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Record of Proceedings

Anchorage Military and Veterans Commission Meeting Summary – September 14, 2026

Assembly & Committee Meetings — Monday, September 14, 2026
BodyAnchorage, Alaska
SessionAssembly & Committee Meetings
DateMonday, September 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 59:51

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

One.

0:04

All right, let's start off with the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:07

Okay.

0:11

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:16

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:19

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:29

All right, you want to go?

0:30

You can go ahead and do that.

0:31

Oh, yes.

0:31

So everyone, I would like to introduce Diana Mo.

0:35

She is our new front desk receptionist at the mayor's office and will be taking over staffing duties for me while they give me more work to do.

0:46

So I can say why you go on vacation.

0:49

Oh, I wish.

0:50

Yes.

0:50

Diana's been here in the municipality before with HR, and we are happy that she is here with us.

0:57

And so we'll transition, Mr.

1:00

Chair on communications to her, you know, from the next month until it's ready to take it all on her own.

1:15

All right, so go ahead and do the roll call.

1:28

Just call the name.

1:30

Do you see the name?

1:31

Uh David Bully.

1:32

Here.

1:33

Eleanor Lawson.

1:34

She is excused.

1:37

Here.

1:38

Amel Agawara.

1:40

Olivia Freeman.

1:41

Oh here.

1:44

And I'm here.

1:48

All right.

1:54

All right.

1:56

We have got uh five members, one on the four here, one on the phone.

2:01

So that gives us a quorum.

2:06

All right.

2:07

Do the have the last minute minute meeting minutes.

2:11

Did everybody get a chance to read the minutes?

2:14

And that that were sent out to everybody.

2:17

Yes.

2:19

So the uh how do I state that again?

2:25

We have a uh we need a motion second.

2:29

I don't know.

2:30

That won't be done.

2:31

I do have a motion accept the minutes.

2:34

Motion for amendments acceptance.

2:37

Second port.

2:38

I'll second.

2:39

All right.

2:40

And any amendments.

2:46

Uh then by right now.

2:48

So vote.

2:50

By anonymous consent, maybe the minutes pass.

2:54

It's that wording thing.

2:55

Unanimous.

2:56

Yeah.

2:56

Well, but we didn't ask for a vote yet.

2:58

So you don't think we do?

2:59

We did by unanimous consent.

3:01

Everybody approves, and it's unanimous consent.

3:03

Right.

3:03

Okay.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Veteran Affairs█████████████████████████████████████████████56%
Public Engagement██████████████████████████32%
Procedural███████9%
Cultural Celebration██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Anchorage Military and Veterans Commission Meeting Summary – September 14, 2026

This summary is based solely on the raw transcript; no agenda or minutes were available. The transcript's content—Memorial Day planning, a next meeting set for June 2, and upcoming June events—conflicts with the recorded meeting date of September 14, 2026. This discrepancy is noted rather than silently resolved.

Opening, Roll Call, and Introductions

  • The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor's office staff introduced Diana Mo, the new front desk receptionist, who will take over communications/staffing duties for the commission.
  • Roll call was taken: David Foley, Eleanor Lawson (excused), Amal Agawara, Olivia Freeman, one remote member, and the Chair were present. A quorum of five members was confirmed.
  • Olivia Freeman was officially welcomed as a new member. She described 10 years of military operating-room service, a career in software sales and HR, and current nonprofit work helping other nonprofits.
  • Returning and fellow members introduced themselves: David Foley (Army airborne infantry, 12 years active and 17 years National Guard); Robert Yo (Air Force and Navy service, now a paratransit instructor with Anchor Rides); Amal Agawara (Army infantry, 10 years active, four Afghanistan deployments and one Iraq deployment, now an Army civilian); and Kyle from JBER Public Affairs (civilian DOD employee, coordinates community events with the base commander, honor guard, and security forces).

Minutes Approval

  • A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes. The Chair initially sought unanimous consent; after discussion, members noted that the Open Meetings Act may require a roll-call voice vote when people participate online. The minutes were approved by unanimous consent with no amendments and no objections.

