Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
03/01/2011 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overview(s): Department of Transportation and Public Facilities | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): State Commission for Human Rights - Jerrad "shea" Hutchings | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 1, 2011
8:09 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair
Representative Wes Keller, Vice Chair
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative Max Gruenberg
Representative Pete Petersen
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Kyle Johansen
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES
- HEARD
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): STATE COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS -
JERRAD "SHEA" HUTCHINGS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
PATRICK J. KEMP, Deputy Commissioner for Highways & Public
Facilities
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the overview on
DOT&PF.
JOEL ST. AUBIN, Engineer
Statewide Facilities
Office of the Commissioner
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the overview on DOT&PF.
JERRAD "SHEA" HUTCHINGS, Appointee
State Commission for Human Rights
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the State
Commission for Human Rights.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:09:48 AM
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House State Affairs Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:09 a.m. Representatives Keller, Seaton,
Wilson, Petersen, and Lynn were present at the call to order.
Representative Gruenberg arrived as the meeting was in progress.
^OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC
FACILITIES
OVERVIEW(S): DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES
8:10:37 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was the
overview from the Department of Transportation and Public
Facilities.
8:10:58 AM
The committee took a brief at-ease.
8:11:03 AM
PATRICK J. KEMP, Deputy Commissioner for Highways & Public
Facilities, Office of the Commissioner, Department of
Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), introduced Joel St.
Aubin as the person who would present the DOT&PF overview.
JOEL ST. AUBIN, Engineer, Statewide Facilities, Office of the
Commissioner, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities,
presented the overview on DOT&PF. He began a PowerPoint
presentation and directed attention to slide 2, which addresses
the issue of authority. Mr. St. Aubin said under AS 35.05.010
DOT&PF is responsible for the planning and construction of
public works, with the exception of court facilities. The
statute defines public works to include: public buildings, boat
harbors, port facilities, dikes, jetties, and breakwaters, but
excludes airports and highways, which are covered under Title 2
and 19. As shown on slide 3, Mr. St. Aubin named the four
public facilities components: the statewide public facilities
component, which includes building design and construction; the
regional building maintenance and operations component; a
harbors component; and a marine highways component, which
includes [port] facilities.
MR. ST. AUBIN turned to slide 4, which lists the 32 full-time
positions within Statewide Facilities, including 16 registered
professional engineers or architects, 11 nonregistered
engineers, and 5 support staff. As shown on slide 5, he said
Statewide Facilities provides cradle to grave project management
of building construction and renovation. He relayed that the
vast majority of the work is completed through architectural
engineering professional service agreements, and project
construction is completed through the following types of
construction contracts: low-bid, design/build, construction
manager/general contractor, and, occasionally, competitive
sealed proposals.
8:16:10 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN, in response to Representative Wilson, said as a
means of cost savings, Statewide Facilities has come up with
standardized plans for its airport snow removal equipment
storage facilities, and a basic plan that needs minor
customizing for its maintenance shops. However, designs for
other facilities, such as psychiatric hospitals, youth
facilities, and prisons, are design specific, not standardized.
8:18:33 AM
MR. KEMP added that the ramps and floats in the harbors are
standardized.
MR. KEMP, in response to a question from Representative Wilson,
said it is possible to make modifications to accommodate all
sizes of ferries into all harbors. He explained that sometimes
the adjustment has to be made to the harbor, while other times
it is made to the vessel, and he offered examples. In response
to a follow-up question, he indicated that the docks will be
adaptable to [the new ferries being designed under the Alaska
Class Ferry Project].
8:20:56 AM
MR. KEMP, in response to Representative Seaton, said the
majority of harbors are municipally owned, and the communities
will solicit for a consultant to do the upgrades. He said the
harbors that are created by the state are based on a standard
design. He acknowledged that communities do reinvent the wheel
in terms of designing harbors.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON expressed hope that the department can
work with the legislature to provide the engineering and
blueprints, so that the money the state pays for plans can be
paid up front and not repeatedly.
8:25:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON indicated that [federal] money being
given to a municipality is passed through the state. She opined
that the state charges the municipality too much for that
transaction, which sometimes results in the municipality being
short on money for a project. She further opined that the state
should have to justify the reason for the portion of money it
keeps. Representative Wilson also suggested that the state
could share plans it already has with municipalities, which
would save the municipalities money.
8:28:06 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER suggested there may be a need for
clarification as to what the state's architects and engineers do
with regard to permits, contracts, reviews, and inspections.
8:29:11 AM
MR. KEMP, in response to the previous comment from
Representative Seaton, said he believes all harbor masters are
aware that plans are public-owned and free, but said perhaps the
department can send out a letter reminding all harbor masters of
that fact. In response to Representative Wilson's comment, he
said the "I-cap" rate for harbors is 2 percent. He said
Representative Wilson's suggestions could help stretch [the
municipalities'] dollars. He deferred to Mr. St. Aubin to
respond to Representative Keller's previous remark.
