ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL   AUGUST 14, 2024  2:00 PM    MEMBERS PRESENT  Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Chair  Representative Kevin McCabe, Vice Chair  Senator Lyman Hoffman  Senator Jesse Kiehl  Senator Donny Olson  Representative Bryce Edgmon  Representative Sara Hannan  Representative Craig Johnson  Representative George Rauscher  Representative Dan Saddler  Representative Cathy Tilton    MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Click Bishop  Senator Matt Claman  Senator Bert Stedman (alternate)  Senator Gary Stevens    OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT      AGENDA  APPROVAL OF AGENDA  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  CONTRACT APPROVALS  COMMITTEE BUSINESS    SPEAKER REGISTER  Jessica Geary, Executive Director, Legislative Affairs  Agency (LAA)  JC Kestel, Procurement Officer, LAA    I. CALL TO ORDER  2:01:29 PM  CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON called the Legislative Council meeting to  order in the Anchorage Legislative Information Office Denali  Room. Present at the call were Senators Gray-Jackson, Hoffman,  Kiehl, Olson; Representatives Edgmon, Hannan, McCabe, Rauscher,  Saddler, Tilton.    Ten members present.    Representative Johnson joined the meeting at 2:02pm.    II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA    2:02:39 PM  VICE CHAIR MCCABE moved and asked unanimous consent that  Legislative Council approve the agenda as presented.    The motion passed without objection.    III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES    2:03:06 PM  VICE CHAIR MCCABE moved that Legislative Council approve the  minutes for the June 14, 2024, Legislative Council meeting as  presented.    The motion passed without objection.    IV. CONTRACT APPROVALS  a. Anchorage Legislative Office Building Janitorial Contract  Renewal    2:03:30 PM  VICE CHAIR MCCABE moved that Legislative Council approve Renewal  No. 3 of the contract for janitorial services with Q-1 Services,  LLC, in an amount not to exceed $56,000.    CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON objected for the purpose of discussion and  asked JC Kestel, Procurement Officer, to speak to this item and  remain at the table for the next agenda item.    JC KESTEL, Procurement Officer, LAA, stated that before members  is a memo regarding a contract renewal for the Anchorage  janitorial services contract, which will expire August 31, 2024.  The Agency is satisfied with the services provided and requests  Council approval to proceed with Renewal No. 3 of the contract  for the period September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025. If  approved, two one-year renewal options remain under the current  contract.    There was no further discussion. Chair Gray-Jackson removed her  objection and asked for a roll call vote.    2:05:13 PM  YEAS: Senators Hoffman, Gray-Jackson, Kiehl, Olson;  Representatives Edgmon, Hannan, Johnson, McCabe, Rauscher,  Saddler, Tilton    NAYS: None    The motion passed 11-0.    b. Anchorage Legislative Office Building Snow Removal  Contract Renewal    2:05:44 PM  VICE CHAIR MCCABE moved that Legislative Council approve Renewal  No. 3 of the contract for snow removal services with Kelly Inc.,  dba A-1 Lawn and Landscaping, in an amount not to exceed $65,000.    CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON objected for the purpose of discussion and  asked Mr. Kestel to speak to the item.    JC KESTEL stated that this contract renewal is for snow removal  at the Anchorage Legislative Office Building; the current term  expires October 4, 2024. The Agency is satisfied with the  services provided and requests Council approval to proceed  with Renewal No. 3 of the contract for the period October 5,  2024, through October 4, 2025. If approved, two one-year renewal  options remain under the current contract.    DISCUSSION FOLLOWED between Mr. Kestel and Representative  Saddler regarding contract details, primarily determining that  the contract amount is not a flat rate for the season and the  vendor is paid for their time as needed.    There was no further discussion. Chair Gray-Jackson removed her  objection and asked for a roll call vote.    2:08:54 PM  YEAS: Senators Hoffman, Gray-Jackson, Kiehl, Olson;  Representatives Edgmon, Hannan, Johnson, McCabe, Rauscher,  Saddler, Tilton    NAYS: None    The motion passed 11-0.    V. COMMITTEE BUSINESS   a. Continuity of Government / Continuity of Operations Review    2:09:58 PM  CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON reminded members that this item was  informational only and there would be no action taken today.    JESSICA GEARY, Executive Director, LAA, said that in members'  packets is a PowerPoint shared several years ago at a National  Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) annual summit to discuss  the importance of Continuity of Government (COG) operations  plan; rather than going through page-by-page, which may not be  the best use of time, she recommends considering this relevant  information outside this meeting. She said that during COVID,  the Agency began work on a COG plan, met with other states that  had developed similar comprehensive plans and made some  progress; however, no one at LAA is a COG plan expert. As such,  we think the best course of action to ensure the legislature has  a proper plan going forward would be to contract for those  services. We will begin investigating the procurement of such  an expert and will hopefully have something to bring back before  this committee for either approval or to keep everyone apprised  of the status.    SENATOR KIEHL asked Ms. Geary to confirm his memory that during  COVID there was a resolution put in place by the Legislature  that covered many of these same issues, however it may not have  passed both bodies. He asked if she could please remind him  about the relationship between that resolution and what would  be covered by this expert report.    