SB 274-WILLIAM JACK HERNANDEZ FISH HATCHERY  3:43:23 PM CO-CHAIR BILL WIELECHOWSKI announced SB 274 to be up for consideration. 3:43:36 PM SENATOR FRED DYSON, sponsor of SB 274, thanked the chair for hearing this bill. He explained that a very effective fish hatchery on Elmendorf Air Force Base is being reconstructed. Folks who are very familiar with the existing hatchery and its history have asked that new hatchery be named after William Jack Hernandez. He was an extraordinary person who served as a civilian contractor on Wake Island building fortifications for the Marine Corps when the Japanese attacked. They had a 16-day fight in which he participated and then was taken prisoner for three-plus years; he escaped once and was recaptured. He came back and enlisted in the U.S. Army and transferred to Fort Richardson in 1956 as an NCO (non-commissioned officer) and was assigned to be the fish and wildlife conservation NCO; his job was to rehabilitate the lakes and streams on the Post. In 1957 the Secretary of Army approved a cooperative agreement with the Territorial Fish and Game Department. Waste heat was used from the power plant and the operation was very successful for a long time. He said that Mr. Hernandez retired from the Army and was given a commendation. He then went to work for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and returned to Fort Richardson to manage the hatchery. SENATOR DYSON said the History Channel ran a special called "Wake Island: the Alamo of the Pacific" and a book has been written that largely centered on his life and Wake Island. The effort to get his name attached to the hatchery has largely come from people who had worked with him and after him and seen what he accomplished. 3:47:10 PM SENATOR DYSON said the existing hatchery is being disassembled and people might be confused by thinking that is the one being named for him, but an amendment clarifies in the title that the new one is being named after Mr. Hernandez. CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI offered Amendment 1 labeled 26-LS1449\A.2. 26-LS1449\A.2 Kane AMENDMENT 1 OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR DYSON Page 1, line 1, following the first occurrence of "the": Insert "new" Page 1, line 5, following "Sec. 35.40.225.": Insert "William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish  Hatchery." Page 1, line 5: Delete "located" Insert "under construction" Page 1, line 6, following "Anchorage": Insert "scheduled to be completed in May 2011" There were no objections and Amendment 1 was adopted. He opened public testimony. 3:48:22 PM IRVIN BROCK, representing himself, said he worked with Mr. Hernandez for several years at the beginning of his career with the department. He said, "I can see no one more deserving of having that facility named after him. He was the first fish culturist hired by the State of Alaska to manage the Fort Richardson Hatchery." He was a friend and mentor to many future state hatchery employees. He was also the "consummate gentleman" and called everyone "Sir" no matter what their age or experience. "It would be a great thing to put his name on part of what he started." 3:50:14 PM TOM NAMTVEDT, representing himself, Wasilla, said he is a retired fisheries biologist and is a commercial fisherman. He thanked Senator Dyson for sponsoring this bill. He added that Mr. Hernandez, an E6, referred to him, an E4, as "kind Sir." Mr. Namtvedt said, "Bill took every death of a fish personally." When Mr. Hernandez retired in 1968 he took over his duties and quickly learned that he left huge accomplishments. He said that Mr. Hernandez died of cancer in 2003 and he lived at Lake Susitna and fished commercially in Bristol Bay. 3:53:51 PM GARY WALL, representing himself, Anchorage, said he lived in the Sand Lake area and supported naming the new fish hatchery after Mr. Hernandez. Mr. Wall said he arrived in 1973 and was assigned to the fish hatchery and Bill took him under his wing and helped him out in every way. He worked with Bill through his entire career. He was a great guy and a real gentleman who knew his fish and was dedicated to the hatchery programs. 3:54:45 PM MICHAEL FALLON, representing himself, said he is a retired ADF&G fish culturist and assistance manager at Fort Richardson. He stated, "It was quite an honor to work with Bill at the beginning of my career as Irv did. I can't think of anybody who has come through the fish culture program that has made a difference like Bill has for all of us." He was well respected by everybody in the fish culture program as well as the biologists. MR. FALLON said another person, Jesse Wilson, was also suitable for a recommendation. He operated the power plant and worked closely with Bill. 3:57:02 PM FRED WILLIAMS, representing himself, Copper Center, said he is a retired fisheries biologist, and supported naming the new hatchery after Mr. Hernandez saying he was the most dedicated fisheries biologist he had ever met. He read every publication he could get his hands on. 3:58:35 PM CO-CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI closed public testimony and held SB 274. There being no further business to come before the committee, he adjourned the meeting at 3:58 p.m.