple years >> and now we now are >> not because they don't want to. Maybe >> that's crazy is like a 2020 thing. I want to hear more about this. I hear there's a story. >> No, it even happened before. >> It's the inevitable punching bag. It's always there. Budget is balanced and so expensive. >> Anyhow, there are some years where you don't need a kid. That is an unarguable statement without any laden political values >> and we have retiring >> a massive way of retire >> and we have voluntary separation. And it's just homelessness or is it like how >> I think it's keep the focus on the 10ear path four packs in the change of the structure >> that takes the burden off of folks having to work those huge terrible changes. >> That's like a major that's beyond any of your terms even. I mean, I think we need to start and I think it's already started. I think it's in processing or >> but I think continuing the work around getting a lot of these mental health calls >> continue. >> Yeah. Like that's work that's definitely started >> and that that has been I mean we >> we need to not go to sleep on it. >> Yeah. kind of code thing, but it's still >> the kind of calls it is fireboard. >> You give about two more minutes. >> That's a traditional fire department. >> Get out of the trees. >> Well, some of them will. Some will die. I was I was over I was over at station for a visit and the entire time I was there like nobody came back. There were so many calls like >> Jamie I think I rig was out and they just kept being out >> here. Anything else? >> All right, let's have you rotate. I'm gonna have this group go over here. >> Great. >> Hey, >> welcome to energy infrastructure and transportation. >> Thank you. >> I'm here to be a point of reference for this station. So >> I'll start by posing a question because I've been posing this similar to the affordability is where do we think our role on energy issues because obviously there's like there's all these things that are like but I wondered what if anything were >> I'm curious about how tingle I think you scheduled a work session or recently had one >> I'm just sitting about the undergrounding until the undergrounding Yeah. >> I'm curious though what's happening, how those things get >> programmed. That project >> I don't know about >> Yeah. By the way, all these like outages and stuff like that's being >> I think in theory we're putting >> um >> the waste energy project. Oh yeah, that's a good one. >> Yeah. >> So that's one that's like directly over >> maybe we say like >> well as a project and then I mean >> but there is other section >> I guess the question is like how >> involved ourselves with municipal infrastructure >> yeah I think it's really the formal role is setting it up >> like moving I think going back to your question earlier on affordability. Um so I agree that but what we will have to deal with is the impact after right. Let's say it gets built >> and let's say prices dramatically what everyone's predicting. >> Um, where are people going to go? They're going to come to us for help, right? So I think we're going to define what our thinking start. >> Yeah. would you consider? >> Well, I think as it's written, but seems to say that we need to have one. So, I think that's like we're not scrapping, but they didn't have a >> um I'll just say The department's meaning it was interesting how the whole pedestrian safety do so that it's not one pedestrian at work. >> I think one of the strongest assets in your toolbox is people mover like public transit. respond. >> It's one of those where yes, like you can follow the evidence in terms of what their strategy is, but also opportunity to be able to start >> to resource them to >> work with people writership. I like that. >> Yeah, I think there's a couple >> like as it relates to the CIP process. Think about the industry. Right. >> Yeah. So this stuff about five more minutes here. Yes. >> Okay. >> What else? What's like something like >> what's like a goal to transportation? You could take every dedicated bus lanes even dedicated lanes or buses right away. >> Yeah, we do have 15 like answering your email. And then those are >> well there's the trade. >> He just did. Um, we also informationist. just not consistent descriptions. I think it's a fair question. People say it's >> automated. cuz they know nobody's >> hair is turning gray. >> One thing I would be interested or interested in doing is um >> an assembly review of the speech that school facilities like for the transformation. >> What I was thinking is like >> let's get back on there. >> Take a picture of it and get the press. >> That's right. >> Scott, you won't believe what's going on. Detroit. So it is okay to say that >> well actually people complaining about >> so >> do you all want to put pen to paper on any of the proposals to improvements there are a couple in ether um as soon as next week but like in general right >> you're kind of like we've done the other one revenue >> yeah that's Sure. >> Is this an opportunity? >> What the hell are we doing? Actually, maybe let's put if you put two arrows with it just like it's >> taskcy. >> You did have a good turnout. >> I I I heard you. I was listening is coming from all the way across >> I think we need to manage public and contin this arm of the municipality is wolffully under supported from a communication perspective. So like people members of the public will all complain all day long and like the is doing good work along but like nobody in the technical capacity to also be like and this is what we're working on >> two more minutes >> it out your community council rans projects are added. >> We never said this. We said this is not too long. >> Well, and it was interesting the whole the little bit of communication they've done on the plowing stuff recently like that like way took off on social media. people were really into it and the names and so >> that's a good point is like look when you do that people and then they know what's going on >> I was asking like how's your plowing your roads and they said it's okay >> um Christopher something that you started on the way >> yeah And then I'm looking here cuz I read all these fit under something. This is not happening. Yeah. A total revision of the broken catacomb. It's a thousand pages long. >> It's archaic. bigger than I have. I try to get >> open. So now you're going to go visit the other two. So we'll just keep rotating >> clockwise. So, you're going to go over to housing action and see what the first group came up with >> and you can start this. >> Now, just a fair warning. Rotate over here to public health. Take a look at their brainstorm and then we need to add action. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I know >> we got different instructions. >> All right. Well, >> they have the same instruction. >> You just follow them differently. Yeah, it works. >> I don't know what it does. >> So, we'll have the opportunity to make the same inputs for those parts. >> We're going to have a lightning round anyway where you'll get >> a lightning round. We want meaningful instructions to have housing and everything else in them That's basically what they were saying. >> Well, but that's the thing like >> they're part of the housing conversation. >> What do we want? What do you want to do? >> I would like We will take photos of them. >> Great. I'm glad I wrote on the other page. construction. Oh, Ann was asking about that thing you're talking about having the dashboard. >> No, I mean like actually like modular construction panels. So like basically the like factory gets pre-ins. >> Yeah. Exactly. And so the panels themselves like the whole factories basically they audit a certain percentage but then anything that comes out is automatically inspected. It's similar to how >> An is just that tension between we have someone revealing hey this is the real deal and that's they're actually producing year round. >> Yeah. There's a there's a towards the interior that's like starting to do >> preask. What else do we want? Are we going like >> those two words? >> Great work. You can write whatever you want. You're not signing today. >> I've already We passed that resolution about housing >> 21 rather than try to take create small places. >> That's awesome. >> Anyhow, that way you could allow project specific waiver. So instead of these big changes that freak people out cause massive terrible hysteria small >> I would like to talk more about that >> I just I'm alternative that are more directed is unlikely to approve anything that administration is going to scare and So there's just this vicious dynamic. It's like an abused spouse that I see over and over again. >> What I think is there's ways that allow projects to apply different ways that would not change the rules but allow the project to wave around. Anyhow, >> it's not a false >> maybe tool that will provide more qualified people in all of That's the gist of the feel. >> I think it's happening right now. Say that housing units housing permits issues. Maybe even dashboard like you know >> permits in limbo permits 30 permits 30 days or policy too >> like delayed because of this or this much increased because of this >> well and I think that gets you to solutions right because once you start to identify Like Bill asked he represented again yesterday that 30% of the permit costs or of the building cost red okay where did you get the number what are the factors like okay then locally national it's probably less dollar and so you're using a number that's just a combo for for Texas they have train system and so tell me what it is unless you can tell me how much it is by percentage then we can zoom in exactly on the problem instead of continuing this bizarre tango around >> well we know that it's high it's like where is the real >> and it's not like we can just >> you said I could you said you said that Go high in the sky. >> I mean, I think my question is how much of this is like assembly driven versus assembly involved in supporting? >> That's a fair question to put up there and maybe that's on the action. I don't know how much to >> this is in progress. The administration is doing their job. We're doing our job. Those are pulling the same >> and often times like this is not what And that's like for every one of us. It's like maybe this is these are this is already being worked on and this is something that the assembly drives or is this something drives something these drives? I don't know. I mean housing dashboard. I don't know. What do you guys think? >> I mean I think if processes do some of these things they're better equipped to do it. Yeah, if they want to do anything, >> letting them know that we will support it >> and you know that we'd like to see it. I want to do it >> rightward, right? Um yeah. >> So, should we throw like a housing dashboard? >> It's not just a rosy picture. Are you saying housing like >> No, for me. So I always have them in the house. >> The divorce of DOT and housing policy has always disaster. So I will always speak to >> that's my advice but it's any of those things infrastructure that's needed >> investments have been made in >> uh so I mean is some of what we want to drive then just like the conversation around like what is >> housing I don't know this is something I've kind of been struggling with and it's very related But it is like a bigger it's a bigger question