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Record of Proceedings

Anchorage Public Naming Commission Meeting – September 10, 2026

Assembly & Committee Meetings — Thursday, September 10, 2026
BodyAnchorage, Alaska
SessionAssembly & Committee Meetings
DateThursday, September 10, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 55:00

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:02

All right, with three minutes to spare.

0:15

Okay, Jasmine, can you take roll, please?

0:19

Chair Hess.

0:20

Here.

0:21

Vice Chair Harrison.

0:23

Here.

0:24

Member Gupta.

0:27

Here.

0:27

Member Heller.

0:34

We see your initials, Kevin.

0:39

Member Gilbert?

0:40

Here.

0:42

Member Heller.

0:51

Chair, you technically have a quorum.

0:54

Well, we have a quorum.

0:56

He's here.

0:56

I see it.

0:57

We all see it with our eyes.

1:03

Good.

1:04

I um, you know, because we have people here have been waiting.

1:08

I would like to move um minutes of the previous meeting to the tous and unfinished business to after new business.

1:23

I'd like to reorder the agenda to start with new business.

1:28

Um specifically the the first public hearing.

1:33

So can I get a motion to accept the agenda and to reorder it to start with new business?

1:41

Some second.

1:45

Um do you want me to I'll second it for discussion.

1:49

Okay.

1:49

Do you want me to do the land acknowledgement just because that's oh yes, please do the land acknowledgement, sorry.

1:55

But I do second it.

1:57

All those in favor.

2:00

Any opposition.

2:03

Cool.

2:04

All right.

2:04

Could you do the land acknowledgement, please, Jennifer?

2:07

A land acknowledgement is a formal statement recognizing the indigenous people of the place.

2:11

It is a public gesture of appreciation for the past and present indigenous stewardship of the lands that we now occupy.

2:17

It is an actionable statement that marks our collective movement towards decolonization and equity.

2:22

The public naming commission would like to acknowledge that we gather today on the traditional lands of the Denina Athbaskins for thousands of years.

2:28

The Denina have been and continue to be the stewards of this land.

2:31

It is with gratitude and respect that we recognize the contributions, innovations, and contemporary perspectives of the upper cook inlet Denina.

2:41

Thank you, Jennifer.

2:42

So we will open the public hearing.

3:07

State your name and speak to your proposal.

3:23

Thank you.

3:49

And a suggestion from the Eagle River Parks and Recreation Supervisor and Board.

4:23

And the reason for it.

4:54

After they ceased farming.

5:00

That was when Business Boulevard and these parks were created.

5:03

And it just seems appropriate for one of those parks to remember those pioneers of the Eagle River area with the name of Pipples Field Park.

5:19

There are many people in the area who remember after the farming ceased, and that was an open area.

6:16

So we did submit to the commission a letter.

6:23

Daryl got in touch with us and told us that we that that would be that we would not need to resubmit the application, but could submit a uh an amendment.

6:35

And that's the letter you have in your packet.

6:39

All right.

6:40

Thank you.

6:40

Any questions from commissioners?

6:46

I will say I played football in the original field.

6:51

Thank you very much.

6:52

Anybody else here to testify regarding this proposal?

6:57

Well, and I would like to mention too that we have presented this proposal to the Eagle River Parks and Recreation Board of Supervisors, and they did a resolution of approval.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation███████████████████████████████████████39%
Meeting Procedures█████████████████17%
Board And Commission Management████████████12%
Procedural███████████11%
Municipal Seal█████████9%
Public Safety███████7%
Native Rights███3%
Public Engagement██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Anchorage Public Naming Commission Meeting – September 10, 2026

The Anchorage Public Naming Commission met on September 10, 2026, to consider several naming proposals, approve meeting minutes and a process flowchart, and discuss the application of the 36-month posthumous naming rule. The meeting included a land acknowledgement, public hearings on three naming proposals, and a review of commission membership.

