Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/06/2003 03:30 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 6, 2003
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Gary Stevens, Chair
Senator John Cowdery, Vice Chair
Senator Fred Dyson
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Gretchen Guess
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Confirmation Hearings:
State Commission on Human Rights - Grace Merkes, Lester
Lunceford, Robert B Sawyer, Jr;
Alaska Public Offices Commission - Larry D. Wood;
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4
Relating to Avalanche Awareness Month.
MOVED CSSCR 4 (STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 77
"An Act naming the William Ransom Wood Centennial Bridge in
Fairbanks."
MOVED SB 77 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS ACTION
Confirmations - No previous action to record.
SCR 4 - No previous action to record.
SB 77 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Grace Merkes
State Commission on Human Rights nominee
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding confirmation
Lester Lunceford
State Commission on Human Rights nominee
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding confirmation
Robert B. Sawyer, Jr.
State Commission on Human Rights nominee
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding confirmation
Larry D. Wood
Alaska Public Offices Commission nominee
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding confirmation
Senator Lyda Green
Alaska State Capitol, Room 516
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor SCR 4
Bill Glude
Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center
P.O. Box 20578
Juneau, AK 99802
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports SJR 4
Aedene Arthur
No address provided
POSITION STATEMENT: Supports SJR 4
Gary Wilken
Alaska State Capitol, Room 518
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor SB 77
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-6, SIDE A
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Present were Senators
Dyson, Cowdery and Chair Gary Stevens.
Confirmation hearings for the State Commission on Human Rights
and the Alaska Public Offices Commission were the first order of
business.
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Grace Merkes to give background
information on herself.
GRACE MERKES, nominee to the State Commission on Human Rights,
testified via teleconference and described herself as a 40 year
Kenai Peninsula resident who has been a restaurant owner, real
estate broker and an administrative assistant with the Division
of Family and Youth Services. She advised she is a member of the
Kenai Assembly and has a strong background in service
organizations. She feels she is able to make good unbiased
decisions.
SENATOR COWDERY asked her to evaluate the commission activities
in the last ten years.
MRS. MERKES replied although she hadn't attended any meetings,
her reading indicates the board works hard to resolve
discrimination complaints. Educating individuals as to their
rights is very important.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS noted she was very involved in the community.
There were no further questions of Mrs. Merkes. The Chair asked
for a motion.
SENATOR COWDERY made a motion to forward Grace Merkes' name to
the joint body for confirmation as a member of the State
Commission on Human Rights.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Larry Wood to give his testimony.
LARRY WOOD, nominee to the Alaska Public Offices Commission
(APOC), testified via teleconference. He was born in Alaska and
has lived in Eagle River for the last 18 years. He advised
members a copy of his resume was in the packets. He has
practiced law for the last 28 years most recently as assistant
general counsel to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. Local
interests include the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce, the local
bar association and the church.
He said his interest in APOC stems from his appointment to fill
a term for a commissioner who resigned. He's appreciative of his
legal background because the commission has a complicated
regulatory job.
SENATOR COWDERY asked for the purpose of APOC.
MR. WOOD replied it has four important functions; campaign
financing laws, lobbying registration, disclosure of income and
interests by public officials and investigation and adjudication
of complaints that are filed.
SENATOR COWDERY asked him to comment on the view that APOC might
not always act in a non-partisan manner.
MR. WOOD replied the commission is composed of two Republican
Party members, two Democratic Party members and a fifth member
who is independent in an effort to address those concerns and
the substance of the work he has seen has been impressive.
SENATOR COWDERY asked whether he favored full campaign finance
reporting as well as on line reporting.
MR. WOOD replied he supported both.
SENATOR COWDERY asked what he thought about the Attorney
General's Office handling complaints.
MR. WOOD replied, as a former attorney for the State of Alaska,
he wondered what resources the Department of Law has that could
take over the work that is being done by APOC.
SENATOR COWDERY admitted he didn't know what the budget was for
APOC but he did know there was talk of its elimination with the
duties spread between the Division of Elections and the
Department of Law.
MR. WOOD advised the budget is about $800,000 and he appreciates
the process of reevaluating state spending.
SENATOR COWDERY thought hiring temporary help might be a
solution.
MR. WOOD said commission members would meet telephonically to
examine what information they could provide to the Legislature
to help with the considerations.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Senator Dyson whether he had questions
for a fellow Eagle River resident.
SENATOR DYSON described Mr. Wood as an exceptional candidate
with exceptional experience.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS commented his resume was impressive. He asked
for a motion.
SENATOR DYSON made a motion to forward Larry Wood's name to the
joint body for confirmation as a member of the Alaska Public
Offices Commission.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced they would hear from Lester
Lunceford.
LESTER LUNCEFORD, nominee to the State Commission on Human
Rights, testified via teleconference. He is currently the Mayor
of Whittier and prior to that he was the Whittier Chief of
Police. He has lived in Alaska for 20 years and has an extensive
background in investigation and law enforcement. He was pleased
to have been nominated.
SENATOR COWDERY advised he has found Mr. Lunceford to be most
professional and he would do a good job.
SENATOR DYSON thanked Mr. Lunceford for being willing to serve.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked for a motion.
SENATOR COWDERY made a motion to forward Mr. Lunceford's name to
the joint body for confirmation as a member of the Alaska
Commission on Human Rights.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced they would hear from Robert B.
Sawyer, Jr.
ROBERT B. SAWYER, JR., nominee to the State Commission on Human
Rights, testified via teleconference. He moved to Alaska in 1981
when he was in the Army and was the Command Sergeant Major at
Fort Wainwright before he retired. His military experience gave
him the opportunity to interact with people of all cultures. He
has an impressive public service record and would like to serve
on the commission to help enforce human rights laws.
