Legislature(2009 - 2010)BUTROVICH 205
04/07/2010 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission | |
| Big Game Commercial Services Board | |
| Board of Fisheries | |
| Board of Game | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
April 7, 2010
3:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lesil McGuire, Co-Chair
Senator Bill Wielechowski, Co-Chair
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice Chair
Senator Hollis French
Senator Gary Stevens
Senator Thomas Wagoner
Senator Bert Stedman
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jay Ramras
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
ALASKA COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ENTRY COMMISSION
Bruce Twomley
BIG GAME COMMERCIAL SERVICES BOARD
Robert D. Mumford, Anchorage
BOARD OF FISHERIES
Thomas G. Kluberton, Talkeetna
Claude "Vince" Webster
BOARD OF GAME
Ben Grussendorf
Allen Barrette
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
BRUCE TWOMLEY, Commissioner
Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented background in support of his re-
appointment to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC).
ROBERT D. MUMFORD, Member
Big Game Commercial Services Board
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented background in support of his re-
appointment to the Big Game Commercial Services Board.
AARON BLOOMQUIST, representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Mumford's re-appointment to
the Big Game Commercial Services Board and supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game.
THOMAS G. KLUBERTON
Nominee to the Board of Fisheries
Talkeetna, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented background in support of his
nomination to the Board of Fisheries.
ROD ARNO, Executive Director
Alaska Outdoor Council
No stated address
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Kluberton's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries and supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to
the Board of Game.
DAVID GOGGIA, President
Kenai River Professional Guides Association
Kenai, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Kluberton's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries and Mr. Webster's re-appointment to the Board
of Fisheries.
MONTE ROBERTS, representing himself
Soldotna, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Kluberton's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries and Mr. Webster's appointment to the Board of
Fisheries.
RICKY GEASE, Executive Director
Kenai River Sport Fishing Association, Inc.
Soldotna, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Kluberton's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries and Mr. Webster's re-appointment to the Board
of Fisheries.
CLAUDE "VINCE" WEBSTER, Chairman
Alaska Board of Fisheries
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented background in support of his
reappointment to the Board of Fisheries.
BEN GRUSSENDORF
Sitka, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented background in support of his re-
appointment to the Board of Game.
WADE WILLIS, representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Grussendorf's appointment to
the Board of Game and opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
BARBARA WINKLEY, representing herself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Grussendorf's appointment to
the Board of Game and opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
MARYBETH HOLLEMAN, representing herself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Grussendorf's appointment to
the Board of Game, and opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
RICK STEINER, representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Grussendorf's appointment to
the Board of Game and opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
NANCY BALE, representing herself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Grussendorf's and opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game.
ALLEN BARRETTE
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented background in support of his
appointment to the Board of Game.
ART GREENWALD, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Strongly opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment
to the Board of Game.
THERESA SAGER-ALBAUGH, representing herself
Mentasta Pass, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
COKE WALLACE, representing himself
Healy, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
SHANNON MOORE, representing herself
No stated address
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
GERALD BROOKMAN, representing himself
Kenai, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
DANE CROWLEY, Executive Director
Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife
Palmer, AK
POSITION STATEMENT:
KENNY BARBER, representing himself
Palmer, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrett's appointment to the
Board of Game.
PATTI BARBER, representing herself
Palmer, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrett's appointment to the
Board of Game.
NICOLE FLISS, representing herself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
BYRON HALEY, President
Chitna Dip Netters Association
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
VINCE HOLTON, Director
Operations for Alaska Monitoring the Drug Testing
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
ROGGIE HUNTER, representing himself
North Pole, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
WILLIAM LARRY, representing himself, Fairbanks, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game.
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
THOR STACEY, representing himself, Wiseman, said he is a
registered hunting guide in Alaska, opposed Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game.
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
NICK JANS, Juneau resident, opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment
to the Board of Game.
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
VIC WALKER, representing himself
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
GREG BROWN, representing himself
Juneau, AK and
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
TINA BROWN, representing herself
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
STEVEN FLORY, representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
MIKE TINKER, Member
Fairbanks Advisory Committee
Esther, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
CRAIG COMPEAU, representing himself
No stated address
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
RANDY ZARNKE, President
Alaska Trappers Association
No stated address
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
BILL BREWER, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
MELVIN GROVE, representing himself
Big Lake, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
KELLY WALTERS, representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
LYNETTE MORENO-HINZ, representing herself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
DAVID TURNBULL, representing himself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
YOLANDA DE LA CRUZ, representing herself
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
DICK BISHOP, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
BRIAN SIMPSON, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
CHUCK GRAY, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
DICK BURLEY, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
FRANK ENTSMINGER, representing himself
Tok, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
BRENT KEITH, representing himself
Healy, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
JACK REAKOFF, representing himself
Wiseman, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
HANNA RAGELIN, representing herself
Healy, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
PAT NOLIN, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
JACOB BARRETTE, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
TOM SCARBOROUGH, representing himself
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
RAYMOND HEUER, Chairman
Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:33:48 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI called the Alaska State Senate Resources
Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:33 p.m. Present at the
call to order were Senators Wagoner, French, McGuire, and
Wielechowski.
^Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission
ALASKA COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ENTRY COMMISSION
3:35:59 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI welcomed Mr. Twomley to the meeting,
saying he is an attorney who had been on the Alaska Commercial
Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) since 1982. He was appointed
by Governor Jay Hammond and reappointed by five succeeding
governors. In addition, he has served as the chairman of CFEC
from 1983-2005. He also served as a member of the Governor's
Fisheries Cabinet from 1983-1990. He asked Mr. Twomley what he
hopes to accomplish if confirmed for another four-year term.
SENATOR HUGGINS joined the committee.
BRUCE TWOMLEY, Commissioner, Commercial Fisheries Entry
Commission (CFEC), said the work remains challenging and he
hoped to continue protecting the fisheries that they had already
limited. He said the Alaska Supreme Court has made some of their
tasks a little bit tricky and he offered to elaborate if they
wanted. He said they had been "getting some things right" given
their success rate on court appeals and he is hoping for the
opportunity to continue that task.
3:37:31 PM
Brief at ease - meeting called back to order at 3:38.
3:38:17 PM
SENATOR FRENCH moved to forward Mr. Twomley's name to the full
body with the usual disclaimer that it doesn't promise a vote
for or against the candidate in that hearing. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
BIG GAME COMMERCIAL SERVICES BOARD
3:38:50 PM
^Big Game Commercial Services Board
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI welcomed Robert Mumford to the committee
and said he had served with the Alaska State Troopers for more
than 20 years. For 18 of those years he served with the Fish and
Wildlife Protection Division. He is a commercial pilot and
previously worked as an assistant guide. He is currently a
member of the Big Game Commercial Services Board. He asked Mr.
Mumford to tell them about himself and what he hoped to
contribute during a second term.
ROBERT D. MUMFORD, Member, Big Game Commercial Services Board,
Anchorage, said he has already served one term on the Big Game
Commercial Services Board. He was appointed to be the liaison
with the Alaska Wildlife Troopers because of his past service
and he was able to help write ethical standards for the board.
He said they are in the middle of working on land use issues and
he would like to continue with that and maintain some
consistency with the board.
3:40:22 PM
AARON BLOOMQUIST, representing himself, said he has participated
in most of the Big Game Commercial Services Board meetings since
they were reinstated. He supported Mr. Mumford's reappointment
to the board. He works really well with the public and has a
great background that is useful to the board.
