ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE  April 5, 2011 1:06 p.m.   MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Lance Pruitt, Vice Chair Representative Eric Feige Representative Craig Johnson Representative Cathy Engstrom Munoz Representative Max Gruenberg Representative Pete Petersen MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Peggy Wilson, Chair COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 213 "An Act naming the pathway parallel to the section of Eagle River Loop Road connecting Old Glenn Highway with North Parkview Terrace Loop the Mark Hufford Trail." - MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE HOUSE BILL NO. 214 "An Act naming the Ketchikan ferry terminal the Walter L. Kubley Ferry Terminal." - MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 213 SHORT TITLE: NAMING MARK HUFFORD TRAIL SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) FAIRCLOUGH 03/29/11 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/29/11 (H) TRA 04/05/11 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17 BILL: HB 214 SHORT TITLE: WALTER L. KUBLEY FERRY TERMINAL SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) JOHANSEN 03/29/11 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 03/29/11 (H) TRA 04/05/11 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE ANNA FAIRCLOUGH Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 213 as prime sponsor of the bill. TERESA KNOWLES Eagle River, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of HB 213. ANTHONY TAMBRUN Eagle River, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 213. JOAN HUFFORD Eagle River, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the discussion of HB 213. REPRESENTATIVE KYLE JOHANSEN Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 214 as prime sponsor of the bill. DON KUBLEY, Captain Ketchikan, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 214. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:06:59 PM VICE CHAIR LANCE PRUITT called the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:06 p.m. Representatives Pruitt, Feige, Petersen, Gruenberg, and Munoz, were present at the call to order. Representatives Johnson arrived as the meeting was in progress. HB 213-NAMING MARK HUFFORD TRAIL  1:07:52 PM VICE CHAIR PRUITT announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 213, "An Act naming the pathway parallel to the section of Eagle River Loop Road connecting Old Glenn Highway with North Parkview Terrace Loop the Mark Hufford Trail." 1:08:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE ANNA FAIRCLOUGH, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 213, stated that this bill would name a section of Eagle River Loop Road connecting Old Glenn Highway with North Parkview Terrace Loop the "Mark Hufford Trail". She said she has known the Hufford family for over 20 years and his sister was her good friend. She related that Mark Hufford graduated from Chugiak High School in 1989. She said she shared the sadness when her friend's brother, Mark, was injured in a hunting accident in 1995 that left him in a wheelchair. She told members that Mark Hufford was loved by many and appreciated by all. He frequented the trail HB 213 would name in his honor. She related that he competed seven times in Sadler's Alaska Challenge wheelchair and handcycle competition. For those not familiar with the race, she explained that the Sadler's Alaska Challenge is arguably the world's longest and toughest wheelchair and handcycle race in the world and the course route is from Fairbanks to Anchorage. REPRESENTATIVE FAIRCLOUGH stated that his family raised funds to support his racing efforts. Mr. Hufford twice won the Speedy Sourdough Award for fastest Alaskan in the Sadler's Alaska Challenge. She related that she held conversations with her Eagle River Parks and Recreation's Service Area, which prepared a resolution to present for the board's approval. She offered that John Rodda, Director, Eagle River Parks and Recreation's Service Area, could not indicate the final action the board would take, but he predicted the service area would strongly support naming the trail after Mark Hufford. 1:10:50 PM VICE CHAIR PRUITT, after first determining no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 213. After discovering additional people wished to testify, Vice Chair Pruitt reopened public testimony on HB 213. 1:11:51 PM TERESA KNOWLES stated that she is Mark Hufford's sister and it is a real honor for their family to have HB 213 move forward. She said that Mark was a great inspiration to so many people. She told members she is a hairdresser and has had so many clients and neighbors express excitement that a trail will be named after him. She remarked that when her clients saw his photograph in her shop they recognized Mark as someone they had frequently seen on the trail. Rain or shine, Mark would be on the trails and in doing so obtained some freedom from his paralysis. She reiterated her thankfulness and expressed how important HB 213 is to his family. ANTHONY TAMBRUN stated that Representative Fairclough and Teresa Knowles have already covered most of his comments. He asked to testify in "total" support of HB 213. 1:13:39 PM JOAN HUFFORD stated she is Mark Hufford's mother. She commented that Representative Fairclough and Teresa Knowles, Mark's sister, have also covered many of her points. She thanked members for hearing this bill. She said that the Eagle River Community supported and inspired Mark, more than they will ever know. Mark faced many challenges with his disability and in doing so challenged himself. During his training and races many people would honk, wave, and encourage him to go faster. She and her husband thanked members for hearing this bill. She also said, "We are just totally honored, the whole family." VICE CHAIR PRUITT, after first determining no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 213. 1:14:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ moved to report HB 213 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 213 was reported from the House Transportation Standing Committee. HB 214-WALTER L. KUBLEY FERRY TERMINAL    1:15:20 PM VICE CHAIR PRUITT announced the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 214, "An Act naming the Ketchikan ferry terminal the Walter L. Kubley Ferry Terminal." 