Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
04/30/2024 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB141 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 141 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 141-NAMING RAYMOND & ESTHER CONQUEST BRIDGE
1:03:53 PM
CHAIR MCCABE announced that the only order of business would be
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 141(TRA), "An Act naming the Raymond and
Esther Conquest Bridge."
1:04:50 PM
SAM GREELEY, Staff ,Senator Lyman Hoffman, Alaska State
Legislature, presented CSSB 141(TRA) on behalf of Senator
Hoffman, prime sponsor. He paraphrased the sponsor statement
[included in the committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
Senate Bill 141 renames Bridge 1902, the Aleknagik
Wood River Bridge to the Raymond and Esther Conquest
Bridge.
On March 22 2023, the Aleknagik City Council and the
Aleknagik Traditional council adopted a joint
resolution 23-02, requesting the Legislature change
the name of the Wood River Bridge to the Raymond and
Esther Conquest Bridge.
Raymond Conquest was born in a little village called
Apqa, in the Bethel region. His mother passed when he
was a young child. He was raised by an elderly couple
and later ended up in the Catholic orphanage at Holy
Cross. He ran away at the age of 11 and at age 13 or
14, caught a steamship from Bethel to Dillingham.
Raymond was a hard worker and lived in a one-room
shack with friends. Later, Raymond was employed as a
heavy equipment operator for the State of Alaska
Department of Transporation and Building Facilities,
building a State highway from Dillingham to Aleknagik
named the Lake Aleknagik Road. The highway is better
known as the Gateway to Wood Tikchik State Park.
Raymond later worked as a caretaker at the Nerka Lodge
known as the Second Lake. During that time, he met his
wife Esther, who would assist him with caretaking the
lodge. Raymond's next venture was in commercial
fishing. He purchased the "Ricky T" and shortly after
purchase a second boat the "Gypsy". Raymond and Esther
would fish full seasons starting in Nushagak and
Kwichak, and would later in season transfer to Togiak.
Raymond was also an avid hunter and trapper, after the
fishing season the two would hunt for moose. In the
spring Raymond would snare squirrels. Esther was
famous for her parkas and dolls. She was well known in
the Bristol Bay Region for her craft.
Esther and Raymond showed kindness and generosity to
all. They are remembered for transporting hundreds of
people back and forth from Aleknagik to Dillingham. If
there was an emergency, it was always the Conquests
taking people to the hospital any time of day or
night. In the tragic case of a loss of life, the
Conquests were there to comfort people and buy
groceries for them for weeks in times of need. Raymond
was instrumental and played a very big part in getting
the Aleknagik Wood River Bridge complete in October
2015. Raymond was quoted as saying "I will fight for
that bridge until I die". During the City of Aleknagik
2015 Bridge Ceremony, Raymond was honored by being the
first one to cross the bridge in his old blue Chevy
truck. Raymond and Esther's presence forever shaped
the community of Aleknagik.
Please join me in supporting Senate Bill 141, naming
the Raymond and Esther Conquest Bridge.
1:07:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES referenced an unsigned resolution from the
city council and tribe. She further noted a letter of
opposition to the bridge from the same tribe members and
inquired whether there was a "split" in the community.
MR. GREELEY replied that he did not have full details on why the
resolution was not signed. He had the minutes from the meeting,
he said, and the resolution was unanimously adopted. He added
that he could provide more details to the committee upon further
research.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked what relationship Raymond Conquest
had with Senator Hoffman.
MR. GREELEY responded that he believed Raymond was a cousin but
would get back to the committee when he could confirm.
1:09:47 PM
CHAIR MCCABE opened public testimony on CSSB 141(TRA). After
ascertaining no one wished to testify, he closed public
testimony.
1:10:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES observed that the tribe members who sent
the letter of opposition were absent from the meeting when the
unanimous passage of the resolution occurred. She reiterated
that there must be "some issue."
MR. GREELEY stated that he could not comment on or clarify that,
but he would try and identify the concern.
CHAIR MCCABE commented that the mayor was at the joint council
meeting at the local school, and he was part of the unanimous
approval of the resolution.
1:12:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA offered clarity regarding the signatures on
the original resolution.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES referred to the contents in the committee
packet and pointed out the unsigned resolution. She rephrased
her concern about a possible issue being that some community
members were not present for the signing.
1:14:04 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:14 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
1:15:30 PM
CHAIR MCCABE asked for the will of the committee and suggested
figuring out the disparity between the letter of opposition and
the resolution.
1:16:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES wished to have the bill held and resolved
before advancing it.
1:17:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY moved to report CSSB 141(TRA) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES objected.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Sumner, C. Johnson,
McKay, and McCabe voted in favor the motion to report CSSB
141(TRA) out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes. Representatives Mina and Stutes
voted against it. Therefore, CSSB 141(TRA) was reported out of
the House Transportation Standing Committee by a vote of 4-2.
1:18:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES questioned the zero fiscal note and asked
why the bill was going to House Finance Committee.
CHAIR MCCABE noted that there was an attached fiscal note.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| CSSB 141VerB 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB 141.VerB.Sponsor Statement 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB 141.VerB.Explanation of Changes 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB141.VerB.SectionalAnalysis 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB141.VerB.Opposition Letter Empowering Alaskans 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB141.verB.SupportingDocuments.JointResolution 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB141.verB.SupportingDocuments.Meeting Minutes 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |
| CSSB 141.VerB.Fiscal Note DOT 4.23.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/30/2024 1:00:00 PM |
SB 141 |