04/07/2009 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

SB 24-LOUIS MILLER BRIDGE                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:22:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
SENATE BILL NO. 24, "An Act  naming the bridge over Hammer Slough                                                               
on Nordic Drive in Petersburg the Louis Miller Bridge."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:22:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WESTON  EILER,   Staff,  Senator   Bert  Stedman,   Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  on  behalf  of  the  prime  sponsor,  Senator  Bert                                                               
Stedman, stated that  SB 24 would name a bridge  in Petersburg in                                                               
honor of Louis  Miller.  Mr. Miller was an  early Alaskan pioneer                                                               
who  contributed  much  to  the  community  of  Petersburg.    He                                                               
explained that Mr. Miller came to  Alaska as part of the Klondike                                                               
Gold Rush  and arrived  in Petersburg  in 1901.   He worked  as a                                                               
carpenter  for  town  funder  Peter Buschmann.    Mr.  Miller  is                                                               
credited  with constructing  some of  the first  homes along  the                                                               
Hammer Slough  area.  He  served as foreman for  the construction                                                               
of the community  Sons of Norway Hall.  Mr.  Miller also operated                                                               
a  moorage and  a  warehouse at  the site  of  the Hammer  Slough                                                               
Bridge.  The bill would  recognize his memory and contribution by                                                               
naming the bridge over Hammer Slough  in his honor.  This bill is                                                               
supported by the City of  Petersburg, and a resolution of support                                                               
is in members' packets.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:24:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON  referred to  the fiscal note  for $4,000.                                                               
He recalled  that the committee  passed a bill naming  the Joseph                                                               
C.  Williams, Sr.  Coastal Trail  with a  zero fiscal  note.   He                                                               
inquired  as to  whether  the  DOT&PF could  also  zero out  this                                                               
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:25:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. SIROKY recalled  the fiscal note for the  Joseph C. Williams,                                                               
Sr. Coastal Trail, and reminded  members that in that instance an                                                               
existing  sign was  moved.   Thus,  the  department absorbed  the                                                               
cost.    However,  she  explained that  new  signs  represent  an                                                               
expense and  if the department  absorbs the cost the  funding, it                                                               
would  be  taken  from  the DOT&PF's  maintenance  budget.    She                                                               
pointed  out that  the DOT&PF  performs  ongoing maintenance  and                                                               
replacement of its signs.  She  concluded that since this sign is                                                               
for an  initial installation, that  the cost should  be reflected                                                               
in the bill.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:26:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WILSON also  recalled  that the  Joseph  C. Williams,  Sr.                                                               
Coastal Trail required moving an existing  sign to one end of the                                                               
trail.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:26:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AL DWYER  stated that  the Petersburg  City Council  reviewed the                                                               
bill  and  issued a  resolution  in  support of  designating  the                                                               
bridge across  Hammer Slough on  the Mitkof Highway as  the Louis                                                               
Miller Memorial  Bridge.  He  said, "We're  all for it  and we're                                                               
hoping  that  it gets  through  the  process  and we  rename  the                                                               
bridge."  In  response to Chair Wilson, Mr.  Dwyer indicated that                                                               
currently the bridge is currently called the "bridge".                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WILSON, after  first  determining no  one  else wished  to                                                               
testify, closed public testimony on SB 24.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:27:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ moved to report  SB 24 out of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  the accompanying  fiscal  note.                                                               
There  being no  objection, SB  24  was reported  from the  House                                                               
Transportation Standing Committee.