SENATOR FRENCH moved to forward Mr. Mumford's name to the full
body with the usual disclaimer that it doesn't promise a vote
for or against the candidate in that hearing. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
^Board of Fisheries
BOARD OF FISHERIES
3:41:59 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI welcomed Thomas Kluberton to the committee
as a nominee for the Board of Fisheries. He said Mr. Kluberton
was the chair of the Mat-Su Borough Mayor's Blue Ribbon
Sportsman's Committee from 2006-2009, he served on the Borough
Assembly from 206-2009 and on the Planning Commission from 2004-
2006. He owns and operates the Fireweed Station in south
Talkeetna. The paper said he might be the first nominee to the
Board of Fisheries from Talkeetna.
THOMAS G. KLUBERTON, nominee to the Board of Fisheries, said he
was speaking from Fireweed Station in Talkeetna. He related that
his background in fisheries generally developed his expertise
and working with the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Committee. A number of
those folks suggested that he put his name forward. He is
interested in expanding on the informative education he got with
that committee and looks forward in the tradition of the Board
of Fisheries to ensure sustainability and equity in the state's
fisheries.
3:44:00 PM
SENATOR STEVENS joined the committee.
3:44:16 PM
ROD ARNO, Executive Director, Alaska Outdoor Council, said they
have participated in the board process since back when they were
joint boards. He said the Council supports Mr. Kluberton's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries. He got a chance to watch
him participate on the Mat-Su Blue Ribbon Panel, and just the
fact that Curt Menard chose him to be on it was significant. He
was prepared and open to the public during public testimony,
"which is about all you can ask for."
3:45:03 PM
DAVID GOGGIA, President, Kenai River Professional Guides
Association, supported Mr. Kluberton's appointment to the Board
of Fisheries. He has a background working in management and has
had to listen to problems and then organize solutions. The board
will be hit with many issues that have complex solutions and Mr.
Kluberton has the necessary skills to be a great asset to it.
3:46:12 PM
MONTE ROBERTS, representing himself, Soldotna, said he is a
guide business owner and supported Mr. Kluberton's appointment
to the Board of Fisheries.
3:46:24 PM
RICKY GEASE, Executive Director, Kenai River Sport Fishing
Association, said they are a 501(C)(3) fishery conservation
organization that is very familiar with the Board of Fisheries
process. He said Mr. Kluberton would bring great skills to the
board as a member; he has shown his ability and dedication to
public service on fisheries issues.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI, finding no further comments, closed
public testimony.
SENATOR FRENCH moved to forward Mr. Kluberton's name to the full
body with the usual disclaimer that it doesn't promise a vote
for or against the candidate in that hearing. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
3:47:36 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI welcomed Vince Webster to the committee as
an appointee to the Board of Fisheries saying he has operated
set and drift gill nets in Bristol Bay since 1984; he has also
participated in the Togiak herring, Cinder River salmon, and
Bristol Bay halibut fisheries as well as numerous sport
fisheries throughout the state. He has served on the Naknek-
Kvichak Fish and Game Advisory Committee (AC) for over 15 years
including service as its co-chair.
CLAUDE "VINCE" WEBSTER, nominee to the Board of Fisheries, said
he has been working in the board process for over 18 years and
is currently the chair of the Board of Fisheries. He wanted to
continue "being a steward of one of the largest renewable
resources in the world."
3:49:00 PM
DAVID GOGGIA, Kenai River Professional Guides Association,
supported Mr. Webster's appointment to the Board of Fisheries
saying he is dedicated and has done a good job in the past and
would probably do a good job in the future.
3:49:47 PM
MONTE ROBERTS, representing himself, supported Mr. Webster's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries.
3:50:01 PM
RICKY GEASE, Kenai River Sportfishing Association, Inc.,
supported Mr. Webster's reappointment to the Board of Fisheries.
He has done an outstanding job during his first term; he did a
very good job as this year's as chair, which is no easy task.
He's kept the board meeting on pace and makes sure that every
member of the public feels welcome at the meetings. He brings
good analytical skills to issues and seeks all inputs from a
variety of user groups and then seeks to craft consensus
solutions amongst the board members.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI, finding no further comments, closed
public testimony.
SENATOR FRENCH moved to forward Mr. Webster's name to the joint
session with the usual disclaimer that it doesn't promise a vote
for or against the candidate in that hearing. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
BOARD OF GAME
^Board of Game
3:51:41 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI welcomed Ben Grussendorf to the committee
saying he is a former Speaker of the House; he served in the
House of Representatives from 1980-2000. During that time he was
chair of the Rules Committee, a member of the Finance Committee
and a member of the Special Committee on Fisheries. He also
served two terms as mayor of the City and Borough of Sitka and
two terms as a Sitka Assembly member. In addition, he has served
several terms on the Board of Game including as its chair.
BEN GRUSSENDORF, nominee to the Board of Game, Sitka, said he
grew up in Northern Minnesota where hunting and fishing was part
of his lifestyle and it stayed the same in Alaska. He considers
himself to be a naturalist for over 60 years. The first standing
committee assignment he sought when he was elected to the House
was the Resources Committee and he greatly enjoyed that and all
the work that followed.
3:53:33 PM
WADE WILLIS, representing himself from Anchorage, said he is a
former biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game
(ADF&G) and has participated in the board process for about a
decade. He saw Mr. Grussendorf work very cooperatively with a
very wide range of individuals in the state; he finds middle
ground very well. He is supportive of the Governor's positions
on wildlife management, but very prudent and moderate and
careful about implementation of some of the more aggressive and
contentious programs. He has found middle ground and is very
supportive all the residents in the state.
3:54:24 PM
BARBARA WINKLEY, representing herself, supported Mr.
Grussendorf's reappointment to the Board of Game.
3:54:44 PM
MARYBETH HOLLEMAN, representing herself, Fairbanks, supported
Mr. Grussendorf's appointment to the Board of Game. She saw him
at the Fairbanks Board of Game meeting and he was the only
member that she felt was truly listening to all sides of the
issues.
3:55:15 PM
RICK STEINER, representing himself, said he was a professor at
the University of Alaska for 30 years and prior to that a
commercial fisherman. He lived mainly in rural areas, and he
wholeheartedly supported Mr. Grussendorf's appointment to the
Board of Game. "He is certainly one of the more balanced and
reasonable members of the board currently."
3:55:48 PM
NANCY BALE, representing herself, said she is a school nurse in
Anchorage, but for many years she lived and worked in the
vicinity of Denali National Park where she became the chair of a
grass roots organization of 350 members, the Denali Citizens'
Council in 2000. They brought forth a proposal at the recent
board meeting and she had an opportunity to watch Mr.
Grussendorf in action at that meeting; he is a good listener,
knowledgeable about the resources, and appears to be a real and
honest fan of the public process.
3:56:54 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI, finding no further comments, closed
public testimony.
SENATOR FRENCH moved to forward Mr. Grussendorf's name to the
full body with the usual disclaimer that it doesn't promise a
vote for or against the candidate in that hearing. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
3:57:59 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI welcomed Allen Barrette to the committee.
He has been the owner and operator of the Fairbanks Fur Tannery
for the past 17 years. He is licenses as a taxidermist and has a
Class A assistant guide license. In 2005 he was elected to the
Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee, a seat he still
holds. He also serves as chairman of the Trapping Subcommittee.
He asked him to relate what he hoped to accomplish if confirmed
to the Board of Game.
ALLEN BARRETTE, Fairbanks nominee to the Board of Game, said he
has been an Alaskan resident since 1988 and his family is full
of hunters, trappers and fishermen; he owns and operates the
Fairbanks Tannery and has served six years on the Fairbanks Fish
and Game Advisory Committee and for the last four years was
chair of the Trapping subcommittee. He worked with the Board of
Game on many occasions and enjoys a "great working relationship"
with the professionals at the Fairbanks Regional 3 Headquarters
Department of Fish and Game.