8:30:11 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN stated that his architects and engineers are
project managers who work with the clients who will end up
owning and operating the buildings to develop the program for
that building. He indicated that Statewide Facilities does the
contracting to hire the architects, reviews the plans and
specifications, puts that work into a construction contract
format, advertises, and selects a contractor. The contractor
then manages the construction contract, overseeing structural
requirements and inspecting the work to ensure that it is in
conformance with the contract documents. He summarized that the
design is contracted out, but the department facilitates the
project.
8:31:50 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN continued with the PowerPoint presentation.
Referring to information on slide 6, he listed sister agencies
with which Statewide Facilities works, including: the
Department of Administration (DOA), the Department of Education
& Early Development (DEED), the Department of Health & Social
Services (DHSS), the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G),
the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and other agencies
that have building construction projects. He said because
Statewide Facilities has a limited staff, it delegates authority
to the other agencies to accomplish smaller projects on their
own; typically the budget of those projects is limited to
between $100,000 and $200,000, depending on the agency. He said
the range of projects includes the following: remodels, renewal
and replacement, improvements related to the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), energy efficiency upgrades, and new
facility construction.
8:32:58 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN, in response to Representative Seaton, confirmed
that any project over $200,000 falls under the Davis-Bacon Act
of 1931, if the project is federally funded, and - if state
funded - falls under "Little Davis-Bacon" state law.
8:33:31 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN, in response to Representative Petersen, said
Statewide Facilities is making good progress in terms of energy
efficiency projects, having hired three energy performance
contractors to do audits on three buildings across the state and
recommend improvements. Then, after negotiations regarding the
work to be done, the modifications to those buildings will be
made. He said $10 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act funding from the U.S. Department of Energy will be used; the
money was received through the Alaska Housing Finance
Corporation (AHFC), and the deadline to spend that money is
March 2012. Once that funding is expended, he said, Statewide
Facilities anticipates using AHFC's $250 million revolving loan
fund to fund the additional projects. Mr. St. Aubin said Senate
Bill 220 mandated that the energy efficiency of facilities over
10,000 square feet. He noted that there are approximately 174
of them, and he offered his understanding that the state will
have to complete 20 percent of those "by then."
8:35:39 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN directed attention to slide 7, which provides
information about the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish
Hatchery. He said the project is under a construction
manager/general contractor contract, has a budget of $96
million, and "HDR" is the design consultant. In response to
Chair Lynn, he described the hatchery's location in Anchorage,
and explained what will happen with the existing ponds and
waterfall.
8:37:24 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN, in response to Representative Wilson, explained
that the problem the hatchery in Fairbanks is experiencing has
to do with the high iron and manganese content in the ground
water. He said the hatchery in Anchorage will not have that
problem.
8:38:15 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN directed attention to slide 8, which shows the
Alaska Vocational Technical Center's (AVTEC's) Culinary Arts
Center in Seward. He said the project was completed last year
under a federal economic development grant. The project was
completed on schedule with a design/bid/build contract; the
construction contractor was Cornerstone Construction Company,
Inc. Mr. St. Aubin said slide 9 shows the Department of
Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA) Bethel Readiness Center, a
design/build contract project with an anticipated completion
date of June 1, 2011. He said the project is funded with a
combination of state and federal money. Mr. St. Aubin directed
attention to slide 10, which shows the "Jim River Maintenance
Shop." He offered his understanding that funding for that
project was received in fiscal year 2009 (FY 09). He said the
occupancy date was December 2010. He related that Jim River is
on the Dalton Highway and the existing shop was falling to the
ground, thus, repairs were needed.
MR. ST. AUBIN showed slide 11, regarding regional building
maintenance. He explained that building maintenance is
regionalized and maintains not only DOT&PF buildings, but also
some sister agency buildings. He relayed that the Northern
Region has 52 employees responsible for 398 facilities spanning
from Valdez to Barrow, Kotzebue, and Nome, and maintains just
over 1 million square feet of DOT&PF buildings and just over
300,000 square feet of sister agency buildings. The Central
Region, which includes Bethel, Dutch Harbor, and Southcentral
Alaska, has 29 employees and 265 buildings, and maintains 1.1
million square feet of DOT&PF-owned facilities and 100,000
square feet of sister agency buildings. The Southeast Region
has 3 employees and 39 buildings, with approximately one quarter
of a million square feet to maintain. As shown on slide 12, Mr.
St. Aubin related that regional building maintenance provides
building utilities, including electricity, sewer, water, and
waste disposal. It provides contracts for services including
janitorial, snow removal, building security, elevator
maintenance, and [waste] removal, provides routine scheduled and
preventative maintenance work within the facilities, and
procures contracts for remodeling and repairs.
8:41:59 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN, in response to Representative Seaton, said the
state would not use its money saved from energy efficiency
improvements to maintain a leased property; the person leasing
the facility is responsible for its maintenance.
