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We Build Alaska

The Sunday Minefield – October 6, 2024

Fall is definitely in the air! Snow will be here before we know it. The November 5 general election is just over four weeks away. Local elections across the state took place this week, with the Fairbanks North Star Borough mayoral race still too close to call. Representative Tom McKay (R – Anchorage) resigned his seat in the House to take a state job, but then rescinded his resignation pending the outcome of a decision whether he is allowed to take the job. And the Anchorage Assembly voted down a proposed $250,000 settlement to former Municipal Manager Amy Demboski.

A friendly message and reminder to all our readers. The Landmine is made possible by myself and a team of awesome Alaskans. I have been covering the legislative session in Juneau for the last six years. We are again providing in-depth coverage for both the primary and general elections. If you enjoy the content we provide, please consider making a one time or recurring monthly donation. You can click here to donate. We have a system that makes it super easy. We would really appreciate it. And thanks to everyone who has been supportive.

A reminder that the Landmine is bringing Election Central back! Join us on Tuesday, November 5 at the Egan Center for what is sure to be a great party. Here is a radio spot for the event. 

Local Elections Take Place Across Alaska

On Tuesday, October 1, local elections took place in more than a dozen local cities and boroughs across the state.

The open mayoral seat for the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) is close (Mayor Bryce Ward is termed out). Just 43 votes out of more than 18,000 separate former Republican Senator John Coghill and former Democratic Representative Grier Hopkins. Hopkins is in the lead, 48.17% to 47.93%. Robert Shields is sitting at 3.5%.

There are 975 outstanding absentee ballots and 546 outstanding question ballots. Those will be counted on October 8 at 2 pm in the Mona Lisa Drexler Assembly Chambers. The run-off threshold for the FNSB mayoral race is 40%, meaning there will not be a run-off election.

Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon is well ahead of her opponent Angela Rodell. Rodell, a staffer to Senator Cathy Giessel (R – Anchorage), is the former CEO of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. Governor Mike Dunleavy’s (R – Alaska) former Office of Management Budget Director Neil Steininger has a commanding lead against his opponent Connor UIlmer for the vacant District 1 Assembly seat.

A ballot initiative in Juneau that aimed to ban cruise ships on Saturdays and the Fourth of July was defeated. As of the current results, 60% of voters rejected the initiative. Juneau conducts their elections by mail. The next update is schedule for October 11. 

Representative McKay (kind of) Resigned

Representative Tom McKay resigned his seat on Friday (10/4/2024) to take job as a commissioner on the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC). Governor Dunleavy appointed him to fill the seat of Brett Huber, who resigned earlier this summer. The salary for a commissioner is approximately $140,000 a year, and a bit higher for the chair. Huber, who previously served as the chair, was paid a salary of $150,000. 

But the next day, McKay rescinded his resignation. The potential issue is a provision in the Alaska Constitution. Article II, Section 5 states: 

No legislator may hold any other office or position of profit under the United States or the State. During the term for which elected and for one year thereafter, no legislator may be nominated, elected, or appointed to any other office or position of profit which has been created, or the salary or emoluments of which have been increased, while he was a member. This section shall not prevent any person from seeking or holding the office of governor, secretary of state, or member of Congress. This section shall not apply to employment by or election to a constitutional convention.

Senate Bill 259, which was signed into law in June, raised the pay of a lot of state employees. If the salaries of AOGCC commissioners were increased as part of that bill, McKay would not be eligible to become a commissioner until one year after his term ends. If not, he should be ok. Which would be good because McKay, a petroleum engineer, is super qualified for that role. But it’s kind of insane that Dunleavy’s people did not look into this before they decided to appoint McKay

There is one other potential problem. Here is the statute pertaining to the resignation of a legislator: 

A member resigns by submitting a resignation in writing to the presiding officer of the house to which the member was elected or appointed, with information copies to the governor, the director of elections, and the executive director of the Legislative Affairs Agency for appropriate administrative action. The resignation is effective on the date specified in the resignation or, if no date is specified, 10 days after the date of mailing the resignation. The resignation may be withdrawn, in the same manner as it was submitted, at any time before it becomes effective.

McKay’s resignation letter was effective immediately, which according to the statute cannot be withdrawn. But I doubt anyone is going to make a fuss about it. Even if he does resign or the resignation stands, per Alaska law Dunleavy cannot fill his seat because the current Legislature is not set to meet again. 

