Legislature(1999 - 2000)
04/22/1999 03:35 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
April 22, 1999
3:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Jerry Ward, Chairman
Senator Lyda Green
Senator Gary Wilken
Senator Randy Phillips
Senator Kim Elton
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS:
Commissioner-Designee Robert Poe, Jr. - Commissioner of the
Department of Administration
Colonel George Cannelos - Brigadier General of the Alaska National
Guard
Commissioner-Designee Phillip E. Oates - Commissioner of the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Ruth B. Benson, Alaska State Commission on Human Rights
WITNESS REGISTER
Commissioner-Designee Robert Poe, Jr.
Alaska Department of Administration
PO Box 110200
Juneau, AK 99811-0200
Colonel George Canellos
Alaska Air National Guard
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
PO Box 5800
Ft Richardson, AK 99505-0800
MG Phillip E. Oates
Adjutant General/Commissioner
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
PO Box 5800
Ft Richardson, AK 99505-0800
Ruth G. Benson, Commissioner
Alaska Commission on Human Rights
1551 Farmers Loop
Fairbanks, AK 99709
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 99-8, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN WARD called the Senate State Affairs Committee to order at
3:35 p.m. Present were Senators Elton, Phillips, Green, and
Chairman Ward. The first order of business before the committee
was the confirmation hearing of Robert Poe, Jr. as the Commissioner
of the Department of Administration.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE POE informed committee members the Department
of Administration is a very diverse organization, compared to other
state departments. He feels well prepared to handle the duties of
Commissioner, having a varied background in both the private and
government sectors. He believes that by intelligently viewing the
management of state government, and questioning why things are done
in a certain way, the Department of Administration will be able to
do more with less, which it is frequently asked to do.
SENATOR GREEN commented that she is impressed with Mr. Poe's
professional accomplishments. She moved to forward Commissioner-
designee Poe's name to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
There being no objection, the motion carried.
Number 084
COLONEL GEORGE CANNELOS, Commander of the Alaska Air Guard and
Assistant Adjutant General, testified via teleconference from
Carlisle, Pennsylvania. COLONEL CANNELOS informed committee
members that during his 30 year military career, he has served 18
years in Alaska. COLONEL CANNELOS remarked the Alaska Air National
Guard offers tremendous opportunities for the State; his priorities
for the organization are to enhance its flying missions of rescue,
airlift and refueling. He would like to place more emphasis on the
state mission as the Alaska Air National Guard is implementing its
federal mission extremely well.
SENATOR GREEN asked Colonel Cannelos to address Alaska Air National
Guard recruitment and growth.
COLONEL CANNELOS replied the Alaska Air National Guard has done an
extraordinary job of recruiting over the years, particularly in an
era when active forces have been downsizing. Over the past 15
years, the Alaska Air National Guard has grown from a single small
airlift squadron in Anchorage to more than 2,000 people, located
both in Anchorage and Fairbanks. He stated recruitment is a
challenge when the economy is good.
SENATOR GREEN moved to forward Colonel Cannelos' name to the full
Senate for consideration of his confirmation as Brigadier General
to the Alaska Air National Guard. There being no objection, the
motion carried.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE PHILLIP E. OATES, Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs, stated the most important function of the
Commissioner's Office is to respond to emergency situations in
Alaska, which requires strong Army and Air National Guards. To
achieve strong Army and Air National Guards, Alaska needs to have
viable federal missions. Other responsibilities include training
youth for the Youth Challenge Program and responding to the needs
of veterans. Together, the Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs and Alaska National Guard employ about 4400 people, more
people than the largest private employer in Alaska.
SENATOR GREEN asked COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE OATES whether the Alaska
National Guard needs to do more recruiting.
COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE OATES stated that question has two aspects:
recruitment and retention. The Alaska National Guard is
represented in 84 locations around the state. Recruitment is
generally healthy and is better and easier on the Air Guard side.
Recruitment in rural Alaska presents the biggest challenge.
Retention is a multifaceted problem, especially in rural Alaska,
primarily because of the education level a person needs to be
successful in the Alaska National Guard. When recruiting, those
without a solid educational background must trained so that they
can pass through the schools required to remain a member of the
National Guard. He added that as more Guardsmen are asked to serve
overseas, retention may become a bigger challenge.
Number 229
SENATOR GREEN moved the name of Commissioner-designee Oates to the
full Senate for consideration as Commissioner of the Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs. There being no objection, the
motion carried.
COMMISSIONER RUTH G. BENSON, Alaska Human Rights Commission,
testified via teleconference from Fairbanks. She explained that
while serving one year of an unexpired term on the Alaska
Commission for Human Rights, she has completed a good bit of the
learning process required to serve on this Commission. She would
like to continue for a full term.
SENATOR GREEN moved Ruth Benson's name to the full Senate for
confirmation. There being no objection, the motion carried.
There being no further business to come before the committee,
CHAIRMAN WARD adjourned the meeting at 3:50 p.m.
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