Legislature(2021 - 2022)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/20/2021 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB27 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 27 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 27-NAMING irene WEBBER BRIDGE
1:35:27 PM
CHAIR MYERS announced the consideration of HOUSE BILL NO. 27 "An
Act naming the irene Webber Bridge."
1:36:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau,
Alaska, speaking as sponsor, stated that HB 27 would name a
bridge that spans the Scott River in Cordova in honor of irene
Webber, who was an avid runner. The bridge is adjacent to a
recreational area used in the annual Alaska Salmon Runs race,
she said. irene Webber started the King Salmon Marathon in 1986.
She was well known and well-loved in Cordova. Her family had a
seine fishing operation in Prince William Sound.
1:37:27 PM
SARA PERMAN, Staff, Representative Louise Stutes, Alaska
State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, Presented HB 27 on
behalf of the sponsor. She paraphrased the sponsor
statement, which read [Original punctuation provided]:
This legislation renames Bridge 406, Scott Glacier No.
6 on the Copper River Highway to the irene Webber
Bridge, in memory of the longtime Cordovan whose
leadership and vision inspired Cordova's running
community.
irene Webber, an Alutiiq woman born in Cordova, was
the founder of the Cordova Running Club and is
remembered as the first sole participant in Cordova's
inaugural King Salmon Marathon in 1986. With her
boundless enthusiasm, irene built that same marathon
into the annual Alaska Salmon Runs.
1:38:18 PM
MS. PERMAN said irene Webber wrote her first name with a
small "i" because she did not view herself as bigger than
anyone else, which was part of her personality. She
elaborated on how the King Salmon Marathon was started. In
1986, irene Webber decided she wanted to run a marathon,
which she did. She continued to paraphrase the sponsor
statement, which read:
After 34 years, the Alaska Salmon Runs now boasts five
different athletic events the King Salmon Marathon,
Sockeye Half-Marathon, Coho 10K, Humpy 5K and the
Smooth One Mile Fun Run. The races have become a part
of a renowned sporting event that sees almost 300
participants each year from around the state.
1:39:10 PM
MS. PERMAN commented that irene Webber struggled with addiction
issues for a short period of her life. After rehab, her
daughter, Kim, joined a college running club, so irene Webber
decided she wanted to join her daughter. Before long, she was
outrunning her daughter, which led to her avid running. She
continued to paraphrase the sponsor statement:
irene was also responsible for founding the Cordova
2x2 Cancer Walk. The annual walk raises money to
support Cordova cancer patients. Since its
establishment in 2002, the event has raised more than
$100,000 for to assist Cordovans with cancer
screenings or treatment expenses.
In addition to her contributions to the Cordova
running community, irene selflessly volunteered her
time to other philanthropic efforts supporting St.
Jude's Children's Hospital, The American Cancer
Society and S.S.D.S Ride-A-Thon.
irene passed away in 2018. She is remembered fondly by
many. With the passing of this legislation, her
contributions will continue to be memorialized by the
Cordova community.
Thank you for your support of this legislation.
1:40:10 PM
MS. PERMAN said irene Webber's family has anecdotes to share.
She shared her personal favorite anecdote, that the family
referred to their dad as the captain but Mom was the admiral.
She reviewed a fiscal note for $10,800 for costs of the signage.
Her family did not want this bridge sign to be a memorial bridge
so the signage would be "irene Webber Bridge." The bridge signs
are slightly less in cost than the memorial bridge signs. She
noted that members' packets contain resolutions from the City of
Cordova and the Native village of Eyak.
1:42:00 PM
KIM ASPELUND, representing self, Cordova Alaska, said irene
Webber was a big inspiration to her family, making each of her
children and grandchildren feel special. She stated that her mom
got her involved in volunteer work in their community. She
participated in volunteer work with her mother each year for
many organizations. She served as the lead volunteer for the
American Cancer Society in Cordova. In fact, then-mayor Margy
Johnson proclaimed an "irene Webber Day" to honor her leadership
as an Alaska Native woman. She served as a role model for those
with addictions to alcohol. She inspired many people to work
through their addictions because she set an example of healthy
choices. She said was known for her volunteer work with the
American Cancer Society, St. Jude3's Children's Hospital and
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Ride-A-Thon. She said she
would always say, "See you on the road." She always cheered
runners to encourage them because she knew how hard they were
working. She offered her belief that irene Webber would be so
happy and grateful to see the bridge named after her. She vowed
to participate in the run every year to carry on her mom's
legacy.
