Assembly Leadership doesn't recognize dismissal of Chief Equity Officer Armstrong III

An email sent today to Anchorage Mayor David Bronson by Assembly Chair LaFrance and Vice Chair Constant states that they do not recognize the dismissal of Chief Equity Officer Clifford Armstrong III.

The letter states that the Assembly's leadership does not recognize Armstrong's dismissal as "complete nor valid" and that they've been advised by Assembly Counsel that Armstrong III's dismissal is not legally complete.

The letter cites Anchorage Municipal Code section 3.20.140A.1.c. which states: “The chief equity officer may be dismissed by the mayor only for cause shown, and only with the concurrence of a majority of the assembly."

"As a matter of law Mr. Armstrong is still the Chief Equity Officer of the Municipality. He continues to be employed until there is a showing of cause for his dismissal, communicated to the Assembly, and by majority vote the body concurs with the dismissal," LaFrance and Constant wrote, also asking Mayor Bronson to provide possible grounds for cause for Armstrong's dismissal by October 27, 2021.

Once Assembly leadership has a response, the matter will be scheduled to go in front of the Assembly for its consideration.

On October 10, the Anchorage NAACP demanded the Bronson Administration reverse what they called the "illegal firing" of Armstrong III, alleging that his firing was an attempt by the Bronson administration to cover up a report on the city’s record on equal opportunity hiring in Anchorage. The report is said to have documented the city's failure to comply with federal civil rights laws, a failure the Anchorage NAACP says puts at risk federal funding used by the city.