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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Anchorage Assembly Robert's Rules Training Work Session - May 8, 2026

Assembly & Committee Meetings — Friday, May 8, 2026

BodyAnchorage, Alaska

SessionAssembly & Committee Meetings

DateFriday, May 8, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:58:15

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:17

It's not Matt's fault.

0:18

It was Desiree and Routine.

0:22

So you're live.

0:25

Great.

0:25

Okay, let us get started.

0:27

So I'm going to call this work session to order.

0:29

Today's Friday, May 8th.

0:31

We are noticed from 11 50 to I believe 1 50.

0:36

So we've got a couple hours.

0:37

Sorry for starting late.

0:38

So we will start with.

0:39

Oh, and this is a work session on Robert's rules training.

0:43

So we will start with introductions, then we'll move into our business.

0:46

So starting with Ms.

0:47

Park.

0:48

Janice Park.

0:50

Sydney Scout.

0:51

Daniel Bowlin.

0:52

Anna Brawley.

0:53

And do we have any members on the phone?

0:59

Phone members.

1:01

Okay.

1:02

No one on the phone.

1:03

So we are also joined by assembly council.

1:06

Members of the clerk's office will be doing training and member of the public.

1:09

So with that, I will turn it over to Mr.

1:11

Ferr or Mr.

1:12

Fazelle, if you introduce yourself and then proceed with the presentation.

1:16

Sure.

1:16

Hi everybody, my name is Jeff, Jeff Razell, and uh I work with the municipal clerk's office, obviously, uh in a variety of ways, but mostly as a trainer.

1:24

And I've got the honor of introducing you all to the rules of procedure that you're going to be using in assembly meetings.

1:30

And a little later on, we're going to be going over the ins and outs of open meetings laws together as well.

1:35

Now, I hate to be that guy who says we have a lot to go over, but we do have a lot to go over.

1:42

We've got a PowerPoint heavy presentation with some moving parts and a few video clips in here.

1:47

So keeping your eyes on the monitors in here might be your best bet throughout this training.

1:52

Lastly, I'm happy to answer any questions that you have.

1:56

But having said that, it might be best if we wait to the end for those questions, if you don't mind.

2:01

But if you feel lost in any way or need some clarification in short, uh totally understandable.

2:07

So as we're new to each other, I'm not sure if everyone's experience coming into this training.

2:12

Uh, if Robert's rules is totally new to you, don't fret retaining everything that we're about to go over.

2:18

Uh we've got plenty of options to assist you.

2:20

I believe you're all being issued or have been issued uh the Roberts Rules and uh of order and brief book.

2:27

It's the companion to the big Robert's rules of order book.

2:30

Um, some advice here though is no matter what uh Roberts rules of literature you use, make sure that it references the 12th edition.

2:39

If you use something prior, um, it's possible you're using an outdated book and you might get outdated information.

2:47

Um we've recently updated and prepped a couple of guides for you specific to using motions as members of the assembly.

2:54

I think you all have those now.

2:56

Uh first on the left is the chart of common motions guide.

2:59

Uh if you were to count all the motions on it, I think there's 26 of them.

3:04

Uh, not to disappoint you all, but we're not going to go over every single one of them.

3:08

Otherwise, uh what a long day it would be.

3:10

Um, but we are going to get through about two-thirds of them.

3:13

Secondly, on the right is what's called the precedence guide.

3:17

And that's not a mispronunciation, it's precedence and Robert's rules.

3:21

Uh, if you don't mind, I'm gonna hold off on talking about precedence.

3:25

We'll for sure get there in a bit.

3:27

And of course, after this training, any sort of help doesn't stop there.

3:31

You've got Jamie, you've got me, you've got Jasmine, the entire clerk's office, you have a wonderful chair and vice chair who can help you out with any questions you have about Robert's rules and the rules of procedure.

3:44

So I imagine you're all familiar with the game of Monopoly, or you've played it, hopefully.

3:49

Well, Monopoly has official rules, but a lot of us we play our own house rules.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

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Summary of Proceedings

Anchorage Assembly Robert's Rules Training Work Session - May 8, 2026

The Anchorage Assembly held a work session on May 8, 2026, from approximately 11:50 AM to 1:50 PM, focused on training in Robert's Rules of Order. The session was led by Jeff Razell of the Municipal Clerk's Office, with participation from Assembly members Anna Brawley (Chair), Daniel Bowlin (Vice Chair), Janice Park, Sydney Scout, and others. The training covered motion classes, precedence, common motions, and how assembly procedures intersect with municipal code.

