Mushrooms And Other Late Summer Delights

 

These artichokes were growing outside the Legislative Information Office.  There was a big round flower bed full of flowers and edible plants.

You don't see that many artichokes growing in Alaska, but, obviously, they can.

I thought this giant cabbage plant had a great design.   And then I played with it some more with Curves.  That's a technique that messes with the colors and the light and dark in different programs like Photoshop and, in this case, Apple's Photo.

I played the same kind of tricks on this curled leaf decorative cabbage.  You get to see patterns that you didn't see in real life. 

When I take the Goose Lake route for my bike ride I always enjoy this spot.  On the way out this morning I noticed ripples emanating from the shore and stopped to look for ducks or grebes.  Then ducks headed out.  And then toward me.  I held real still and a couple walked onto the shore right next to me.  I took this picture on the way back. The ripples were gone, but ducks started heading in my direction again.  I realized I wasn't the duck whisperer I thought.  Obviously, this is a spot where people feed the ducks and any human standing here attracts the ducks.  

This big brown mushroom has made an appearance in the yard in the last few days.  I think the originally is more interesting than the one I played with in curves.

And these bright red amanitas are performing in the front yard today.  Didn't think that curves would do anything worthwhile.

We hiked along Power Line Pass on an always threatening to rain day.  The rain didn't come until we were in the car and almost home.

Raspberries from below.  Been picking them every other day for a week now.

And two of the downstairs tomatoes got red the other day.  They were tasty.  The ones in the outside greenhouse are still green as are the ones on the deck which are still a bit more than pea sized.    

The moon was full the other night.  I still think it's neat that people all around the earth can see it - many at the same time you can even though their thousands of miles away from you.  

[Added Aug 29, 2021 in résponse to Mike's comment:  No bears, but the next day these two moose were on the side of the trail in that stretch where I'm extra bear careful.  This was on a downhill part, and they were far enough off the trail so I could stop easily (rather than stopping on the uphill part) (But I guess that depends on which direction you're going.)  They were maybe 40 or 50 feet from the trail.  You can see how easy it is for huge brown animals to blend into the scenery.  I guess after many years I'm just better than I was at seeing brown blobs as something to pay attention to.  If you can't see them they are just left of center.  Their heads are down in the grass eating.  I'm putting this picture here since I can't put pics in the comments. That doesn't mean it's not possible to put pictures in the comments, but I've never figured it out. . . Of course, that made me google the question, and yes you can upload images into comments. But it has to have a url and this one isn't posted to the web.  I could do that, according to the article, but for now I'm just going to leave it here.]

AK Redistricting Board September Schedule AND Links To Public Map Making Software

 I got two emails from Juli Lucky, a staff member of the Board today.  One announcing the September meetings and the other with links to the Map Making software that's available for public use.  

The Board adopted some deadlines in the meetings Monday and Tuesday:

• Constitutional 30 days after receiving official Census data they most have preimimaoy map
• This date was ambiguous this year because Census Bureau sent data August 12 but saw it was unofficial.  Then later said it was official.  So Board is a little behind, and 30 days is September 10.  So they've scheduled map making days leading up to the 10th.
• They also decided that independent map makers (members of the public and some organized groups working on alternative plans ought to have a little more time, so they've given them another week - to September 17 to get their maps in for consideration
• And so the board will look at those maps and decide which ones to adopt as part of the draft plans to share with the public
• They have 60 more days (from September 10) to adopt an official plan which will be November 10.  In the meantime, they will go on the road around Alaska to present the plans to the public and get their input - particularly on local situations that might violate some of the Alaska Constitutional requirements - particularly social-economic integration of districts.  Or that just might make more or less sensible districts. 

So here's the email with that schedule.  I'd note they met Monday and Tuesday at the Legislative Information Office  (LIO) in Anchorage which allowed for statewide video conferencing plus phone in lines.  They've scheduled the LIO again but caution that the legislature has priority for that location and they may end up in the Board's Offices in the University Mall which doesn't have - at this point - video conferencing.  

"The Alaska Redistricting Board adopted the following meeting schedule and announced that public testimony will be taken at the beginning and end of each board meeting. The intent is to have full day meetings at the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, but that is subject to change based on availability.  Meetings times and more detailed agendas will be forthcoming as they are finalized. 

 

September 7 – 9, 2021: Map Drawing Work Sessions

September 10, 2021: Discussion and Adoption of Draft Plan(s)

September 17, 2021: Presentations of Submitted (3rd Party) Plan(s)

September 21, 2021: Discussion and Adoption of Additional Draft Plan(s)"

 

I'd note the first day - September 7 - is also Rosh Hashanah which along with Yom Kippur ten days later are the two holiest days on the Jewish calendar.  