to meet like the mayor's goal of 10 years has been articulated but then that has not >> well it's not just the road map it's like >> community education >> to like socialize this idea but like why do we I mean they would go right >> I mean why >> sure what came behind that or I mean we have right and I think that's because I am now getting absolutely skewed on this issue because that the idea of the necessity of that has not been socialized byation they haven't done public education around what constraints housing supply, why does zoning matter, blah blah blah, right? Like, and so it kind of feels like there's this gap now. There's like a there's like this bridge that needs to be built between like, okay, we need more housing and like the conversation about so >> give you about two more minutes where you are about two more minutes. Get any last thoughts? >> What does it look to achieve 10,000 homes that your neighborhood feels >> and so but how's it going to happen? Like what's on the side of these are the steps. Yeah. >> So in terms of >> we don't control that. That's the administration. So I think there two points you guys are to explore when it all comes down to what is >> well yeah and to what degree is actually contributing to that conversation around >> right and I think that part is >> the reason why continuing to do this All right, time to rotate. Continue clockwise. >> They did the same thing. going to have to keep going. >> We got it. Welcome to Energy, Infrastructure, and Transportation, which feels like a good next step of the conversation we're having. >> I love this. >> Okay, >> this is such >> So, their um opening question that kind of brought them to this uh side is what is the assemblage role? What is the municipality role in the energy picture? So, the utility underground then came up as one. >> Yeah, I have a um a reportation took over and >> there's barely one or two in their hold that they fully and they defaulted to the fact that the telecons don't have to until we leave the polls. So, we're getting screwed in the north and we're going to have all these staples with wires everywhere and we're going to make them. It is the biggest scandal with 2% tax. >> Yeah. >> Or is it? Okay. >> I mean, it used to be just had it for the full fiveyear plan years old. >> Okay. So, say that again. >> We're going to have a work session on it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Just >> be patient. and I'll have it all for you soon. >> Oh, I'm not stepping on it. Thank you. >> Has there been an update on the seat? Yes. >> Right. >> Um What does that mean? >> What do you think? >> Yeah. Mackenzie like how do we like how do we like collectively get with that too be like hey you put the >> I think it's betterion which is really >> you know this >> I feel And honestly, I'm going to find out your last show about what that is. >> I think it fits here too. >> Yeah. >> But the data show how do we protect >> the people who reach out for like >> most of them because they love it, >> right? No, that's right. I get that. But Yeah, but that's what the article presents is that we're making a shift in our election system and that was a false statement and >> so you direct response to >> yeah I think the election needs to do that right and rebut the nonsense why it happens how it happens when it happens where no change in policy is happening all you know, >> right? >> Yes. And that's those are the interviews that are happening. Or maybe that broadly I think it just land some numbers on that. um Zach Herman and um have some of those networks on all of them because you don't actually get on like I mean you do in like if there's a pedestrian fatality you do you don't always get like driver breathalyzer like so the data is not fantastic but it's just like that's an easy thing to blame it on but correlation is and and we some people but you are right like this is it's the easy thing to pick on. >> Well, it's easy to go hey this went away this many years ago and in these many years we've had this >> right we've also had increasing >> I can I put something controversial up here >> go for it >> since I haven't put anything controversial and subvers can't leave them off. That's >> right. >> I don't have it. >> Cuz no, it's birwood. >> C. Just just write sub versa and however you think. >> E R S. >> Yeah, >> perfect. >> Right. >> Perfect. >> L M N O P alphabet. >> They don't even know what our acronym is. >> Our alphabet mafia, right? >> Oh my god. >> Give you about five more minutes. So, um, and I also want us to like >> I would I would really like to figure out how to retirement >> how to hold DOT accountable for pedestrian facilities on their roads. Well, >> and also >> I mean >> I know >> maybe maybe a review of all of our tourists and see if we're actually getting paid >> where we've taken responsibility. Are we actually getting paid? >> And that's like a 30-year review, not a a 5year review. >> Yeah. review of >> tourist when you get out and you also >> hardly had any snow at all >> but driving on it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. is their stating commitment just to clear >> the Glenn, the hot parks and the Stewart Highway all before touching >> which like I appreciate like that is a huge like that is a huge priority like obviously because so many people on it but at the same >> we're a week after I know for us how is still >> like I get it we can't get to it in the first you once you leave. So I thought so municipal services and then it was like an after. >> Well, I would just I would just love for I would love for the community to just clear like the pedestrian facilities on state roads because like it is so interesting. Like so my neighborhood friends tutor, right? So within like 36 hours or less, all of my like the neighborhood all the sidewalks on McInness were steamed. They were like passible. You could you could roll like a wheelchair or a walker in there if you needed to. I drove out to >> nothing. And in fact, they had plowed tutor and shoved all of the snow onto the sidewalk. And then there were people picking their way >> and then the beauty would the people cruise go out and the >> bus. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Right. You right. >> Yeah. But like how do we >> because there's no reason I know that people should be two days after >> two more minutes recreational >> right I don't know if you use any of the recreational trails in your neighborhood after um a snowstorm but park is out there beautiful Yeah. >> Uh what else do we have? >> Maybe >> um I mean terminal um I don't know I at this point I don't know what our role is other than like the financial oversight. >> What is our what is our role? I mean >> we are um oversight we are funding >> so oversight funding and oversight is really construction management it's the tariff >> I don't think that's very important so like this >> otherwise you end up on a safety >> that's oddly specific isn't it make sure We have a work. >> Yeah. >> Not this time. >> Somebody else just said something that needs to go. >> You got to put funding finance too. Plan of finance report tariffs. >> And then back. >> I had some while I Crazy person say you don't need a sales tax. You just need to jack up this port tariff and pay for everything with a used >> right. >> It's so nice to live in a world where you don't have to make the hard decision. >> Okay. >> But you have the easy answers. >> Yeah. >> That's an actually cause more across the state. It's a nightmare. >> It would get like out of pocket suggestions. >> It would get you those emails. Oh, about sending the Northway. >> Oh my god. How many times have we heard the Northway Mall? Mwood has ever come up with that idea before. >> Yeah. Well, the Fire Island one just turned it into a reality TV show. >> That was wild. >> Very wild. Out of curiosity. Not because I out of curiosity. And so I tried running and and chatty like this is incredible. >> You've gone too far. >> All right. >> That is a little weird. >> So if I could get everyone's attention real quick and let you know what we're going to do now. >> So you're going to go back around and go back to every one of them again. But we're going to do quicker time frames, Adam, so you get a chance to see what other people have added, edits, additions, and this is sort of a final chance to visit each one of them. So, we'll do about five minutes at each station, but if you need longer, you can stay. >> We crossed off everything the previous group did. >> We're going to go back and do the same. >> Red lines. >> Red lines. >> For us, All right. >> I love it. >> You were like, I want it. >> No, I probably won't keep it. I do like um >> I started bringing these things to everything because I did a co- retreat with Michael and we you know it was a three day thing and she had part and I had part and she brought thinking and I spent hours like planning this thing and then when we did that it was a little loose. The best part. >> Yeah. Nobody nobody had comments about anything but that. So I was like >> when you're back to this I was noticing that focus really a lot but there are things >> she said I think this people aren't here. >> Yeah, exactly. >> I'm just put it out there in case any of you are concerned about that. >> Put it up. It's a big deal on >> I know it's a big deal to all of you, but I know that they're the ones that would have and would have thought of it. Oh okay. >> I think we should. This is some of our stuff over there. the actual ideas. >> I guess they didn't like your staffing amount of >> time driven around traffic. zoning department. >> Say that again. massage. >> Massage business. And I'm like, I'm not. And so I need both. I mean I think um supporting >> something about uh policy you know to help people choose >> and I think that's coming like I know the administration is working on something so I think you know something on um that's part of it >> um DOT is a hot topic That's where we ended up. >> Yes. Yes. >> What is this? >> I couldn't remember that. So, put a whole bunch of letters up there >> to help people treat them. >> Three. >> Is it three Rs? Holy guacamole. Um an interesting place in this conversation with sober is that um like the operation the maintenance and operations of streets and sidewalks and who ought to be responsible for those things and who ought to be >> you know some it really is just not everywhere but like >> yes you know not doable when you're talking about tutor right Oh, I mean like >> but then a lot of those places have sidewalks >> right >> know >> but it's on property >> river >> hello I guess Yeah. >> How was that? >> It was that they would remove her. So, it's a contract. It is a service require. I mean the biggest issue is >> if you guys are like totally ready to go over that one first. cuz they >> No, they haven't. They're thicker there. >> That's where we finished on the first round. >> Make some teeth. I tried to moistur. >> Don't you have more hair? >> I did a while ago. >> It's been It's been a journey. Been an evolution. >> I did have a marriage. And then >> but you've been >> think right that it is not the >> primary way or like the way I >> think it's a good look. >> Okay. >> I think I'm going to keep it short. