Legislature(2001 - 2002)
02/20/2001 08:36 AM House CRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
February 20, 2001
8:36 a.m.
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
ALASKA NATIVE HEALTH BOARD OVERVIEW REGARDING RUNWAY LIGHTS AND
RURAL SANITATION
TAPES
01-10, SIDE A
CALL TO ORDER
REPRESENTATIVE CARL MORGAN, CO-CHAIR, reconvened the House
Community and Regional Affairs Committee at 8:36 a.m.
PRESENT
Committee members present were Representatives Morgan, Meyer,
Halcro, Scalzi, and Guess.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION
ROBERT CLARK, President and CEO of Bristol Bay Native Health
Corporation, explained the statewide structure of the Alaska
Native Health Board, including examples of regional health
organizations. He said the purpose of the Alaska Native Health
Board is to advocate for the health needs of rural Alaskans. The
board uses a comprehensive definition of health, which includes
water and sewer, infrastructure, prevention, and education.
MR. CLARK said he wanted to bring rural Alaska Sanitation
Coalition to the attention of the committee. He referred to a
handout and went on to discuss the issue, including the scope of
the problem. Mr. Clark requested the committee's support with
the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation regarding water and sewer
hookups; the corporation has included rural sanitation in their
2002 operating budget request to the legislature.
REPRESENTATIVE HALCRO and MR. CLARK exchanged a series of
questions and answers on rural Alaska sanitation conditions, and
the special environmental and geographic conditions there.
MR. CLARK discussed concerns over federal funding for runway
lights for communities, and turning the airports over to the
communities who can ill afford their maintenance now with limited
state dollars. Mr. Clark pointed out that less than half the
villages in his region have runway lights. He related his
experiences with not having lights for Medivac flights.
WILSON JUSTIN, Vice-President of the Mt. Sanford Tribal
Consortium, said the Alaska Native Health Board has a balanced
view of tribal entities and health organizations in Alaska. Mr.
Justin noted that he represents some rather remote communities
connected by highways rather than airports. He related that the
problems in the communities he represents are the same as those
communities connected by airports.
MR. JUSTIN spoke to the need for elderly care, specifically the
problems relating to the inability to care for elders who are
ailing, who wish to return from hospitals, or who don't want to
leave the community.
MR. JUSTIN reiterated Mr. Clark's views on the critical needs for
runway lights in rural Alaska and the importance of the Rural
Alaska Sanitation Coalition.
REPRESENTATIVE HALCRO and Mr. Clark exchanged further questions
and answers regarding runway lights and maintenance, including
the role of the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public
Facilities (DOT&PF) in addressing the problem.
MR. JUSTIN commented on DOT&PF's organizational structure and how
this has affected rural airports.
MR. CLARK made additional comments on elder care.
REPRESENTATIVE MORGAN asked Mr. Clark if the board is working
with the administration on DOT&PF issues.
MR. CLARK replied that the administration has been accommodating,
but the funds and priorities are limited. Mr. Clark went on to
mention further problems with health care, subsistence, and
mental health.
REPRESENTATIVE HALCRO indicated that similar policy debates exist
in urban areas, and thanked Mr. Clark and Mr. Justin for speaking
to the committee.
MR. CLARK spoke in support of a state energy policy.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
No announcements were made.
COMMITTEE ACTION
The committee took no action.
ADJOURNMENT
CO-CHAIR MORGAN adjourned the overview at approximately 9:20
a.m. The House Community and Regional Affairs Standing
Committee meeting regarding HCR 1 can be found under the minutes
of the same date but with the time of 8:08 a.m.
NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were
taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by
contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3,
Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and after
adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Second Alaska
State Legislature this information may be obtained by contacting
the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.
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