AK Redistricting Board - New Maps, Debates, Exec Session, Public Testimony

 [I started this around 9:15 am.  It’s really rough and I’m a bit tired.  So consider this only a glimpse of what happened with some omissions and typos and some inaccuracies.  But it will have to do until the official transcript and the video are up.  And it can help guide you to what you want to see when the video is up.]

Public testimony was pretty much:

1.  Anchorage folks wanted v4, though some military veterans including Assembly Member Jamie Allard argued that JBER, NE Anchorage, and Eagle River were the community that military and retired military lived in.  They supported V3, or Marcum's new v3.  

2.  Fairbanks people called to say Goldstream was integral to Fairbanks and shouldn't be put into the huge rural district that goes to Tok.

3.  North Pole should be a separate district from Fairbanks

4.  Fairbanks folks were also upset for having been waiting on the phone for five hours before they could testify.  

5.  Some discussion of Calista and Doyon villages being properly represented.  

You can see the Anchorage maps v3 revised overnight and v4 here  Although they said the Fairbanks maps were up, I can't find them. 

I'm going down to the Board Meeting to see the rest in person.  

Bethany Marcum:  New map.  Valdez testified did not want to be with Matsu and Matsu didn’t want them.  So looking at putting Valdez with Anchorage.  Just learned from legal counsel that problems putting Valdez with Anchorage.  

Nicole Borromeo:  Making her own map.  More compact.

Marcum:  Did review all the Anchorage maps and compact as they are and also looking at deviation.

Borromeo:  How is your D21 compact?  It snakes down in shape I don’t understand.  Your D16 Goes from south Addition to ??   How more compact?

Marcum:  I didn’t say more compact.  Balance of Compact and Deviation.

Borromeo:  My concern is about VRA, was that no matter where, these are highly dense diverse populations. 

Marcum:  I heard your comments about different housing, life style.

Binkley:  Looking at 16 I had same concerns, but in previous version it was a straight line.  

Borromeo/Marcum discussing deviation. Urban deviation vs. Statewide deviation.

Binkley offers Marcum more time to make adjustments.

Borromeo:  She’s been mapping all night and it’s now 11am and we have a deadline and soon I’m going to call the question.

Bahnke:  I appreciate your efforts and time.

Borromeo:  I think the board wants to give you time to make more compact.

Simpson:  says the same.  If you can do that in a half hour, that would be worth it.  

Borromeo:  Problems with 15 and 16.  

Binkley:  Board is saying can you take 30 minutes and see what you can do with that.

[Is there another Anchorage map in case Marcum’s is not acceptable?]

11:57am - Bethany Marcum completed her new maps.  Nicole Borromeo said v4 is better than this new map.  Now they are going to take testimony.  They are worried about time for testimony so they can get to their final vote. 

Borromeo:  we need to have a time limit.  Also we need to put the map up on the site.  I have posted v4 so people can see them.

Peter:  We have put the map up - 

Nicole:  Maps are under Meetings because they are not official maps.  

12:29

Yarrow Silver:Speaking for community council  Scenic Hills?  CC.  Not set off sei neighborhoods of East Anchorage. Including around Muldoon curve.  18-0.  Saw maps as of yesterday.  Spoke in favor of v4 map.

Now speaking for self. For Nicole Borromeo’s map.  More compact and reflects racially diverse community.  Map yesterday still here today and then quickly being changed.  Shouldn’t still be here.  V4 meets all needs.  Marcum’s just gerrymanders East Anchorage and other places.  This is supposed to be a non-partisan process.  Lots of talk about one person one vote, this sounds false because it dilutes the voices of diverse populations.  Nicole Borromeo’s map better.  

Binkley:  please don’t ascribe maps to people’s names - use map numbers v3b and v4

Joel Hall:  AFFR live in Peters Creek.  Thanks for changing break between ER and Muldoon.  Glad it happened today.  Not right to blend those two communities.  Also in favor v4 - compact is first order and one is clearly more compact.  There’s no real question about which is more compact.  We’ll have further comments after we process this.  AFFR will be back in ten years.  See ourselves as perpetual partner of Board.  We need to create a record of what we feel is wrong for future Board members.

Binkley:  Thanks for testimony and AFFR work on Alaska tour.  

Felisa Wilson:  Good afternoon.  Thank the board.  A little alarmed that maps changed at last minute.  Feels like it literally changed in the last hour.  After looking at newest map.  I think integrity of JBER and integrity of diverse communities best reflected in V4? map.