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> A lot less work. That's for sure. >> I've had the I went long once but the transition >> you know >> you go through the awkward phase. >> Yeah. I couldn't do it. couldn't could never had never learned to do it again. >> I think that that's um as I've been sitting bought long hair for a minute and he was I feel like it's taking over my personality. >> Did you ever watch Kids in the Hall? >> Did the one about the beard? >> Have you seen that one? >> Tell me the beard. Basically, he like starts growing a beard and then he like starts talking to the beard and then his there's like one part where his wife is like I think you should have the beard and he's like the beard stays you go >> and he like loves his beard. >> Yeah, it was like that. >> Yeah, it's great. It's a good >> I think you also have to consider past because if you're looking for >> I'm trying to think there's a lot of good ones from that show. Oh, there the chicken. >> Yeah, there's a lot. They were >> there was a nice heyday of sketch comedy around that time like color kids stuffy version does want to respond directly to >> you guys release and the hope is that we maybe chew on it overnight and then tomorrow with >> more to come. See if >> I can cut the >> I So let's see. Uh So, >> so I mean I think >> just to give ideas about what is possible >> do like Chris Jared Yeah. I was trying to keep Yeah. I don't >> I don't think it matters to you. trying to get up. Here's what we do. Here's things that were structurally not set up to do. already been doing the fast. Is that >> we had a spect And we weren't coming in saying And then we added >> Yes. I think this this one's interesting. 137. >> That's it. >> Yeah. 147. And I think >> so branch. Yeah, that's what defenders >> powerhouse >> only because I know his daughter. erased by a coin flip. I'd be so bad. Everybody would catch >> right. It wasn't an election. was appointing a new straw. >> I will never unless it's the chair. >> Well, I'm comfortable walking around like 10 applicants drawing on it. Yeah, >> it does. It's a it's a >> rotate on Maybe what's interesting actually for this >> do we response and somebody's role is to understand what's happening and the way we know is to get regular reporting but if it's only coming at one hour meeting a month you're not getting what the idea of having public safety dashboard it can be all these things and you can go and find it today when you are on the question and so we can demonstrate response is instead of just how >> we don't want based legislation. >> I'm trying to convince you. >> Are you all just yapping? Yes. >> Yeah, they're kind of old school. Yeah, >> you're done with that one. >> Okay. >> Then >> see if they added anything to this one. >> I don't know that I agree that involves >> I hear you. But I'm okay with that. >> Oh, I would love to. You hear that? Is there coffee there? >> No, I think it's just hot tea. >> E, >> I'm going to rebel if there's someone in this building. >> I think there's no coffee in this building. I don't know where you find me. >> We could send someone on a coffee run, but I don't think so. We could Door Dash coffee. That's a bit extreme. >> Door dash. >> Don't Don't send that bill to the branch please. >> Jamie, where'd Jamie go? >> So, she had an idea. a letter to the editor or maybe even an opinion to the New York Times. >> Oh, yeah. >> I want to do that one. >> Call out big fake news. >> Yeah, >> that's awesome. >> Not appreciating this. >> Do you not mess with our elections? >> Like I >> It's up. Like the one place I am most like most protective of it's our elections. >> Oh yeah. >> Second our branch. >> Third all y'all. But >> third over the years I have taken so many phone calls even in poll based elections. A guy called me on election day. I got called to the salute last minute because my my alternate had to come home on a medical emergency. I was planning to vote tomorrow but I can't or I was planning to vote but I can't I apologize that that is notation to have and like that is what I'm trying to you know >> okay deadline has passed is black and white red red line simple to me that one's easy I'm sorry you missed it I had a friend drop his ballot off at the election center 803 and he was told sorry and he was upset. I'm like dude 3 minutes is 3 minutes. >> Mom answer is if we let everybody do that. >> Yeah. Sadly that person recently passed away. Yum. >> Oh buddy. >> Yep. >> So I gave everyone four stickers. So, this might be a tough assignment, but um the idea >> you're not talking to a group of like chronic over functioners. >> No, you want to pick your four and then when you're ready, put it on your four. And you could pick one that you put all four stickers on if you want. What I don't what I really want to ask you to not do is to not monitor where stickers are going and then decide well I don't see a sticker going on that one so I'm going to go there. Uh what four emerge as your priorities are the ones and this is not an actual vote in any way. The intention behind this is to see where there's convergence where we want the same priority to see how spread out your priorities are. And then also when we go into the next discussion, if there's a priority that lots of people have really put their sticker on, you can have that discussion of if six of us here really want this to happen, then we could trust two of us really maybe to do a majority of the work and I don't have to worry about it as much, I can worry about something else because I know that we're all passionate about this. That sort of thing. So the idea is just to give you a picture of of where everyone's passion and and priorities lie. >> John, is it four for the whole room? >> Four per person. >> For the whole room. >> For the whole room. >> And it's not intended to be one per section. >> Yeah. It's not intended to just pick one in each section. You could put all four stickers on one specific thing if that's what you care about. >> So, are we putting it on only things that are assemblydriven things or any of the things? any of the things that are in the action side of things. Unless you feel like there's something in the brainstorm that has no action and I really care about it and I need to call it out because we need an action to happen. Then I can see you putting in the brainstorm, but ideally most of it will happen in the actions section. >> Do we all have the same stickers? >> I mean, kind of. You all have different smiley faces, but I didn't know who has what. There's no angry faces. This isn't what we hate. It's >> Yeah, it's all smiley. Every Everything's happy. They're all positive emojis. >> So, if you want to go and and individually refresh again, look at them. And then when you know you're four, you can start to put your stickers put it out, didn't they? >> We had the online pictures. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, the voters would have to vote it in. >> We have like only human beings. >> We also No. And it's been so long the total divide has completely changed like cameras. >> To clarify, >> this isn't necessarily something that you're saying I'm going to work on this. >> Well, it's helpful. It's something that >> if you do I'm thinking about like myself personally. >> I only have so much time. >> There may be something huge that I think is a priority that I'm Yeah. >> not going to have time to do. >> I then I would still put that. Yeah, then still sticker it. >> What if there's something that I'm going to do even if I don't sticker it? >> That's okay. You know that and that'll happen. >> This is really just about giving you all a visual. >> The press release should just come >> representation of where forced to choose your priorities fall. So, >> how dare you make us prioritize? I don't involve myself in the elections process. >> That kind of misinformation deserves like a women voters level response. >> On which part? >> No. They're on agenda stuff today. >> Yeah, >> they probably haven't even heard you. >> We have a text from Matt. So, I know you at least saw Right. >> Well, and so I took it to the ocean at its elections and they agreed and I just thought that this was we just came up with our what we said. survive gone through the CIA and it's been over it and sorry >> and now it sounds that we keep making it sound like we're voting for everybody. >> That's crazy. Like we're shifting our whole system. >> Oh my god. >> Deeply offensive coverage. Did I tell you I'm still working for the emergency operations center? I had >> Oh, cool. >> What was I talking? We were supposed to hang out with all the work. She >> straight. Oh, she's still >> And she's been talking about how she was working. She brought >> Oh yeah. >> Okay. Cuz they didn't even create an email for it until I luckily enough. >> Yeah. I got that cuz 25 people emailed me the first day. So I created a forum burning. >> Yeah. >> All for infrastructure. wasn't sure. >> Yeah. >> Did you get to go? >> Yeah. not even rich. It's just like there isn't much res. >> It's pretty. >> There's >> there is a town. Oh, I guess I can go to >> And you like city center? >> Oh, I guess we missed that. >> I never went to city center down. Oh, they already have it. >> Allie, thank you. >> Yeah, for sure. >> California. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Coming your way. Is it okay if it's a word doc? It's a word document. >> Yeah. Is that okay? >> Or did you want a PDF? >> A PDF. Okay, that's fine. I got it. stopping. >> It's the same. >> So, why did you pay attention? >> It's pretty black and white. The step >> seems like if you're going to do that, you need a really >> Yeah. unawareness. So, in hindsight, those stickers don't really stand out super well. >> So, you can see them from the >> from your seat, but look at where folks stickers went >> just to get a sense of where the group is at. Do you want us to read them out loud? Oh, >> if you want, we have that for. >> All right. So, stickers. Continue to steward elections. Continue to steward budget process. Continue to steward audit. Okay. Revise AMC 240. That's community councils. Review. Revise HR code section. Uh, and two stickers on public education town hall meetings. I should say there were two stickers on AFP employee as well. Two stickers on open CIP nomination process to other more stakeholder groups. One sticker create equity filter for public investment and two stickers for continue to champion integrated systems data collection dashboards and allocate the money for it. Over here at public health and safety, we've got uh child care support, one sticker for employees, you and your own child care center, pre-arrest diversion to behavioral health services, other tools to help people choose treatment, public safety commission task force recommendations, and business permitting high-risisk registration for traffic. >> What does that one mean? What? >> Business high-risisk risk. >> Oh, I wrote that backwards. >> What does it mean? >> That was um Well, I was actually I should talk about that. >> Yeah, that's for like businesses that uh are at higher risk of being involved in human trafficking like non-medically licensed massage parlors, um like bikini coffee places, stuff like that have a higher likelihood of having traffic girls working. >> Yep. So kind of like that group that's required to have those a labor the that one state required document in all those languages like those kind of businesses. