Legislature(1997 - 1998)
02/14/1997 01:30 PM Senate CRA
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
February 14, 1997
1:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Jerry Mackie, Chairman
Senator Randy Phillips
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Gary Wilken, Vice Chairman
Senator Dave Donley
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
-- PRESENTATION BY THE LOCAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION
WITNESS REGISTER
Local Boundary Commission Members:
Darroll Hargraves, Chairperson-at-large
Nancy Cannington, Commissioner
William Walters, Commissioner
Kevin Waring, Commissioner
Kathleen Wassserman, Commissioner
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 97-6, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN MACKIE called the meeting of the Senate Community &
Regional Affairs Committee to order at 1:30 p.m. He noted that
several of the committee members were out of town and that the
meeting was being teleconferenced to Cordova, Yakutat, Petersburg
and Tok.
After welcoming members of the Local Boundary Commission to Juneau,
CHAIRMAN MACKIE invited Chairperson Darroll Hargraves to the table
to report on the Commissions' activities during the past year.
DARROLL HARGRAVES , Chairperson, at-large, Local Boundary
Commission, explained the Commission was established to ensure that
proposals to create and alter cities, boroughs and unified
municipalities would be considered objectively and from a broad
perspective. Of the approximately 130 state boards and commissions
today, only the Local Boundary Commission and four others have
their origins in Alaska's Constitution. Areas of involvement by
the LBC include municipal incorporations, annexations, detachments,
dissolutions, mergers, consolidations and reclassifications.
Reclassification is done for cities only while all others are for
cities, boroughs and unified municipalities.
Mr. Hargraves said the Local Boundary Commission consists of five
members. One is appointed from each of Alaska's four judicial
districts and the fifth is appointed at-large. LBC members serve
at the pleasure of the governor, they are appointed for overlapping
five-year terms, and they serve without compensation.
The Commission met 17 times during 1996 and in those meetings
addressed the following proposals:
- a petition by the City & Borough of Yakutat for annexation
of the Gulf Alaska coastal region from the 141st meridian to
Cape Suckling was approved;
- a petition for detachment of 5,400 square miles from the
Fairbanks North Star Borough was rejected;
- a petition for incorporation of a 10,000 square mile home
rule North Pole Borough was rejected;
- a petition by the Fairbanks North Star Borough for
detachment of 13 acres from the City of Fairbanks was
approved; and
- a petition for dissolution of the City of Akiak was
approved.
The two actions that have been sent to the Legislature for its
review include detachment of territory from the City of Fairbanks
and the Yakutat annexation. The Legislature has 45 days to review
these actions. Under the constitution, the legislative approval is
automatic unless the House and Senate adopt a joint resolution
rejecting the actions by March 8.
Mr. Hargraves informed the committee that the detachment of
territory from the City of Fairbanks was relatively
straightforward, and he has not heard a single person speak against
that action. The detachment was proposed to allow the Fairbanks
North Star Borough to use bond funds for the construction of a
solid waste transfer site.
However, in contrast, the Yakutat annexation proposal was complex
and involved a number of fundamental public policy matters. The
City & Borough of Yakutat seeks annexation of territory extending
the western boundary of the city and borough further west to Cape
Suckling. In February 1996, the City & Borough of Yakutat
petitioned the Local Boundary Commission for annexation of that
territory. There is a history of significant land use and resource
management conflicts which require greater government planning, as
well as a need for other local government services. Throughout the
LBC proceeding various Prince William Sound community bodies,
organizations and individuals vigorously opposed the annexation
proposal. The Commission received over 15 hours of testimony
concerning the annexation proposal as well as a tremendous volume
of documentation received either in support or opposition to that
action. Following two hours of deliberation the Commission amended
the Yakutat annexation petition to exclude approximately 184 square
miles lying the model borough boundaries of the Copper River
region. The Commission then unanimously approved the amended
petition. Mr. Hargraves noted the LBC adopted an 18-page
decisional statement explaining the basis for their decision to
amend and approve the Yakutat annexation petition, and that
document has been provided to the committee. Four parties filed
requests that the LBC reconsider its decision to approve the
amended petition, but the requests for reconsideration were denied.
Number 212
CHAIRMAN MACKIE asked if the decisions to approve the annexation by
Yakutat and to reject the requests for reconsideration were
unanimous in both cases, and MR. HARGRAVES acknowledged that they
were.
Number 230
SENATOR PHILLIPS referred to page 66 of the LBC Report and asked
for and explanation the issue relating to Pilot Point and their tax
resources. DAN BOCKHORST , Department of Community & Regional
Affairs staff to the Local Boundary Commission, said the issue
represented on page 66 of the report concerns a lack of limitations
on the authority of municipal governments to levy sales taxes. At
one point, the Legislature did have limitations and those were
removed. The Commission is going to be dealing with
reconsideration of the incorporation of Pilot Point, but this issue
was raised in the context, not of the reconsideration part, but in
the context that here's a particular municipal government that does
have a considerable tax resource base.
Number 280
CHAIRMAN MACKIE asked Mr. Hargraves if, from a citizen's
standpoint, the way that the system operates now with the public
members is conducive to the job the Commission has to do, and are
the resources provided to the LBC adequate. MR. HARGRAVES
explained the Commission works as a volunteer lay group of people
from the community that are trying to just simply give a public
service. He added that he doesn't think political influences have
been that tremendous on the Commission and that they sit as
impartially as anyone could on the cases before them. He said
their staff support is outstanding, but if the Legislature were to
enact certain pieces of legislation that have been under
discussion, he calculates that the Commission's schedule could
almost double.
Number 385
CHAIRMAN MACKIE asked if the Commission's workload was to double,
would that make if feasible for the members of the LBC to actually
be able to serve the state in this capacity.
NANCY CANNINGTON , Administrator for the City of Unalakleet,
representing the Second Judicial District, said Commission members
get tremendous amounts of information to read and digest, and she
thinks if the workload was to double, she could not do it and
continue with a full-time job.
KATHY WASSERMAN of Sitka, representing the First Judicial District,
pointed out that besides all of the material they have to read,
they also have teleconferences to participate in, which means
leaving work to do so. Also, when she travels to meetings in other
parts of the state, she is usually gone at least four days, and she
does not think her employer would allow the additional time away
from her job that would be necessary if the workload increased.
WILLIAM WALTERS of Fairbanks, representing the Fourth Judicial
District, commended the staff support being provided by DC&RA, and
he requested that, as much as possible, the Senate take efforts to
protect that staff force, especially if the workload is going to
increase.
KEVIN WARING of Anchorage, representing the Third Judicial
District, agreed with Mr. Walters' comments, and he added his first
concern would be for the support staff, and, although he is self
employed, he would have to have second thoughts for his family if
the workload was substantially increased.
CHAIRMAN MACKIE expressed appreciation to the members of the Local
Boundary Commission for taking the time to appear before the
committee. He then adjourned the meeting at 2:01 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|