The Anchorage Assembly has filed a court appeal to acquire documents on the investigation of the outgoing wellness director

By Anchorage Everyday News

Updated: 31 minutes ago Posted: 31 minutes ago

Anchorage Assembly members listen to public testimony in the course of a unique meeting of the Committee on Housing and Homelessness on Sunday, September 25, 2022. (Bill Roth / ADN)

The Anchorage Assembly stated Friday it is filing an appeal in state Superior Court in an try to acquire records of the city’s investigation into the former wellness division director.

Mayor Dave Bronson in February refused to release documents to the Assembly about an internal investigation into Joe Geras, who resigned as the city’s wellness director final year immediately after an Alaska Public Media and U.S. Public Media investigation discovered he fabricated or exaggerated important components of his resume.

Refusing the Assembly’s access to the investigation, the mayor stated that the documents are personnel records, so it would be against the municipal law to publish them. Bronson also stated releasing them would violate privacy rights in the Alaska Constitution. The Assembly, in an appeal Friday to the Higher Court, disputed these claims, and Assembly leadership stated the public had a ideal to know about Gerace’s employment and tenure in the division.

Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Chris Continuous stated on Friday that the court is “a all-natural location to make these types of choices”.

“This is not an extraordinary action,” Continuous stated. “We have a distinction of opinion on this concern.” There is no other course of action to make any choice, one particular way or the other.”

Bronson, in a written statement Friday, stated his administration is “reviewing the appeal and will adhere to the legal course of action as suitable.”