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> The wording was confusing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Back here we have one sticker on preapproved ad design. >> I'm trying to finish that project. there. Uh, and then this one is revenue for housing and infrastructure. Uh, two stickers on communicate progress towards housing and addressing homelessness. Tisdo got one sticker and then one sticker uh, which looks like it's just on the totem site, but it was in this um, bracket of key key public sites for development of housing. Over here in the brainstorm, we have one sticker under what is our actual investment strategy for aligning MUN and AAD's transf projects. >> And then over here, energy, infrastructure transportation um, waste to energy and other renewable and energy projects. There's three stickers, which I think is the only one that's got more than two. Yeah. Assembly review of recent speed studies, automated enforcement and revenues fixed what we have. >> The storm water utility didn't get moved over. There was a big oversight. >> Oh, no. It's under assembly. >> It's my law. >> Oh, okay. >> I think it's kind of all wrapped into waste energy. It's the energy and it's the renewables and so I would say that's really tied together >> storm water utilities >> because managing the water is the biggest issue in the MUN related to kind of the waste energy energy projects in general. >> Water is the big burden. So we'll get we've got photographs of these. We'll transpose it into a document, get it back. Um, want to transition this discussion unless folks have any other questions they want to discuss or anything they want to bring up in open discussion about any of this. Want to transition to the capacity and workload discussion? >> Can we know who stuck their sticker where? >> Sure. >> Allow. >> Yeah. >> I'm just >> Why don't we just go around real quick and you can share where you put your sticker? I think it would actually be helpful for me to have that for the long term because on that worksheet that I end up creating, it does have your name by it. So maybe just by the end of today, you could go write your name on the ones you put stickers on. >> I said, I don't think these are going to translate into the actions. There's not enough of them. The four stickers were all more complex than >> I think I think everything in the actions would go onto that, >> right? And so my yeah, I guess my point is that where I put my sticker is not so demonstrative of what I'm willing to focus on. Even though I may be gone, everyone is more complicated than four sub projects. And so just be mindful that even if you sign your name, >> doesn't mean that that's what you're committed to or not. >> That's the next step, right? We get the table, then we have that conversation over something that's kind of in a more workable form. >> Yeah. Okay. And then you start signing up. But I think and then I would put the ones with dots higher up on the list. >> You could say had three votes and people can sign their name. I don't have any beef with that. >> I could stickers are not intended to control or decide. It's just meant to give you a a sense of where everyone's at. So it wasn't meant to really >> Okay. >> Yeah. And I get all that. I just want to make sure we're not like stripping out other things because >> don't over overv value where the stickers The hard part is going to be translating these into areas of focus. I think like >> I put my sticker just as sort of a mark of what I'm interested in learning more about. Not even necessarily what I want a project that I want to see all the way to fruition myself charge on. >> Um because I think there's some of these that we could learn more about like you know what this is not like for for a number of >> vote by mail. >> Yeah. >> Not vote by mail. Rank choice voting. >> Rank choice. >> Yeah. Right choice voting is the example of one that got on there. >> Yeah. That got pulled off because it was like oh wait a minute. So that's your point like Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So I'll put this kind of into a draft plan like we have but then the next the rules committee in December then you start putting your names by it and that sort of thing. that >> I think you can also so one of the like drawbacks of that approach I think is because I guess I I just want it to be understood that just because you put your initials by something doesn't necessarily mean that you can't change your mind. uh because you could be on a project and for instance so I was on one with Kevin and Randy at one point to do third-party structural reviews and we chased that down a little bit and got more information and I realized you know I I actually don't think this is the right time or the right way to do this >> and so I jumped off that project and they kept it going. Yeah. >> Um >> so I I think it's important for members to know you can work on something and then ultimately decide you know I don't want to see this all the way through either because I don't think it's going to be well implemented or because I'm actually hearing a lot of push back from my constituents on this. They don't like it. I thought it would be helpful but I'm not getting any enough positive feedback for this. um two cents on that. >> Also, it's interesting the one thing we didn't do and it might be better to do later or could be at the rules committee if we're looking at reviewing our strategic plan for the next year. The top four areas that we've selected are also on the table for revision, >> right? And so there's a whole conversation that should happen around that. It's in particular in April I think or May when there is a new body and you have new members coming in that uh they get an opportunity to at least see what these are. But housing action, energy infrastructure, public health and safety and good government. I think generally speaking we all agree but there may be members who want to say but I think we should go this way or that way and they should be heard >> as we go towards kind of concluding this initial revision. It's an annual update but >> yeah and one thing is nothing got put on that other section. So maybe as you leave and we'll tell the members who weren't here cuz we did kind of box you into these things because that's what it seemed like people want to work on. to think about anything that might be in the other and that might change the four. >> Yeah, it's interesting >> that there was an intentional decision to not have that conversation because there's only four hours, >> right? >> And the thought being, >> do you hear that folks? Only four hours. >> Well, and I guess that that's a question of do these buckets work and do they contain what we want to accomplish? If they do, then good. We can. But if they don't, then I get But you have limited time. Do you want to spend it deciding what categories to put the work you want to do in or do you want to spend it doing the work? I know it's it's tricky. Um, and I don't think anyone beefed on the top four, but we're not all here and it's still an open conversation. I also think a very good exercise would be for each of us to take this home and on the things that are on here if you think they're done mark them with a line or I don't know if you have feedback do that and then hand that off to Claire as well because I can look at this and there's a lot of things that are just done >> done you guys done and so >> I I do have that different word document that I move all this stuff into so I will take that and start the 25 accomplishments and share that >> and then the 26 kind of work tasks will be I think really well served by having a sense of what we cleared off >> and what you know again some people didn't love that we had all of these things on here but I think it's very effective no one can say we're not doing anything people can say they don't like what we're doing but I can't say we're not doing stuff here's the proof So, it's a good transition to talking about capacity and workload and how you are going to approach doing stuff through the next year. Um, Chris, I think this is where you were queued up to share a little bit about why you want to discuss it and my notes. So, okay. Um a few things there are our kind of core functions that we have to do. We legislate, we run meetings, we have our committees and then we have certain committees that have required functions. Then we have things that are a little softer and um that are more like individual driven passion areas if you will or focal areas. Um and I have like four things that are on my list. Probably there's a fifth one now that I see it for this next year and that's that kind of work that's being done on the public safety advisory commission. So it's the audit committee, port oversight, the including river project, the annual work plan, elections, and the public safety advisory committee are kind of areas that we are um having to find assembly members to be part of and lead on. Um, again, I will come back to the idea that as lovely as it would be to have a full administration staff to discharge our duties to go do this thing, for the most part, we are the doers and our staff support us in the doing. And so, we have to be careful of how we apply the workload onto our staff and onto ourselves because we're all limited in our capacity because we don't have an unlimited budget. We have the smallest branch of government. And so I think that this conversation is in some ways intended to be a broad conversation about our workload and capacity for doing stuff and I don't have a meaningful kind of map of the things I want us to talk about. So I've talked enough what is our capacity and what is kind of our function. Where do people want to put themselves to do the work? That's the theme of this talk. More open and free ranging. Does anybody have extra capacity if they want? Um, so I have been thinking about this and I think um we have a lot of meetings. We have a lot of committee meetings. We have a lot of work sessions and I realized that you know the business of the municipality never stops. There's always something to pull, right? But I think we also need to think about like what type of person we would want to be able to do this job. Um, and sort of what what should be the baseline expectation of capacity for someone to do this job? Do we want working professionals who have other jobs to be able to contribute a voice to the church assembly and be part of this education process? Um, do we want, you know, a single mom who who has kids obligations to that she has to go to to be able to serve as simply or do we just want folks who either are retired or this is like their only gig, you know, is the expectation that this has to be be your full-time job and anything else is accessory to that? um or that you have a a partner who who can be the bread winner for your family. Um you know and I guess for me like one luxury that I have is that I am my own boss. I have a time with my schedule but I still need to make sure that my business is producing an income. I can pay myself and my employees and take care of my patients. Um and I think the assembly is well served by having a diverse makeup of members who bring different perspectives to the table. Um some maybe who are working age, some some maybe who are um retired and have a lot of life experience to talk to conversations, men, women. I mean I I think the more that the