I've posted the link to the mapping software before, but here it is again.  I did play with it at home and again at the Board meeting yesterday.  For what it has to do, it's pretty simple.  But that's like saying Photoshop is simple.  It's easy to use, but takes a while to figure out.  I haven't found the instruction manual yet.  I'm following my granddaughter's way of learning how to use her mother's phone - just press every option and see what it does until I figure it out.  I'm not sure that will make me proficient enough in the time available to do anything useful.  But I'll keep trying and share if i get any great insights or breakthroughs.

We are pleased to announce that our public mapping tool has updated with new 2020 Census geography and population information. 

 

Public Mapping Tool: www.akredistrict.org/create

 

The public mapping tool is a user-friendly way to start drawing your own maps using the same geographic and population information as the Board. The tool uses a “paint brush” approach to color in census blocks with real time updates of the population of each proposed district showing how it compares to the “ideal” district population of 18,335. You can also add “data layers” to see existing boundaries such as current legislative districts, school districts and municipalities.

 

The Save Plan function produces a unique URL that can be shared with others and also has a button to start the process to submit your map to the Board.

 

The tool has been verified by our staff and compared to the population counts provided by the Department of Labor on their website (two screenshots are attached illustrating this test).  

 

Executive Director Peter Torkelson demonstrated this tool at the meeting this morning. If you missed the meeting, the video archive will be available soon through the Alaska Legislature’s page at www.akleg.gov under the “meetings tab” or via this link.

 

 

Juli Lucky

Staff, Alaska Redistricting Board

(907) 251-9295

Board Gets Interesting Testimony And Works On Mapping Skills

 Morning so far has included 

Board discussing how they want to learn the mapping software during the day today

Testimony by:

James Squires Gulkana

Tom Begich - State Senator and very involved in past two redistricting processes

Rhonda Pitka -  Village of Beaver

Aaron Shutt - CEO Doyon

It's 10:38 now and the Board members are working together and individually on their computers to create districts in SE Alaska.  Basically, this is a learning exercise so they can get skilled on the mapping software.  They are each asking questions and staff are giving suggestions for what to do.  

Here are my notes from this morning.  Of most substantive interest is the testimony.  Regular disclaimers:  these are rough notes, a guide to what's happening at the Board, but not verbatim and not without errors.  

AK Redistricting Board Notes

Aug. 24, 2021

Meeting 

9am - 10:15am

9:17  Peter Torkelson demonstrating online website.

9:44 Board has been talking about the new software and how they want to learn the software.  

9:48  Board is going to take public testimony - looking for people on line who might want to testify.  Two people in line

9:50 James Squire, Gulkana District 9 describing district.  Even to Whittier - we have little in common - people living in Super Cold down to Whittier.  Delta to Valdez - north of Alaska range to Whittier and Palmer.  Distance to travel from one part to another.  Need something more reasonable, similar climates, life style.  They drive to Fairbanks, NOT Palmer.  Alaska Range is important boundary.  I understand you need to get population.  Alaskans in Palmer have little to do with what goes on here.  We go to FB and FB comes to us for recreation.  

John:  Thanks very much appreciate the detail and brevity.  If you’ve been looking online, can you give the online mapping project 

Nicole - Thanks for excellent, precise testimony.  

James Squire - We don’t go to Fred Meyers in Palmer, Go to Fairbanks.  Difference between -4 and -50.  

Sen. Tom Begich, from Anchorage - Thanks for letting me testify.  Couldn’t yesterday.  Commend you on your process.  I’ve served in 2001 and 2011 cycle.  First - caution, if you separate into group you’ll run into  interlocking puzzle problem when you put them together.

1. Two piece criteria - Federal and Constitutional guidance.  There are no existing districts.  They are built by scratch.  We start by looking at Burroughs because they are by definition socio-economic integrated.  You talked about starting with SE because has only one direction to go.  Having done that, there is a way to have a core district with Yakutat.  
2. Mr. Squires says Delta should be connected with FB.  He’s right.  No reason for Delta or Valdez to be connected with FB.
3. Matsu has to find that .6 percent and Anchorage will too, while Kenai and FB have to shed population.  Anchorage 15.8 will have to go south to get the extra population.  It can be done.
4. Matsu won’t be able to go south to Anchorage.  
5. Heard Doyon testimony.  Areas of Doyon region required by 39 can be returned to Doyon.

Starting with Socio Economic first, existing districts are irrelevant.

Start with SE

Take testimony.  

John:  Thanks Senator, that was a lot to absorb.  Couldn’t follow it all.  You have a lot of experience.  

Melanie:  Thank you.  For those not familiar with this, we have to follow Alaska Constitution, that we start with blank slate, look at Constitution.

Nicole:  Specific recs for Delta and Valdez.  Repeat?

Tom:  Palmer has grown.  Control of six seats.  Valdez, the largest pop center and Delta neither required by Palmer.   Move Cordova into broader district with Valdez.  Another thing:  Courts fairly strict of socio-economic relationship.  We tried to use community councils but courts said no, the whole city.  But because Fairbanks City was an elected govt. inside the Borough so it was given consideration.

