04/13/2011 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 95                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act naming the ferry terminal located at Auke Bay                                                                      
     in Juneau the Frank Palmer Ferry Terminal."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:05:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan introduced  SB 95. He stated  that Frank Palmer                                                                    
had worked  for nearly  five decades at  the Auke  Bay Ferry                                                                    
Terminal. Palmer, who died the year  prior at the age of 69,                                                                    
had spent his  life loading tractor trailers  on the ferries                                                                    
of  the  Alaska  Marine  Highway System.  A  Juneau  freight                                                                    
company  had suggested  that  the terminal  at  Auke Bay  be                                                                    
named after Mr. Palmer in  memorium, and idea which was then                                                                    
echoed by several other freight companies.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHESTER CARSON, STAFF, SENATOR  EGAN, informed the committee                                                                    
that Frank  Palmer had grown  up across the street  from the                                                                    
Auke  Bay Ferry  Terminal, and  that  he had  worked in  and                                                                    
around the  terminal for 47  years. He felt the  renaming of                                                                    
the  terminal  to  the  Frank   Palmer  Ferry  Terminal  was                                                                    
fitting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  queried the zero  fiscal note  attached to                                                                    
the   bill.   He   understood   that   the   Department   of                                                                    
Transportation believed that funds  for the project could be                                                                    
located internally.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan stated that local  trucking companies and other                                                                    
freight services in Juneau had  agreed to donate the sign to                                                                    
the terminal.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked if Frank Palmer was still alive.                                                                            
Senator Egan replied in the negative.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked if any  other names had been put forward                                                                    
to rename the terminal.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan replied no.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan  MOVED to  report SB 95  out of  committee with                                                                    
individual  recommendations  and   the  accompanying  fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION it was so ordered.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SB  95  was REPORTED  out  of  committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation  and  with a  new  zero  fiscal note  by  the                                                                    
Senate   Finance    Committee   for   the    Department   of                                                                    
Transportation and Public Facilities.