assembly is sort of a snapshot of our community, the better. Um, but I don't think it's reasonable necessarily to have the expectation that this has to be full-time and that every member could be at every committee meeting or I know that none of us are. I mean, we all have to pick and choose what meetings we're going to attend. And I actually think that we need to find ways to rather than expand the meetings and the workload that we have to actually um refine our scope or at least um what is expected in terms of how many meetings we attend in a given week. >> Yeah. And I can first of all offer that the makeup of this assembly relative to the makeup when Felix and I started is dramatically more representative of the community. Could use more women I think. But it's younger. their parents. It's not a bunch of retirees. And so I think that's the committed effort that's been ongoing and hopefully continues. Um, and the mission we've had is to reduce the number of meetings, but that always runs into conflict with I want to be briefed on this thing and I'm not going to support it until I am. And so there in lies the tension. I think we've reduced our committee meetings pretty dramatically. And um so I take that as good feedback and it's complicated and we do have a couple of members now who their priorities their work because their work happens on the days when we do our work sessions and that's hard for them I'm sure right doesn't feel fair but got to be brief so yo >> yeah I mean I guess I just want to kind of add on um for me you know I have two kids and really the only reason why I can attend And the meetings, a lot of the meetings, including this one, is because my husband works from home. So, it is difficult uh for, you know, people with families to be able to attend everything. But I guess it's difficult for people that have families to work periods. So, >> I I give up on the hope of attending everything a long time ago. >> Not everything, but you know, a lot of the things. >> Yeah. said in that in that way what you were saying if there's a way where we could you know we have a lot of work sessions that cover subject matter that fits within committees if we could move more of those work sessions to be topics in the committee and make it more of like a you know a little bit more defined like this is what this committee is going to be working on you know this month and it's going to slow the process down but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing all the time because, you know, otherwise we're just going to be burning ourselves out trying to keep up with everything all the time. And I know that, you know, in my capacity as a, you know, a young dad and working professional, like it is exhausting trying to keep up with all the different, you know, stuff. And not even all the stuff, just the stuff that matters to me the most personally. Whereas, if it was like, hey, I know I've got four committee meetings and they're going to be doozies, you know, every every single month. Like, that's fine. I can work with that. It's the, you know, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 work sessions throughout the month that is really where we have. >> So, one thing that I would really love to see, you know how when ordinances are introduced, the default is for it to be on the schedule in two weeks. Can we change that? Like can we change that so that the default is for it to be on the the schedule in four weeks >> so that we have more time? >> You can, but I don't think it's advisable because the body can always >> change it. I mean, the law is 7 days, but the reality is 7 days is counted weird. So, it's really eight days and we don't have every >> they can always change it, but I I think >> often times it doesn't get changed and we also don't know if it's going to be changed. So I think >> yeah I don't know it just feels like it kind of moves >> really quickly and a lot of times it's not necessary like I think sometimes it's necessary and I think if you want to change it put it you know two weeks from now that's fine you can do that but like the default >> I think that I wouldn't recommend that change and any member is welcome to come forward with a code change that would establish that but I think wisdom would say you have the least amount possible time on any item and then you extend it so that the business just gets done. But it's definitely worthy of consideration. Anna, and then Aaron. >> Yeah, I think um and I appreciate I think this is a good discussion to have. Um uh and I I would also agree that I think we should reduce the number of meetings because I think it's um also I guess I'll put a few things on the table. One is when we have those meetings, it affects our staff as well. And so there's prep, there's printing, there's all those we know this. And I think also I've been in multiple meetings where I was maybe one of the only members and there was um folks from the public or others presenting and and they um I think can take it as oh the other folks don't care and I don't think that's a fair assumption to make because there's a lot of reason and I've said this there's a lot of reasons why people aren't there. They watch it afterwards. Um but I think it is something to think about is how we interact with the public and how our process can be um more or less discernible and transparent, right? Um and then the workload thing is real. I think the thing that I struggle with too and I and I don't there's not one answer to this but I think it's worth putting on the table is what is our duty? What is what are the duties that come with this job? Because I think there are some things um where and maybe it's not that it's written down or it's codified but there's a public expectation or you know like like with the budget vote like we are all supposed to take a vote on the budget. That is one of the biggest things we do. Um that is not optional, right? And there's reasons why you can't be there. um but or stewarding elections, right? There is no executive branch role for elections. That is the clerk's office for the most part, but in terms of policy and code, it's us. And so there's things that we that no one else does that we have to do that we have to make time for. And I think that's a challenge, too, because then it's easy to say, well, what am I interested in? And there's all of you have all this agency. And at the same time, the body as a whole, the institution as a whole has a bunch of functions that we all have to fill. Um like the audit committee, like the budget committee, right? there's things that have to get done and um and there's no mechanism for us to just assign those things other than like the chair assigning committee chairs, right? But that's generally meant to be where do you want to put your energy? And so I just want to put that on on the table as we think about workload. How do we make sure that we are also doing our duty and then what is a reasonable expectation of this community of what our duties are and how much time we put into this job because I think I think the public expectation is like through the roof, right? that we that we answer emails right away, that we're at everything, that we are picking up every single thing that people want us to. Um, and that we are basically a customer service department, right? And that's so, so I don't know how to solve that, but I think all of those things keep swirling around. Um, and there's not one way to solve them, but it is hard to balance the like the obligations we have, the stuff that we want to do, and then these external pressures or expectations on us because of the roles we have. So, and I can say that I say that because I just feel a lot of that pressure all the time and I can't solve it, but it's up to the 12 of us to at least figure out a way that's workable >> while we're all here. Yeah, I yeah, I think the the idea of incorporating um ordinance or resolution content into committee meetings where it's appropriate um or topically relevant. Like that feels that feels helpful. Um I I would I would rather have longer committee meetings if it meant that we didn't have as many meetings total. I I'm in the really fortunate like I'm in a very privileged position in that um I don't I don't have to have other employment outside of the assembly because of my spouse's employment. Um but I mean I I absolutely recognize that that is not everyone's reality on the assembly. Um, which actually begs the question, you know, who who are we excluding from assembly service because this is not this is a expected there's a community expectation that this is a full-time job and we're not paid full-time pay. Um, and I I think in chatting with people who have considered assembly service, many of them are people who would be phenomenal public servants, but they literally can't afford to run for office for a variety of reasons because they don't have a spouse who can supplement um income or they they aren't in a position to take a massive pay cut. And and I I think that is a question that we ought to consider alongside, you know, the time capacity question is, you know, who who who can't be at the table because this is not this is a a full-time job with not full-time. Okay. Um, and I don't know that that's something that we need to resolve here, but I I think that's something that's worth noting when we're talking about capacity. Um, so I think I said it to you recently that we can't solve equity, but we can work toward it, right? The problems are bigger than any one term, any one body, anyone and the body has been doing this work for as long as I've been on it. and welcome to the continuum of caring for our community and being representative, right? Because you own this now and figuring out how to do it is the hard part. We've made big change and we hope that work continues and Felix is a different body then and it is very much focused on making this work. We have more parents on the body now than we ever have. And so, um, I would offer there is a tension though between less meetings and what's been implied as less work sessions because if you think the committee structure can take care of all of that, that's a framework of thinking. Um, and the committees generally do get staff reporting to them and one particular committee is really well trained on staff team is really well trained on using the committee and that's the infrastructure. They bring forward every legislative proposal that's coming to that committee, sometimes multiple times, and tell you in a month this is coming. And so there is some kind of work with the administration. But the real challenge isn't that. The real challenge is that our committees have limited memberships. Not everyone attends. We have people that barely read their packet. They get to their packet and they say, "Did we have a work session?" Right? Or one member asks for a work session. And it's your right to ask for that. You know, do we want a chit sheet? So, three members have to ask for a work session in order to get one, right? Or some process by which there is a narrowing of your right to seek information. I don't think that's going to work. >> And so, it's like there's a tension. There is a tension. >> Yeah. So, certainly I think any assembly member can ask for a work session. Um, I mean I I think of it like the motion to postpone, right? People move to postpone something because