LaFrance names 11 to Anchorage boards and asks the Assembly to confirm them Nov. 4

Mayor Suzanne LaFrance has appointed or reappointed 11 people to seven Anchorage boards and commissions, and she asks the Anchorage Assembly to confirm them at its regular meeting Wednesday, Nov. 4. All 11 are on the consent agenda, routine business that does not require a public hearing.

Most municipal board and commission seats are filled this way: the mayor appoints and the Assembly confirms. The city says it fills roughly one-third of those seats every October, and terms are typically three years.

Five appointees would fill vacant seats. Madison Eckert, a nurse, Christal Hays and Sheri Cherrier would join the Municipal Health and Human Services Commission. Linda Johnson, a lawyer who served as an assistant municipal attorney for Anchorage, would join the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission. John Gregoire Jr., owner and CEO of the Anchorage consulting firm Professional Growth Systems, would take the Commission on Salaries and Emoluments' business executive seat.

Six incumbents whose terms expired Oct. 14 would return for terms ending Oct. 14, 2029. Keri Nutter, Brian O'Dowd and Steven Halcomb would continue on the Geotechnical Advisory Commission. James McCollum would continue on the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility board. Samantha Simpson would continue on the Watershed and Natural Resources Advisory Commission.

Tim Charnon would continue in the Heritage Land Bank Advisory Commission's Girdwood seat, which must be held by a Girdwood resident. He is a former district ranger for the Chugach National Forest's Glacier Ranger District, and Heritage Land Bank staff highly recommended a second term.