He applied to be on the board and was appointed earlier this
year. He sat on the board during the winter meeting in
Fairbanks. Some people oppose his confirmation because they
believe he has a conflict of interest. He hoped they understood
how troubling this was to him because it came about because of
his vote during the last board meeting on Proposal 63 that would
allow trapping on state land to the northeast of Denali Park and
Preserve. It was supported by the local Healy and Middle Nenana
Advisory Committee, the Denali Advisory Committee, as well as
the Anchorage, Fairbanks and Delta Junction Advisory Committees.
They were all in support of deleting the buffer zone. He said
those advisory committee members were also elected by the
public. Proposal 63 was also supported by the Ahtna Regional
Corporation. By a vote of 4 to 3 the measure passed, and he
voted with the majority to open the area to trapping. Because of
that and the fact that he owns a tannery and sell traps, some
people claim he has a conflict of interest. He doesn't believe
he has a conflict because members of the board of Game and all
boards fall underneath AS 35.52.110, the part of the executive
branch ethics act which reads:
1. In a representative democracy, the representatives
are drawn from a society and therefore, cannot and
should not be without personal and financial interest
in decisions and policies of government.
2. People who serve as public officers retain their
rights to interests of personal or financial nature.
MR. BARRETT said the same statute says:
Standards of ethical conduct for members of the
executive branch need to distinguish between those
minor and inconsequential conflicts that are
unavoidable in a free society and those conflicts of
interest that are substantial and material.
So, how do they know the difference between substantial and
material conflicts, he asked. Because the statute tells them the
difference. The same statute in subsection (d) says:
Stocks or other ownership interest in any business is
presumed insignificant if the value of the stock or
other ownership interest, including an option to
purchase or ownership interest, is less than $5,000.
MR. BARRETT said he manufactures and sells wolf traps and they
cost $115 each without chain and $130 each with chain. He has
sold eight traps in the past five years to individuals who may
have trapped in the Stampede Trail area and he has never tanned
a wolf from the vicinity of the Denali buffer zone. His
financial interest is far below the $5,000-threshold and this is
why he believes he doesn't have a conflict of interest on this
matter. He added that his ethics officer, Board Chairman Cliff
Judkins, did not think it was a problem nor did the Assistant
Attorney General, Kevin Saxby, both of whom have years of
experience on this issue.
SENATOR HUGGINS said he received about an even number of emails
for and against Mr. Barrett. He is impressed that he is a family
man, an Army guy and a small business man. It appears that
people were concerned about two things: the perceived conflict
of interest and his vote on Proposal 63. He asked if he had a
biological reason for voting the way he did.
MR. BARRETTE replied yes. ADF&G biological data showed that the
harvest of wolves outside of the Park is not a problem for
sustainability of populations or packs within or outside the
Park. They also said viewing opportunities for the public in the
Denali National Park or Preserve depend mostly on where wolves
den, where they make their kills and the predominant vegetation
along the viewing routes. The last pertinent thing they said was
"trapping outside the park has not been documented as a factor
that affects viewing opportunities inside the park."
SENATOR HUGGINS recapped that Mr. Barrette said he considered
sustainability and the viewing opportunities, and asked if there
was much public comment on the proposal.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes, from both sides, and the advisory
committees were all in favor of eliminating the buffer zone.
SENATOR HUGGINS remarked that if everyone was held accountable
for one vote someone didn't like they would all be in trouble.
He asked if Mr. Judkins is the ethics officer.
MR. BARRETTE answered that he is the chairman of the board and
reviews disclosure statements that are made on record prior to a
meeting.
4:08:06 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS asked if an attorney was at the board meeting
where he cast his vote for Proposal 63.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes, Assistant Attorney General, Mr. Saxby
was there.
SENATOR HUGGINS said if it is anything like the legislature you
have to declare your conflict of interest and make a statement,
and asked if he did that.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes. Mr. Judkins had questions about his
dealings on proposals that had guiding issues because he
disclosed that he is a Class A guide. Those problems were
resolved by the board attorney and no one asked him to recuse
himself from Proposal 63.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked if he considered recusing himself.
MR. BARRETTE answered no, because the possibility that he had
tanned a hide, which he didn't, was insignificant, as was the
sale of his traps.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked if he has a store that says something like
"Mr. Barrette's traps for sale" or how else does he sell his
traps.
MR. BARRETTE answered that he has a part time ad in the Alaska
Trappers Magazine, which he does only to support the magazine.
Other than that the sale of traps is done through word of mouth.
4:10:25 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS asked what he says to people who might think
that he has a conflict with a board issue.
MR. BARRETTE replied that this is the first time it has
happened.
SENATOR HUGGINS said it appears to him that Mr. Barrette has an
experience base that they want on the board. He hoped his name
was forwarded and that he got an opportunity to get voted on up
or down.
4:12:03 PM
SENATOR FRENCH went back to the conflict of interest issue
because that has come up in many of his communications. Maybe
Mr. Barrette has a different understanding of subsection (d) in
AS 39.52.110 that says stock or other ownership interest in a
business is presumed to be insignificant if the value of the
stock or the other ownership interest is less than $5,000.
Senator French said he always believed that applied to the value
of the business, not that each incident would affect him by
$5,000. He asked if Mr. Barrette's business in Fairbanks was
worth more or less than $5,000, roughly.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if that was his tannery business.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes.
SENATOR FRENCH clarified that the statute means you can't make
decisions on matters that would affect your business if it is
worth more than $5,000. The ethics statute, AS 39.52.120, says
you "can't take or withhold official action in order to affect a
matter in which the officer has a personal or financial
interest." A financial interest here is defined as being
significant if it's in total worth more than $5,000.
MR. BARRETTE responded that he is not qualified to interpret
that and that he took the code of ethics literally.
SENATOR FRENCH said if he is elected to the board, he should
become familiar with the code of ethics. He should declare
conflicts and get waivers. That's the process. Does that make
sense?
4:15:37 PM
MR. BARRETTE responded, "That's another explanation to these
statutes."
SENATOR FRENCH asked if he understood that in general public
officials can't make decisions that affect their own financial
interests.
MR. BARRETTE replied that he understands that, but because he
was a new board member with board support and help from the
Attorney General's Office he was led to believe that what he
disclosed - "an insignificant amount of what people who consider
profit" - was not a conflict.
SENATOR FRENCH said another way of putting it is if a proposal
came before the Board of Game that he thought might affect his
tannery but he thought it would only affect it by a couple
thousand dollars, it wouldn't be okay for him to participate,
because it's not how much the proposal affects his business, but
rather what his business is worth. He asked if he understood the
distinction.
MR. BARRETTE replied that if he is confirmed he will make it a
point to disclose that to the board chair and allow him to make
that decision.
SENATOR FRENCH said that wasn't answering his question, which is
if he understands the distinction between making a decision that
affects a tiny business that might be worth $1,000 (too
insignificant to worry about) versus one that is worth more than
$5,000, which has to be disclosed. The issue is not how much it
affects his business, but how much his business is worth.
MR. BARRETTE responded that he would take it on "as a challenge"
to make himself "perfectly clear" on understanding ethics
regulations.
4:18:18 PM
SENATOR FRENCH said many folks wrote him about Mr. Barrette's
involvement in lobbying for passage of HB 267, and he asked him
to comment on his actions and to give him a few details.
MR. BARRETTE answered that some people in Fairbanks have always
been interested in providing access to the state lands on the
other side of the Dalton Highway corridor. He asked
Representative Kelly to introduce that issue for legislative
consideration, and he found little legislative or public
interest. So, HB 267 is off the legislative agenda as well as
his agenda.