Key Discussions

Motion Classes: Razell introduced main, subsidiary, privileged, incidental, and bring-back motions, explaining that assembly rules combine Robert's Rules with municipal code (e.g., laid-on-the-table items have unique procedures).
Precedence Chart: The precedence of motions was demonstrated using examples, such as the order of voting (privileged motions first, then incidental, subsidiary, and main).
Common Motions Reviewed: Detailed explanations were given for motions like amend, call the question, postpone indefinitely, point of order, point of information, recess, adjourn, and reconsider. Razell emphasized that call the question requires a supermajority vote (8 of 12 members) and is not debatable.
Laid-on-the-Table Items: The process for adding last-minute items (supplemental materials, ordinances/resolutions for introduction, and new items for action) was explained. New items for action require a supermajority vote to be added.
Municipal Code Exceptions: Chair Brawley noted that the assembly has a one-hour debate limit per item, and reconsideration can be filed by email within 24 hours of adjournment, which suspends implementation until the next meeting.
Dilatory Behavior: Vice Chair Bowlin mentioned that dilatory behavior (e.g., repeatedly calling the question on the same motion) is recognized in Robert's Rules and can be ruled out of order.
Germane Debate: Discussion on postponing indefinitely highlighted challenges in determining what is germane during debate. A code change now limits debate on postponement indefinitely when the public hearing is open.

Key Outcomes

No votes or formal decisions were made; the session was purely educational.
Training materials (PowerPoint and a separate agenda training recording) will be made available on the G drive.
The next work session at 2:05 PM will cover the Open Meetings Act.
Members were encouraged to consult the clerk's office, chair, or vice chair with future questions.

Meeting Transcript

It's not Matt's fault. It was Desiree and Routine. So you're live. Great. Okay, let us get started. So I'm going to call this work session to order. Today's Friday, May 8th. We are noticed from 11 50 to I believe 1 50. So we've got a couple hours. Sorry for starting late. So we will start with. Oh, and this is a work session on Robert's rules training. So we will start with introductions, then we'll move into our business. So starting with Ms. Park. Janice Park. Sydney Scout. Daniel Bowlin. Anna Brawley. And do we have any members on the phone? Phone members. Okay. No one on the phone. So we are also joined by assembly council. Members of the clerk's office will be doing training and member of the public. So with that, I will turn it over to Mr. Ferr or Mr. Fazelle, if you introduce yourself and then proceed with the presentation. Sure. Hi everybody, my name is Jeff, Jeff Razell, and uh I work with the municipal clerk's office, obviously, uh in a variety of ways, but mostly as a trainer. And I've got the honor of introducing you all to the rules of procedure that you're going to be using in assembly meetings. And a little later on, we're going to be going over the ins and outs of open meetings laws together as well. Now, I hate to be that guy who says we have a lot to go over, but we do have a lot to go over. We've got a PowerPoint heavy presentation with some moving parts and a few video clips in here. So keeping your eyes on the monitors in here might be your best bet throughout this training. Lastly, I'm happy to answer any questions that you have. But having said that, it might be best if we wait to the end for those questions, if you don't mind. But if you feel lost in any way or need some clarification in short, uh totally understandable. So as we're new to each other, I'm not sure if everyone's experience coming into this training. Uh, if Robert's rules is totally new to you, don't fret retaining everything that we're about to go over. Uh we've got plenty of options to assist you. I believe you're all being issued or have been issued uh the Roberts Rules and uh of order and brief book. It's the companion to the big Robert's rules of order book. Um, some advice here though is no matter what uh Roberts rules of literature you use, make sure that it references the 12th edition. If you use something prior, um, it's possible you're using an outdated book and you might get outdated information. Um we've recently updated and prepped a couple of guides for you specific to using motions as members of the assembly. I think you all have those now. Uh first on the left is the chart of common motions guide. Uh if you were to count all the motions on it, I think there's 26 of them. Uh, not to disappoint you all, but we're not going to go over every single one of them.

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