they want to work session on it. >> Well, that's great, but if there are seven other people in the body who feel like they are ready, >> right, >> to vote on it. Sometimes I feel like they're a little bit too nice and accommodating sometimes, if I'm being totally honest. Mhm. That's a fair assessment and uh it's been a core value to try. But I'm not even talking about once we've gotten to the table. >> Yeah. >> And we have an open meeting. What I'm talking about is in advance of when a member asks, we do our best to use one of those very tight slots on a Friday for those. And what we've implemented, you know, some folks might take it for granted, but we have at least one monthly no meeting Friday, >> right? And so we've been making work towards that. And if ever I can find the chance to make it two in a month, I do, believe me. And so, but those are just kind of traditions um that are intended to meet that mark. And so, your challenge is to balance the interests of the body, get the information you need before taking the vote. I think my success has come in with my relationship with the administration, the members, the staff. If I need information about an ordinance, I call them and they answer, right? and I get what I need. So, I don't need so many work sessions, but when somebody says I need a work session, we accommodate. >> And I think too there's there's um there's also the need for a sponsor of legislation to ask for a work session as the sponsor because they know that whatever it is they're bringing forward is extremely technical. and trying to make sausage on the diets or trying to shoehorn that into a committee is probably not going to go well. Right? So there is the flip there's the inverse of that as well is like a sponsor saying I would like to host a work session >> any member right no the worst case is when sponsor doesn't want to do a work session they don't care they it's all there and you didn't do your homework why should they have to come and do a dog and pony show for you who didn't do your homework or we did talk about it at the committee there's a lot of kind of feelings if you will that can be generated around that conversation >> but I think it is the sponsor's choice you know they could be asked for a work session >> a member could ask for a work session if the administration is implementing it and get it with or without the sponsor. >> Or you could host a work session that no one shows up to. How embarrassing. >> Um, right. And so there's no one here to tell you how this should be done but you. >> But if the like we're changing our the way we approach it though, it is going more or less is going to funnel through a committee and we don't need to have as many. Right. It's easy to go, well did you attend your committee meeting this month? Okay. >> Right. This was heard. Well, but if they're not on that committee, right? >> Well, I mean, anybody can go to any committee meeting, you know, and like >> and that's the thing for me. I think that's hard to keep track is I I go through it. Okay, this is my schedule for the month. This is my schedule by the week. And then if I'm not checking back on a regular basis, I miss work sessions. I can add it or you know, something like that where I know, okay, these are the committee meetings and I know that any legislation that's going to come up that I have to be aware of is going to fall into one of these committees. I just know I didn't make it to the committee meetings, you know. I love ideal worlds. >> Listen, an ideal world >> idealist till it's ideal. >> I could see there being some some bottlenecks, you know, just based on like the timing of a committee meeting relative to an assembly meeting and how that might drag out the process, you know, based on >> introduction and committee >> once a month >> public hearing. I mean, yeah, that does twice a month. >> Exactly. That does limit that does limit the opportunity. >> Well, that but that just presumes that the item isn't seen before it's introduced, right? I mean, there's a whole lot of legislation that is prevetted before it is introduced. Everything that comes at IEOC, >> you see this is what we're bringing forward a month in advance of it ever hitting the table. >> And so, that's an kind of an operational approach. There are some things you just want to introduce exactly two weeks before you want to heard for reasons, right? And maybe there's less of an expectation that you can be accommodated for a work session when those things happen. >> Sure. >> Like maybe there's like a if it have to have x number of days, weeks before a work session can be expected. But I think it's pretty case dependent. It's a challenge for you guys to figure out how to streamline that because we've been doing this work to make it this way. And this is as far as we've been able to get it. >> Well, I think what we're talking about here is what are we all collectively wanting to commit to? So, I don't I don't think we're talking about changing code, although there is an opportunity to do that because that can be very rigid. Um, there's policy. You know, we could write something down and say this is how it's going to be. I don't think that's I mean I think and it's hard to draft it would be hard to write something like that that covers so many different cases. So I think it comes down again to culture like what is what how do we want to operate as a group and I think it doesn't mean we have to come up with a rule in every circumstance or it could be us individually like you and I you know we moved out our food code well it wasn't just ours right but we moved it out to the public hearing to a future meeting because we said we'll give this more time and there was a meeting agenda that was very stacked and so if we want to do that that is something that you can do when you submit and say my general practice is going to be I'm going to give four weeks on things unless unless it's urgent, right? And so it doesn't mean that everybody else is going to commit to do that as well. But I guess that that's that's really the issue with the body or not issue, but just a feature of us is that it all requires collective agreement or at least a majority agreement to do these things and then it can be undone five years from now anyway. So it's not a permanent thing >> any given Tuesday. >> Yeah. But even then, if we set a culture that we, you know, like there's a culture that existed before we were all here and it's changed and so it's just that we all have to actively participate in what that looks like >> because there's no other set of people who's making the rules for us. >> Well, what are the duties of an assembly member as currently ascribed by code to to vote at regular meetings >> of the body or individual members? >> Uh individual members. I think it's to attend the meetings, >> the regular meetings. >> Yeah. And special meetings. But yeah, >> duty to vote. >> And the duty of the vote really are the budget, the elections, the audit, >> handful of things. >> Yeah. Handful of things. >> But not to attend committee meetings or work sessions. >> Nope. >> Nope. Nope. None of that is required. >> None of that is required. >> Sure. Decreases your effectiveness. just showing up, you know, free will in it, you know, freehand this vote. >> It's not advisable. >> Yeah, I'm very grateful for >> being able to watch the meetings back and get caught up that way. >> Yeah, that's >> Yeah, I see. >> I do like the idea of longer committee meetings if it means less meetings. >> Yeah. >> Just because I think one of the one of the problems with committee the committee structure is they're often briefings, right? and you get multiple departments working on multiple things and there's not a whole lot of time there to do a really thorough conversation about a piece of legislation. >> Yes. >> Which is why I think we just got this habit of adding on work sessions. Um but yeah, I don't know if you know with u something we talked about with transportation committee we have two hours and currently it's a quarterly meeting. Um even that two hours we got to be moving quick. Like one time we had the a bunch of people in the room to present on vision zero. They could have taken up the whole meeting and maybe some of that was what is dazzle them. >> Yeah. Detail or baffle them with >> Yeah. >> Um >> but it was an important conversation that we kind of had to like >> move on to another topic. So >> So I would push back a little bit that there's been a proliferation of work sessions. I don't think I mean Jamie has a tracker and can show the arc but guess it went up several years ago Felix but um it has stayed fairly static for the last 5 years like pretty static. It's gone up a bit in terms of legislation that's introduced meetings that are held and so I would just push back against that. I just think >> I think I'm saying there's more. I think I'm saying that now now that I'm in my second term like >> I know the rhythm of this. Yeah, you just use the word proliferation and so I just they aren't like growing, blooming into more. It's just you're recognizing. >> I think I said we've got to the practice of >> use the term proliferation. It's fine. >> Um I would like there to be less proliferation. >> Yes, fair. >> A deep proliferation. >> A culling. A trimming of the flowers. >> Nuclear >> deadheading. Um I I think that's fine. One member reached out to me and asked if we could move all committee meetings to Friday, >> one day a week. And so I don't know how you have work sessions. I mean, that could be a 10-hour day if we did that. >> But um that was one kind of creative proposal. >> So you'd have like one two committees on the first Friday and then next two on the second. Maybe there'd be an hour for work sessions. Except of course those weeks when we have too many work sessions and the committees would get booted or >> or we would add another day, right? But you know Thursdays are our default second day. And so there probably are ways to think through creatively organization so that you could stack the meetings that happen in a rhythm that gets you ready for your agendas better. I don't know that it's about kind of pushing off the content to this or that committee because committees are not representative of the whole and the same people have the same questions are going to come with the questions. It's it's it's a complicated system you people. But uh >> I think it also gets back to again the balancing of what do we want to do and what do we have to do, right? Like because I think there's also um I know in the past there's also been a kind of how can we get done as quickly as possible, right? Especially in our meetings. And I I'm not arguing that we should take to 111 in all of our meetings, right? Know the whole ceiling versus four thing. Um but I do also think that um sometimes these things take what they take, right? like testimony takes what it takes. we can't control that there and there's and or the legisl the state legislative process totally well in a lot of ways different but also people say oh what why aren't they sticking to their schedule on this because you're you're dealing with 60 people right I mean so some of that's a whole different dynamic but I think it's hard to predict or to make predictable how these things go because we're doing it in real time in public right and we and if we're all doing our jobs we are not just