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Record of Proceedings

Anchorage Salaries Commission Meeting - October 22, 2025

Assembly & Committee Meetings — Wednesday, October 22, 2025
BodyAnchorage, Alaska
SessionAssembly & Committee Meetings
DateWednesday, October 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Okay.

0:01

I'll call the meeting of the municipality of Anchorage salaries and emoluments commission to order.

0:09

It is approximately 11 a.m.

0:12

on October 22nd.

0:14

The first order of business would be to call the roll.

0:20

Yeah.

0:20

You go do that.

0:22

Member Hayes.

0:23

Present.

0:24

Member Redmond here.

0:27

Chair Rieger.

0:28

Here.

0:28

Member Norris word.

0:30

Here.

0:31

Member Jensen is absent.

0:33

Okay.

0:34

Okay.

0:34

So we have a quorum.

0:37

The next item is to approve the agenda for today's meeting.

0:41

It's in your packets.

0:42

Is there a motion to approve the agenda?

0:47

I move that we approve the agenda as presented.

0:51

And this is Kim.

0:52

I will second that motion.

0:54

Is there any objection to approval of the agenda?

0:59

We will deem it approved.

1:01

Just wanna say that although it's not on the agenda and doesn't need to be on the agenda.

1:15

And I would recommend that we put that in not as an agenda, not officially on the agenda, but we'll do it under new business, maybe after the items that are listed there.

1:29

The next we have to put the motion.

1:32

I don't think we need a motion.

1:33

Okay.

1:34

It's um I think we're automatic.

1:38

Um the next item on the agenda is minutes of the previous meeting.

1:43

Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of November 26th, 2024?

1:50

I move to approve the minutes from November 26th, 2024.

1:55

Second.

1:57

Is there any amendment?

2:00

Hearing none.

2:02

And if there's no objection, I'll say uh the minutes are approved.

2:12

Next, is there any unfinished business?

2:15

No.

2:17

Okay, we're down to new business.

2:20

Um conversation for elected officials.

2:24

The typically what happens in this meeting is the commission determines whether they want to take anything up.

2:35

So really what we would be considering is a motion if one is introduced to take up conversation for elected officials.

2:48

So do we have to have a motion before we could discuss?

2:52

I think we'll know.

2:56

I think we can discuss without a motion.

2:57

It's it's generally you do need a motion before there's discussion, but I think the way it's working right that we have to do it this way.

3:03

And for the zone there would need to be a motion at the end if you want a resolution drafted.

3:08

Gotcha.

3:11

I know it's not going in order, Chair, but um school board just last year we did pass a resolution to increase um salaries for them.

3:20

So on this list when we're talking about priorities.

3:23

Um I'd be less concerned with revisiting.

3:26

I mean this is what we're doing.

3:27

I was thinking this school board.

3:29

And I I will say right now, I am not in favor of um increasing doing any increase or any changes to their current benefits.

3:40

Having looked at it, and I know that they think they're underpaid, but given the current budget and the um the current fiscal situation for the whole the the city and the state, I just not comfortable increasing any salaries for the elected officials.

4:02

This is Karen, just to clarify.

4:04

We we did uh benefits onto the assembly last year, not salary.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████████████████████37%
Meeting Procedures█████████████████████████25%
Parking Management█████████████13%
Procedural███████████11%
Public Engagement███████████11%
Budget Equity Analysis███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Anchorage Salaries and Emoluments Commission Meeting - October 22, 2025

The Anchorage Salaries and Emoluments Commission convened on October 22, 2025, to address the agenda, approve minutes, and discuss compensation and benefits for elected officials. While the initial consensus leaned against immediate salary increases due to fiscal constraints, public testimony emphasized the need for cost-of-living adjustments to ensure diverse representation. The commission shifted focus to codifying existing practices regarding parking and vehicle usage for the Mayor and Assembly members.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda for the meeting was approved unanimously.
  • The minutes from the November 26, 2024, meeting were approved without amendment.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Emmy PVV (Alaska Center): Expressed strong support for a cost-of-living adjustment for Assembly members, arguing that the 2019 salary of approximately $60,000 no longer reflects the cost of living in Anchorage. They stated that without an increase (adjusted to ~$75,000), public service becomes unattainable for many, risking the loss of diverse, qualified candidates.
  • Lucian Dyer (Communications Director, Stand Up Alaska): Expressed that as a potential candidate with only $1,500 in monthly income, the current compensation structure creates barriers to diversity. They argued that stable housing, food security, and health care are prerequisites for running for office and urged the commission to increase transparency and compensation to attract a diverse cohort of leaders.

