As already reported in our local paper, I sent the following e-mail to the municipal clerk this afternoon:
Madam Clerk,
Please distribute this to all members.
I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Wheeler this afternoon and discuss his report and our follow-up to it. At this point I would like to cancel our work session on this subject (scheduled for January 8 ) while continuing our work on suggestions stemming from that effort [e.g. ordinance(s) clarifying and standardizing fiscal reporting requirements]. To the extent our efforts require continued contributions from the Municipal Attorney’s office or other Administration officials I would gently remind my colleagues to please ensure they respect any confidentiality applied to those communications in order to minimize the municipality’s liability risk.
I welcome any questions and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
Regards,
Patrick Flynn
I don’t think this comes as any surprise, nor do I think this ends the discussion. My hope is this results in continued efforts to improve communication between the Assembly, Administration and all residents of Anchorage.
As with my offer to my colleagues, I welcome questions and wish you a continued happy holiday season!
Regards,
Patrick
« More fiscal notes – Engaging »
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Copyright - Patrick Flynn, All Rights Reserved
Patrick:
Thank you for having the common sense to cancel the proposed work session regarding the past practices of past Mayor’s and past Municipal budgets. I see no benefit to this meeting other than to allow for more grandstanding for a selected group of Assembly Members. As I stated during the South Addition Community Council Meeting last week, I feel many of the residents of Anchorage are frustrated over what to believe and who to believe regarding the state of the Municipal Budget. The continued factional infighting within the Municipal Assembly, the preponderance of certain Assembly Members to run to the press with unsubstantiated allegations regarding past Mayors, coupled with the ever changing tales of woe and misery from Mr. Sullivan and staff regarding the current and future budgets frankly leaves both the Assembly and Mayor with little credibility. Simply stated, most residents want a good police and fire department, roads plowed and maintained, parks and recreation facilities maintained, an adequate transportation / bus system and schools adequately funded to provide for the proper education for our kids and not much more. I am hoping your common sense prevails in the coming year as you chair the Assembly. Thank you for your excellent service representing the residents of Downtown, Fairview, Government Hill and South Addition. Happy Holidays. Doug Johnson
Comment: Douglas W. Johnson – 24. December 2009 @ 1:29 pm
I guess a majority of the Assembly knows all it wants to know about how Mayor Begich deceived and misrepresented the assembly and the public as he made his payoff to the public employee unions for their support for his next political adventure.
Whatever some posters may ascribe to the wishes of “most residents,” honesty and integrity of elected officials probably come in near the top of the list, since all the rest stated are simply cost items. It is also clear that a majority of Alaskans DO NOT want the hack-kneed Nationalized Health Care bills currently in Congress as supported by the boy mayor who-would-be-king.
If you truly want to demonstrate “common sense” Patrick, don’t believe anyone in the peanut gallery who says Mayor Sullivan lacks credibility; You have earned a position to deal with the mayor on equal footing, don’t blow it.
Comment: DonnListon – 28. December 2009 @ 5:49 pm