Legislature(1993 - 1994)
02/02/1993 03:32 PM Senate TRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
February 2, 1993
3:32 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bert Sharp, Chairman
Senator Randy Phillips, Vice Chairman
Senator Tim Kelly
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Jay Kerttula
Senator Georgianna Lincoln
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Executive Order 87
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
EO 87 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Kit Duke, Assistant Commissioner
3601 "C" Street, Suite 724
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-2, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN SHARP called the Senate Transportation Committee
meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. The only order of business
was Executive Order 87, relating to the transfer of public
facilities to DOT/PF from various state agencies. He
indicated that Kit Duke, Assistant Commissioner and project
coordinator would review the order.
SENATOR KELLY explained he had another appointment but would
like to know if the bill would relate only to the executive
branch and not the judiciary branch of government. MS. DUKE
said Senator Kelly is correct.
Ms. Duke continued to give a background of the executive
order. She said that the department has been aware that
the state is not taking care of a very important segment of
its asset inventory which is all the buildings that are used
to deliver services. Ms. Duke explained that the state owns
about 1,700 buildings in sixty communities around the state.
They contain about 11.5 million square feet valued at $2.3
billion replacement value. She informed the committee that
about 4.5 million square feet belongs to the university
system. Not included in the totals are the borough schools
located in several communities.
Ms. Duke said the condition of the state buildings are
critical to the efficiency of the state's work force. We
have a responsibility to safeguard and improve the state's
buildings and to provide an appropriate place for the work
force and the public to conduct business. Presently, that
responsibility is defused among eleven different executive
branch departments. Ms. Duke said there are a number of
circumstances that they are facing, relating to facilities,
over the next decade that need to be addressed. The
buildings are getting older and many of them were built in
the late 1970s and early 1980s. Ms. Duke said there are a
number of new regulatory requirements that must be met,
including the American Disabilities Act. There are new
technologies we need to employ such as in the areas of
energy conservation, and there will be new budget
constraints.
Ms. Duke explained that over the last two years a number of
things have been done. Originally, a group of people
comprised of the eleven executive departments formed
themselves into what is called "The Alaska State Facilities
Administrator's Group," which consisted mainly of facility
managers. She explained that the group compiled information
relating to how many buildings there are, what their
conditions are and what they felt the deferred maintenance
liability was. Ms. Duke said the information was presented
to the Legislative Finance Committees over the last two
years. Ms. Duke explained there were also budget forms
which attempted to identify the deficit that exists in the
area of maintenance funding. An efficiency report has been
completed by the governor's task force which indicated that
something should be done to preserve these assets which so
much money has been invested. Ms. Duke said in June, 1992,
she was selected to head the project. The transition team
appointed included members from many state departments.
Ms. Duke informed the committee that the executive order
transfers building leasing for the executive branch from the
Department of Administration to the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities. It also cleans up
some statute references that Health and Social Services and
Corrections had in their titles about authority to maintain
and operate buildings. It essentially sets the stage for
doing business in a different way.
Ms. Duke discussed the Bethel maintenance project where four
departments will combine their six maintenance positions to
a single crew on March 1. She said she would be glad to
answer questions.
SENATOR SHARP questioned what four departments were combined
in Bethel. Ms. Duke said the departments were Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities, Department of Military
Affairs, Department of Health and Social Services, and
Department of Corrections. Between those departments, there
were six positions.
Senator Sharp asked if pioneer homes and state owned schools
would be included. Ms. Duke explained that state owned
schools would include something like the Seward Vocational
Center, but would not include borough schools which have
local oversight.
Number 147
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS referred to page 8, line 20, "(b) The
time for a decision may be extended up to 26 days for good
cause by the commissioner of administration," and asked what
the definition is of "good cause." Ms. Duke indicated that
she doesn't know what the definition is but would check into
it and call him.
CHAIRMAN SHARP indicated that the order would take effect
March 13.
MS. DUKE explained that the department is working on
legislation that would propose to make the merged
organization into an authority. She said when rent is
charged, the department would need to be able to carry the
money beyond the end of a fiscal year so that some of the
rent can be used to pay for major repair and maintenance
projects that won't occur on a yearly basis. Funds need to
be accruing to be able to handle the projects so that they
won't be dependent upon direct appropriation.
Ms. Duke explained that the Court System would not be
included under the legislation. They have explained that
their preference is to continue to do their own leasing, but
they would allow the authority to provide services to the
state owned courthouses. DOT/PF currently maintains the
court system's buildings, approximately thirteen facilities.
She indicated the department assumes that the Legislature
would not be included. About 250 people would be affected
by the bill, about ninety-five are already employed by
DOT/PF. Ms. Duke informed the committee that the buildings
that would be exempt are the university system, rural
schools, buildings that are the asset base of existing
corporations such as AIDA or the railroad, locally managed
hatcheries, park and recreational campground facilities, the
legislature, and court leasing.
SENATOR RANDY PHILLIPS said there would be no fiscal
reduction and asked if it would be more of a management
tool. Ms. Duke indicated he is correct. She said currently
there will not be any cost savings and there won't be any
cost increases. What the department is trying to do is to
find efficiencies.
CHAIRMAN SHARP remarked that he has not heard any negative
comments or requests to expedite the movement of the
executive order out of committee. He announced that
Executive Order 87 will remain in the committee for possible
future action.
There being no further business to come before the Senate
Transportation Committee, Chairman Sharp adjourned the
meeting at 3:47 p.m.
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