SENATOR FRENCH asked what his involvement was in getting that
legislation sponsored and passed.
MR. BARRETTE replied that several trappers had problems with
being able to access the country in which they like to trap. He
researched it and "made up a document and a presentation" and
presented it to Representative Kelly. He took it from there and
testified on it once. It didn't go anywhere and that is the
extent of his involvement.
4:20:03 PM
SENATOR WAGONER asked if it was up to Mr. Barrett and he was
"King for a day" is he in favor of opening up both sides of the
Dalton Highway to snow machine access.
MR. BARRETTE answered there is no public support for it and
"even if I was King for a day I would not go against the public
input from this HB 267."
SENATOR WAGONER asked him to give them a thumbnail sketch of how
he feels about the state's biological management of predators.
MR. BARRETTE answered that all the current predator control
programs are effective and he likes them.
4:21:46 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI went back to the Dalton Highway issue, and
asked when Mr. Barrette is making decisions how much he looks at
the public's or his fellow board members' opinions.
MR. BARRETTE replied that he weighs public opinion heavily. He
appeals to the advisory committees that are there to advise the
Board of Game on issues especially pertaining to local areas.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked after voting in favor of revoking
the Denali wolf buffer zone, he understood that Mr. Barrette
petitioned the board to authorize using a snow machine to
harvest wolves in the old buffer zone. Is that accurate?
MR. BARRETTE answered that the buffer zone is in the area of
unit 20C and there was a proposal on the table to institute a
predator control program, which the board failed. While that was
on the table he brought the issue up as a point of discussion -
just "table talk" - not as an amendment or anything else.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he agreed with a statement by Mr.
Judkins who said "I just cringe at the thought of a snow machine
running down the park boundary chasing wolves. It's almost
beyond me."
MR. BARRETTE replied that he didn't know how to answer that,
because regardless of what the chairman says, "It's perfectly
legal to use a snow machine in Unit 20C for trapping."
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he has no problem with chasing
down wolves on snow machines and shooting them.
MR. BARRETTE answered that his opinion is neutral after
listening to the advisory committee and public input.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he voted to authorize the baiting
of brown bears.
MR. BARRETTE answered because he was a new member and didn't
realize there was a bear board policy, he "made one of those
newbie errors and, yes, I did put that on the table."
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if all other members of the board
strongly opposed it.
MR. BARRETTE answered that he took it back off the table after
he was told about the board's bear policy.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he amended a proposal to allow
baiting bears in Interior Alaska when residents, tourists and
families are actively fishing, hiking, and camping in the month
of July.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes, he made such a proposal "and there
was merit to it."
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked what his fellow colleagues on the
board thought of it.
MR. BARRETTE answered that he thought "it was substantially
voted down" because of the regulatory year being cumbersome for
the department to reissue bear bait permits after July 1 when
the regulatory changes happen.
4:26:46 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he recalled allowing commercial
guides to register up to 10 bait stations.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked how many bait stations Alaskans are
allowed to register.
MR. BARRETTE answered in Region 3 each licensed hunter is
allowed up to two bear baits.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if there was a particular reason Mr.
Barrette wanted to authorize potentially non-resident or
commercial guides to register more bait stations than resident
Alaskans.
MR. BARRETTE replied that he would have to review the
discussion, but he remembered the majority of the board was in
favor of allowing guides to have more bear baits because it
would be safer and more efficient in the field.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if there was any discussion of
whether or not that was constitutional under the state's equal
access clause.
MR. BARRETTE answered no, but he would have to review the
records to be sure.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he would be concerned with
letting commercial guides have more bait stations than ordinary
Alaskan residents.
MR. BARRETTE answered that he voted to allow the guides to have
more bear baits.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he saw no constitutional problems
with that.
MR. BARRETTE replied that he would have to get a professional
review of the constitution.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he had professional
constitutional review before he voted on the issue.
MR. BARRETTE answered no.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if there was a question of
constitutionality in the future if he would ask about it before
they vote on it.
MR. BARRETTE answered "very much so."
4:29:11 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he voted several times to reduce
the amounts necessary for subsistence.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes. He said it's on the record that the
board was working with the Division of Subsistence to come up
with plans that seemed reasonable.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if he also voted to allocate to non-
resident use or to suppress resident use seasons on several
occasions.
MR. BARRETTE answered yes.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked what his philosophy is in general
when he is deciding allocation and whether game should be
available for resident versus commercial users.
MR. BARRETTE answered that he relies on department
professionals.
4:30:20 PM
SENATOR FRENCH asked about a quote from "Backpacker Magazine" in
which he may have said Genesis in the first book of the Bible
says we should subdue and control nature, that we should be
managers of the animals and the sin of Adam and Eve is what
brought that on. Did he say it and if he did, could he provide
some explanation or details?
MR. BARRETTE answered yes, he said that - sloppily. The meaning
is that he believes game should be managed and that should be
done through professional data, input from the public and
elected advisory committees. The opposite of managing is just to
"let Mother Nature take care of itself." You can't manage for
sustainability by letting Mother Nature do it.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if there is any kind of biblical foundation
to his view of wildlife management.
MR. BARRETTE answered no.
4:32:01 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI opened public testimony.
4:32:14 PM
ART GREENWALD, representing himself, Fairbanks, said he has
lived in the Interior over 40 years and has hunted for several
of them. He strongly opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game. He said the sports hunter from Fairbanks or
Anchorage likes to get his caribou or moose and there is nothing
wrong with that, but the subsistence hunter form Wiseman,
Anaktuvuk Pass and other rural communities needs to get his
caribou or moose. "Mr. Barrette does not seem to grasp this
difference and has been a fierce opponent of any subsistence
preference."
MR. GREENWALD said that Mr. Barrette has aggressively lobbied to
revoke the Kanuti control use area designation near Bettles, and
the Division of Subsistence warned Mr. Barrette that prior to
such an action the board must address meeting subsistence needs
in the region. The other members of the board did not support
him in his actions in that regard. Further, he voted to increase
the harvest in the Central Alaska caribou herd along the Haul
road to five caribou while simultaneously supporting opening the
Haul Road control use area to general snow machine access.
He said Mr. Barrette voted against 2-4 subsistence sheep for
Interior Native villages in GMU19 remarking "their subsistence
needs are being met by other things, but they want to add sheep
to it?" Finally, with Mr. Barrette on the board, that leaves no
representation whatsoever for the entire South Central region,
an area holding over one-third of the state's population.
4:34:02 PM
THERESA SAGER-ALBAUGH, representing herself, said she is a
member of the Board of Game from the Mentasta Pass area, and
supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. The
learning curve can be steep for a new board member despite
previous involvement. He came to his first meeting well
prepared, having read all public comments and all the advisory
committee minutes; he understands the process. He listens
respectful and attentively to public testimony as well as the
presentations provided by the ADF&G. He respected all of the
public members testifying whether they were Native or non-Native
and whether they were rural or urban. He asked good questions
that assisted the board in making informed decisions. She
personally observed that he left the meeting room each day with
a stack of paperwork and new materials under his arm to take
home to read and study for the next day's meeting. He knows the
provisions of the state game statutes and regulations very well
and he also know how they differ from the federal game laws,
distinctions that can be very important to the hunting public in
Alaska. He has demonstrated his ability to work well with the
ADF&G through his involvement with the Fairbanks Advisory
Committee and as chairman of the trapping subcommittee.
4:36:45 PM
COKE WALLACE, representing himself, Healy, said he has been a
licensed professional hunting guide all of his adult life, and
has lived his entire life in Alaska. For the last 18 years he
has lived in Healy right next to the buffer zone. He and his
wife run a sport hunting business and for 18 years ran a summer
tourism business. He uses the resource both as a recreational
and a professional hunter/trapper/fisherman. He supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game because he brings a
wealth of knowledge to it. He knows the concerns of rural Alaska
and the importance of wildlife to them. He understands the
customary and traditional uses of the wildlife resources and
holds them in high esteem.
