Alaska Redistricting Board Agrees To Pay $115,000 For Girdwood Plaintiffs Legal Fees

 My notes of the meeting (It was short and sweet.)

12:29 - voices - Melanie, Matt, Peter chatting about weather - Sunny in Nome, not Anchorage

John:  You there?  Let's wait a couple of minutes.  

Peter:  Budd?  Yes, I'm here.  Waiting for one more member.  

12:33  Take roll: Bahnke, Binkley, Borromeo, Marcum, Simpson - all here

Binkley:  We have one item, unless any proposed amendments.  Adopt Amendment.  Seconded.  Adopted

Matt Singer:  Wrapping up legal challenges to plan adopted by the Board.  At Board's direction, negotiated with Girdwood plaintiffs = $115,000 30% discount.  If party prevails on successful constitutional claim.  Their offer in zone of reasonable.  Encourage the Board to accept.

Simpson:  Does not create a precedent for others, by agreeing to stipulated amount here, doesn't tie us into other claims.

Singer:  attribute 25% to Supreme court and 75% to Superior Court.  Reduce this to court order.  Does not tie Board's hand on other issue that remain in litigation.  

Binkley:  Motion to accept offer by Girdwood plaintiffs.  Moved, seconded, no objections.

Motion adopted.  Settled with Girdwood plaintiffs.  Thanks for their reasonableness in this.  appreciate their participation.  Other comments.

Bahnke:  Echo you.  If citizens hadn't taken the steps they took, this wouldn't have ended up as it did.  

Binkley:  Thanks.  Motion for adjournment?  No objections.

12:40pm adjourned.   

[UPDATE:  I'd just note that at this meeting they mentioned not seeing a precedent for payments to other plaintiffs.  That means there are other outstanding request(s) for reimbursement.  The most likely are the East Anchorage plaintiffs because they also won a constitutional claim.  So this may not have been the final meeting.]