Including Valdez in anchorage district struck down in 2001 because they had no relationship.  

John.  Thanks. You said not be relying on existing districts, just socio-economic aspects.  To me it’s intuitive because they’ve passed Court scrutiny.  They were binding.  Why not use that as a starting point.  

Tom:  Court ruled that Anchorage by definition is socio-economic area so line can be drawn anywhere.  In that criteria, massive deviation with new data.  In outlying areas .  No inherent right of district to exist.  But socio-economic unit does have right.  You do have natural districts - Nome area - but if you start there you ignore the socio-economic as most important.  You can use the districts to guide you.  You can have deviation within 5 points.  Start with Constitution criteria - socio-economic integrated, contiguity, compactness.  

Ronda Pitka from Village of Beaver  - Testifying on behalf of Beaver Village council.  Heavily rely on.  Support of strong consideration of work of Sealaska, ?????, to advance or suppress political power of Alaska Natives has been considerable.  We should be able to hold reps accontable.  In past, we’ve been fractured in deference to Fairbanks.  If map of unfractured representative.  Doyon and partners have looked at river systems, local boundaries.  ??

Melanie:  Thanks for calling in and testifying.  

John:  Audience wish to testify?

Mr. Aaron Shutt CEO Doyon  (https://www.doyonutilities.com/leadership/aaron-m-schutt)- Thanks mr. Squires.  The work we (Doyon) are doing supports Mr. Squires.  Interior is one socio-economic unit.  Rural parts of Alaska always come together.  Also share with Board, resources to board.  If you have questions for us we’re here to help.  We have a great team.  

John:  natural time for break.  Till 10:30

1:20pm

I decided to go home during the lunch break to see how this works online.  You can watch here: http://akleg.gov/index.php#

There were some redistricting board sessions done via phone last time, but I don't remember any live stream video.  It makes the meetings much more accessible to the world, and my blogging not quite as important.  

Redistricting Board Meeting Highlights August 23, 2021

The Board met from 10am today through  with a break for Executive Session to get briefed by the attorney on Alaska Redistricting Cases and lunch.

It's been a long day. It's clear that I'm ten years older than I was when I went to the Board meetings

ten years ago.   Let me try to pull up some key points from the meeting.  Then I'll add my very rough  notes from the meeting below

• Time table for map proposals
• Established Aug. 12 as official day they received numbers from Census Brea
• That starts the Constitutional clock for 
• preliminary map(s) adopted  by Sept 11 (non-Board maps by 9/17) and 
• final map by November 10 
• What Census data show  (see charts on Redistricting Website  and also here)
• Changes in districts and regions from 2010 to now - this was shown in a series of slides.  There was lots of detail and it will affect the makeup of the legislature.  Some key takeaways
• statewide, the smallest population increases in decades
• biggest gains in Matsu - plus 18,000 people (but previous decade gained 30,000);  Kenai plus 3400; Western Alaska plus 900
• both Anchorage (JBER lost @3000) and Fairbanks declined
• Executive Session with Board's attorney on lessons from previous Alaska Court cases.  The Board made a nod to my suggestion to make some of this public by having the attorney discuss the standards  Constitution and the Supreme Court have set for the Board to follow in making their maps.  But that sentence was pretty much all he said publicly and then they went into Executive Session for and hour or more (it was combined with lunch which was brought in for them)
• Attorney Matt Singer said (as best as I could type) 

"Meeting to review my legal advice.  Reviewing my opinions are confidential.  For public key places - 

Article 6 of Constitution Section 10 outlines process and requirements and Sec. 6    AK Supreme Court each time established guidelines for Redistricting Board  process by which it must be done and directions for deviation and how down in light of decisions - so another sourceAvailable where public can search those cases.  Guided by Constitution and Alaska Supreme Court."

• My recollection is that ten years ago the attorney did much of this in open session.  Here's a post from March 2011 that gives a lot of the requirements as outlined by the 2010 Board attorney.  There were other sessions where he gave other such overviews in public.  
• Discussion over how the Board is to go about creating maps.  The staff recommended dividing the State into six to eight regions and having subcommittees of Board members work on a couple regions each.  Then they would come together and put them all together and work out the edges.  There was pushback from a Doyon mapper and another group Alaskans for Fair and Equitable Redistricting (There were two groups with similar names last time.  I believe AFFR was representing Native groups and Unions generally and Alaskans For Fair and Equitable Redistricting (AFFER) was more of a Republican oriented group) both of whom felt that by making the six regional blocks first, the Board would lock things up and miss options to have better districts inside those regions.  It appears the Board is going to try with the Regional Approach but also try to be flexible with those challenges in mind.  Also the Board Chair said that the two groups - Doyon and AFFR - could submit their maps for the Board to compare and there would be 6o more days to get public reaction and make changes.
• Public Testimony  - you can find some of this in my notes below.