phoning it in or we're not saying okay I'm going to vote because I want to get out of here at 7 p.m. whatever, right? And I think there's a tension there, too. So, I don't and I don't know how to square that either because it is true sometimes people are like, I need the time or I need to understand this in order to vote and that's the right to ask for that. And also, we do have limited time. We have to end by midnight hard stop. Yeah. >> But so, I think that's another thing to consider. It's in the what do we have to deal with? How do we want to operate? Um >> I think we should put a plaque in this in the chamber to the movers of that charter amendment. midnight, you know, a little a little corner that's dedicated to these people have saved us from painful public process by the hundreds and thousands of hours. I >> mean, I think I do I do find that um in just in the context of the Tuesday, um I I sometimes feel the pressure um to like withhold questions for the administration for the sake of expedience. You know, like there are things that I'm sometimes like sometimes I do want to know more or understand more about an item that's before us and for whatever reason I didn't have time to go like run around to all the departments and do all of my homework in advance of getting to Tuesday night. But there it does feel like there's a little bit of that implied pressure that like >> especially when they send you a list that says this is a must pass item and we just got it >> right. And so I feel I I I feel some tension there like yes I want to do my homework in advance. Yes I would als I would like to have efficient Tuesday night meetings. And also I feel like it's our my role to do my due diligence even if that means asking additional questions in the context of a Tuesday meeting. But I I do I do find like I do find myself feeling some internal resistance to doing that sometimes because it feels like I'm slowing down the progress. So, I want to make a little note here that I got to be careful not to be um insulting to anybody, but there are performers, there are overperformers and there are underperformers in every group, this body, you know, everyone choose your own adventure. The overperformers are present, right? And so I would say there's something in what you said to be careful about not hammering yourself for not being able to perform to the standard you hold in your mind because that standard is probably unrealistically high for the amount of time peace of mind whatever that is that carries you through to the next meeting after all of the abuse. Right? So there's some kind of check on yourself that you can apply. I would advise to just be gentle with yourself for not being able to do it all because that's reality and you're not in the class of people who phones it in. You know, you're in that other class. It's tricky, right? Balancing it all. Can I add one thing to the kind of why you take time in meetings or why that's valuable? I think there's also the strategy for using the platform, right? So like there might be something where I full well know the answer to the question and that's not why I'm asking it, right? And so that's another way to utilize our role not not to waste time, right? But to to say like I want this public conversation, I want this answer on the record or I want to call attention to something. So I think that's also a it doesn't mean that if you do that a lot right then it becomes it can be a time suck but I think that's just to add to that in addition to educating yourself there is the public role of like I am bringing I am putting everybody's attention on this right now because I think it's important for whatever reason so that's another valid use of that time I think >> and also discerning what questions are better asked of the departments off the record even at the meeting to get the answer you need practice wise like My practice has proven pretty successful. I always let the administration, whoever it is, know my question if I know it before I ask them. No surprise question from the dice. Unless I really want to be that guy. Sometimes you do, but right, give them a chance to prepare cuz they all hate being in front of that microphone. >> They all hate it. >> But that's kind of away from the field of >> There is some times though where something just pops up and you're >> Yeah. And you got to ask it. >> And that is you're right. Two times for every motion. Yeah, >> two times and sometimes a third if you're on the edge >> if you're pretty good at it. Sometimes three times, >> but rare rare. So, um yeah, that it's tricky. You know, this conversation I'm going to offer is the same conversation we had a few years ago about time and meetings and it's the persistent challenge of being on the assembly. Yeah. Because you're working at the grocery store, you know, you're working at the gas station, you're working when you're dropping the kids off at school. You're always working. >> You're working when you're dancing at the concert at the Beartooth. >> But it doesn't work. >> You're working at the baggage clax. >> Yeah. Lax or on the street? Venice Beach. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Venice Beach. So you just you can't escape this job. And that's the beauty and the nightmare. 166 days, 4 hours. And so Felix, anything to add? >> Not so much to this conversation. I think in the if we're going to do homalies as was suggested, probably there'll be a future opportunity for that. >> Several several ones. Yeah. So I will have a special meeting for that. No. Yeah. That's so this is not the point of any conclusory statements but words of wisdom were asked for like and this is a good time how to balance the load like what you have learned work life balance life work balance because that's what this is all about. I mean, I hope I gonna say anything that's revolutionary to folks here, but I always tell people who ask me, should I run for the US assembly or not? You're going to get out of it what you put into it, right? Um, there are some people who put in a lot. They put in all of themselves and they get a lot out of it and that's and the community should get a lot a lot out of it and that's great. Then there are other people who put in and that's also that's what you can do and you're fine with that then that's and your voters are fine with that then that's what you do. Um you know I guess I will and each body is going to be a little bit different in terms of what it wants to prioritize. Like I know not too long ago a former body prioritized like being very public going to a lot of public events and being very seen and then there are other bodies who have been very policy wonky and they're like head down do that work and that's fine too because and and you you know you get criticized like I hear it honestly every now and man, why didn't I see more assembly members at different events? It's like, well, we're each doing our own thing. >> There's a lot of events, >> but I would add to that there's one other variable you can't control and that's what the world throws at you, >> like there are duties, there's our jobs, there's the work a day process and we do all that pretty well. too many meetings concede and then on a random Tuesday everything changes. you know the how long was just a very small blip but a big earthquake could come or another pandemic and everything changes and you are uniquely positioned to have a role in all that and the more you work together as a team we work together as a team the readier we are to be nimble in our response to the challenges that come the I remember when the homeless problem blew up it was 2015 was the summer spice it was so horrifying it was before I was elected before Felix now the It was a disaster and things haven't gotten as bad as it was there except of course in the camp that was kind of out at Tutor Muloon and that was pretty bad. But in 2019 the governor cut all the funds for a shelter and all of a sudden we had a vast camp on the park strip and it blew up and it's never calmed down since and uh through successive challenges. Nobody knows and can't tell you what's coming tomorrow. But the more you are trained at this work and ready, there are this city's going to be with you at its home. That's like the other variable. You can control how much you invest in it. Challenge check your expectations of what you'll get out of it based on that. You can control your relationships, but you can't control what's coming. Be ready. That's probably it. Well, in the interest of time, I'm going to transition us to close. But it sounds like there's a delicate challenge that you face in meeting your own expectations for yourself, the expectations that are put upon you by the community and achieving what you want to achieve. And that you all feel like the workload makes it difficult for any citizen to participate in the process. And so how you can improve efficiency and effectiveness and uh without neglecting expectations is the challenge. We don't have a magic answer but I did hear two categories uh that had one is the way that you approach meetings and I would add into that work sessions but two is the way that you collaborate and share and request for information. So, in the interest of closing, just want to give folks a chance to say any last thoughts as we go around and then we will clean up and wrap up. And I'm going to start with my little fidget thing blew up. I've never had that happen. Uh, and it's kind of gross. Uh, the other thing I will say, and I thought about saying this as I open, but as a community member who has been to meetings and testified in meetings and listened to meetings on the radio, I appreciate each and every one of you so much because I could never personally do it. And I it I understand what a sacrifice it is and how much you put yourself out there. So from me to you personally, thank you all. Such a cool thing. I'm so glad you were there. So closing thoughts. >> Thank you so much for making the time for this. I think I just really believe in gathering and collaborating and so hope this was worthwhile for all of you. Appreciate you for being here. And likewise, thank you for your service as a community member. It's nice to be represented. I'm such a great >> um thanks everybody. It's uh nice to get together and you know collaborate and you know we it's nice to see that we we see a lot of the same problems. We might have different ways of how we solve some of them, but we're we're all working towards common goals here and it's really good. Appreciate it. Looking forward to what the future holds and uh honor work with you guys. Um, thanks for your support. Again, I apologize for taking things for a ride. Um, excited to find a champion for elections and also draft whatever >> elections. >> Jennifer, >> what was it? What was he working on? >> Massage polarization. >> You already you guys looked that out already. >> No, I had been working. >> No, I knew you had it. >> I had been working on it in 2015 and so I resurrected it and it still needs resurrected, but we're there. That's it. Jennifer, >> uh, it was really fun to hear you all talk and like I feel like you all bonded today too and that was really nice to see. And I just want to add um the assembly has been a very nice environment to work in the legislative branch and um I didn't share at the beginning and some of you know I was a deputy clerk