Discussion Items

  • Elected Officials' Salaries: The commission initially discussed raising salaries for the School Board and Assembly. Members Pat Rieger, Kim, Karen, and Pat expressed opposition or hesitation to increase salaries at this time, citing the current fiscal situation and the principle of public service not demanding private-industry-level compensation. Kim noted she remains open to discussion pending more data.
  • Vice Chair Compensation: The commission reviewed a request to tier compensation for the Vice Chair of the Assembly to differentiate them from general Assembly members, though no specific proposal was detailed.
  • Parking for Assembly Members: The commission discussed the current unofficial practice where Assembly members park in public spaces using bags over signs, as they are not currently funded to use the city parking garage. Members Kim and Pat expressed support for codifying a policy to allow Assembly members to park in the garage with a portion of the cost reimbursed by the city, similar to executive employees.
  • Mayor's Benefits (Parking and Vehicle): The commission reviewed the codification of the Mayor's current benefits, which include a free designated parking spot and a take-home municipal vehicle. Members noted these are established precedents that have not been formally codified or treated as a taxable event in past resolutions.
  • Timeline and Research: Due to the requirement that compensation changes be finalized 30 days before the fiscal year-end (December 1, 2025), the commission discussed the urgency of scheduling a public meeting. They agreed to prioritize research to support a resolution on parking and vehicle usage to ensure timely codification.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion Carried: The commission voted unanimously (Hayes, Redmond, Rieger, Norwood present) to instruct staff to draft a resolution covering: (1) codification of the Mayor's parking and municipal vehicle usage benefits, and (2) a provision for partially reimbursing parking costs for Assembly members allowing garage access.
  • Next Steps: The commission directed staff to schedule a public meeting to review the draft resolution and conduct necessary research. A tentative meeting date of November 25, 2025, was proposed to ensure compliance with the 30-day pre-fiscal-year-end deadline for any changes to apply to the upcoming election.
  • Commission Reorganization: Steve Rieger was appointed Chair and Kim was appointed Vice Chair for the current term.
  • Future Consideration: The matter of updating Assembly member base salaries based on public testimony was deferred for further research and data gathering, with no immediate action taken to increase base wages.
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned after the roll call on the motion to draft the resolution.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. I'll call the meeting of the municipality of Anchorage salaries and emoluments commission to order. It is approximately 11 a.m. on October 22nd. The first order of business would be to call the roll. Yeah. You go do that. Member Hayes. Present. Member Redmond here. Chair Rieger. Here. Member Norris word. Here. Member Jensen is absent. Okay. Okay. So we have a quorum. The next item is to approve the agenda for today's meeting. It's in your packets. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? I move that we approve the agenda as presented. And this is Kim. I will second that motion. Is there any objection to approval of the agenda? We will deem it approved. Just wanna say that although it's not on the agenda and doesn't need to be on the agenda. And I would recommend that we put that in not as an agenda, not officially on the agenda, but we'll do it under new business, maybe after the items that are listed there. The next we have to put the motion. I don't think we need a motion. Okay. It's um I think we're automatic. Um the next item on the agenda is minutes of the previous meeting. Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of November 26th, 2024? I move to approve the minutes from November 26th, 2024. Second. Is there any amendment? Hearing none. And if there's no objection, I'll say uh the minutes are approved. Next, is there any unfinished business? No. Okay, we're down to new business. Um conversation for elected officials. The typically what happens in this meeting is the commission determines whether they want to take anything up. So really what we would be considering is a motion if one is introduced to take up conversation for elected officials. So do we have to have a motion before we could discuss? I think we'll know. I think we can discuss without a motion. It's it's generally you do need a motion before there's discussion, but I think the way it's working right that we have to do it this way. And for the zone there would need to be a motion at the end if you want a resolution drafted.

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