Committee Reports and Memorial Day Planning

  • The 11th Air Force committee report was deferred because Ellen, the vice chair, was on a cruise; she will coordinate an upcoming visit to show members and possibly the mayor the memorial site.
  • The Chair reported past discussions about relocating or involving JBER with the memorial. Pre-COVID emails showed prior coordination with top NCOs, but those contacts are gone. A former commission member, Joy, reported the Air Force previously declined due to lack of funds. Members agreed to re-approach because leadership has changed.
  • Kyle offered to take the memorial discussion to the new JBER commander, with help from Joy Boston, who works with Colonel Mabbitt. Members expressed support for this outreach.
  • Memorial Day invitations: No confirmations had been received from senators, the congressional representative, or the governor at the time of the meeting. Staff representatives indicated Senator Murkowski would likely be in Fairbanks, Senator Sullivan's representative would be on the Kenai, and Representative Begich would be in D.C. The Chair planned to follow up with the governor's and Begich's offices.
  • The Mayor is expected to give the welcome; her vacation was reportedly rescheduled.
  • Seating and parking plans were discussed: VIP and family/aide seating near the flag poles, a section reserved for handicapped veterans first, general seating in the center walkway, and parking on 10th Avenue reserved for VIPs and handicapped attendees.
  • A live band will not be available; the high school, UAA, civilian band, and honor-flight band could not provide enough musicians. Music will be played through a sound system, managed by the Chair's son. The Chair must leave early to MC another cemetery ceremony.
  • Members discussed preparing a future budget request for contracted sound and music services, noting the municipal budget process begins around September. The event budget currently covers items like porta potties and sometimes APD traffic-control bills.
  • A pre-event site inspection will be scheduled with Parks and Recreation to check the memorial's condition, electrical outlets, and layout. The chaplain, color/honor guard, and Kyle were invited to attend.
  • Programs are waiting on final speaker confirmations before printing.
  • The Chair suggested adding recognition for mayor's office staff and commission members in the Memorial Day program/brochure; members supported the idea.
  • Members discussed using the commission's Facebook page for flag education and community outreach. A social media volunteer is needed; Olivia Freeman offered to link the JBER Connect calendar to the Facebook page.

Upcoming Events

  • JBER's annual Military Appreciation Picnic will be held June 6, 1100–1500 at Buckner Fitness Center field, with food, live entertainment, games, and bounce houses.
  • The JBER Community Action Council meeting was listed for May 5 at 1530 at the Warrior Zone on Fort Richardson.
  • Flag Day (June 14) and Independence Day (July 4) were noted as upcoming observances.

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes were approved by unanimous consent.
  • Olivia Freeman was welcomed as the commission's newest member.
  • Kyle will raise the memorial/JBER involvement question with the new commander, looping in Joy Boston and Colonel Mabbitt's office.
  • A site inspection at the memorial will be scheduled with Parks and Recreation, and a tentative sequence of events will be circulated.
  • Staff will follow up with the governor's office and Representative Begich's office about Memorial Day attendance.
  • The commission will plan a budget request for contracted sound and music for next year's Memorial Day ceremony.
  • The next regular meeting was scheduled for the first Monday, June 2, before the recorded September date discrepancy.

Meeting Transcript

One. All right, let's start off with the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right, you want to go? You can go ahead and do that. Oh, yes. So everyone, I would like to introduce Diana Mo. She is our new front desk receptionist at the mayor's office and will be taking over staffing duties for me while they give me more work to do. So I can say why you go on vacation. Oh, I wish. Yes. Diana's been here in the municipality before with HR, and we are happy that she is here with us. And so we'll transition, Mr. Chair on communications to her, you know, from the next month until it's ready to take it all on her own. All right, so go ahead and do the roll call. Just call the name. Do you see the name? Uh David Bully. Here. Eleanor Lawson. She is excused. Here. Amel Agawara. Olivia Freeman. Oh here. And I'm here. All right. All right. We have got uh five members, one on the four here, one on the phone. So that gives us a quorum. All right. Do the have the last minute minute meeting minutes. Did everybody get a chance to read the minutes? And that that were sent out to everybody. Yes. So the uh how do I state that again? We have a uh we need a motion second. I don't know. That won't be done. I do have a motion accept the minutes. Motion for amendments acceptance. Second port. I'll second. All right. And any amendments. Uh then by right now. So vote.

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