SENATOR COWDERY asked what aspect of his experience best
prepared him for this job.
MR. SAWYER, JR. thought his time in the service best prepared
him to be a commission member.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked if he expected to complete a doctorate
in 2004.
MR. SAWYER, JR. replied that is still one of his goals, but his
volunteer work has delayed that pursuit.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked for a motion.
SENATOR COWDERY made a motion to forward the name, Robert B.
Sawyer, Jr., to the joint body for confirmation as a member of
the State Commission on Human Rights.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced the next order of business was SCR
4.
SCR 4-AVALANCHE AWARENESS MONTH
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked for a motion to adopt the committee
substitute (CS).
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY made a motion to adopt CSSCR 4, \D Kurtz
3/6/03 version.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Senator Green to present the
resolution.
SENATOR LYDA GREEN, resolution sponsor, explained on page 2,
lines 17-18 the CS deletes reference to "Cleary Summit" and adds
"Moose Mountain, Ski Land, Birch Hill."
This is the third time a concurrent resolution regarding
avalanche awareness month has been introduced. "This
proclamation would proclaim November 2003 as Avalanche Awareness
Month. This proclamation would raise public awareness of the
hazards associated with avalanches, and the opportunities to
participate in avalanche safety training at the beginning of the
winter recreational season. It is hoped that public
participation in avalanche safety programs will be increased and
that this increased participation will result in saved lives
during the winter."
BILL GLUDE, director and lead avalanche specialist for the
Southeast Avalanche Center, testified the center is a non-profit
educational corporation based in Juneau. The corporation lends
strong endorsement to the resolution and does particular
educational events in November for Avalanche Awareness Month.
This year they presented an evening program and did radio and
television advertisements. Alaska loses more people to
avalanches than any other state. Currently it's mostly
recreational users who are lost, but there are also a number of
workers and urban residents that are exposed to avalanches.
He urged members to also support funding for avalanche education
and forecasting programs. Senator Green has been most helpful
regarding education funds, which have been put to good use.
SENATOR COWDERY noted Senator Green is a valuable ally due to
her position on the Finance Committee.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS called on Aedene Arthur.
AEDENE ARTHUR, a private citizen, testified via teleconference
in support of the resolution. She spoke for the families and
friends of the over 70 Alaskans that have died in avalanches
since the mid 1980s. She and her husband lost their only son in
the Turnagain Pass avalanche in March 1999. He was one of six
who died in that avalanche. Three years ago she co-founded BART,
a backcountry avalanche awareness group in her sons' memory. She
urged members to pass the resolution.
4:05 pm
CHAIR GARY STEVENS extended his condolences for her loss.
He asked for a motion.
SENATOR DYSON made a motion to move CSSCR 4 (STA) \D version
from committee with individual recommendations and zero fiscal
note.
SB 77-WILLIAM RANSOM WOOD CENTENNIAL BRIDGE
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Senator Wilken to introduce SB 77.
SENATOR GARY WILKEN, bill sponsor, showed members architectural
renderings of the bridge crossing the Chena River in Fairbanks.
Currently there is a 40 foot abutment projecting out over the
river that will be finished during the 2003 building season.
He read the following sponsor statement into the record.
Senate Bill 77 names the Fairbanks Riverwalk
Centennial Bridge in honor of a true visionary and
leader for Alaska, Dr. William Ransom Wood.
Dr. Bill Wood arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1960
with his wife Dorothy Jane, son Mark and daughter
Karen, to serve as the fourth president of our
University of Alaska. After thirteen years of leading
the University and shaping it into a world-class
institution, he retired from University service and,
with his family, decided to remain in Fairbanks.
Though he retired, he never stopped serving his
community. Dr. Wood was committed to making the place
where he lived a better place than when he found it.
He fulfilled that belief everyday of his 94 years.
Even on his final days, he was offering words of
wisdom and urging national, state, and local leaders
to begin or to finish community projects.
Over the years, Dr. Wood was a leader to many; he was
the Mayor of Fairbanks, Chair of Fairbanks Area
Community Hospital Foundation, founder of Festival
Fairbanks, founder of Fairbanks Industrial Development
Corporation, and 1985 Alaskan of the Year. He was very
active in Rotary International; serving as President,
District 5010 Governor, and receiving Rotary's highest
honor - the Service Above Self Award.
At the age of 94 years old, Dr. Wood, as executive
director of Festival Fairbanks, desired to commemorate
the centennial of Fairbanks with a pedestrian bridge
over the Chena River to remember and respect the
builders of the twentieth century. As Fairbanks
celebrates its centennial this year, it is fitting
that this bridge be known statewide as the "William
Ransom Wood Centennial Bridge" in honor of a truly
remarkable leader.
Thank you for joining me in support of this
legislation.
SENATOR WILKEN noted the letters of support include one from
Senator Ted Stevens who was instrumental in securing funding for
the bridge in 1999. The following hand written note was read
into the record: "Bill Wood was probably THE builder of
th
Fairbanks in this 20 century."
He advised the bridge costs $3.1 million. It is funded with
900,000 federal dollars from Senator Stevens, $2 million from
federal highway funds and $200,000 from the State of Alaska.
He encouraged members to support the bill.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS described Dr. Wood as a great man and leader.
There were no questions and no public comment.
He asked for a motion to move SB 77.
SENATOR COWDERY made a motion to move SB 77 from committee with
individual recommendations and zero fiscal note.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS adjourned the meeting at 4:15 pm.
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