Connie Seprecio??  - spenard community council resolution:  Whereas boundary 3 house districts and 3 Sense districts.  Recommend new plan into alignment with local boundaries including Spenard CC.  Unanimously approved.

Personally - 23 Anchorage resident, 17 years in Spenard.  Frustrated by this morning.  All the changes - felt like now taking power from public most impacted.  V3 of all three maps no good. Urge you follow v4.  Straight lines, respects idea of compact.  New map looks like gerrymandering.  The fact that she only decided last night not to include Valdez.  V3 Not in spirit of he law.  Times up.  Fair and equal representation.  Let people’s vote speak, not because it makes sense for one party or another. 

Binkley - hard - Constitution requires public testimony.  At some point we have to decide.

Mary  Akpirg Director - Note that in General, having ES before comments makes it hard for public to give input.  People weren’t able to testify.  Because have other commitments.  You’ve done a good job generally of public testimony.  Marginalized communities generally have less time to participate.  AFFR as Joelle has put it, we support v4 as well.  Maps are very complicated and impossible to fix at last minute.

Mary:  I live in south Edition - map better reflects my neighborhood.  

  Donna Mears - North East CC in Anchorage Oct. meeting.  Understand CC boundaries not really necessary, we think they should be.  Small number of people in area never show up.  Our work is done at CC meetings. Community boundaries more important than slightly lower deviation.  It’s how we get together.  Met Oct 31, so don’t have statement on maps today.  I think she supported v4.

Binkley - any more in Anchorage?

Robin O’Donoghue - thank you.  I’ve spoken before mostly on behalf of AFFR.  Today on behalf of myself.  Thanks for one person one vote in Fairbanks.  Goldstream valley is a suburb of FB and closely connected to UAF.  I grew up there.  UAF and Fairbanks.  While Board recognized some things.  Putting Goldstream into greater rural airport does not reflect view of Assembly.  

Lastly suggest AFFR forFB is more logical and SEI also could plug in AFFR FB map into your overall map.  Thank you.

David Dunsmore:  Good afternoon.  AFFR.  Want to experiment more why we believe given Board’s choices now, it’s clear best in line with constitutional mandate and AFFR process in Anchorage trying to get communities.  One thing we appreciate - every public hearing on the road show introduced the public hearing process by explaining Board’s goal to get people who live work and play together should vote together. 

Detail for how true.  In East Anchorage. v3B  has odd ways concerning neighborhoods.  Nunaka Valley mostly with Mt. View.  While more in common with D20 or 21 on the map.  Tudor curve put in with Huffman neighborhood.  Large portion of land with no population - probably unconstitutional.  No connection physically between Chugach Foothills and Upper O’Malley.  That is some of lowest income in S Muldoon.  Putting them in with Upper Hillside large lots and limited road service and private wells, etc.  Chugach Foothills have no common legislative needs. 

Souht Anchorage - v 4 best logical S Anchorage districts sep from East Anchorage 16 logical abbott loop district etc.

V3 D11 splits Abbot loop between 11 and 14.  Better integration to keep those neighborhoods in their districts.  West Anch better rep under v4.  Ve problem in West Anchorage makes 3 distinct districts into different districts. Version 4 does better.  

Marcum:  You have different idea of SEI within Anchorage - explain

Dunsmore:  Well, compactness is still an issue here.

Bahnke:  thoughts on v3 on 21-26?  

Chris Nelson - North Muldoon.  Respectfully disagree about integrity of JBER and the bases.  I worked after retired on JBER.  Member of ER VFW post.  Speaking for myself.  Live in current home four years.  Military families live off post adjacent to JBER.  I think version today - appreciate give and take of Board.  New map best serves retired military.  The latest version best represents people like me.  But want to thank everyone of you for serving and your patience.  

Binkley:  thanks for your service to military and this process.

Borromeo:  Which one?

Chris:  V3alt

Binkley:  Going on line

Savanah Fletcher in FB.  On the line?  

Casey Casort - in FB.  

Binkley - 2 minute brief at ease to make sure we’re connected.

OK.

Casey Casort  - and Savanah

Savanah Fletcher.  FB   Parks Highway Ester and UAF.  Concern about Goldstream and that community cut off from our community.  Not fair while Salcha more fit 

Frustrating.  Had to take off work and then to wait for hours.  

