Local legislation: Making sense of laws, rules and memos

Have you ever wondered what happens when the Mat-Su Borough Assembly or Council or your local city council meets? They don’t just sit around and debate budgets, even though that’s the item most people notice first. They create laws, make decisions, and set policies that affect your daily life. But the different documents they produce can be confusing. Let’s break down what these various papers mean and why they matter to you.

Think of local government documents like different tools in a toolbox. Each one has a specific job, just like a hammer differs from a screwdriver. The most important tool is called an ordinance. This is basically a local law that everyone in the jurisdiction must follow.

There are two main types of ordinances. A coded ordinance becomes a permanent part of the government’s law books. These are the rules that stick around for years. For example, if the Assembly or Council passes a coded ordinance about where you can park your RV, that rule becomes part of the permanent parking laws. If a city passes a law about pet leash requirements, the city applies it equally everywhere. You can find these laws online and by contacting your local clerk’s office.

A non-coded ordinance is a decision that doesn’t need reflected in the municipal code. These ordinances handle specific situations that don’t need to become permanent law. If the Assembly or Council wants to approve a special contract with a construction company, it might use a non-coded ordinance. Once the contract is done, the ordinance has served its purpose. They are most commonly used to set and amend the budget.

Another important document is called a resolution. Think of resolutions as the Assembly or Council’s way of making official statements or decisions that don’t create new laws. When the Assembly or Council wants to support a cause, recognize someone’s achievements, or establish a policy direction, they use a resolution. These documents show the Assembly or Council’s position on issues but don’t have the same legal weight as ordinances.

Ordinances require a public hearing separate from their introduction. This ensures the public has ample opportunity to testify or provide comments about the proposed action. The assembly or council may decide on a resolution at the meeting where it is introduced.

You might also hear about action memorandums and information memorandums. These are like different types of reports that help the Assembly or Council decide. An action memorandum asks the Assembly or Council to do something specific. It might recommend a scope of work, approve a new capital purchase, or approve a person’s appointment to a board or commission. The memo explains why the action is needed and what it will accomplish.

An information memorandum is different. It simply provides facts and background information without asking for any specific action. Think of it as a briefing that helps Assembly or Council members understand a topic before they vote on it.

So why should you care about these different documents? They all affect your daily life. Ordinances determine what you can and cannot do. Resolutions show what your elected officials think is important. Action memorandums often lead to new services or changes in how the borough or city operates.

Remember, local government works best when citizens understand how it operates. These documents might seem complicated at first, but they’re really just different ways your elected officials make decisions that shape our community’s future.

Christian M. Hartley is a 40-year Alaskan resident with over 25 years of public safety experience and public service. He runs a freelance business, Big Lake Writer, from home in Big Lake that he shares with his wife of 19 years and their three teenage sons.