HOUSE BILL NO. 94 "An Act naming the northbound Chena Flood Channel Crossing Bridge the Nellie Miller Bridge and naming the southbound Chena Flood Channel Crossing Bridge the Con Miller Bridge." 9:14:19 AM Co-Chair Kelly MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee substitute for HB 94, Work Draft 28-LS0407\N (Martin, 4/8/13). Co-Chair Meyer OBJECTED for discussion. 9:15:11 AM REPRESENTATIVE DOUG ISAACSON, explained HB 94. He looked at the Sponsor Statement (copy on file). Conrad "Con" and Nellie Miller were some of the early settlers of the City of North Pole, arriving there in 1950. Con joined the Navy after leaving home at the age of 15 and served in China from 1927 to 1931. He worked on the construction of the Hoover Dam after a brief stint as a sheriff and private investigator. He later re-enlisted in the Navy during World War II, serving in the South Pacific. Nellie was one of 15 children raised in Idaho Springs, Colorado and married Con in 1938 at the age of 15. Like many of Alaska's early pioneers, Nellie and Con moved to Alaska in 1950 with $1.40 in their pocket and seeking a new beginning for their small family. Con and Nellie Miller built their first business, a clothing store, in Fairbanks and Con travelled to rural communities to sell his wares. When he travelled, he often donned a red crushed velvet Santa suit, part of the stock the couple brought north from a previous business. As they began to build their store in North Pole in 1952, a child of a customer from Northway asked Con if he was building a house for Santa Claus and the name stuck. The store became Santa Claus House. Con and Nellie were known as Santa and Mrs. Claus and their family store brought worldwide attention to the City of North Pole, Alaska. The store has grown and evolved over time into the icon that stands today, including the 42-foot, 900 pound Santa Claus statue outside that entices visitors from around the globe to celebrate Christmas year-around. Con was the longest serving mayor of North Pole, dedicating 19 years of leadership. In 1952 he carried the city's incorporation papers to Juneau. He also served as North Pole's postmaster and civil defense director for 20 years as well as serving as the fire chief. Nellie served on the local school board, as the postmistress and as the town's magistrate and marriage commissioner. The Millers raised three children: sons, Terry and Mike; and daughter, Merry Christmas Miller. Their two sons served in both the Alaska State House and the Alaska State Senate and hold the distinction of being the only two siblings in the United States to have presided as Senate President. Terry Miller also served as Lt. Governor. For their commitment to Alaska and their role in developing the City of North Pole, it is fitting that the Chena Flood Channel Bridges be named for these two distinguished Alaskans. The Northbound Bridge #1364 shall be known as the Nellie Miller Bridge and the Southbound Bridge #1866 shall be known as the Con Miller Bridge. Representative Isaacson furthered that he supported the addition of the Lowell J. Ray Memorial Corridor, in Wasilla, to the bill. 9:18:32 AM Co-Chair Meyer queried the changes between version A and version N of the legislation. Representative Isaacson explained that the title had been changed in the N version to accommodate both the Lowell J Memorial Corridor and the change in the Senate Transportation Committee to designate the Miller's by their cultural moniker the "original Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause." 9:19:10 AM Co-Chair Meyer REMOVED his OBJECTION. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. 9:19:31 AM DARRELL BREESE, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BILL STOLTZE, explained the addition of the Lowell J. Ray Memorial Corridor to the legislation. Mr. Ray served 16 years in the Navy, 10 years in the Air Force and 20 years as a civil servant working for the Department of Defense. He improved the "do line' radar system that served Alaska and Canada during the Cold War. His work extended the life of the radar system an additional 10 years and saved approximately $12 million per radar system. His knowledge of the system leg him to instruct allies in Germany, Britain, and Canada in the enhancement of their radar systems. When the Department of Transportation (DOT) made improvements to the Parks Highway through Wasilla, through the purchase agreement of the property for right-of-way, a promise was made to Ray's family that the section of road would be named after Ray. The department had dropped the ball on that promise and so the change was an attempt to fulfill the promise. 9:22:21 AM Vice-Chair Fairclough wondered if there were homes adjacent to the corridor. Mr. Breese replied that there were homes adjacent to the corridor. He shared that by naming the small section of corridor the name of the road would not change. The addresses of the homes would remain the same. 9:23:06 AM Senator Dunleavy remarked that he supported the legislation. 9:23:33 AM Senator Bishop expressed support for the legislation. He commented that DOT had made a promise to the family and hoped that the department could find it within their budget to zero out the fiscal notes. 9:24:38 AM Co-Chair Meyer OPENED public testimony. There being none Co-Chair Meyer CLOSED public testimony. He noted the two fiscal impact notes. 9:24:51 AM AT EASE 9:26:02 AM RECONVENED SCOTT THOMAS, ARCHITECT, ENGINEERING DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke to the promise made to the Ray family. He stated that DOT did not have the power to memorialize highways; highway memorials were a legislative per view. He stated that an effort had been made to approach the Mat-Su Borough to research how street addressing would be effected, as well as emergency response. The department had asked to rename the road in terms of the green street signs that were found atop stop signs, but the choice rested with the borough as to how street addressing, mail delivery and emergency response should be handled; East Blue Lupine had been chosen by the borough instead. He said that the department had approached the legislature on the matter, which was why the bill was before the committee. He asserted that the department did not leave the issue unaddressed but pursued it the only way that it had the authority. 9:27:46 AM Co-Chair Meyer wondered if the department had the $10,000 it would cost to put up the signs. Mr. Thomas responded no. He added that the sign on the Richardson Highway could not be white letters on a blue background because federal conditions allowed for white letters on a brown background only. 9:28:52 AM Co-Chair Meyer stated that he was not going to wrestle over $10,000. 9:28:56 AM Co-Chair Kelly MOVED to REPORT HB 94 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HB 94 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with two new fiscal impact notes from Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.