8:43:12 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN directed attention to slide 13, regarding ports
and harbors. He said there are three employees who provide
design, technical, and administrative assistance for coastal and
harbor projects to federal, state, and local agencies and
communities. He then showed slide 14, titled, "Marine Highways
Shore Side." He said this faction of the department operates
the ferry terminals, offices, and warehouses. Mr. St. Aubin
stated that his presentation was concluded.
8:45:26 AM
MR. KEMP, in response to Representative Wilson, said he would
get back to her with information regarding the past transfer of
the Alaska Marine Highway office to Ketchikan and the details of
that transaction.
8:46:13 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN, referring to Representative Seaton's
mention of leased buildings, offered his understanding that the
state pays for the cost of heating those buildings, and he asked
how the state could persuade those leasing state facilities to
upgrade the facilities in order to make the facilities more
energy efficient.
8:46:59 AM
MR. ST. AUBIN said the Department of Administration (DOA)
manages all the lease facilities for the state, but he ventured
DOA could address the issue through the lease.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON indicated that DOA had told him that the
state leases those facilities as "heated office space," and if
the cost of oil increases, it is the responsibility of the
person leasing the facility to provide heated office space.
8:48:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON ventured that the cost of the leases
may increase because of the cost of the heat; therefore, the
state should still be concerned about energy efficiency.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): STATE COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS -
JERRAD "SHEA" HUTCHINGS
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S): STATE COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS -
JERRAD "SHEA" HUTCHINGS
8:49:46 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was the
confirmation hearing for Jerrad Shea Hutchings, appointee to the
State Commission for Human Rights.
8:49:55 AM
JERRAD "SHEA" HUTCHINGS, Appointee, State Commission for Human
Rights, testified as appointee to the State Commission for Human
Rights. He offered a brief personal history. He relayed that
he has served on the Soldotna City Council for three years, the
last two of which he has been acting as the vice mayor. Mr.
Hutchings said he can bring a different perspective and some
diversity to the commission. He said he is 29 and has
experience answering questions from the public and being held
accountable for decisions he has made in the public sector. He
ventured that his recent transfer to the Department of
Corrections nine months ago will add an interesting perspective
to the commission. Mr. Hutchings said he has a background in
seminars related to cultural awareness and respect in the work
place.
8:51:26 AM
MR. HUTCHINGS, in response to Representative Seaton, explained
that "F&I" - as seen on his resume - stands for "finance &
insurance." He offered further details. In response to
Representative Gruenberg, he said currently he works as a
corrections officer at Spring Creek Correctional Center.
MR. HUTCHINGS, in response to Representative Gruenberg,
recollected that before applying to serve on the State
Commission for Human Rights, he had applied to serve on the
Board of Game, and he interviewed for that board in the middle
of 2010. He indicated that he was contacted regarding the State
Commission for Human Rights in early 2011. He said he believes
that human rights and civil liberties are the cornerstone of
American society and belong to each individual.
8:55:09 AM
MR. HUTCHINGS, in response to Chair Lynn, said he has not had
any direct experience with human rights violations or
investigations. In response to Representative Gruenberg, he
said there is an orientation by the commission later this month.
He said he has completed approximately 12 hours of seminars
hosted by DOA, and those seminars were related to the issues
that would be heard by the State Commission for Human Rights.
In response to Chair Lynn, he defined cultural awareness as
"knowing and recognizing the attributes that different cultures,
genders, [and] sexual orientations bring to a work place." He
spoke about knowing the law in terms of what is and is not
allowed in the work place, and he emphasized the importance of
respecting diverse cultural backgrounds. In response to Chair
Lynn, he said the law [takes precedence] over personal opinion
every time.
8:58:33 AM
MR. HUTCHINGS, in response to Representative Petersen, said he
has not lived overseas, but has traveled extensively. In
response to Representative Gruenberg, he said he is well aware
that he will be acting as an adjudicator, and has spoken with
the chair of the commission about that issue. He admitted that
there will be tough decisions to make, but reiterated that he
thinks his experience has readied him for the task. In response
to another question from Representative Gruenberg, he said he is
aware that there is a backlog in terms of the work of the
commission, but said he has not had discussions regarding that
issue. He told Representative Gruenberg that he will do what he
can to address the issue.
9:05:27 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER thanked Mr. Hutchings for his willingness
to serve on the commission.
9:05:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to advance the confirmation of
Jerrad "Shea" Hutchings, appointee to the State Commission for
Human Rights, to the joint session for consideration. There
being no objection, the confirmation was advanced.
9:06:28 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 9:06
a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 3-1-11 HSTA DOT-Public Facilities Overview.ppt |
HSTA 3/1/2011 8:00:00 AM |
|
| Human Rights - Hutchings#2.pdf |
HSTA 3/1/2011 8:00:00 AM |