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Executive
orders issued by Governor
The Murkowski Administration sent the Legislature two executive orders
today. One transfers the coastal zone management program from the
Governor's Office to the Department of Natural Resources. The other
transfer the habitat permitting program from Fish and Game to Natural
Resources.
Governor Murkowski made those announcements during a press conference late
this morning following a retreat with is cabinet.
On another matter, the Governor said administrative orders suspending all
filling of vacant positions, and restricting out of state travel and
awards of personal services contracts were still in effect were suspended
as of January 31st. He added that such decisions will rest with individual
commissioners from this point.
Action plan being developed by
Murkowski's cabinet
Governor Murkowski brought his entire cabinet to this morning's press
conference. It followed a two day retreat with his top advisors.
Budget Director Cheryl Frasca told reporters that the cabinet came up with
a plan containing 25 actions that will be further reduced to fifteen. She
says the proposed actions are based on the priorities identified by the
Governor in his State of the State Address. In addition, she says the
goals will align with the administration's proposed budget.
Duncan named ASEA chief
Former Juneau lawmaker and Commissioner of Administration Jim Duncan is
the new business manager for the state's largest public employee union.
Duncan, who was Administration Commissioner when Governor Tony Knowles
left office in December, signed a contract with the executive board of the
Alaska State Employees Association yesterday to run the day to day
activities of the organization.
He says there are a number of issues he will have to address immediately,
including the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement. The
current contract expires July 1st.
And Duncan says there are a number of proposals being made by the
Murkowski administration to change and reduce state government. In those
cases, Duncan says its important that impacted employees are treated
fairly and their rights are protected.
The hiring of a former Administration Commissioner, who is charged with
overseeing contract negotiations, by a state employee union may be
unprecedented.
Deputy Commissioner named at
Public Safety
Retired State Trooper Major Ted Bachman has been appointed Deputy
Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
Commissioner Bill Tandeske made that announcement yesterday.
Bachman was with the department for 21 years. He joined Public Safety in
1979 and retired in May of 2000 as the Administrative Commander.
Following his retirement he worked in private industry as a security
manager and more recently he ran a consulting business in Anchorage.
The 49 year-old Bachman moved to Alaska in 1957 and was raised in
Southeast. Bachman and his wife, Adrienne, have three children. He begins
his new duties immediately.
Management team appointed at
Administration
Administration Commissioner Mike Miller has announced a series of
appointments. They include his top management team.
Ray Matiashowski has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner. He spent the
last seven years in Ketchikan
where he owned and operate Gateway City Realty. He served in the past as a
legislative aide and chief of staff to Senator Lloyd Jones.
Named assistant commissioner is Kevin Jardell of Juneau. He has most
recently practiced law in Juneau.
Previous employment included four years with the Alaska State Legislature
where he was counsel to the House
Judiciary Committee, the House Majority Leader, and to the Legislative
Counsel
Elizabeth Snyder has been appointed as Special Assistant to the
Commissioner. She has lived in Juneau for 22 years where she most recently
served as campaign Office Manager for the Alaska Committee.
She previously worked as the Assistant to the Executive Director of the
Redistricting Board. She also worked in the past as a legislative aide for
Miller when he served in the State Senate.
Commissioner Miller has also appointed Duane Bannock of Kenai as his new
Director for the Division of Motor Vehicles. Miller says Bannock has 18
years in the automobile industry in Alaska
Budget concerns top Airport Board
meeting agenda
The Juneau Airport Board of Directors meets tonight. (Wednesday)
Members will take up the Fiscal Year 04 and specifically an anticipated
shortfall. They will discuss cutting expenses and enhancing revenues..
An update on the airport's security baggage screening plan is also on the
agenda. The board will also consider the installation taxi stand shelter
in front of the taxi and shuttle area and curb and sidewalk repairers.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. the airport's Aurora room.
Totem ship supporting military
mission
Anchorage-based Totem Ocean Trailer Express has volunteered one of its
three ships to transport military hardware to the Persian Gulf. The S-S
Northern Lights left the Port of Tacoma Sunday, headed to San Diego.
There, it will be loaded with military cargo destined for Kuwait City.
Native corporation board cleared
in court ruling
A judge in Juneau has found that the Huna Totem Corporation's board of
directors did not breach its duty. Judge Patricia Collins found that the
board did not fail to inform shareholders during a 1999 fight over who
would control the board.
Public hearing to discuss NPRA
opening
The debate over increased drilling in the National Petroleum
Reserve-Alaska could heat up this week.
The federal Bureau of Land Management is holding a public hearing Thursday
in Anchorage to talk about opening more than eight million acres of the
reserve to exploration.
The public hearing will run from 7-30 to 10-30 p-m in Loussac Library's
first-floor conference room.
The N-P-R-A is getting closer scrutiny now that oil drillers have been
effectively locked out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the east.
Curt Wilson, chief of planning and environmental coordination with the
Alaska B-L-M office, says there's a wide array of opinion about what is
best.
Wilson helped draft a one-thousand-page environmental report on options
for using the reserve's midsection, known as the Northwest Planning Area.
This would be the second of the reserve's three zones to be studied for
possible oil and gas development. Alternatives range from making the whole
area available to oil and gas exploration to none at all.
Bicknell scratches from Yukon
Quest
Juneau's Debra Bicknell is out of the running in the Yukon Quest sled dog
race between Whitehorse and Fairbanks.
She scratched in Pelly Crossing yesterday citing equipment problems. Two
others have scratched since the race started Sunday.
All of the remaining 20 mushers have passed through the Pelly Crossing
checkpoint. They are on the longest run between checkpoints. Dawson is 203
miles from Pelly Crossing.
Kodiak fishery may be spared
restrictions
Preliminary data suggests that one Kodiak Island fishery may be off the
hook if sea otters are put on the endangered species list next year.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is in the middle of a small boat
observer program. The program will begin a second year observing the
Kodiak Island gillnet fishery this summer.
Douglas Burns, biologist with the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service, says
preliminary data suggests there is minimal interaction, and no injuries or
death to sea otters.
Burns is expected to be in Kodiak Wednesday to bring local groups up to
date on a federal proposal to declare sea otters endangered under the
Endangered Species Act.
Research shows that the Aleutian sea otter population declined by 70
percent in eight years. Studies conducted in 2000 and 2001 show that
populations on both the north and south sides of the Alaska Peninsula have
also declined, while stocks around Kodiak have dropped by as much as 56
percent.
Flag thefts continue
The police blotter this morning reveals three move cases of stolen U. S.
flags. That makes about a half dozen since the weekend. One of the reports
indicated the owners flag was taken in December.
Lieutenant Walt Bowman says the crime spree goes beyond the six documented
cases. He says people making reports to the department are indicated that
their neighbors flags are also missing. He estimates that could be up to
20 such cases.
American Cancer Society daffodil
fundraiser underway
Daffodil Days, the second largest fundraiser for the American Cancer
Society, is underway.
Pat Yearty and Beth Belflower of the Juneau chapter were guests on KINY's
Capital Chat this morning. They said pre-sales are going on now.
A bouquet of ten daffodils costs six dollars. Delivery is scheduled on
March 5th. Orders can be placed by calling 789-2595 to place an order.
That's 789-2595.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