Mr. Wallace said he is one of the "four rogue trappers" who were
going to benefit from the Denali buffer zone going away. He said
it was originally established without good biology. He had
spoken with the three other "rogue trappers" who were going to
benefit from the buffer zone going away and he knows they don't
buy their trapping supplies from Mr. Barrette other than the
occasional "Number 9 Alaskan" just to add to their collection.
4:39:40 PM
SHANNON MOORE, representing herself, said being able to access
game is really important to her and her family. She said there
is a reason they don't call "fishing" "catching" and she didn't
think they wanted to change "hunting" into "killing." She
opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game because
of his philosophy of easy game, a philosophy that gets rid of
competition. She didn't know if people are just becoming lazy
hunters and want to get rid of the predators or what.
In listening to Mr. Barrette and his explanation and listening
to the questions from the chair and other senators, she said
it's disturbing to see that allocations for Alaskans are being
trumped for non-resident guides or guides for non-resident
hunters. "It's not Alaskan, it's not taking care of Alaskans
whether they be subsistence users or not."
4:41:10 PM
WADE WILLIS, representing himself, said he ran an eco-tourism
business in Alaska for 14 years, and people on the Board of Game
have to be willing to represent all the people not just
yourself. He opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment because for him
it's just his way or the highway. He said he listens to regional
advisory committees, but Minto-Nenana Advisory Committee chair
(since 1980) Ron Silas aggressively testified that he was
against all forms of black bear baiting and Mr. Barrette, in
response, wanted to expand it to the month of July and to extend
10 bait stations to the commercial guiding industry in Mr.
Silas' area.
Regarding the Central Alaska caribou herd along the Haul Road,
Jack Reakoff, co-chair of the state AC and chair of the federal
AC in that region, strongly testified against raising the
harvest limits from two caribou and he had very good reasoning.
It was very difficult to haul caribou the five miles it takes to
get the caribou through the closed corridor and being able to
shoot five caribou was a big problem. In response, Mr. Barrette
aggressively voted to raise the take and said that all of the
villages in that area don't even rely exclusively on caribou.
MR. WILLIS said Mr. Barrette also needs to be cooperative with
other mandates that are looking to have natural diversity and
natural abundance, which is the mandate on federal lands.
4:44:06 PM
BARBARA WINKLEY, representing herself, Anchorage, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. Last year, in
particular, she was dismayed at the conversation between the
board members, [ADF&G Commissioner] Denby Lloyd and Corey Rossi
who made light of the fact that they were having this "wonderful
snaring program for black bears in area 16 and there would only
be a few brown bear by-catch caught." They wanted to teach young
children how to kill these animals who may have been baited and
snared for up to two days often with their cubs bellowing
nearby. One board member even remarked that he would vote
against every proposal that looked as though a member of the
public had proposed it instead of their own recommendations.
As a member of the public, Ms. Winkley said, and as someone who
had put in one regulation recommending the elimination the
trapping of wolverine in Chugach State Park, she felt this
behavior of the board to be extremely unprofessional. Mr.
Barrette has demonstrated by his previous comments that he is
opposed to rural subsistence and supports maximum predator
elimination without any concern for professional biological
science. It's time to have some board members who are concerned
about sustainable wildlife resources with professional
background to support their decision.
4:46:22 PM
MARYBETH HOLLEMAN, representing herself, Anchorage, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. At the Fairbanks
board meeting she saw firsthand that he lacks ethical integrity
and the knowledge and ability to uphold the board's regulatory
authority. He voted on issues from which he should have recused
himself because of a conflict of interest. What he failed to
tell them is that he did recuse himself from several votes at
the Fairbanks meeting for which he knew he had a conflict of
interest. So, he does know how to do that and should have done
that with the Denali buffer. He made rude and disrespectful
remarks to the National Park Service staff and to Alaska
citizens who appeared before the board to testify. He made
comments which revealed a lack of knowledge of basic wildlife
management and Alaska wildlife issues. He has a record of
denying rural and Native subsistence uses.
MS. HOLLEMAN said many Alaskans are disgusted with just how far
out of touch this Board of Game has become and Mr. Barrette
pulls it even further away from Alaskans and towards the special
interest groups, Alaska Outdoor Council and Alaska Trappers
Association. He is another white urban hunter/trapper from the
Fairbanks area leaving no representation for South Central
Alaska and little for rural and Alaska Natives.
MS. HOLLEMAN said the board is lopsided now due to its extreme
consumptive use position; it's hard for those with different
viewpoints to testify before them. She related that Mr.
Barrette, in particular, was disrespectful to her when she
testified.
4:48:47 PM
GERALD BROOKMAN, representing himself, Kenai, said he has
resided in Alaska since 1957 and has successfully hunted both
small and big game during his residency here. He opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. His views on the
taking of game and furbearers seem to be very liberal but his
view concerning Natives subsistence use for the state's game
resources seems to be very restrictive if not outright hostile.
In addition, his business interests appear to conflict with
membership on the board and don't pass "the smell test."
4:49:55 PM
DANE CROWLEY, Executive Director, Sportsmen for Fish and
Wildlife, supported Mr. Barrett's appointment to the Board of
Game. His membership includes both urban and rural Alaskans and
they believe that "abundance management" solves the allocation
issues that have come up. The conflict of interest issue is
manufactured. Mr. Barrette researches and understands the issues
and he is for the abundance management principle and access to
that resource. He also understands that the State of Alaska owns
the wildlife solely in the state and the federal government has
zero management authority over any fish and game resources
including wolves "in and around any buffer zone or preserve."
4:52:11 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI mentioned that people can submit written
testimony to him or any of the committee members.
4:52:25 PM
KENNY BARBER, representing himself, Palmer, said he is a past
member of the Matsu Advisory Committee and supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game, because he "goes
with" the public's views and with what the Fish and Game
Advisory Committees have to say.
4:53:00 PM
PATTI BARBER, representing herself, Palmer, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game.
4:53:20 PM
NICOLE FLISS, representing herself, Fairbanks, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. Many of the reasons
for opposing this confirmation have already been clearly
explained by other citizens and organizations; they include his
puzzling use of scripture to support his game management
philosophy, his support of bear snaring, his advocacy to
eliminate guide requirements for brown bears, his advocacy to
bait brown bears, his desire to reclassify brown bears as
predators and thus the need to control them, his clear
misunderstanding of the amounts necessary for subsistence (shown
by his votes to allocate priorities to non-resident hunters),
his direct involvement and misuse of his influence with the
Board of Game to push HB 267 solely to markedly decrease the
size of the Central Arctic caribou herd, and his derogatory use
of the term "preservationist," a label he uses to describe
people like herself.
MS. FLISS said she is a professional and an advocate for
wilderness and for balance in game management; she is also a
hunter and relies on game meat as her main source of protein for
her family.
MS. FLISS said the state has been on an extreme unscientific
game management path since Governor Murkowski and got more
extreme with Governor Palin. Unfortunately Governor Parnell has
chosen to stay on that path; his appointment of Mr. Barrette is
"an exclamation point on Alaska's radical path of predator
control." She said this is where the legislature can "slow this
freight train."
4:55:54 PM
BYRON HALEY, President, Chitna Dip Netters Association,
Fairbanks, supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of
Game.
