02/21/2002 09:36 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 96(STA)                                                                                
     "An Act relating to acquisition and development of the Jesse                                                               
     Lee Home; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was  the second  hearing for  this bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SFC 02 # 14, Side B 11:59 AM                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
JUDY BITTNER,  Chief/State Historic Preservation Officer,  Office of                                                            
History and  Archaeology Alaska Historical  Commission, Division  of                                                            
Parks  and Outdoor  Recreation,  Department  of  Natural  Resources,                                                            
testified  via teleconference  from an off-net  site to address  the                                                            
revised fiscal note. She  noted the $30,000 general fund match would                                                            
be used  for the architectural  assessment  and that the $30,000  to                                                            
$35,000  federal funds  it secures  is not reflected  on the  fiscal                                                            
note  because  the Division  has  already  received the  funds.  She                                                            
explained the  general fund reduction  from $35,000 as indicated  in                                                            
the previous fiscal note  is possible due to a grant already awarded                                                            
to the  City  of Seward  to perform  the environmental  assessment,                                                             
which would be matched from the historic preservation fund.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bittner  then explained the proposed  Jesse Lee Home  Commission                                                            
was  originally   envisioned   as   a  "stand   alone"  group   with                                                            
representation  from Seward and other areas of the  state. This, she                                                            
stated  would require  a significant  travel  budget  of $4,500  per                                                            
meeting.   She  informed   that  instead,   the  Seward   Historical                                                            
Commission  would serve as the core  group working with the  City of                                                            
Seward "and enhance  that as we see needed with certain  expertise."                                                            
As  a  result  of this  change,  she  noted  the  travel  budget  is                                                            
decreased  and  general  funds  would be  utilized  for  travel  and                                                            
Commission  support expenses incurred  by the Department  of Natural                                                            
Resources.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Kelly  asked how much the $30,000 general  fund match would                                                            
secure in federal funding.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bittner answered $30,000 to $35,000.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Kelly asked specifically how those funds would be used.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Bittner replied  the  funds  would pay  for  the architectural                                                             
assessment of the large  building, which would provide an assessment                                                            
of the structural  condition as well  as advice on appropriate  uses                                                            
and  cost  estimates   for  the  facility.  She  noted   it  is  the                                                            
architectural  assessment that would provide the information  needed                                                            
"to provide some  good advice to Seward, to the state  of Alaska, to                                                            
the legislature, about some feasible options."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Kelly asked  if  the $30,000  federal funds  were  already                                                            
appropriated.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Bittner affirmed  and explained the State Historic  Preservation                                                            
Office  has authorization  to  receive and  expend  these funds  for                                                            
grants.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Amendment #2: This amendment  inserts "if practical" on page 1, line                                                            
12  of the  committee  substitute.  The amended  language  reads  as                                                            
follows.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          (c) It is the intent of the legislature that, if                                                                      
     practical, the Jesse Lee Home and the real property on which                                                               
     it is located be preserved and managed in a manner that                                                                    
     recognizes its place in the state's history…                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
This amendment  also inserts,  "the possible"  on page 2, line  9 of                                                            
the committee substitute. The amended language reads as follows.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     …The  department   shall  report  to  the  governor,   and  the                                                            
     legislature    by   November    1,    2003,   concerning    its                                                            
     recommendations   as  to the  procedures  to  be  used  and  an                                                            
     estimate  of costs involved  for the  possible preservation  of                                                            
     the home, erection of an appropriate monument, …                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Donley moved for adoption.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Lancaster  indicated  no  objection,  stressing  the                                                            
intent of the bill is to determine whether the building is                                                                      
salvageable.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Without objection the amendment was ADOPTED.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Donley offered a motion to report SCS CS HB 96 (FIN) from                                                              
Committee with $45,000 fiscal note from the Department of Natural                                                               
Resources.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
There was no objection and the bill MOVED from Committee.