03/18/1998 01:10 PM House TRA

HB 412 - TRANSFER RAILROAD LAND TO WHITTIER                                    
                                                                               
Number 1335                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS announced the committee would hear HB 412, "An               
Act providing for the transfer of certain land to the City of                  
Whittier; and providing for an effective date," sponsored by                   
Representative Cowdery.                                                        
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY said, "After the last hearing we had we                 
agreed -- I contacted Governor Hickel and asked him to mediate this            
thing to see if we could get some agreements to the....  And he                
agreed to do that and we agreed -- I kind of agreed to delay this              
thing for a week.  After that week was up for more good faith, we              
extended it until today.  And in the memorandum -- providing they              
could come to agreements, I phoned -- I got a memorandum of                    
understanding of what they signed and then I talked to Governor                
Hickel's office this morning and also talked to the city of                    
Whittier.  And what they agreed to is not totally in this                      
memorandum of understanding.  In agreement with Governor Hickel, I             
agreed until they -- that we would delay this until they could come            
to an agreement, but we would hold it in Rules until that happened.            
I further asked Governor Hickel if that was his recollection and it            
was this morning.  So I would like just to move this on to Rules               
and I'm going to hold it in Rules until they can get further                   
clarification of what their mediation process said, and it has to              
do primarily with the percentage of revenue that would be derived              
by the city of Whittier and the railroad.  And it's not clearly                
stated in here what that would be and that's a concern with all the            
parties, especially Whittier and myself.  So we're going to hold it            
in Rules."                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS asked what the wish of the committee was                     
regarding the bill.                                                            
                                                                               
Number 1493                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY made a motion to move HB 412 out of                     
committee with individual recommendations and with the attached                
fiscal notes.  There being no objection, HB 412 moved out of the               
House Transportation Standing Committee.