Anchorage Assembly threatens legal action over Bronson admin’s illegal contract authorization

On Wednesday, the Anchorage Meeting approved authorized motion in opposition to Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration to dam fee to a building contractor. 

The Meeting approved it in a 9-2 vote, although it doesn’t assure a court docket battle. The mayor and Meeting leaders mentioned they hope they’ll type out their variations with one another, then settle up with Roger Hickel Contracting.

The primary concern for the Meeting is that the administration intends to pay the contractor this Friday with out Meeting approval. Which was additionally what led to the contractor not getting paid within the first place – the administration mentioned it mistakenly overstepped its powers by authorizing the contractor’s work with out Meeting approval final 12 months.

In some communications, the administration has asserted it could possibly lawfully make the fee with out Meeting approval. Meeting Vice Chair Chris Fixed mentioned they’re sympathetic to the contractor and do wish to make the events complete, however they received’t ignore their due diligence tasks to taxpayers. 

“We’re not going to be forehead crushed to proceed violating the regulation,” Fixed mentioned. “We’re not going to do it. There is no such thing as a energy that the mayor legally has to spend cash from the treasury with out authorization of this physique.”

Mayor Bronson mentioned he’s agnostic about tips on how to truly resolve the invoice. He mentioned he simply desires the legal professionals for the Meeting and his administration to determine it out. 

“I fear in regards to the credibility of the town, of the municipality within the sense that after we are legally obligated to pay one thing, the message that it sends, particularly to the contracting public, that ‘Oh, there’s at all times a danger if you do enterprise with the municipality, it’s important to take them to court docket to receives a commission,’” Bronson mentioned.

The Meeting particularly desires a gathering with the mayor and authorized staff to be briefed on the proposed settlement and authorized evaluation. The administration has mentioned it has a deadline on Friday to pay the contractor, however was uncertain what the premise of that deadline was. 

The unfinished building mission at concern was the navigation middle and shelter Bronson campaigned on to construct close to the intersection of Tudor and Elmore roads.