  

  Board ED Peter Torkelson and Chair John Binkley
  talking to Doyon mapper during break

  
  

My running notes from the meeting. Beware:  These notes give you the gist of what was discussed.  It's not verbatim but you can get a sense of who spoke and what was said.  The meetings of  the 2020 Census round are all available live and I believe recordings will all be available at the Board's website.  On the one hand, that makes these notes less important.  On the other hand, these notes can alert you to where to look for things of interest when the tapes are available.  For figuring out names of Board members, see this post.  I've tended to use first names because that's how they are being called and it's easier to type on the fly.   For staff, see this post.   You can also see pictures of the attorneys at this post of their mapping training.  

Redistricting Board Meeting

(Everyone masked as required)

10:10am  

All the Documents/Slides are available at:  https://www.akredistrict.org/alaska-population/

Public Testimony

Kay Brown - . . . .former legislator - Use maximum deviation possible.  competitive districts, where every vote matters,  consistent with public interest.  Finally do not gerrymander the map.  There is a party in control of this process, do not make that an issue.  Thank you for your service.  Actions you take will affect state for ten years.  

Question, Binkley  What do you mean by max deviation?  Given our size, be ready to protect minority strength using maximum deviation if necessary.  

Online:  Hooper Bay - William Manning - Camai.  [Cut off]

Move to Anchorage, no, audio tech says ok.  Brief at ease - kicked off the system.  

10:20 back on line after break where people were talking.  

William Manning - Hooper Bay, waiting for the connection.  Believe they can hear us, but we can’t hear him.  

Christopher Constant - MOA Assembly - Substantially consequential because we created a 12th member of Assembly - Downtown will be growing and we’ll be doing our own redistricting process in parallel with you.  Hope we can keep our precincts as close to your statewide districts.  

14 people in the audience.

Time frame:  immediately after State - we need 60 days and then 6 months to complete.  We are beginning internal process to get it done sooner and try to be early.  Probably won’t go into effect for 2022 because we need to do it by Dec. 2021.   Based on State’s initial final plan, not after all the court decisions.  

10:26  Suspended again because, I think, recording system isn’t working.  

10:32 Tech problems solved, hopefully.

Joelle Hall - President of Union.  Chair of Alaskans for Fair Redistricting.  Thank you for work you’re doing.  Important for so many of us.  

Look at size of districts - looking at rural Alaska maps, getting bigger and bigger as pop grows.  Max deviations to allow a little less geography.  Clearly have a majority-minority issue and diversity growing and should be recognized.  Community interest and urban diversity reflected in the districts.  This should be an educational and entertaining process.  

Paul Kendall - 

?? Silvers - Hulbert?  on council,  [Wanted to change pairings of Senate districts M and N]  Senate districts M and N in South Anchorage - underrepresentation for ??? Anchorage residents.  These districts should be mapped to reflect the issues of the two - Combing 25 M  and 26N ?? and 26 M 28 N Would better reflect socially .  East Anchorage in one district and South Anchorage in another district.  Go east/west not north/south.  

Major Felisa Wilson - Ret AF Med Officer, recently retired.  Came to give insight how Base is set up.  Now Joint Base El is in one district and Fort R with Eagle River.  Helpful if base communities stay together - near Boniface is lower rank folks,  Govt Hill more senior.  

Cols and Generals w/o off base homes on.   Lot more diversity in army personnel than Airforce.  Based on Housing areas.  

How can we get in touch with you to follow up?  

Melanie - took notes, lots of info, but would be helpful to be specific for maps later.

Try online:

William Manning in Hooper Bay - [We did receive letter from mayor of Hooper Bay - connected with that?]  Thanks for letting me speak.  Local leaders on the record letter, Hooper Bay should be part of Bethel district - it’s the key hub for us, funding, housing src services served by Bethel.  Consider ourselves as part of YK Delta.  

John:  Having lived in Bethel for many years, I understand what you’re talking about.  

Sarah Oped   From Doyon.  Morning from Fairbanks.  Thanks for opportunity.  Sarah Obed From Fairbanks testifying on behalf of Doyon.  20K  AK Native shareholders.  Strengthen our way of Life.  Fairbanks Native Association to create maps to ensure state support of Native Alaskans.   Communities are not included together in single districts - fractured.  We will be presenting Board with our efforts to make statewide map.  Approach to mapping interior to overcome current fractured interests.  

John:  Thanks, looking forward to seeing your maps.  If you can keep Doyon in a couple of House districts I’ll be impressed.  

Nicole - elaborate on how many districts fractured 

Sarah - voter turnout data, polled McGrath and other villages a minority vote for voters in that region. People in villages it’s very hard to have impact.  