McKay is not seeking re-election. He opted to instead challenge Senator Matt Claman (D – Anchorage), but withdrew after the primary. 

Other Happenings 

Representative Mike Cronk (R – Tok) held a fundraiser for his Senate campaign this week in Anchorage at the Associated General Contractors office. There was a heavy resource cabal presence! Also in attendance was Todd Palin, who really seemed to activate the ladies. I received several texts about him, including this one below. Another woman I know referred to him as “yummy.” 

I am sad to report that Luke Miller is leaving his role as manager of government and public affairs at Hilcorp. He’s accepted a position in D.C. with Bechtel as head of global media relations. He will defiintely be missed. I have gotten to know Luke well over the last several years as we are office neighbors in Juneau. I am happy for the opportunity he got but it’s just another example of a young person with a family who is leaving the state. 

North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak and his crew landed their first whale of the season this week! 

Furie was finally able to secure a jack-up rig to drill. I predict this won’t end well. 

Some of the worst people in Anchorage held a rally on Saturday (10/5/2024) commemorating the one year anniversary of the brutal slaughter of more than 1,200 Jews by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Yes, you read that right. This Landmine article has more details about the abhorrent actions of these horrible people. 

This Week’s Loose Unit 

There were several good candidates this week. But one stood out. This week’s Loose Unit is the LaFrance administration. During a special meeting of the Anchorage Assembly on Friday (10/4/2024), they considered a proposed $250,000 settlement to Amy Demboski in her wrongful termination lawsuit against the Municipality of Anchorage. The Assembly rejected a $550,000 settlement with Demboski in May 2023 before a lawsuit was even filed! 

The $250,000 settlement agreement was actually something the LaFrance administration agreed to. Maximum loose. Don’t forger that Demboski was fired for literally calling then-Purchasing Director Rachelle Alger a “cunt” during a work meeting. And Demboski was in large part responsible for creating the toxic workplace that she is claiming existed in her lawsuit. Now she expects the city to pay her! Classic Loose Unit behavior. 

It could have been way looser. The bulk of the Assembly meeting on Friday was done in executive session. Someone forgot to kill the stream after it started. I was watching and super excited to hear what was said in executive session. But, unfortunately, someone realized they were still streaming. That promoted a woman in the room to say, “oh fuck.”

Fortunately, the Assembly voted 4-6 to reject the $250,000 settlement. Good on them! I’m sure there will be another attempt but it seems clear there is not the will on the Assembly to pay off Demboski. It doesn’t matter how much it costs, the city should never settle with Demboski. Think of the message that would send. Make her go through the legal process so everything will be visible to the public.

If you have a nomination for this week’s Loose Unit, or if you have any political news, stories or gossip (or any old pics of politicians or public officials) please email me at jeff@alaskalandmine.com. 

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Alaskan Chick
4 months ago

Mike Cronk is actually the yummy one.

Alaskan Lady
4 months ago
Reply to  Alaskan Chick

They’re both absolutely yummy. Cream of the Alaskan Man crop right there!

Marlin Savage
4 months ago

With all the coal under Cook Inlet and West of Cook Inlet, there is an abundance of natural gas and even existing, capped wells on the west side. Unfortunately, the timing of this rig is rather untimely:

Drilling at the Kitchen Lights Unit can take place during ice-free periods, which is about seven months of the year in Cook Inlet.”

Worried about Anchorage
4 months ago

PSL is one of the most vile hate hate groups in Alaska. They need to be ostracized at the least and possibly investigated by the FBI based on their calls for Jew-killing. Antisemitic violence CAN happen here too. The Assembly should also stop letting Michael Patterson speak and take over meetings. He is a disgusting, hateful anti-Semite and his hate does not belong here. No group calling for the deaths of Black people, or indigenous people, or women would be treated the way PSL is. But for some reason, if it’s Jews it just “doesn’t count.”

Sean P. Ryan
3 months ago

KUAC has broadcast the FNSB Assembly meetings for decades. I think it was in 2007 that I listened to an executive session before I called them and explained what was going on. Station management blamed the borough for a long time afterwards, but really, the board operator should have recognized what transpired and switched off the feed.

Dan Svatass
3 months ago

This article was published 47 hours ago.

And five different people have already commented!

Impressive!