Casey Casort - FB  also repeat Savanah’s frustration.  Still FB map that I know about from social media, not the Board.  Testified twice with board and frustrated that Goldstream cut away from Ester and UAF.  FB and NP separate.  Thank you.

Andrew Guy - Anchorage. Calista.  Thank you.  From ??? Corporation.  Been involved with redistricting process since 1980 to this year.  I do know factors and this is hard process to go through.  Vote for equal representation but a factor detrimental to Calista region.  I’ve given written testimony.  Oral testimony want to provide idea the factors for this process, but not the cultural Native factors.  Detrimental to Calista.  Even though we have the population to have two house seats.  Results is bad situation for my area.  COVID situation is example of that.  High cases and deaths from COVID.  Representation is money.  We have always give population to other districts that needed it.  Finally have a voice for number of people we have.  

Binkley.  Thanks, we do have written testimony before us.

Bahnke:  In terms of SEI - is it Calista with Doyon or Calista with Bering Straits. 

Guy:  Laughs.  Since 1980s.  Eskimo to Eskimo or Eskimo to ??.  We should help each other and that has happened in he past.  

Bahnke:  In terms of SEI ties?  

Guy:  Oh yes, our Yupik communities and Chupik further up.  Shared customs, 

Brian Redmeyer?  FB - reiterating what Savana and Casey said.  Goldstream vital part of community with UAF.  V3 doesn’t make sense.  

Erin Wilham??:  Anchorage.  Born and raised in East Anchorage. Urge adopt v4 map.  V3 problematically divides things.  V4 more compact and SEI.  V3 raises gerrymandering question.  

John Brown?  Member of Borough.  Speaking for self.  Goldstream shouldn’t be separated from FBNS district.  Only 3 stop lights between my house and UAF.  Clear violation of compact and contiguous. V4 real improvement.  

Nicole Eastman?  - West side of FB for 50 years, Goldstream and Ester.  Glad to see new plan doesn’t overpopulate FB, but Goldstream Valley closely connected to UAF and and FB.  Not connected to Tok and Delta.  Previous map like this was ruled unconstitutional.  Frustrated - on phone at 9am.  Very Anchorage centric time this morning - talking about Anchorage maps, heard from all the Anchorage people in the room first.  Anchorage already takes so much of the air in the State.  Since we have so little time, frustrating that you keep talking about the difficulty of he task.  

Allisa Princeton???  FB - appreciate Board’s problems but have to represent my community - Goldstream. Salcha and Eilson separate with NP.  AFFR map really better represents communities of FB and compact.  Asking communities to compete with each other.

Celest Hodge Growdon - Anchorage.  Pres of Alaska Black Caucus. Agree with so many.  Very difficult to testify.  Strong opposition to Marcum’s map.  It denies BIPOC for next decade to sacrifice communities of color for political reasons.  Ignores hours of public testimony.  African-American and Native Alaskans are a small group, but we shouldn’t be separated with other diverse communities.  Puts Muldoon Curve with Hillside.  Have to drive through 4 other districts to get to rest of district.  

Calvin Rodgers - FB - I work 9-5 been here with EarPod and only Anchorage maps are online.  We need them - the whole map.  Don’t have final version of FB. Goldstream and University should be together.  NP and FB nonsensical.  Can’t believe v3 still being discussed.  There’s support forAFFR and v4.  We should be talking about v4 and AFFR.  

Nome Mayor Luke Hopkin.  Former mayor.  Communities should be represented by boundaries , contiguous and compact districts that keep communities of interest together.  I live in Goldstream, last time district went to Gulf of Alaska and ruled unconstitutional.  Don’t be concerned about SEI of FBNS Borough.  Agree with other comments from FB area.  Eastern part of FBNS borough could more easily connected with Tok and Delta.  V4 best.  

Louise Bishop 

1:48pm Alyse Guttenberg - Thanks,  Been waiting with 9 am this morning.  Had to hear about Anchorage maps and still can’t see maps.  I live ten minutes from University.  Tok is a four hour drive.  Frustrated with time you’ve taken up debating folks.  

Bahnke:  We have about 35 more people, we take the time to hear them.

Borromeo:  Given that people have been waiting since 9am we should hear them all.