10:58  John:  Followup, when you see fracturing, not socially economically related.  [If split into different districts] then have multiple senators or reps looking for you interests.  

Sarah:  Great question - that was discussion argument in 2014 amended proclamation plan.  We had a number of representatives for Doyon, but overall we need more focused representative.    That’s been in place since 2014 -

All the testimony - Mr. Kendall - Paul Kendall - concerned about our government, lost sense of purpose, priority, you are all very accomplished.  Open plea to you Juneau is now an embarrassing.  Magnitude is unprecedented. Keep plan target images, concentrations of populations.  Hubs of activity.  Like it or not, Anchorage is the hub of the state.  

[This is a macro critique about problems of the world, I’m not sure the direct connection to redistricting.]

No one else?  Close public testimony

Census Data presentation from Mr. Eric Sandberg  - 32 slides of changes from 2010 census and the 2020 Census.  Graph of growth over time - this last decade smallest growth

2.  Change by census areas.  Purple decreased

Largest growth Matsu 18K   Kenai 3400.  Outside of those in Western Bethel 900, Slope 

Fairbanks and Anchorage declined.  Unusual.  Much of missing growth in those two borroughs.

3.  Non-Census slide - Dept of Labor estimates - rate of early natural increase (births-deaths) everywhere had more births than deaths.  Highest natural increase in Western Alaska.  Lower map, rate of yearly net migration. 

4.  Pop changes for precincts  - Current house districts on top.  Western Alaska pop growth, remote as well as hub.  Decreases - Kotzebue, Red Dog mine went down.  Aleutians lost >100/precinct.  

5.  Anchorage- top JBER districts largest loss @3000.  Anchorage neg for decade, not just JBER.  Mt. View, Fairview, Seward Highway down,  Hillside up.  Downtown core up 500

6.  Eagle River stayed at 35K, but people shifted.  Downtown loss, but pop growth, north fork of ER Road.  

7.  Matsu - highest growth - 18K - a slowdown for them, last time by 30K - all over the Borough except for city of Palmer, Sutton and chicaloon.  Bishop region and Pt Mckenzie growing - prison is much of that.  

8..  Fairbanks lost 1600 people throughout all, but UAF campus 2010 1400, 2020 400, could be COVID related, appears some issue on counting.  Growth areas  - Frt Wainright  only base to grow, changed how deployed soldiers counted.  2010 - overseas pop in state where they enlisted, in 2020 at home base.  

9.  Kenai, about 3400 people up - Much of road system growth - outskirts of Seward, Homer, Kasiloff, Sterling, and parts of Kenai, Soldotna.  Off road system - all lost - Tyonek etc.

10.  SE mixed growth - highest Mendenhall Valley, Ketchikan, Hoonah, Skagway fastest, Haines down 500, still looking into why.  Number of housing units dropped.  Sitka and Wrangell declines.

11.  Juneau - airport lemon creek growth.  Downtown, North Doughlas, declined.  

12.  Same maps but with rates of change.

Questions:  Matsu faster or slower than state average.  3 areas grew 15% points.  Matsu, 20% also Slope 17% growth, and Skagway 28% growth.  

Above average - rural SE, Kenai,   Western Alaska- 

Answering question about rural areas - unclear why, could have been undercounted in 2010

14  JBER stands out for large decline -15%  also large sections of Western Anchorage- Mt. View, Bayshore.  Other parts grew - Downtown Core - Basher/Stuckagain,  Lower Hillside, Kincaid

15  Eagle River roughly same 2010 to 2020

16.  Fairbanks - Ft. Wainwright   Most FB -12%;  wondering if F35’s to eastern side of Borough, but did not seem to be the case.  Eilson declined.  

How districts from 2010 how far off on 2020 data.

12:06  

Back in session - Peter Torkelson Exec Dir  talking about how Board received information from Census.  This is on the Board’s website

Expect by Sept. 30.  Ohio sued.  Census determined they could get data done by mid-August.  

Aug 5 tweeted - August 12.  I checked if that was real.

Got data on drop site August 12, we downloaded the zip file.  Unzipped opens into four large text files.  About 45 MB of data.  Do contain fields.  Also have cells, but separated by a special character.  Shift Option key.  

Easy for program to read, not for people.  

Converted to excel

Validation - Compared 3800 cells we matched - they all matched perfectly.  Quite confident we have the right data.  

Census Bureau will ship us a disc and when we get that we’ll double check it all again.  

Look at Website you can see district by district changes in population.  

More files you can open with Google Earth.  

You can explore 2010 data vs. 2020 data.  [I tried and none of my programs worked.  KMZ  But now I know I need Google Earth to open them.]

Q:  What happens if the data doesn’t match when you get the final.  

John - Going into ES, but maybe we can have a little introduction. 

Peter:   AK Constitution   Board must adopt one or more plan within ?? Days - Last Board adopted 5 maps including their own and ones other had made.  They felt more better.  Trying to find areas of agreement.  Hoping we’ll get 3rd party maps and heard from some people we will.  

