Legislature(2013 - 2014)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/09/2013 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB94 | |
| HB84 | |
| HB99 | |
| HB153 | |
| HB56 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 30 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 96 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 94 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 84 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 99 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 153 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 56 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE BILL NO. 94
"An Act naming the northbound Chena Flood Channel
Crossing Bridge the Nellie Miller Bridge and naming
the southbound Chena Flood Channel Crossing Bridge the
Con Miller Bridge."
9:14:19 AM
Co-Chair Kelly MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee
substitute for HB 94, Work Draft 28-LS0407\N (Martin,
4/8/13).
Co-Chair Meyer OBJECTED for discussion.
9:15:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DOUG ISAACSON, explained HB 94. He looked at
the Sponsor Statement (copy on file).
Conrad "Con" and Nellie Miller were some of the early
settlers of the City of North Pole, arriving there in
1950. Con joined the Navy after leaving home at the
age of 15 and served in China from 1927 to 1931. He
worked on the construction of the Hoover Dam after a
brief stint as a sheriff and private investigator. He
later re-enlisted in the Navy during World War II,
serving in the South Pacific. Nellie was one of 15
children raised in Idaho Springs, Colorado and married
Con in 1938 at the age of 15. Like many of Alaska's
early pioneers, Nellie and Con moved to Alaska in 1950
with $1.40 in their pocket and seeking a new beginning
for their small family. Con and Nellie Miller built
their first business, a clothing store, in Fairbanks
and Con travelled to rural communities to sell his
wares. When he travelled, he often donned a red
crushed velvet Santa suit, part of the stock the
couple brought north from a previous business. As they
began to build their store in North Pole in 1952, a
child of a customer from Northway asked Con if he was
building a house for Santa Claus and the name stuck.
The store became Santa Claus House.
Con and Nellie were known as Santa and Mrs. Claus and
their family store brought worldwide attention to the
City of North Pole, Alaska. The store has grown and
evolved over time into the icon that stands today,
including the 42-foot, 900 pound Santa Claus statue
outside that entices visitors from around the globe to
celebrate Christmas year-around. Con was the longest
serving mayor of North Pole, dedicating 19 years of
leadership. In 1952 he carried the city's
incorporation papers to Juneau. He also served as
North Pole's postmaster and civil defense director for
20 years as well as serving as the fire chief. Nellie
served on the local school board, as the postmistress
and as the town's magistrate and marriage
commissioner.
The Millers raised three children: sons, Terry and
Mike; and daughter, Merry Christmas Miller. Their two
sons served in both the Alaska State House and the
Alaska State Senate and hold the distinction of being
the only two siblings in the United States to have
presided as Senate President. Terry Miller also served
as Lt. Governor. For their commitment to Alaska and
their role in developing the City of North Pole, it is
fitting that the Chena Flood Channel Bridges be named
for these two distinguished Alaskans. The Northbound
Bridge #1364 shall be known as the Nellie Miller
Bridge and the Southbound Bridge #1866 shall be known
as the Con Miller Bridge.
Representative Isaacson furthered that he supported the
addition of the Lowell J. Ray Memorial Corridor, in
Wasilla, to the bill.
9:18:32 AM
Co-Chair Meyer queried the changes between version A and
version N of the legislation.
Representative Isaacson explained that the title had been
changed in the N version to accommodate both the Lowell J
Memorial Corridor and the change in the Senate
Transportation Committee to designate the Miller's by their
cultural moniker the "original Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause."
9:19:10 AM
Co-Chair Meyer REMOVED his OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
9:19:31 AM
DARRELL BREESE, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BILL STOLTZE,
explained the addition of the Lowell J. Ray Memorial
Corridor to the legislation. Mr. Ray served 16 years in the
Navy, 10 years in the Air Force and 20 years as a civil
servant working for the Department of Defense. He improved
the "do line' radar system that served Alaska and Canada
during the Cold War. His work extended the life of the
radar system an additional 10 years and saved approximately
$12 million per radar system. His knowledge of the system
leg him to instruct allies in Germany, Britain, and Canada
in the enhancement of their radar systems. When the
Department of Transportation (DOT) made improvements to the
Parks Highway through Wasilla, through the purchase
agreement of the property for right-of-way, a promise was
made to Ray's family that the section of road would be
named after Ray. The department had dropped the ball on
that promise and so the change was an attempt to fulfill
the promise.
9:22:21 AM
Vice-Chair Fairclough wondered if there were homes adjacent
to the corridor.
Mr. Breese replied that there were homes adjacent to the
corridor. He shared that by naming the small section of
corridor the name of the road would not change. The
addresses of the homes would remain the same.
9:23:06 AM
Senator Dunleavy remarked that he supported the
legislation.
9:23:33 AM
Senator Bishop expressed support for the legislation. He
commented that DOT had made a promise to the family and
hoped that the department could find it within their budget
to zero out the fiscal notes.
9:24:38 AM
Co-Chair Meyer OPENED public testimony. There being none
Co-Chair Meyer CLOSED public testimony. He noted the two
fiscal impact notes.
9:24:51 AM
AT EASE
9:26:02 AM
RECONVENED
SCOTT THOMAS, ARCHITECT, ENGINEERING DIVISION, DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), spoke to the promise made to the Ray
family. He stated that DOT did not have the power to
memorialize highways; highway memorials were a legislative
per view. He stated that an effort had been made to
approach the Mat-Su Borough to research how street
addressing would be effected, as well as emergency
response. The department had asked to rename the road in
terms of the green street signs that were found atop stop
signs, but the choice rested with the borough as to how
street addressing, mail delivery and emergency response
should be handled; East Blue Lupine had been chosen by the
borough instead. He said that the department had approached
the legislature on the matter, which was why the bill was
before the committee. He asserted that the department did
not leave the issue unaddressed but pursued it the only way
that it had the authority.
9:27:46 AM
Co-Chair Meyer wondered if the department had the $10,000
it would cost to put up the signs.
Mr. Thomas responded no. He added that the sign on the
Richardson Highway could not be white letters on a blue
background because federal conditions allowed for white
letters on a brown background only.
9:28:52 AM
Co-Chair Meyer stated that he was not going to wrestle over
$10,000.
9:28:56 AM
Co-Chair Kelly MOVED to REPORT HB 94 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
HB 94 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and with two new fiscal impact notes from
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.