SB 119-WILLIAM R. WOOD FAIRBANKS INTL AIRPORT  SENATOR GARY WILKEN, sponsor of SB 119, explained that the purpose of SB 119 is to acknowledge the Legislature's gratitude to William R. Wood by naming the Fairbanks airport after him. Mr. Wood died about two weeks ago at the age of 94, after over 41 years of service to Alaska. Mr. Wood's accomplishments were many. He was the president of the University of Alaska from 1960 to 1973, during a period of expansion. He retired and became President Emeritus in 1975. He was elected mayor of the City of Fairbanks in 1978 and founded the Fairbanks Industrial Development Corporation, which is a mechanism to promote the development of Fairbanks and Interior Alaska. He was the first chairman of the Fairbanks Area Community Hospital Foundation, the founder and executive director of Festival Fairbanks for 20 years, a creator of and visionary for the Golden Heart Plaza, and a columnist for the Fairbanks Daily News Miner for 20 years. In 1985, Mr. Wood was elected Alaskan of the Year. In 1985-86, he was Rotary District 5010 Governor, which encompasses all of Alaska, the Yukon, and the eastern half of the country formerly known as Russia. He established the Wood-Nanook Varsity Talent Search and Grant Endowment at the University. In the year 2000, he was awarded the Service Above Self Award, the Rotary International's highest award for an individual. He also authored three books of poetry. SENATOR WILKEN read the following paragraphs from an editorial dated March 4, 2001 in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner about Mr. Wood. In a 1983 Daily News Miner article, Dr. Wood was quoted as saying he would want to be remembered 'as an individual who left the place a little better than he found it.' Add to that philosophy his penchant for progressive ideas and you have a remarkable man of vision. He forwarded so many ideas that sometimes those around him - people one would suppose have had younger and fresher minds - had a hard time keeping up. Predictably, such a man could not accomplish so much with everyone liking every idea. He was criticized for his support of Project Chariot, a government plan born in the late 1950s in search of the `peaceful use of the atom.' This idea would have used an atomic blast to create a port off Alaska's northwest coast. The thought sounds ludicrous in this new millennium, but in its day it was an example of the vision exercised by progressive thinkers. Some still exercise their powers of hindsight to criticize. Our newspaper says thank God that Dr. Wood exercised his considerable powers of forethought to touch this earth far beyond the scope of immortality. His community service mirrored his university career in many ways. He came along to build and to keep us looking forward. What is even more remarkable about his community work is his inestimable hours spent day after day, year after year, for no recompense but to satisfy his want to make things 'a little better.' For decades to come, Fairbanks will see the mark of Dr. Wood, a Midwest farm boy, the sailor, the scholar, the husband, the father, the teacher, the university president, the mayor, the statesman, the grandpa who chose to make Fairbanks home. SENATOR WILKEN noted that at the March 3 funeral service for Dr. Wood, a letter from Senator Stevens was read that acknowledged Dr. Wood's contributions. Senator Wilken stated, "A community builds a new airport every hundred years. Our good Lord makes a Bill Wood every hundred years. This is perfectly appropriate for the people that come and go from the City of Fairbanks to be reminded on a daily basis the value of volunteerism, the value of vision that was set forth by Dr. Wood." MR. KURT PARKAN, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF), said DOTPF and the Administration support SB 119. He pointed out that Dr. Wood was a very diligent charter member of the Airport Community Council in Fairbanks. DOTPF does not believe this bill will have any fiscal impact as signage will be taken care of in DOTPF's existing budget. SENATOR TAYLOR moved SB 119 from committee with individual recommendations and then objected to his motion for the purpose of discussion. SENATOR TAYLOR said he received correspondence this week from about six or seven people in the Fairbanks area; two or three support SB 119 and two or three oppose it. He wondered whether any community resolve is forthcoming, perhaps from the City of Fairbanks or the Fairbanks North Star Borough. He acknowledged that SB 119 has a long way to go in the process and said he would follow the lead of the Fairbanks' delegation on this matter. CHAIRMAN COWDERY noted a [sponsor] substitute to SB 119 was before the committee. SENATOR WILKEN informed the committee that next Thursday a resolution to rename the Fairbanks' airport will be before the Fairbanks Northstar Borough Assembly. He expects the resolution to receive overwhelming support but he noted some concern has been expressed that the airport should be named after someone from the aviation community. He said he appreciates Senator Taylor's comment but he has not found anyone in the aviation community who has given what Bill Wood has given to the community and the state. He informed those who expressed concern about SB 119 that he is open to suggestions, but whomever they suggest would have to have reached the level of participation that Bill Wood did. SENATOR TAYLOR moved SSSB 119 from committee with individual recommendations to the next committee of referral. CHAIRMAN COWDERY announced that hearing no objections, the motion carried.