Constitutional part :  30 days to draft one or more proposed plan, the 60 more days (90 after official receipt) need to do that.  Need to take our plan(s).

Attorney Matt:

Asking Matt to talk a little about why going into ES and a little about the cases so public knows.

Matt  Meeting to review my legal advice.  Reviewing = my opinions are confidential.  For public key places - 

Article 6 of Constitution Section 10 outlines process and requirements and Sec. 6

AK Supreme Court each time established guidelines for Redistricting Board  process by which it must be done and directions for deviation and how down in light of decisions - so another source

Available where public can search those cases.  

Guided by Constitution and Alaska Supreme Court.  

Going into ES.  Motion with vague reason for going into ES.  

If lunch comes during ES, we’ll eat.  Come back when we’re done.  Not sure how long.  Maybe up to an hour.  

12:30 now.  Should we say 1:30?  

Coming back at 1:30.

1:50 post ES and lunch back in session.  9 audience members now

Timeline - Peter constant contact with Census because our timeline based on release of Census Data.  Told Sept. 30.  After the official release date by law.  Noticed that it said “Official” on our website for date.  Talked to CB and date of Aug. 12 is NOT official.  Don’t actually know for sure what the official date.  We are asking the Board to make Sept 11 which is 30 days after Aug 12.  

Sept 11, adopt at least one map.

John - Pushing process forward instead of pushing it back.  

Matt - tied to release of census.  In prior decades it occurred in March.  90 day deadline, 30 to put out proposed plan and then 60 days.  

Also had file deadlines, election dates that give time pressures for getting plan in place.  Treating Aug 12 as official data is most consistent with Constitution.  

Peter:  Sept 11 adopt ‘a plan’ by.  Then 90 days from official receipt - Nov. 10.  We can be earlier.  I recommend that due to change of dates:

Sept. 11 and allow 3rd parties a little longer - Dec. 2 - if a 3rd party gets a realistic plan allow them to explain their plan and allow it.  Adopt all 3 as drafts so when go on public tour we can have more plans.  

We’ll take the 2nd week and Board could have a second plan.  

John:  Census B had a later date, then gave preliminary data Aug. 12, then decided that Aug. 12 was official.  June 1, 2022 = expedite process as much as we can given the lateness already.  So legislators can know and file for office.  

Melanie - with shorter time frame, public needs adequate time to write up plans and comment on draft plan.  

John:  One of most important aspects is getting comments from public.  

Melanie:  Be clear, still waiting for official letter from CB, we just have email and cut and paste from their website.  CB could still change it to Sept 30 again.  

John:  We have better tools - software - and public has that too so it should be easier for public to make maps too.  

Recommended motion?

Peter:  

TJ:  Aoption of draft plan….?  

Matt:  Best practice to adopt a proposal and publish it.

 Nicole:  At least one draft by Sept 11 and 17 for others to submit and final plan by November 10.

John:  some flexibility.

Nicole:  Don’t intend to have flexibility for the end day.  It’s a Wednesday.  

John:  Can’t go beyond the 10th. 

Nicole:  In ES also talked about give public maximum chance to participate.  Not willing to add flexibility to end date.  

John:  We could work on 4th and 5th and have it by the 10th. 

Melanie:  Don’t want to be like CB saying maybe, we should have a clear and final dates.

John:  No objections?  Adopted.

Workflow process.

Peter:  No formal presentation.  One member to draw it up and show Board. Adopt that part of the state.  Probably most flexible.  Having two members in subcommittee might be better than just one.  Break it into smaller pieces.  Something that 

1st .  If do whole state, end up with one terrible district.  If we divide it into region, but each region must be given a population and divide it up.

Six natural regions.  And then interlock all six at the end.  There will be a reconciliation at the end.  

Regionalization to avoid the left-over seat problem.  

TJ:  2 members plus staff.  1 and floating member.  1+chair on each committee.  They would come to office and work with staff, public could come in.  There would be dead times and then time when full committee comes together.  Work of subcommittees is just to break up the work.  Make sure public is involved and subcommittee work not meant to be binding.  

Peter - this office belongs to Legislature and not available all the time.  In our office we’ll have big screen that people can watch.  Database with questions and rationale.  

Start with ??.  Questions, recs, rationale.  

Started with city X and did this and that for these reasons.  

Learned from Mr Sanders we have a lot of changes.  Can we modify existing districts.  Document decisions and bring them back to the Board.  We have room for maybe 20 people.  

John:  Start with Eric (Sandberg) thoughts on regionalization.  