4:56:30 PM
VINCE HOLTON, Director, Operations for Alaska Monitoring the
Drug Testing, Fairbanks, supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to
the Board of Game. He met Mr. Barrette last fall when he
authored three separate proposals to the Board of Game this
year. Mr. Barrette was very helpful in explaining the process
and working with him in understanding why the proposals didn't
pass.
He said many of the proposals Mr. Barrette voted on were written
by the ADF&G and based on their biological data. For instance,
his vote in opposition to the North Slope caribou herd, it has
been stated by the department many times over the last year that
they are simply not meeting the herd management quota and "that
the herd is getting out of hand and that the increase was
necessary."
4:58:16 PM
ROGGIE HUNTER, representing himself, North Pole, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He worked with him
for two years on the Fairbanks Advisory Committee and he always
did his homework, knew the issues when they came to a vote, and
he listened to the ADF&G science, the public's comments and to
the fish and game advisory committees. A lot of the negative
testimony is either manufactured or exaggerated, he said.
4:59:08 PM
WILLIAM LARRY, representing himself, Fairbanks, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He has worked with
Mr. Barrette on an advisory committee for over six years and
thought that he did "a tremendous job," not that he always
agreed with him. He always "dug into everything."
MR. LARRY said that any Fairbanks people voted to get Mr.
Barrette on the advisory committee; it wasn't on just a whim. In
"no way" does he want to wipe out wolves or bears, because as a
trapper if they are all gone he doesn't have an income. His
business is small and he doesn't have that much income; he and
his family are very into the subsistence way of life. He's a
berry picker and a photographer.
5:00:39 PM
THOR STACEY, representing himself, Wiseman, said he is a
registered hunting guide in Alaska and opposed Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game. He said he has hunting areas
near the National Wildlife Refuge and the Kanuti National
Wildlife Refuge. His opposition is mainly resource based and he
has seriously concerns about Mr. Barrette's ability to perform
on the board because it is supposed to allocate the resource.
His specific issue is with HB 267, which Mr. Barrette petitioned
the Board of Game to support before he was appointed and then
after being appointed he was able to induce the board to vote on
during a closed session. There was no public comment or any
other opportunity to comment on it. It is not the function of a
governor-appointed board to support legislation. Because of Mr.
Barrette's actions with HB 267 he falls under the category of an
activist and they don't want activists on the board. They want
people who are responsible public servants to contribute their
knowledge and who will go through the public process. Mr.
Barrette used his position to push legislation, and he believes
Mr. Barrette will continue his activist position on a variety of
issues regarding game management in Alaska if he is confirmed.
5:03:30 PM
NICK JANS, Juneau resident, opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment
to the Board of Game. Mr. Jans said he is a full-time Alaska
writer and photography; he is a long-time hunter and trapper who
lived in remote Eskimo villages in Northwest Alaska for half his
life. He shared actively in the Inupiat subsistence lifestyle
for two decades and worked as a packer for a big game guide. He
does not oppose predator control supported by rigorous science,
and he always has wild meat and fish in his freezer and
understands that as a true Alaska way of life. And yet Mr.
Barrette "does not come close to representing" him. This
conclusion is not based on what Mr. Barrette or his supporters
may say, but upon his clear record regarding wildlife management
issues. Mr. Barrette has consistently favored proposals that
oppose rural subsistence values and has even scoffed at them on
the record. He favored a handful of local trappers over the
staggering economic value of the park's wolves as a tourist
attraction. He has supported or introduced measures that the
rest of the board unanimously opposed as too radical, has
promoted sport hunter access and taking at the cost of
sustainable wildlife conservation.
MR. JANS said he finds Mr. Barrette singularly unqualified to
fairly represent the interests of all Alaskans, he finds his
blatant on-the-record support of anti-subsistence to be the most
egregious. He has demonstrated his disregard for that lifestyle
and welfare over that of non-residents or non-local resident
hunters.
5:05:40 PM
VIC WALKER, representing himself, Juneau, said he is a
veterinarian, and opposed Mr. Barrette's appointment to the
Board of Game. The Alaska Constitution states that wildlife
should be managed for the benefit of all Alaskans - subsistence,
sports hunting, trapping, as well as non-consumptive uses like
wildlife viewing. He said the Board of Game currently does not
represent the diverse needs of all or even most Alaskans. Mr.
Barrette's voting record at the recent board meeting favored
sport hunters and trappers, including his own tannery and wolf
trap business over the needs of subsistence and non-consumptive
users.
After voting to revoke the Denali wolf buffer zone, Mr. Barrette
petitioned the board to authorize the use of snow machines the
wolves in the old buffer zone. Other board members were
unanimously opposed to this. Further, Mr. Walker said, Mr.
Barrette is the only board member who voted to authorize baiting
of brown bears for sport hunting. There are other examples of
that ilk and the pattern is clear; his positions are extreme.
5:07:33 PM
GREG BROWN, representing himself, said he owns a small whale
watching business in Juneau and opposed Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game. He said the hunting industry
in Alaska is about a $124 million industry and it is sinking
like a rock. Big game tags for the last 10 years are down 39
percent, out-of-state hunting license are down 29 percent,
instate hunting licenses are down 8 percent, and less than 20
percent of Alaskans hunt.
He said wildlife viewing in Alaska is a $581-million business
today and it's growing at 6-10 percent a year. It's five times
what the hunting business is, which seems big until you look at
the national numbers. In the Lower 48, wildlife viewing is a $29
billion business and it is growing at a 4-10 percent rate. But
Alaska is not in the top half of the United States for animal
viewing and it is the best state in the world for animals.
He said Mr. Barrette supports elimination of the Denali buffer
zone; this puts at risk $63 million and 420,000 Alaskan
visitors. He supports aerial hunting and snow mobile use for
wolves; he supports baiting and snaring. Alaska is being
boycotted because of what the Board of Game seems to be doing. A
professional guide in Anchorage said not to worry because
boycotts never work in Alaska, and it wouldn't affect 2 percent
of his business. But 2 percent of $581 million is $12 million,
more than twice the value of all the big game tags, all the
resident hunting tags and all the out of state tags combined.
MR. BROWN said, "Eco tourism is a sustainable money pipeline for
Alaska," and the numbers show it. If Mr. Barrette is confirmed
it will send a clear message to thousands of Alaskans who work
in this $581 million non-consumptive animal viewing business
that their constitutional rights are not being protected.
5:09:54 PM
TINA BROWN, representing herself, Juneau, opposed Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game for most of the reasons already
stated. She had a big concern about rural and Native subsistence
needs that Mr. Barrette doesn't seem to address. She pointed out
that nature seemed to do just fine before he "came around with
his management policies." He ignored the wishes of over 100,000
park visitors and Alaskans in the Denali buffer zone issue to
favor three or four trappers. He says he listens to all the
people, but if you look at the numbers of people who were
opposed to eliminating that buffer zone, that doesn't pan out.
Mr. Barrette's church and state comment in "Backpacker Magazine"
is another example of his bad judgment. He patents and
manufactures wolf traps, he owns a fur tannery, and according to
the ADF&G website, in 2006 he received the first gunners permit
in the then newest predator management program. He does not
represent all of the people of Alaska; fewer than 20 percent of
Alaskans have a hunting license and more than 80 percent of
Alaskans are non-consumptive users.
5:12:28 PM
ROD ARNO, Executive Director, Alaska Outdoor Council, supported
Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He comes to the
meetings prepared and that serves the public interest. In the 20
years he has gone to Board of Game meetings he has seen Mr.
Barrette advocate for sound science management and food security
for all Alaskans whether they are rural or urban, Native or non-
Native. The truth is they are having a problem implementing the
Tier 2 management, and are working with the Division of
Subsistence. Suggestions have been put forward but they are
waiting for more data. Mr. Arno said the Haul Road corridor
issue had nothing to do with allocation but rather with vehicle
access.
