Legislature(2017 - 2018)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/27/2017 04:00 PM House LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
APRIL 27, 2017
4:17 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Sam Kito, Chair
Representative Matt Claman
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative Charisse Millett
Representative Dan Ortiz
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Harriet Drummond, Majority Alternate
Representative David Eastman, Minority Alternate
Senator Pete Kelly
Senator Anna MacKinnon
Senator Kevin Meyer
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Gary Stevens
Senator Cathy Giessel, Alternate
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bert Stedman, Vice Chair
Representative David Guttenberg
Senator Lyman Hoffman
AGENDA
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
EXECUTIVE SESSION
SPEAKER REGISTER
Brian Meissner-AIA, Principal Architect, ECI Alaska
Pam Varni, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs Agency
4:20:04 PM
I. CHAIR SAM KITO called the Legislative Council meeting to
order at 4:20 p.m. in Room 519 (House Finance) of the State
Capitol. Present at the call were Representatives Claman,
Millett, Ortiz, Stutes, Eastman (alternate), and Kito;
Senators Meyer, Micciche, Stevens, and Giessel (alternate).
Representatives Edgmon, Drummond (alternate) and Senators
Kelly and MacKinnon joined the meeting for executive
session. Representative Guttenberg and Senators Hoffman and
Stedman were absent.
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
SENATOR MICCICHE moved that Legislative Council approve the
agenda.
The motion was approved without objection.
III. EXECUTIVE SESSION
4:22:12 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE moved that Legislative Council go into
executive session Uniform Rule 22(b)(1) discussion of
matters, the immediate knowledge of which would adversely
affect the finances of a government unit. Any Legislators
not on Council can remain in the room along with
legislative staff that work for Legislative Council
members. In addition, the following people can be on line
or remain in the room:
Pam Varni
Doug Gardner
Brian Meissner, Principal Architect with ECI Alaska
Helen Phillips, House Finance Staff
Bree Wiley, House Finance Staff
Jodie McDonnell, House Finance Staff
Donna Page, House Finance Staff
Keira Alkema, LIO Moderator
Sant? Lesh, Recorder
Tim Banaszak
Legislative Council went into executive session.
4:34:41 PM
Legislative Council came out of executive session.
Roll call was taken to reflect members present after
executive session. Present at the call were,
Representatives Claman, Edgmon, Millett, Ortiz, Stutes,
Drummond (alternate), Eastman (alternate), and Kito;
Senators Kelly, MacKinnon, Meyer, Micciche, Stevens, and
Giessel (alternate).
SENATOR MICCICHE said that the original proposal at the
last meeting was to spend $8,000,000 on the building at
1500 W Benson, which also house the Legislative Information
Office. He said Council took some extra time over the last
couple of weeks to work with the architect and others, and
decided to reduce that cost, if approved today at $3.5
million. The only work that is being considered today is
the work necessary for the air system handling and the code
requirements for the LIO section. These renovations are for
the benefit of the public only. There is an active group
that engages with the Legislature regularly and he wanted
them to know that these costs are simply to outfit an
adequate LIO, and none of the costs are associated with
comfort for the Legislators in the other floors of the
building.
SENATOR STEVENS asked Mr. Meissner, the lead architect for
the renovation, about the issue of sound quality. One of
the problems in the 716 W 4th building was that the
conference room was not sound proof, so when a committee
went into an executive session, anyone could hear the
discussion. Since there is a public area right outside the
meeting rooms in the 1500 W Benson building, he wanted to
know if there would be adequate sound control for executive
session meetings.
BRIAN MEISSNER, Principal Architect with ECI Alaska,
responded that the intent was that each of the walls around
all three of the conference rooms will be acoustic walls;
they will be constructed up to the structural deck above
and sound proofed at all gaps. The only source of sound
leakage will be around the doors; the doors will have
acoustic seals. He said the acoustic separation between
rooms will be quite satisfactory.
DISCUSSION FOLLOWED regarding signage. Representative
Drummond wanted to know the current location of the sign
from 716 W 4th Avenue since it had disappeared once the
Legislature vacated the building. Ms. Varni said she would
follow-up. Further discussion regarding that issue, as well
as Wells Fargo's re-branding signage requirements included
in the lease agreement.
CHAIR KITO noted that we are in discussions with Wells
Fargo regarding their signage needs as they are in the
middle of their re-branding process. His goal would be to
look at signage once Wells Fargo finished the process, and
would be bringing that issue back before Council. He added
that as we look forward, we will be considering other
modifications to the building on a piece-by-piece process,
and some of that activity will be taking place over the
interim, so there will be office space discussions in
upcoming Legislative Council meetings. He said that what
was before Council at this particular meeting was work to
remodel the first floor Legislative Information Office and
the core building systems, which are necessary to ensure
safety and security for the building.
SENATOR MICCICHE said that as we adjust the scope and cost
of this project by over 50 percent to just the bare bones
necessities of the LIO, he thanked the Chair for being
flexible, professional, and very reasonable. He further
thanked Mr. Meissner and said he had been a pleasure to
work with; he said he certainly had a better understanding
of some of the deficiencies of that system. It was
inadequately designed initially and, again, we've taken it
down to what is necessary for serving the constituents in
the LIO.
4:44:07 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE moved that Legislative Council approve the
Phase I Construction budget of $3.5 million for the core,
shell, and 1st floor remodel at 1500 W Benson Blvd from
legislative capital funds with the Department of
Administration/Coldwell Banker government-to-government
property management RSA for construction services.
The motion passed without objection.
There being no further business before the committee,
Legislative Council adjourned at 4:44 p.m.
4:44:38 PM
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