Consent Calendar

  • The June 2026 meeting minutes were approved unanimously.
  • The August 2026 meeting minutes were approved as amended to reflect that no quorum was present and the meeting was a work session.
  • A flowchart outlining the public naming and renaming process was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Pipples Field Park (Eagle River): The proposer, representing the Eagle River Parks and Recreation Board, spoke in favor of naming the park after pioneers of the Eagle River area. They noted that the Eagle River Parks and Recreation Board had passed a resolution of approval, but the GDA Community Council had not yet submitted a written resolution due to the summer hiatus. The commission continued the public hearing to October 14, 2026, to allow time for advisory opinions from the Board of Supervisors.
  • Girdwood Lions Club Shelter Naming (John Troutner): No public testimony was given. Staff confirmed that the Girdwood Board of Supervisors (which also serves as the community council) had provided a resolution strongly supporting the naming. The commission voted to recommend approval to the assembly.
  • Northeast Connector Trail Naming (Karen Bronga): Several individuals testified in support, including:
    • Jennifer (Parks and Recreation representative) – explained the trail was a project Karen Bronga championed.
    • State Senator Forrest Dunbar – spoke in his personal capacity, noting the trail would not exist without the Brongas, that Karen Bronga’s death galvanized the community, and that the trail addresses a dangerous road section. He supported naming without waiting 36 months.
    • Tom Bronga (Karen’s husband) – described Karen as a lifelong trail maker and noted the bridge is already called “Karen’s Bridge” colloquially.
    • A community member (name not stated) – voiced support, noting the trail is used daily.
    • Jim (last name not given) – spoke in favor.
    • Chair of the Clip (unclear affiliation) – spoke in favor. Commissioner Heller expressed nervousness about bypassing the 36-month posthumous requirement, worrying about setting a precedent for comparison. Staff explained that the assembly can waive the requirement by ordinance, and the commission can include a detailed rationale for departure from policy. The public hearing was continued to October 14, 2026, to obtain an advisory opinion from the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Discussion Items

  • Agenda Reordering: The commission voted to reorder the agenda to start with new business (public hearings) before approving minutes and unfinished business.
  • Review of Public Naming Process: The commission discussed a minor edit to the flowchart regarding application submission. Staff clarified that a community council may submit either an application or a resolution. The flowchart was approved as presented.
  • 36-Month Posthumous Rule: Extensive discussion occurred regarding the 36-month posthumous naming requirement in the code. Commissioner Heller asked for context on the rule’s origin and expressed concern about making exceptions. Staff (Dean) noted that the code allows departure with a detailed rationale. Commissioner Gupta suggested creating guidelines for exceptional circumstances, but others noted each case is nuanced. The commission discussed potentially recommending a shorter timeline to the assembly in the future.
  • New Commission Members: Staff reported that at least one new applicant (Hillary Morgan) is on the next assembly agenda, and another applicant from Girdwood had an interview scheduled. One commissioner announced plans to resign at year-end and had suggested a replacement applicant.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved: June 2026 meeting minutes.
  • Approved: August 2026 meeting minutes as amended.
  • Approved: Public naming/renaming process flowchart.
  • Approved Recommendation: The commission voted to recommend naming the shelter in Girdwood Lions Park after the late John Troutner. (Motion by Member Gupta, second by Commissioner Gilbert; no opposition.)
  • Continued: Public hearing for Pipples Field Park naming to October 14, 2026, to receive advisory opinions from the Eagle River Board of Supervisors and the GDA Community Council.
  • Continued: Public hearing for the Karen Bronga Northeast Connector Trail naming to October 14, 2026, to allow the Parks and Recreation Commission to provide an advisory opinion.
  • Adjourned: Meeting adjourned on a motion by Commissioner Gilbert, seconded by Commissioner Heller.

Meeting Transcript

All right, with three minutes to spare. Okay, Jasmine, can you take roll, please? Chair Hess. Here. Vice Chair Harrison. Here. Member Gupta. Here. Member Heller. We see your initials, Kevin. Member Gilbert? Here. Member Heller. Chair, you technically have a quorum. Well, we have a quorum. He's here. I see it. We all see it with our eyes. Good. I um, you know, because we have people here have been waiting. I would like to move um minutes of the previous meeting to the tous and unfinished business to after new business. I'd like to reorder the agenda to start with new business. Um specifically the the first public hearing. So can I get a motion to accept the agenda and to reorder it to start with new business? Some second. Um do you want me to I'll second it for discussion. Okay. Do you want me to do the land acknowledgement just because that's oh yes, please do the land acknowledgement, sorry. But I do second it. All those in favor. Any opposition. Cool. All right. Could you do the land acknowledgement, please, Jennifer? A land acknowledgement is a formal statement recognizing the indigenous people of the place. It is a public gesture of appreciation for the past and present indigenous stewardship of the lands that we now occupy. It is an actionable statement that marks our collective movement towards decolonization and equity. The public naming commission would like to acknowledge that we gather today on the traditional lands of the Denina Athbaskins for thousands of years. The Denina have been and continue to be the stewards of this land. It is with gratitude and respect that we recognize the contributions, innovations, and contemporary perspectives of the upper cook inlet Denina. Thank you, Jennifer. So we will open the public hearing. State your name and speak to your proposal. Thank you. And a suggestion from the Eagle River Parks and Recreation Supervisor and Board. And the reason for it. After they ceased farming. That was when Business Boulevard and these parks were created. And it just seems appropriate for one of those parks to remember those pioneers of the Eagle River area with the name of Pipples Field Park. There are many people in the area who remember after the farming ceased, and that was an open area.

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