5:14:59 PM
RICK STEINER, representing himself, Anchorage, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. Although Mr.
Barrette characterized his problem as being one of his votes at
the Fairbanks board meeting, it isn't. It's the general
underlying philosophy that is already well represented there
that he brings. He asked them to consider what it would be like
if the board had representatives from the Sierra Club, Green
Peace, Friends of Animals, Defenders of Wildlife, and Earth
First, and then the governor has an open seat and appoints
someone from PITA. That is precisely what has happened here,
although on the other political arm in the spectrum. People on
the environmental side would feel ashamed if a governor were to
do that and he is stunned that the consumptive use side does not
feel "utterly ashamed" at the notion that you cannot have a
balanced Board of Game. Generally, people that are afraid of
balanced dialogue and deliberation lack confidence in their
perspective.
5:16:34 PM
SENATOR STEDMAN joined the committee.
STEVEN FLORY, representing himself, Anchorage, said he is a
former chair of the Anchorage Fish and Game Advisory Committee.
He got off of it and recently got put back on it - because some
former members thought it was a good idea to expand the buffer
zone. Both sides put as many people as they could up for
election; and the other side lost. Now they are screaming foul.
He said the buffer zone is a minor detail in all these votes.
The fact is, had Mr. Barrette not voted, it would been a 3X3 tie
across the board and the buffer zone would have disappeared by
sunset law anyway.
MR. FLORY said some members seem to feel Mr. Barrette has a
conflict of interest, but under that scenario having attorneys
in Juneau pass laws that they later litigate would have to be a
conflict as well. Several other things - the department
recommended 10 bait stations for guides, and other members voted
for it. In fact some of his votes were the same as Mr.
Grussendorf's and he wasn't asked these questions.
5:19:58 PM
AARON BLOOMQUIST, Chairman, Anchorage Fish and Game Advisory
Committee, supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of
Game. He first met Mr. Barrette at the Anchorage Board of Game
meeting in January where they spent some time discussing various
wildlife issues. He found him easy to get along with and he is
one of the most open and accessible board members he has dealt
with. At the Fairbanks meeting he never missed a chance to talk
to various members of the public from all sides of the issues
during the breaks as well as after hours. Mr. Barrette would not
refuse to meet with anyone who asked.
MR. BLOOMQUIST said the Board of Game is an allocative body and
so at times people will be mad. Mr. Barrette brings a trapper's
perspective to the board that has been missing for a while. The
other members have also expressed their appreciation of his
point of view at the Fairbanks meetings stating that he brought
up several points that have not been discussed at previous
meetings. Serious trapping has sustained Alaskans for thousands
of years and predates any other economic activity in the state
and Mr. Bloomquist believed it is a really valuable point of
view to have on the board. Mr. Barrette has contact with more
serious trappers than nearly any other individual in Alaska.
Some have tried to insinuate that Mr. Barrette is anti
subsistence, but he hoped the committee would recognize this as
divide and conquer strategy. All of those that have brought up
certain votes against customary and traditional findings are not
subsistence users, but the usual suspects from the anti-predator
control and anti-consumptive crowd that could really care less
about subsistence.
He said if "Al" is unqualified to be on the Board of Game
because of his business, then six of the seven members of the
Board of Fisheries are also unqualified as probably members of
most of the state's other boards.
5:22:58 PM
NANCY BALE, representing herself, Anchorage, said she is a
school nurse, and from 1971-1993, she lived and worked near and
in Denali National Park. She became chair of the "grassroots"
Denali Citizens' Council that brought a proposal to extend the
wolf buffer (proposal 55) to the board. She emphasized that the
proposal had gone through a public process with local citizens
and that they were "open and honest." Her problem with Mr.
Barrette is in two areas; first she is not convinced he has
completely avoided a conflict of interest problem with respect
to his vote on Denali wolf buffers. It's all right to have the
owner of a trapping and tannery business on the board, but he
has to be extremely specific about recusing themselves from
certain votes from which he would financially benefit.
5:25:49 PM
MIKE TINKER, Fairbanks Advisory Committee, Esther, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He said Mr.
Barrette served with the committee for the last five or six
years and had an excellent attendance record and was a great
participant. He asked great questions on the issues and gave
them complete reviews and discussions while he was the chair of
the trapping subcommittee. He said advisory committees have to
pay a lot more attention to the intensive management provisions
in Title 16 that deal with predator control, and most of the
people testifying today should read it.
MR. TINKER said Mr. Barrette recused himself from proposals he
prepared or submitted. He is also just one of a group of seven
who worked on these proposals, many of which were from the
ADF&G; yet he is getting all the blame.
5:28:08 PM
CRAIG COMPEAU, representing himself, said he is a local
businessman and member of a four-generation Alaskan family, and
he supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He
has watched Mr. Barrette "in action" on the local advisory board
and was impressed with his participation, professionalism and
honest consideration for all sides of the issues. He is an
independent thinker and very informed and articulate on the
boards and committees he has volunteered to join. Many people
who oppose his appointment are using desperate measures and
untruths to "undermine a decent Alaskan."
5:30:25 PM
RANDY ZARNKE, President, Alaska Trappers Association, supported
Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. Mr. Barrette
has been interested in wildlife since he arrived in Alaska, but
he has taken his efforts well beyond personal interest. He
educated himself about biological principals including the
mechanisms which cause wildlife populations to increase and
decrease. In addition, he has learned the system by which
hunting and trapping regulations are adopted (the advisory
committee and game board process).
5:31:14 PM
BILL BREWER, representing himself, Fairbanks, said he is a long-
time trapper and hunter, and supported Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game. He has enjoyed working with
him over the last several years. He is a "vast storehouse of
information" as it applies in the field and in his shop. He
spends a great deal of time in the field and interacting with
the many other trappers and hunters that are in and out of his
store. This collection of information is invaluable to the Board
of Game and to the residents of this state whether they are
consumptive users or non-consumptive users. A lot of non-
consumptive users fail to see the state could have higher
wildlife populations and more prey animals if "we just manage
our wildlife per the State Constitution."
5:33:21 PM
MELVIN GROVE, representing himself, Big Lake, said he is a
member of the Matsu Fish and Game Advisory Council that
unanimously supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of
Game. He didn't want to think that the AC was wasting its time
in advising the Board of Game, and he appreciated how Mr.
Barrette looked at their recommendations - one of which was
their unanimous vote to close the buffer zones. They are also in
favor of all the predator control management programs.
5:36:01 PM
KELLY WALTERS, representing himself, Anchorage, said he is a 19-
year Alaskan hunter and fisherman, and opposed Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game. "He is a walking/talking
conflict of interest with a clear obvious unambiguous conflict
with his two companies that were discussed." He knows how to
recuse himself from the vote as he did on the 72-hour trap check
due to an on-record statement of his profit conflict. While on
the Board of Game he approved 10 black bear bait stations per
commercial guide, and tanning those pelts at $200 each wouldn't
take long to reach the $2,000 limit.
He said Mr. Barrette also has an aggressive record of opposing
the rural and Native subsistence priority. He said if Mr.
Barrette is confirmed the largest population center in the
state, Anchorage, will go unrepresented. The Anchorage Advisory
Council has already been overrun with people from the Matsu
Valley who already have their own AC.
MR. WALTERS said he is very concerned with the direction the
ADF&G and the Board of Game is taking; they seem to be on a path
of science denial. He didn't like Mr. Barrette's reliance on
scripture for game management.
5:38:32 PM
LYNETTE MORENO-HINZ, representing herself, Anchorage, opposed
Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. She drives a
cab and sees people from all over the world who come up here to
take photographs and enjoy the wildlife. She did not like the
use of the wolf predator control program to keep moose and
caribou populations up. Mr. Barrette's business is a conflict of
interest, and the board needs subsistence representation.