for four years before I came over to legislative services. So I lived through co with a couple of you on the body and all of that time. And anyway, I've seen the branch evolve over the last six years and it's been really cool to see that happen. And um thank you for everyone who served in leadership and environment you all create. >> Um I want to know what's going to happen on that chart over there. Is that is that another US? Is that another day conversation? Yeah, I don't think we're getting to it today >> unless you all sign up on your way out. >> I was going to make this a part of closing on the way out. If you're willing to champion or support champion one of the things that's put up there, please put your name next to it. Um, but I was going to have that as a >> and there's nuance to each of them. >> Yeah, there's nuance to each of them. >> Okay. >> And you're already on some of them. >> Yeah, I know. Um, I think, yeah, I'm I'm just I'm really grateful to work with such thoughtful people and um this is without a doubt the coolest job I've ever had. I'm really really fortunate to get to do this work at this time with these people at this moment in our city's history. It feels like the right thing, the right thing to be doing. And I I don't think a lot of people get to have that experience in their work life. I feel like they're in a sweet spot. But I'm going to enjoy every bit of it. Just really grateful really grateful to work. >> Yeah. Um I always enjoy these cheeks. Um they always have a little bit of a different flavor each of them. And um this is going to be the last one of the body. Um we could add another meeting. Let's not curse. Uh but you know I think it's been really great to see how much that this branch has evolved over the years as Joker was saying and um you know hard for me to imagine when I first got on on in 2017 that sort of this is the place that we would be but that's because that was a lot of sweat and sears to get us here. lot lot of um yeah a lot of work to get us to this place and I hope that this work will continue that a strong foundation has been laid and the work's going to look different because that is just how this body works. >> It's going to look different from 10 years from now and 20 years from now and so on. Um, but I hope that 10 years from now, 20 years from now, some remnant of this work, even if it's a small little gem of it, stays. Um, I guess on the heels of that conversation about workload, I would just like to thank the staff um for the workload that they take off of us, the communication and the organizing and the research and just everything else. Um, it would be so much harder without you. >> You're here. >> Yeah, agreed. Thank you staff for all of your support. Um, I think two two things I want to comment on. One is it's pretty awesome to to take a look back and see all the things that we said that we were going to do that we did. Um, just that gives me hope for working with uh the newer members too about what we're going to accomplish in the future as we work to solve problems for the municipality and continue to make Anchorage a great place for people to live. Um, but I guess the other thing I want to comment on is, and we were talking about this a little bit earlier, um, the housing action. There was a comment up there that said, "What is our lane?" >> Um, and I think we've had some conversation as a body sort of held to us here and there about, you know, well, that exactly that, you know, what is the role of the administration in bringing forward policy? What is the role of the assembly in bringing forward pol forward policy? I think different assembly members have different perspectives on that and they also have you know we all have our own style and how we like to engage in this work but I will always be one that wants to be assertive about the fact that we are the authors of the code. We are policy makers. we are not just pencil pictures for the administration um or you know necessarily um bringing their priorities forward. So that's why this is such a good exercise to have some consensus about what our priorities are. I think that you know the highest rate of success both in terms of getting something passed but also having it be well implemented is when we do engage with the administration whoever it is at the time and have good conversations and get accurate information that can inform our policy. But I yeah I I think I always I want us to be a strong legislative branch um and I want us to have the support that we need because ultimately I think that's going to be best for the community. um as we continue to to do this work. So, yeah, excited to see what you all bring forward. >> Yeah. Um well, thanks everybody for u participating in this. Um, I agree with pretty much everything that's been said so far, but I'll add, um, as someone who's both an eldest child and terminally an office worker, um, I've reflected a lot on this as a job and the fact that, you know, we have no boss that we are just accountable to ourselves and also accountable to technically 48,000 people or whatever the number is per district. And it's a crazy thing to be like the entire public is your boss and also no one is. And so um and so and then and then further complicated by you know our 11 of our co-workers are chosen by random other people right so it makes it so so I think of like HR you know in that the organizational space it's a really interesting way and then approaching you know exercises like this like how it's we talked a lot about how it can be different but um but yeah I'm excited I think there's a lot of um we've been doing a lot of good work there's a lot of good work ahead and I'm excited to see how not just how we all individually as as those different individuals approach the work but again as we continue to um move together as a body and not agreeing on everything but just you know what does that look like and what is our responsibility to the institution again but again I'm terminally an eldest child so I think a lot about responsibility so thanks everybody a few thoughts left um you know responsible to 48,500 people that's our city duty but our burough duty is responsible of the 290,000, right? And so it's an interesting squaring of the the the circle because you have both duties. They're just united into one task and we do the work of the county and the city and um that's where we look at our neighbors interests close to us but also our neighbors far away from us trying to balance those interests. Um Jared, I will say I appreciate jousting with you on the DS. Um because that is a lost art in some ways. You know, we should be able to disagree and creatively and have fun with it and in the end it goes where it goes and there that's like where you don't carry baggage with you tomorrow >> and that is a hard thing to do and it's not always possible and sometimes it takes a day or two but I really appreciate it because it's good. It's like the thing that we're supposed to be doing and sometimes it's good to do it on the dis. And uh Daniel, I agree with your point about we should be strong and we have developed to a point of strength probably that's never been seen in the municipality to where we are now. Um still we have to ask ourselves what is our lane? It's like what is our lane? What are our priorities? What's their lane and where do they align? Um because we will work better together when we're all doing our thing. So I agree strong is best and it's fragile right this thing that we have built is fragile one election and one budget can undo it right the charter requires only the ombbudsman and the clerk everything else is in excess of that right those are our charter granted offices that's it and so we have a very fragile very resilient ient system that we have developed. And so that's your challenge is like to keep it and to not exceed its bounds. You exceed its bounds, that's when you fall off the cliff. That's when your sule falls. Um so that's your challenge is like balance the line, grow to the point where you're strongest, not beyond that, right in your lane. Anyhow, so yes, it turned a little bit into that thing that you suggested that those are my comments. I'm grateful to you all for working through these struggles. Yeah, I don't promise you fewer meetings. I'll do my best to keep it as efficient as possible. >> 66. >> I I will do my best to keep it as few as possible. I will always try to get a second no meeting Friday in a month if it's possible. the clerk and I work really hard to make that time available, but I don't promise you cuz >> we have it this >> Yeah. If you demand a meeting and it's in your rights to have that meeting, I'm going to authorize it and you should expect a chair to do that for you. It's your right. And so that's the tension. But you can give some social pressure to those who don't show up, who ask for a briefing, and there was a briefing, right? There's no reason to slow down the wheels for people who just didn't show up. I wonder if it could be helpful to have legislative services send out if we had like a list of every piece of legislation that was discussed in the committee meeting like the prior couple weeks or something. So, because sometimes I think if people are not part of that committee, >> oh, they will not go back and watch them, >> right? >> I don't know. Maybe it's easier to do the other way, like send out a list >> of what's coming, not of what's happened. >> As long as those committees get their agendas. >> I mean, that's kind of the agenda, though, right? Like, if you're going to discuss a committee meeting or a piece of legislation, that's going to be on the agenda for that committee meeting. >> Yes. I am here to protect the staff's time, though. That's like we have to be careful what we're asking the clerk to do and legislative services to do and so it's not a bad idea >> and maybe there's some way >> a compilation of the agendas >> with on base so maybe some tool that could generate a >> so agendas yep don't take it back put it on the table but take it out of here and let's converse about it >> I do try to flag if I know one of you is watch watching an item and it comes up I do kind of flag that. But I think I think otherwise you should probably all be reading each agenda as it comes out. >> Yeah, I agree. >> Honestly, if you're just looking for legislation like with the Office 365, which I I'm accepting that I'm technologically problematic at this point in my life. Um, but all staffers could write, they know what ordinances they're putting on their list. they can put it into >> document that we all have access to. >> Jamie is saying it might be possible so you don't have to resend it. We're not going to solve it right now. >> But it's not super complicated. >> Keep thinking. >> In the interest of time and closing, this is obviously a beginning. There's a a number of people who aren't here. So the idea is to evolve this into a finalized work plan. Get all your feedback. Don't know exactly how that's going to happen, but it's going to happen. figure it out. >> These items here on the way out, if you would put your name next to it just to call out your interest in either championing or being part of the team that that pushes it forward. Um, and thank you otherwise. >> We good. >> Thank you. We're good. >> All right. So, do we have to clean up? >> I got to go clean up. Not too much.