04/16/2011 11:00 AM House FIN

SENATE BILL NO. 95                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act naming the ferry terminal located at Auke Bay                                                                      
     in Juneau the Frank Palmer Ferry Terminal."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
11:20:54 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DENNIS EGAN,  SPONSOR, discussed  SB 95.  He shared                                                                    
that Frank Palmer  worked for close to 50 years  at the Auke                                                                    
Bay  Ferry  Terminal  in  Juneau.  He  expertly  loaded  and                                                                    
unloaded commercial trucks and large  vehicles on and off of                                                                    
Alaska  Marine Highway  vessels.  He  depicted Mr.  Palmer's                                                                    
special expertise  as a community service.  He characterized                                                                    
him  as   an  "icon."   He  recounted   personal  experience                                                                    
witnessing  his extraordinary  skill.  He  stated that  "the                                                                    
list of  Alaskans whose lives  had been directly  touched by                                                                    
Mr.  Palmer  was enormous."  Mr.  Palmer  died in  a  tragic                                                                    
swimming accident  while in Hawaii. He  believed that naming                                                                    
the Auke Bay ferry terminal after  Mr. Palmer would act as a                                                                    
tribute to his legacy.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stoltze recalled  reading an  article about  Frank                                                                    
Palmer. He  commented on the  efficiency and skill  that Mr.                                                                    
Palmer demonstrated while carrying out his work.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
11:24:49 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Thomas  discussed  his   memories  of  Mr.  Palmer                                                                    
working at the ferry  terminal. Senator Egan remembered that                                                                    
people  would go  out and  watch  him back  trucks onto  the                                                                    
ferry.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze OPENED and CLOSED public testimony.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan reported that members  of the public offered to                                                                    
testify;  however, for  brevity the  letters of  support had                                                                    
been  provided  instead.  Co-Chair Stoltze  added  that  his                                                                    
office had received letters and calls of support for SB 95.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan  relayed that the  fiscal note was  zero. Vice-                                                                    
chair  Fairclough remarked  that  the  original fiscal  note                                                                    
appropriated $10  thousand. Senator Egan indicated  that the                                                                    
freight companies donated  the funds to cover  the costs for                                                                    
signage.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-chair  Fairclough   MOVED  to  report  SB   95  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  95  was REPORTED  out  of  committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation  and with  previously published  fiscal note:                                                                    
FN 2 (DOT).                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
11:29:10 AM                                                                                                                   
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
11:31:10 AM                                                                                                                   
RECONVENED