Kathryn Ottersten

The Fairbanks City Council soundly rejected an ordinance Monday that would’ve asked voters this fall to approve easing the city’s restrictions on property-tax hikes. All six council members and Mayor Jim Matherly supported the measure when it was introduced two weeks ago, as a means of raising revenues to offset a dropoff in state funding. But their consensus fell apart after two members withdrew their support.

The Fairbanks City Council voted Monday to allow consumption of marijuana at authorized cannabis shops in town.

The Fairbanks City Council postponed a final vote Monday on a proposed ordinance that would permit authorized cannabis retail shops in town to offer on-site consumption of marijuana. If approved, Fairbanks would become the first city in Alaska to allow on-site consumption. But as KUAC’s Tim Ellis reports, the council may now consider asking voters to make the decision.

Updated: The Fairbanks City Council convened the first of three work sessions today to consider revisions to a proposed ordinance that would bar discrimination against the LGBTQ community and other groups. Supporters of the measure told Mayor Jim Matherly and City Council members on Monday that they’re angry the council postponed approving the ordinance. They said they were harassed by opponents of the measure during the Dec. 10 public hearing and subjected to threatening and obscene images transmitted through a cellphone by someone at the meeting.

Fairbanks City Council members heard more than three hours of testimony Monday from a roomful of supporters and opponents of a proposed ordinance that would add provisions to the City Code prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.