5:41:44 PM
DAVID TURNBULL, representing himself, Anchorage, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game for the reasons
already mentioned. Bob Bell told him that Mr. Barrette is "an
extremist." He thought the Board of Game's decisions should be
based on science and not on the financial interests of its
members - who might own a bear tannery or trapping company - or
on religious beliefs.
5:42:36 PM
YOLANDA DE LA CRUZ, representing herself, Anchorage, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game for all the previous
reasons. He has a "lot of conflict of interest in wildlife." He
has no respect for wildlife or for the "fair chase." She wants
diversity on the Board of Game and for members to make their
decisions based on science.
5:44:53 PM
DICK BISHOP, representing himself, Fairbanks, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He has integrity
and is dedicated to the best interests of wildlife and Alaskans
consistent with the Alaska Constitution, which emphasizes and
demands common use and equal access to those resources. It does
not include a rural or Native priority. He strongly objected to
the personal attacks, character assassination and intolerance
expressed by some people who oppose his confirmation.
5:46:33 PM
BRIAN SIMPSON, representing himself, Fairbanks, said he is a 30-
year resident, has a master guide license, and supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. His first 15 years
were spent subsistence trapping and hunting in the Upper Yukon
region. He has had to go before the board many times over the
years and appreciated Mr. Barrette's listening and coming to the
meetings prepared. He said "this character assassination is
absolutely disgusting." Mr. Barrette should be appointed on his
merits and the emotional hyperbole should be discounted.
5:47:46 PM
CHUCK GRAY, representing himself, Fairbanks, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. Intensive game
management is the law of the land and even though the department
has been slow to implement it, Mr. Barrette could help get it
going. If non-consumptive users think this is not in their best
interest, it surely is, because more game would be good for the
hunters that go afield for a couple weeks a year but for the
non-consumptive users as well who could view the additional game
year-round.
5:49:15 PM
DICK BURLEY, representing himself, Fairbanks, said he served on
the Board of Game for nine years and supported Mr. Barrette's
appointment to it. People used to ask him why he wanted to serve
on the Board of Game and his comment was that it gave complete
strangers a chance to hate him, but it certainly looks like Mr.
Barrette takes the prize there. It has been a long time since he
has seen a character assassination like this - especially
because of one or two votes. Had Mr. Barrette excluded himself
from voting on the Denali buffer zone it would have sunsetted
anyway because the vote was 3X3.
As far as subsistence goes, changes that are made by the board
to the amount necessary for subsistence is usually based on
information that is provided by the Division of Subsistence.
Sometimes when those amounts were set they were set with
incomplete data; and as the division gathered more and more data
those things get revisited and are subject to change. The
simple fact that a change was made in the amount necessary for
subsistence doesn't mean that Mr. Barrette is anti-subsistence.
It was based on good information and other board members made
the same decision.
5:52:39 PM
FRANK ENTSMINGER, representing himself, Tok, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He said he is a
current member of the Upper Tanana Forty-Mile Advisory Committee
and said that having people like Mr. Barrette on the board is
very important to those who live in rural Alaska. He commended
the board for its actions on "a fairly aggressive predator
control program that is starting to pay off."
BRENT KEITH, representing himself, said he is a 30-year resident
of Healy and supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board
of Game. Mr. Keith said he lived within Denali National Park for
several years and is chairman of the Middle Nenana River
Advisory Committee and has been on it for the last 21 years.
Apparently, Mr. Keith said, he is one of the four "rogue
trappers" that was mentioned. He stated there is no biological
reason to have the buffer zone in this area; he said they should
plug the traditional denning holes in the buffer zone and "move
'em into the core part of the park." He highly doubted that
Alaska would be boycotted because of it. They need to remember
that hunters and trappers are conservationists first and
foremost. It doesn't do them any good to "trap it out" because
further down the line they don't have any resource to utilize.
The same goes for hunting.
5:56:10 PM
JACK REAKOFF, representing himself, said he is co-chair of the
Koyukuk River Advisory Committee and opposed Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game. The primary reason is that he
voted many times to reduce Alaskans preference for harvest; he
voted for high allocations of bag limits and seasons for non-
residents almost simultaneously. This violates the State
Constitution and statutes that mandate resident preference. He
said this reallocation problem is rampant with the current board
makeup. Abundance management does not justify reallocation to
non-residents or reduction of Alaskans' uses.
5:58:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAMRAS joined the committee.
5:58:42 PM
HANNA RAGELIN, representing herself, Healy, opposed Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. His appointment
would perpetuate a board that is slanted towards consumptive
uses. She was also concerned about his disregard for local
opinions and sound science on several issues that were raised at
the Fairbanks Board of Game meeting. She wanted someone
appointed who "is more willing to search out or at least
recognize opposing views in order to make fair decisions."
6:00:06 PM
PAT NOLIN, representing himself, Fairbanks, supported Mr.
Barrette's appointment to the Board of Game. He has had a lot of
experience and has worked closer with nature than most of the
people talking. He is interested in the preservation of "all
animal life for generations forever." He read about the biblical
comments, but Mr. Nolin said he believes that God gave us this
planet and these animals to take care of and to use. He believed
Al would do that. And if you are an Atheist, what difference is
there between a wolf killing a caribou or Mr. Barrette killing a
wolf?
6:02:19 PM
JACOB BARRETTE, representing himself, Fairbanks, said he is 18
years old and he supported his dad's appointment to the Board of
Game. He is dedicated to anything he takes on and has taken the
time to teach him and his friends many things including proper
care of animals they have harvested and how to respect the land
by disturbing it and wildlife that resides on it as little as
possible. "I think that he'd be an asset to the board."
6:02:51 PM
TOM SCARBOROUGH, representing himself, Fairbanks, said he is a
45-year resident of Alaska and was chair of the Fairbanks
Advisory Committee back in the 90s. He supported Mr. Barrette's
appointment to the Board of Game. He said the Board of Game sets
regulations for the use of billions of dollars worth of wildlife
across the state. Regulation is closely controlled by the State
Constitution and statutes and people are needed on the board
that are knowledgeable about Title 16 and the Constitution, and
Mr. Barrette is one of those. He is very dedicated and will make
an excellent member of the Board of Game.
6:03:48 PM
RAYMOND HEUER, chair, Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory
Committee, supported Mr. Barrette's appointment to the Board of
Game. He is impressed with Mr. Barrette's broad knowledge base,
his approachability and reasonableness. He said the board's
actions were fairly reasonable and they listened to the
testimony that was given.
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI closed public testimony and announced an
at ease at from 6:06 - 6:07 p.m.
6:07:41 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI called the meeting back to order and gave
Mr. Barrette an opportunity to respond to the testimony.
MR. BARRETTE said if people want to use his record of voting
they should keep it in context: look at everything that was
presented to them, look at who all voted, and if he was just
commenting on issues (part of parliamentary procedure) when
people accused him of making proposals.
6:09:18 PM
CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI said to all the nominees. "The Board of
Game, in particular is a tough board to be on." And he
appreciated everyone who put their names forward. He said that
people have asked the committee to not forward Mr. Barrette's
name, but they can't stop it. It will go forward.
SENATOR HUGGINS moved in accordance with AS 39.05.080 to forward
Mr. Barrette's name to the full body as an appointment to the
Board of Game. This did not reflect any intent by the members to
vote for or against the confirmations of any of the individuals
during any further sessions. There were no objections and it was
so ordered.
6:09:59 PM
Finding no further business to come before the committee, Co-
Chair Wielechowski adjourned the meeting at 6:09 p.m.
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