1:15:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE KYLE JOHANSEN, Alaska State Legislature, speaking as prime sponsor of HB 214, stated this bill could be passed out in 45 seconds, but he asked to speak about the gentleman this ferry terminal would be named after, Mr. Walter L. Kubley, Sr. He noted several members on the committee were acquainted with Mr. Kubley, Sr. When "Wally" was alive he was a legend to anyone involved in politics in Southeast Alaska. He said, "If you got Wally's stamp of approval that meant a lot" since he was so well respected throughout the state. He recalled that the legislature passed a resolution in memoriam for Mr. Walter L. Kubley, Sr. He recapped Mr. Kubley's experience. Wally began his community service and political career by serving on the Ketchikan City Council for four years. He served as a legislator for two terms representing District 1, a chief adviser and legislature liaison to Governor Wally Hickel, a commissioner of the Department of Commerce for Governor Keith Miller, a commissioner on the Alaska transportation Commission, and as the Alaskan Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was close personal friends with U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, U.S. Representative Don Young, Governor Wally Hickel, and Governor Frank Murkowski. He was one of the "Titans" who built Alaska, he said. He said the reason he selected naming the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) terminal in Ketchikan after Mr. Walter L. Kubley, Sr. is because Mr. Kubley, Sr. was a legislator at the time the first AMHS vessel was funded. 1:18:29 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN emphasized that the voters approved the bonding, and "Wally" was the lead legislator in selecting the AMHS infrastructure, so it seems fitting to name this terminal after Mr. Walter L. Kubley, Sr. He related a scenario in which "Wally" telephoned after Representative Johansen's first primary, even though Wally had strongly supported his opponent. Mr. Kubley, Sr. talked to him about his sense of the 70 years of Alaska's history and what it meant to be a legislator. REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN stated that Wally's son, Don Kubley, worked with him in his lobbying business. He commented that Wally's son, Larry, who is a Vietnam Veteran, operates the Sourdough Bar which has numerous shipwreck photos. "This means a lot to the community. And I just wanted to put it on the record, some of the details about what a really good man he was, and a leader for the state," he said. REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN added that he talked to the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) about the fiscal note, which is a zero fiscal note, since the DOT&PF assured him that any costs in naming the facility could be absorbed into their budget Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF). VICE CHAIR PRUITT reiterated the DOT&PF advises that any costs could be absorbed into its current budget. 1:21:55 PM DON KUBLEY, Captain, stated he is a vessel captain and lobbyist representing many Southeast communities. He said that his father, Mr. Walter L. Kubley, Sr. served his country and his state. His father withdrew from Whitman College the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed to join the U.S. Coast Guard. His dad later married my mom, Fern, and started a business in Ketchikan. His dad spent ten years as a volunteer fire fighter for the Ketchikan Volunteer Fire Department. Long before his dad ran for the legislature, his dad lobbied during the territorial days. Loggers would come to him and asked him to share details on issues with the territorial legislature. His dad and Alec Miller were the first lobbyists in the state. He characterized the relationship between Alec Miller and his father as being like brothers. In the territorial days Alec Miller would lobby for Interior issues such as mining, and his father would lobby for Southeast Alaska issues such as logging, fishing, and bars. At the time, they were "unpaid" lobbyists. Later, after his dad retired, Walter L. Kubley, Sr. came out of his retirement in mid 80s. At that time he had the privilege of working together with his father as lobbyists. 1:26:32 PM MR. KUBLEY related that his father was very excited at statehood and was with several former governors, including Egan and Hickel at the time Alaska became a state. He said, "He is in this building. He was a man of few words," he said. He commended his father. He acknowledged his father would be embarrassed but honored by this bill. He remarked that the AMHS was important to his father, who fought tooth and nail for the ferry system. He noted that he and his father represented many of the Southeast Alaska communities and the AMHS was his father's top priority. He concluded that "Dad would just be honored. He would be embarrassed. He would be humbled. He would say he doesn't deserve it, but he does," he said reverently. He thanked Representative Johansen for introducing this bill. "From what I hear in Ketchikan the people down there are thrilled. I just think it's a wonderful thing to do," he also said. VICE CHAIR PRUITT, after first determining no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 214. 1:29:03 PM REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ stated this is a very fitting honor to have the ferry terminal, which is the "Gateway to Alaska" named after Mr. Walter L. Kubley, Sr. She said that he was a great man. She acknowledged that she previously has met with Mr. Kubley, Sr. on numerous occasions, but had the honor to attend a Salvation Army dinner with him shortly before he died. She stated that during dinner she had a wonderful, engaging conversation about Alaska politics. She said, "He truly was a legend and a great man and I'm really happy to support this." 1:30:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ moved to report HB 214 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, HB 214 was reported from the House Transportation Standing Committee. 1:30:49 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.