Jacqueline Debedit???   In Goldstream for over 25 years.  Agree with all the people who have spoken. My husband and I have worked at UAF all these years.  Please keep us together.  I heard fromCalista Guy.  Make that happen and keep us together.  Also NP and FB are separate. 

1:52pm Two minute break 

Peter - Goldstream/FB - lived whole life near Goldstream.  As much a part of FB as downtown.  People in Goldstream work all over FB and FB folks come to Goldstream

Bill Moser - from Juneau. Testify for v4.  Main point v3 should be gotten rid of.  Keep hearing over and over about constitutional issues with v3 and don’t know why you keep referring to it.  At this point in the game it doesn’t make sense to keep it.  Juneau, FB, Anchorage, rtsural communities.  Support v4, v3 needs to be gone.

David Guttenberg - Serve on NSB Assembly and was in the legislature.  Represented three different district in legislature. One that was ruled unconstitutional.  One that went to the Coast.  D28 in 2012.  You are repeating that map that was ruled unconstitutional.  When you repeat what was done in 2010 you force rep to represent so many different interests.  Forced inequality. thanks.  Will send copy to you.

Alex Baker - Anchorage - Fairview.  Testify for v4 best map for my community.  Only one member of Board at that time.  Author of v4.  Testimony of people in my community.  Clear that v4 evolved with public testimony.  Listening to testimony is one thing. But then you have to listen and make changes.

Rep. Zach Fields - thank board for rigorous travel schedule.  V3 different from v3 less compact from v4, similar deviations.  Rushed job and has sloppiness.  Appears to be gerrymander people out of their districts.  V3 did get rid of some of those things.  But new v3 still puts Snyder and        Even if inconvenient to elected officials - including me - but v4 is best.

John Nelson from Wasilla - 

Kelly Toch??    In Chugiak,  Did see new map updates.  New maps were Anchorage specific, hard to see how it affects our area.  Want to repeat gentleman who was military veteran.  In my area it’s interesting.  I’m actually now connected with Matsu.  Valley School board issues don’t interest me.  For these reasons v3 preferable.  Gets ER, JBER together.  

Kendra Foster - East Anchorage, multiple hats pres of Russian Jack CC, farmers market.  V4 looks like best opportunity now.  Over 100 languages spoken in E Anchorage.  Should keep us together.  Otherwise dilute our voices if mixed with ER or S Anchorage.  Hearing about FB and express my support for FB neighbors.  Board should listen to communities.  We are the experts on the areas where we live.  

[Around 2pm they said there were 35 more people!!!!! Not sure how many we’ve done.]

2:17  Tanner ??? - three points  1.  Western Alaska, question of SEI between Western Doyon-Ancsa region and Coast - Chevak, Hooper Bay and Scamon Bay.  Think it’s not worth your time, it just isn’t worth your time can’t be done constitutionally.

2.  FB  - .2 of district has to go outside Borough.  Should not come from Western part ofBorough.  Our coalition think it should come from (Doyon)

Anchorage talked to lots of people.  V4 more aligned than v3.

Bethany:  Changes for Doyon things we should be aware of.  Vast areas of state.  Border between 36  v3 and v4 are identical. Playing 3 and 4 changes for Nome districts from interior districts.  As Bahnke said, it would be unconstitutional.  

Borromeo - Doyon Villages are they captured in maps board has consensus.

Tanner:  My understanding trying to make Chevak and Scammon Bay switch, D38 D37 not a problem.  

Binkley - not sure we understand.

Tanner:  Bethel - do have problem.  Putting interior villages with Nome.  Sticking with v3 or v4 with slight moderation or our maps, but not try to do more than that.

Binkley:  Bethany will follow up with you.

Jamie Allard from ER - Appreciate all you are doing.  Public shouldn’t be attacking volunteers.  Resident of ER.  First generation veteran.  ER, JBER, E Anchorage, we are one.  Absolutely connected.  Close ties between ER and NE Anchorage.  My husband and I are both military vets because of diverse populations.  Heard mention of ER exit that this has taken 3 years to get this far.  Heard from my residents.  We are all part of the same Anchorage community.  Two areas with many military personnel - ER.  I’m for map 3.  I’m a person of color as first generation Chilean.  I don’t have others speak for me.

James Squyres from Gulkana - I’ve testified previously.  Heard all this talk about compactness for Anchorage.  Argument that district 39 can’t be put together because of SEI.  Difference of lifestyle of drainage.  About 5000 Alaskans in that area.  Denali B has ???  Don’t leave our area as a left over.  