MS. GEARY clarified it was her understanding that it was a  specific resolution that allowed for some of the rules of voting  to be relaxed so there could be remote voting, and it did  contemplate some of these issues as well. She noted Legislative  Legal is online and may be able to offer more detail on the  resolution. She said she believed Senator Kiehl was correct in  that the resolution did not pass both bodies. The adoption of  this kind of plan by Council would stand the test of time and  would include all the necessary aspects (voting, emergency  succession plans, etc.). She said that Homeland Security has a  plan for the State of Alaska and perhaps our first step would  be to contact them to understand where the Legislature fits into  that plan. She said, to Senator Kiehl's point, some of these  issues were contemplated in the resolution.    SENATOR KIEHL asked what the cost estimate would be to have an  expert make recommendations on necessary policy and statute  changes.    MS. GEARY clarified that this was just the very first step and  a cost has not yet been determined. The intent of sharing this  information with the committee is to advise that we are beginning  to take the necessary steps to ensure the legislature has a plan  in place before it is needed. Senator Kiehl is correct that  instituting this plan will likely involve statute changes and  more.     b. Assembly Building Apartments Policy and Lease Update    2:15:22 PM  MS. GEARY stated she wanted to provide the committee an update  that we have completed the first full session of renting the  Assembly Building Apartments and it was largely a success. We  learned some lessons and, as a result, have some suggested  changes to the Assembly Building Apartments policy. Overall, it  was a good endeavor and tenants reported positive experiences.  She said the property managers, Juneau Real Estate, did a great  job partnering with us on this new venture. Session rentals  generated $196,000, which covered all the maintenance and  operating expenses. Upon adjournment, Dawson Construction  resumed work on heat pump updates, painting the building  exterior, there was also elevator work, and replacement of  damaged furniture, all of which is expected to conclude by the  end of this month. This work was paid for with existing contract  funds, so no additional funds were expended.    Some of the recommended policy changes are clarifying language  for tenancy requirements to make it clear that tenants must be  a legislative employee, clarifying some of the parking issues,  adjusting the application period to allow more time to notify  potential tenants if they have secured an apartment so they can  timely find alternate housing if needed, and discussing making  some apartments pet only to address allergy concerns. She will  bring these recommendations before this committee for adoption  but wanted to first apprise the committee.    Lastly, she said there has been substantial interest from  legislators to stay in the building next year which means fewer  opportunities for staff. Adjusting the application period will  help with this matter.    REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked about the furniture damage and  generally how it had held up.    MS. GEARY responded that the majority of the damage occurred  before the furniture arrived due to a leaking shipping  container. The furniture has held up well. She has received  feedback that it is not the most comfortable, however durability  was the primary goal and post-session, it still looks brand new.    REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON noted that a considerable number of homes  were damaged in the recent Juneau flood and asked if legislative  housing may be impacted as a result.    MS. GEARY stated that she didn't expect it to impact session  housing and asked if the Juneau Delegation had any info as  they've been touring the flood zone.    REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN said that most legislative employees  aren't looking for three-bedroom homes in the valley, which is  primarily what was impacted. She said that being just a week out  from the flooding it is still very early in the recovery process.    SENATOR KIEHL shared some impact statistics from the Red Cross  and that lingering impacts to the housing market should be  minimal since contractors and others in the community are making  these repairs their priority for homeowners.    VICE CHAIR MCCABE asked how many apartments are in the assembly  building.    MS. GEARY responded that there are thirty-three apartments.    VICE CHAIR MCCABE asked if they had considered a ratio of  legislators to staff, or if it was all seniority based.    MS. GEARY responded that the policy is currently written as  seniority based with legislators receiving priority.    REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked if there were any grandfathering  rights in place.    MS. GEARY responded that the way the policy is currently written  is if a member decided to rent during the interim there is an  interim storage rate and that would enable them to have that  same apartment for the next session, only for one entire  legislature. There has been a request by some tenant legislators  to retain their unit as long as they are in office, which is a  policy decision that needs to be made.    VICE CHAIR MCCABE asked how many legislators took advantage of  the interim storage rate.    MS. GEARY responded that it was either eight or nine.    VICE CHAIR MCCABE asked if that meant that 24 or 25 units will  be available for next session.    MS. GEARY said in theory yes. At least one of the members will  not be seeking re-election, which will affect available units  as well.    REPRESENTATIVE HANNAN mentioned that the Assembly Building  Apartments exterior paint job looks fabulous and has brightened  up the block.    VI. ADJOURNMENT  CHAIR GRAY-JACKSON, after confirming there were no additional  comments by members, advised that the next Legislative Council  meeting will be September 26, 2024, which she expects to be a  long meeting, and the final meeting will be December 12, 2024.  The Chair thanked members, LAA staff, LIO staff, and her staff  for their contributions.    2:29:22 PM  With no further business before the committee, the meeting was  adjourned at 2:29 pm.