1:46:03 PM
At ease
1:46:22 PM
CHAIR MYERS reconvened the meeting
1:46:34 PM
KATRINA HOFFMAN, Cordova, Alaska, said irene Webber was her
mother-in law. She spelled her name with a little "i" and she
was diminutive in size but not in her accomplishments. She
related that she moved to Cordova a decade ago. She was born in
the Prince William Sound village that no longer functions as a
year-round community [Eyak]. She married someone from Katalla,
47 miles southeast of Cordova, which no longer functions as a
year-round community. She said it seemed incredible that someone
with such humble roots grew to be so beloved in Cordova that she
is deserving to have a bridge named after her. Her legacy will
stand the test of time, she said. Bill and irene Webber's three
children, ten grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren have
deep ties to Alaska.
MS. HOFFMAN said irene Webber was a businesswoman, a good
neighbor, and a great sourdough cook. In fact, she still has her
sourdough starter. She was a doting grandmother. At her memorial
service, one of her grandsons, Christopher, said he knew his
grandmother to be two people: a wonderfully, loving grandma and
a formidable deck boss whose words were law out on the water.
MS. HOFFMAN said when she and her husband, Mike, heard that the
bridge at mile 9.5 was one of the bridges available for signage,
the family jumped in the car to view the bridge. She continued:
When we got to the location, our hearts just swelled.
We knew this was the bridge to name after Grandma i.
The fireweed was abundant. It was blowing in the
breeze. The creek it crosses goes all the way up to
Scott Glacier. People ride their 4-wheelers up there.
They recreate. Families have BBQs nearby. It's just a
place that's as beautiful as she was as a person. And
it really seems fitting that a place on the Copper
River Delta that brings joy to so many people could be
named after irene Webber, a woman who brought joy to
so many people.
MS. HOFFMAN said she was honored to speak in support of HB 27
and she would be deeply grateful if members supported it.
1:48:53 PM
MIKE WEBBER, representing self, Cordova, Alaska, said his mother
was a little woman with a big heart. irene Webber was raised in
a tiny village in the middle of Prince William Sound. She
married his dad, who was also a fisherman. He said his mother
has a legacy of bringing the community of Cordova together.
Everyone in the community knew his mother. She had a big heart
and welcomed Cordova locals and visitors alike. To see her name
on a bridge next to memorial bridges for Cordova veterans will
be a real honor for him, he said. He said that Cordova's
residents would enjoy seeing her name because she was this
wonderful, little lady with a big heart who cared for everyone.
1:51:41 PM
CHAIR MYERS opened public testimony on HB 27.
1:51:58 PM
KRISTIN CARPENTER, representing self, Cordova, Alaska, spoke in
support of HB 27. She said that she coordinates and organizes the
races that irene Webber started. She said she could not add much
to what others have contributed.
MS. CARPENTER said one of her earliest members after arriving in
Cordova in 1994 was participating in the King Salmon Marathon. In
addition to the race being a fabulous community event, it is part
of a weekend-long Salmon Jam Festival, with about 70 people
coming to Cordova to participate in the marathon or half-
marathon. She characterized it as her favorite day of the year
because it is the one day when everyone in the community runs
together, whether they are serious or casual runners. She said
there might be mothers with strollers, families, or groups of
friends running together. She stated that irene Webber wanted
people to focus on their health, in part, due to her battle with
alcohol addiction.
1:53:35 PM
MS. CARPENTER said irene Webber made a tremendous contribution to
community cohesiveness but she demonstrated her value of giving
back to her community by showing people the importance of health
and wellness. She urged members to support HB 27 to recognize
irene Webber's important contributions to the community of
Cordova.
1:54:20 PM
CHAIR MYERS, after first determining no one wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HB 27.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES remarked that the testimony showed
how important irene Webber was to the community of Cordova.
She was an active participant in helping Cordova maintain a
healthy community.
1:54:54 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said "Grandma i" sounded like a pretty
special individual." He stated that these signs cost so
little and it means so much to families and communities to
recognize people who are doing so many positive things for
Alaska. He said he was honored to support HB 27.
CHAIR MYERS solicited the will of the committee.
1:55:50 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE moved to report HB 27 from committee with
individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note.
CHAIR MEYERS found no objection and HB 27 was reported from
the Senate Transportation Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 27 vA Sponsor Statement 03.03.2021.pdf |
STRA 4/20/2021 1:30:00 PM |
HB 27 |
| HB 27 Supporting Resolutions from City of Cordova and Native Village of Eyak 3.03.2021.pdf |
STRA 4/20/2021 1:30:00 PM |
HB 27 |
| HB 27 Map of Bridge 406, Scott Glacier 6 3.03.2021.pdf |
STRA 4/20/2021 1:30:00 PM |
HB 27 |