Accomplishments FY2003

Marine Transportation Advisory Board Established - Maintaining a viable ferry system has long been the number one concern of Southeast Conference. At the suggestion of Southeast Conference, Governor Murkowski created a twelve member Marine Transportation Advisory Board to provide recommendations on how to improve ferry service while reducing the overall cost of the system. Southeast Conference staff, Board, and committee members comprise four of the seats, including chair, vice-chair, and secretary. The MTAB Members represent the various constituents of the system including labor, tourism, and commercial users as well as 5 seats representing the geographic areas served by the system.

Southeast Alaska Electrical Intertie Takes Shape - One of the Conference's key long-term goals is the development of an interconnected electric intertie system in Southeast Alaska. In November we came closer to that goal in our hiring of Dave Carlson as Intertie Coordinator for the Southeast Conference. Southeast Conference is proceeding with two Intertie segments: Juneau to Greens Creek and on to Hoonah; and Petersburg to Kake. A report on the Juneau/Hoonah Intertie and Kake/Petersburg Intertie was recently completed and the second phase report covering the entire Southeast Alaska Intertie Project is out in draft form. Governor Murkowski has included a $160,000 appropriation in the FY04 State of Alaska budget for continued work by Southeast Conference on the Intertie project. The Southeast Caucus of the state Legislature issued a statement in unanimous support of the intertie project.

Roads and Ferries Report Published - Southeast Conference, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, developed an intermodal report titled Proposed Public Road and Ferry Projects to identify and catalog various roads and ferry projects considered over the years to determine which projects deserve more scrutiny and potential funding. This document was created to assist in identifying potential transportation infrastructure to improve the economic climate in the region.

Fisheries Committee Established - By the request of FY03 Southeast Conference President, Tom Briggs, and 17 regional mayors representing the Southeast Conference of Mayors, Southeast Conference started a fisheries committee this year. Fisheries issues have become an area of growing concern to our membership, and the timing for committee formation makes good sense. Dennis Watson, Mayor of Craig, co-chairs the committee along with Board Member Carol Rushmore of Wrangell.

Promoted Southeast Alaska Timber Industry - Southeast Conference has continued to participate in efforts to establish a predictable, reliable timber supply from federal lands sufficient to sustain the region's timber economy and communities. This last year we worked with Southeast mayors, the Forest Service, and the Governor's office to stay informed on Tongass Land Management Plan and other land use management changes and court decisions. We have a Timber Task Force that has established short, mid-term, and long-term objectives for achieving a strong economy in Southeast Alaska that includes timber operations.

Federal Economic Development District Designation Received - Southeast Conference was designated as a federal Economic Development District (EDD) by the Economic Development Administration (EDA). This designation follows three years of hard work by Southeast Conference and partner Central Council Tlingit and Haida Tribes, among others. The goal of developing a regional economic development district is to strengthen the economies of the communities and boroughs in Southeast Alaska. Berney Richert, head of the Alaska EDA office expressed his congratulations. "This designation is recognition that Southeast Conference is a superior economic planning and development organization." One of the EDD requirements is that we maintain a Southeast Alaska Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region as well as by community, and we have just completed this CEDS update.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program Continued - Southeast Conference worked with our partner DEC staff to maintain program assistance for the HHHW collection program, an annual effort to collect hazardous waste from communities all around Southeast Alaska and in Prince William Sound. Last year the program collected more than 13,000 gallons of hazardous waste. The program has three benefits: It prolongs the life of community landfills; reduces the spill potential of harmful wastes into the environment; and encourages households to safely dispose of hazardous, and potentially dangerous, chemicals which children may have access to. 2003 was the 11th year of the program.

Watershed Councils Developed - As part of the Southeast Sustainable Salmon Fund efforts to conserve and protect salmon fisheries in Southeast Alaska, the Southeast Conference has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to establish Community Watershed Councils. Based upon the premise that wild salmon are important to Southeast Alaska's economy and culture, the Community Watershed Project goal is to promote citizen-directed watershed management to protect salmon fisheries. Watershed councils are one way to allow communities to guide local conservation efforts. Watershed councils begun under this project include the Taiya Inlet Watershed Council in Skagway; the Takshanuk Watershed Council in Haines, which covers the Chilkat and Chilkoot watersheds; and the Yakutat Salmon Board.

Scholarships Awarded to Southeast Students - In 1992, Southeast Conference, in partnership with the University of Alaska Southeast, established a scholarship program to support residents of the region to pursue educational and career goals consistent with our organization's objectives. Southeast Conference has awarded approximately $82,000 in scholarships to 94 students attending the University of Alaska Southeast. Recipients have come from the region's largest and smallest communities and include new high school graduates and others retooling for mid-life career changes. Last year, the Southeast Conference Scholarship Auction raised a record nearly $20,000 for Southeast students.

Record Breaking Annual Meeting and Mid-Session Summit - The Southeast Conference Annual Meeting in September allowed Board and Committee members to meet and make reports to 215 representatives from 23 communities around the region, including 17 Southeast mayors. The Mid-Session Summit brought together 80 Southeast Conference representatives from around the region. Join us in Haines for our 46th Annual Meeting on September 16th, 17th and 18th.