Eric Sandberg:  

Kodiak Kenai 4.1 districts

SE  3.91 districts

Western - 37-40, over 4 districts

Nicole - How many 

Eric: 2010 1-6 

Nicole - were are the district boundaries of the 1-6

Sandberg:  Peter asked me to use the new data and do the same thing

Anchorage Same geography and add back Fort Rich with ER and back to Anchorage.  13.92 districts   

Questions from Board -  slides and handouts

[The regionalization process does make some assumptions about how to divide the population, but I’m guessing this is pretty neutrally intended.  Using terms like over and under populated - but that means compared to previously and related to 18,335 people per district. It seems to me that when the regional groups come together there will be big probs. As you adjust on one regional border, it will affect the other regional boarders.]

Melanie:  Can you drill down to see Alaska Native percentages?  

John:  Thanks for presentation  Board discussion?

Nicole:  In ideal world, preference we come together as a Board, but given the compressed time line.  We could work in different combinations of members on different regions.  More interaction among board members and also better understanding of the regions.  

Discussions of how to divide the regions up. Looking at total population in region along with geography.  

Each subcommittee represents  

How many people involved in how many regions - familiarity with regions 

John:  Maybe since Anchorage is so significant we do that as a whole Board.  

3:14  - Peter:  Agenda is for two days. Recommend we recess now.  Anyone who wants to work on map making now can stay and do that.  

Tomorrow Agenda 8c and 8d, 9 was done, tomorrow 10 Map making

5 minute recess  3:17

3:39  After lots of audience/Board (John and Peter) discussion during break about the impacts of starting with the Board’s regions and how that locks things in later.  

Now in session again.  Down to seven audience.  

Peter - looking at Matsu - where are the people - northern edge.  Talking about how to link people as social-economic community - debating how you make new Matsu districts - north, east, south?

The board is working on a a map starting from Matsu.  I’ve lost track of what they are doing.   Now they have focused on Fairbanks.  

4:25 - John - opening up to more public comment - a response to comments during last break

David Dunsmore - Alaskans for Fair Redistricting - suggest by Borough how much population and regionalization discussion.  One of most objective criteria is respecting local government boundaries.  Maps don’t allow the Anchorage-Matsu boundary - population doesn’t allow much combination.  Start by identifying - Anch has about 15.88 ideal house seats.  Choice of 16 house seats keeping socially-economically integrated, where you you get extra population.  Issues like that across the state.  Appreciate you taking time to listen to us.  

Tanner Ander???  Working with Doyon - Interior and SE Coalition.  Regionalization issues.  Work we have done shows some of the pitfalls when doing regionalization of interior.  Puts assumptions that regionalization imposes

1. Assumption - putting Matsu B with Ahtna region - so made changes in those areas.  But if you took the Denali B and assigned those instead of Glenallen Ahtna area, the numbers work out perfectly.  If you go to Fairbanks and take two districts and combine with rural communities that allow dominant rural voice.  We have 1.6%.  Numbers can work.  We hope Board will take our map into consideration.  Not presenting magical thinking, but a real map.  If you think Denali B has to be combined with Fairbanks B.  

Peter - are you going to have a statewide plan?  Yes

Nicole:  Can we see this?  Yes

BuDD-   

We’ve been working for months to get this done.  We know everyone is under compressed time frame.

Melanie:  Big change from ours?

Tanner:  Except for pairing Denali Borough with Matsu instead of FB, otherwise very similar.

John:  Anyone else?  

Matt:  As bord thinks about how it organizes itself, there’s no constraints, 

John:  Ultimately whole board makes its decision as a whole.  Just trying to figure out the best way to get the job done.  

Redistricting Board Agenda For Monday Meeting - Including Questionable Executive Session On History of Alaska Redistricting Cases

Below is the agenda for Monday's (Aug 23) Redistricting Board meeting.  Below that are some of my reactions.  I find the Executive Session to discuss Litigation lessons from Alaska Redistricting caselaw to be an overly generous application of the law Executive Session.  Most, if not all, of this discussion was done publicly by the previous board's attorney.  

[I tried viewing the agenda and copying it in two different programs.  The first ran most of the words together.  The second wiped out a lot of the formatting.  What you see below is the second.]

Date: August 23 - 24, 2021

Time: Monday, August 23: 10:00am; Tuesday, August 24: 9:00am

Place: Anchorage Legislative Information Office, Denali Conference Room, 1st Floor

1500 West Benson Blvd, Anchorage 99503

Live Video/Audio Web Stream: www.akl.tv

Teleconference public testimony dial-in numbers:

Anchorage 563-9085, Juneau 586-9085, Other 844-586-9085

Agenda

1. Call to Order and Establish Quorum

2. Adoption of Agenda

3. Adoption of Revised Travel/Per Diem Policy

4. Adoption of Public Testimony Policy

5. Public Testimony

Dial into one of the phone numbers above and indicate to the operator that you wish to testify