David James - FB  Live in Goldstream for 25 years.  Object to pairing us with SE in rural area. It’s like ten years ago to pair us with Bethel.  I was in Tok when I was fifteen, I was in FB today.  Constitution clear on this.  Don’t do Senate pairing with Bethel.  

Sue  - speaking as individual now.  Like other people from FB frustrated we can’t see our map, and still kind find it on website, unlike Anchorage maps that went up quickly.  Glad you had so much public testimony and heard that we didn’t want to be overpopulated.  Assembly didn’t say wanted to do this.  They did not identify an area.   Doesn’t make any more sense for us on the east to be with Tok any more than Goldstream.  

Binkley:  Map should be in in two seconds.

Kristen ???  - Planned Parenthood - standing up for marginalized communities.  Do not separate them for partisan reasons.  Taking gold stream out of communities it’s associated with and same with putting NP into FB.  Doesn’t make sense to put them together.  Things go east-west in FB.  Seem political motivated, not community motivated.  Thanks listened to concern about being overpopulated but maps should have been up earlier we’ve been on the phone since 9am. 

Binkley - NP is no longer with FB.  Map up now.

Gary Newman - rep myself and decahedron.  5.2 seats of Fairbanks.  Board accepted that Eilson was economic center for FB more than ….  Eilson as economic engine fails on SEI.  Eilson is closed off unit.  Own schools, and hard to get in.  Didn’t vote in Anchorage, but PFD changed that.  But Goldstream excluded by FB board member. Seems political.  50 years in FB, trails are important here and people come here for trails. But Eilson folks go to south.  Board talked about Richardson Highway to connect with Valdez.  Seems logical that Eilson fits better in 36 than people closely engaged in FB.  V4.  No other testimony.  Seems a mockery of efforts residents of FB made to educate Board.  Need v4.  Commend you for all the time you put in, not an easy task.

2:45 Ann Brown Anchorage - Calling in support of final version of map 3, best for military and civilian population.  

Lacy Hemming.  Scenic ??? Not sure of number - supporting Nicole’s map, keeps community together following natural boundaries.  Do not support Bethany Marcum’s map, it ignores lots of public testimony.  Keep neighborhoods together.  Very different neighborhoods than ER.

Teresa Robel - Anchorage but raised in Goldstream.  FB and UAF vital part of Goldstream community.  Always closely associated with UAF and FB.  

John Nelson Wasilla - moved away 2 minutes in four hour call and missed my place.  Important to listen to people who live in the communities.  Understand people in ER.  Born and raised in Anchorage, then Chugiak before moving to Matsu.  Keep those communities’ representation together.  Wasilla needs to be together and not separate and divide people in city limits.  Discouraging to see Denali B into Matsu.  Partial to v3 but hard to find current version.  Let us record our messages rather than make us wait four hours.

Binkley - we do get written testimony  Another 60 this morning.

Cliff Rose - brief and thanks.  Mt View and Fairview communities. How divide on map.  They should be whole communities.  Important not just disenfranchisement.  And neighborhood context so they are understood.  Recent changes to Assembly regime.  Repped by only one Assembly member and soon it will be two.  That historical representation has impact.  Any maps that divide or don’t make those low income ….  Mt. View and Fairview shouldn’t be divided. 

Binkley - I don’t see anyone else waiting,  Oops we do have someone here in Anchorage.

Randy Ruedrich - Long wait.  Simple request on behalf of Calista.  Not Chevak, it’s about Calista villages into D37.  Calista representation diluted in Legislature. Calista can now start to build small majority in 37.  Second - want to address FB.  Commend the Board. Unfortunately people didn’t get to see map.  Impression from testimony that goes all the way over from the east side.  Half from the east and half from the west.  Timer goes off.  

Binkley:  Didn’t understand.  Take some villages and move them to 37 and then take some of Hooper Bay and that doesn’t affect 39.  Overpopulate 37 and underpopulated 39.  Online - Dawn Fraser from Delta - I live in D9 and you want D36.  For putting military units, Eilson, etc. into one group.  In school district speak Ukrainian Russian Spanish and English.  Very much and International community.

Binkley:  that concludes public testimony and take a few minutes to rearrange the room.  Take a 15 minute break.  

3:04pm  OK 30 minute break to sanitize the room and have some lunch.