6. Census Data Overview

a. Overview Report on Alaska Population Changes

Eric Sandberg, Demographer, Alaska Department of Labor

b. Legacy Data and Population Change

Peter Torkelson, Executive Director

7. Redistricting Timeline and Schedule for Adoption of Draft and Final Maps

a. Understanding Alaska’s Constitutional Timeline

(including brief Executive Session to obtain legal advice)

Matt Singer, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

b. Board Discussion: Adoption of Timeline

8. Workflow Process

a. Staff recommendations for workflow process: Possibilities & Logistics

Peter Torkelson, Executive Director

TJ Presley, Deputy Director

b. Regionalization Possibilities

Eric Sandberg, Demographer, Alaska Department of Labor

c. Board Discussion: Workflow process, Adoption

d. Steps forward: initial map drawing, task assignments, public input

schedule

9. Executive Session for the purposes of receiving a presentation on Litigation

Lessons from Alaska Redistricting Caselaw.

Matt Singer, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

10. Map Drawing

11. Board Member Comments

12. Adjournment

The red indicates logistical information.  The blue shows the substantive part of the meeting.

My Comments:

• #s 6, 7, & 8 - are probably the meat of the meeting for the public.  
• So is #9, however that is scheduled now for Executive Session.  I understand that there may be some issues of strategy for the board.  But there are no cases at the moment and most of the overview should be description of the past cases.  I realize that the attorney doesn't want to tip off potential challengers to the Board's maps on the Board's legal strategy, but I know that the attorney could prepare the presentation so that much of it could be heard by the public.  Part I could be a list and description of the past cases that are important.  Part II could be "lessons from the past cases for the Board" and could be in executive session.  I think it's taking the easy way out to just say, since legal advice from the attorney is allowed to be in Executive Session, so whatever the attorney says to the Board will be.  There were relatively few times the previous Board's attorney required Executive Session to answer the Board's questions.  Most of it was done in public.  Transparency is a key value for all public meetings.  And Executive Session is ONLY for those items that cannot be public by law.  Much of this should be legal history that should be in open meetings.
• #10 Map Drawing - It would be helpful for the Agenda to estimate how long they expect this to take.  Are they going to be doing this individually on their computers?  Will it be done as a group?  I suspect the former so there won't be a lot to see most of the time.  Especially if people are watching online or listening in.  But during these types of sessions last time, the kinds of questions or observations Board members made were often of interest.  
• So, I'd recommend the Board put on the Agenda in the future how long they expect the meetings to take.  Is this meeting scheduled from 10am-5pm?  
• No?  Then how long? 
•  What about Tuesday's meeting?  
• How long do they estimate for the Executive Session?
• And I'd recommend that most of the discussion of redistricting court cases be held in public, if not all of it.  The previous board's attorney held this discussion last time.  

Here's the beginning of the Alaska Public Meeting Act:

AS 44.62.310. Government Meetings Public.

(a) All meetings of a governmental body of a public entity of the state are open to the public except as otherwise provided by this section or another provision of law. Attendance and participation at meetings by members of the public or by members of a governmental body may be by teleconferencing. Agency materials that are to be considered at the meeting shall be made available at teleconference locations if practicable. Except when voice votes are authorized, the vote shall be conducted in such a manner that the public may know the vote of each person entitled to vote. The vote at a meeting held by teleconference shall be taken by roll call. This section does not apply to any votes required to be taken to organize a governmental body described in this subsection.

(b) If permitted subjects are to be discussed at a meeting in executive session, the meeting must first be convened as a public meeting and the question of holding an executive session to discuss matters that are listed in (c) of this section shall be determined by a majority vote of the governmental body. The motion to convene in executive session must clearly and with specificity describe the subject of the proposed executive session without defeating the purpose of addressing the subject in private. Subjects may not be considered at the executive session except those mentioned in the motion calling for the executive session unless auxiliary to the main question. Action may not be taken at an executive session, except to give direction to an attorney or labor negotiator regarding the handling of a specific legal matter or pending labor negotiations.

(c) The following subjects may be considered in an executive session:

(1) matters, the immediate knowledge of which would clearly have an adverse effect upon the finances of the public entity;

(2) subjects that tend to prejudice the reputation and character of any person, provided the person may request a public discussion;

(3) matters which by law, municipal charter, or ordinance are required to be confidential;

(4) matters involving consideration of government records that by law are not subject to public disclosure.

C 1 is the usual item that would be used to cover discussion of litigation against a board or agency that might reveal the legal strategy and cost the board or agency an "adverse effect on finances."  But no one is currently suing the Board.  There are no cases.  This discussion is not about specific litigation, but about legal policy the Board might follow.  Like other policy advocacy, this is the type  of thing the public should hear so they know why the Board is taking a particular path.  And if there is a problem with that path, it's better for the public to hear about it now instead of down the line when there is actual litigation.  

If you scroll down to the Alaska section of this Reporters' Committee on Freedom of the Press page, you'll see an extended discussion on the limits of Executive Session in Alaska.