Aml Past Presidents
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Alaska Municipal League 65th Annual Local Government Conference Navigating Through Rough Waters November 18-20, 2015 ~ Anchorage, AK 2015 CONFERENCE SPONSORS GOLD SPONSOR ORRICK SILVER SPONSOR Alaska Airlines CH2M AML Joint Insurance Association BRONZE SPONSOR Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Alaska Permanent Capital Management CLIA Alaska Key Bank SUPPORTING SPONSOR City & Borough of Juneau Boyd, Chandler & Falconer, LLP Elgee Rehfeld Mertz, LLC Exerplay, Inc. DOWL NC Machinery Alaska Railroad Corporation Cover photo courtesy of Shawn Myers/AML Juneau Anchorage, Alaska - November 18-20, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Alaska Municipal League Conference Sponsors........................................inside front cover Municipality of Anchorage Welcome.......................................................................................4 Alaska Municipal League President Welcome........................................................................5 Alaska Conference of Mayors President Welcome.................................................................6 Alaska Municipal League Executive Director Welcome........................................................7 Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Conference of Mayors Mission Statements......................8 Alaska Municipal League Board of Directors & Staff.............................................................9 Alaska Municipal League Organization........................................................................10 & 11 General Conference Information..................................................................................12 & 13 At-A-Glance Conference Schedule.........................................................................................14 Map of The Hotel Captain Cook..............................................................................................15 Conference Schedule & Workshop Descriptions: Wednesday......................................................................................................................16-17 Thursday..........................................................................................................................18-19 Friday.....................................................................................................................................20 Special Announcements.......................................................................................................... 21 Alaska Municipal League Past Presidents..............................................................................22 Alaska Conference of Mayors Leadership & Past Presidents..............................................23 Exhibitors Check List...............................................................................................................24 Alaska Municipal League Conference Evaluation.......................................................25 & 26 Alaska Municipal League Associates........................................................................................27 Alaska Municipal League Affiliate Organizations...................................................................27 Anchorage, Alaska - November 18-20, 2015 Page 3 ANCHORAGE WELCOME Dear Fellow AML Attendee, On behalf of my 300,000 neighbors, welcome to Anchorage. We are honored to host the Alaska Municipal League’s 65th Annual Conference, “Navigating Through Rough Waters.” During these tight fiscal times, we must work together, from Barrow to Ketchikan, to ensure local governments show the leadership our state needs to grow and prosper. Our partnership through the Alaska Municipal League allows us to share ideas and expertise from around the state. We have the opportunity to leverage our resources and affect policy decisions that strengthen our communities. Please enjoy your time in Anchorage. Explore, discover, eat, exercise and visit the hidden gems our city has to offer. Please contact my office if there is anything we can do to make your stay in Anchorage more enjoyable. Best wishes, Ethan Berkowitz Mayor, Municipality of Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska - November 18-20, 2015 Page 4 AML PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Welcome to the 65th Annual Local Government Conference. This year’s conference theme is “Navigating Through Rough Waters.” As the state legislature begins the difficult job of addressing a $3 billion budget shortfall, we must assess the impact of less state and federal dollars flowing into our coffers and determine how we are to continue to best serve our communities. We recognize the importance of a sustainable state budget that includes both cuts and additional revenues to assure that those of us at the local level can continue to provide those services that most impact the lives of our constituents. To that end, I appointed a “Sustainability Committee” chaired by Anchorage Assembly Member Ernie Hall to create a list of specific strategies for bridging the state budget gap. You will be hearing more about this committee and its recommendations later in the conference, and you will be asked to support a resolution adopting the committee’s findings. If adopted, this resolution will be forwarded to Governor Walker and to each legislator prior to the start of the next legislative session. You will also receive a report from the newly formed “Position Committee.” Since amendments to the position statements can be proposed only by resolution of the governing body of a member municipality, the committee’s final report was sent to each municipality last month. The position statements drafted by the committee, as well as any amendments proposed by resolution, will be presented to you for adoption at our annual business meeting. As we navigate the rough waters ahead, we must continue to remember our common goals: revenue sharing, identifying and opposing unfunded mandates, and carrying the message of local government to the legislature. We are all in this together, and together we can continue to make a difference. I hope you will use your time in Anchorage this week to meet new friends and get together with old friends from around the state. We are truly blessed to live in the greatest state in the nation and, by working as a team, we can meet today’s challenges and assure a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. Sincerely, Linda Murphy, Council Member, City of Soldotna President, Alaska Municipal League Anchorage, Alaska - November 18-20, 2015 Page 5 ACoM PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Welcome to the 2015 Annual Local Government Conference. This year’s conference theme of ‘Navigating Through Rough Waters” is certainly the appropriate theme. Alaska is facing a serious fiscal challenge that will affect our residents, our businesses, our economy and our government at every level. We’ll certainly have the usual updates on issues of importance to local govern- ments in Alaska, including our relations with the Federal and State governments, but; much of the discussion and focus of our confer- ence will be on the state’s fiscal situation and the desperate need for a fiscal plan. Challenging times demand strong leadership, at all levels of government, and a commitment to work together in the best interests of our residents, our communi- ties and our state. I want to thank each of you for attending this year’s conference and encourage you to pay close attention to the presentations and engage in the important discussions that will help shape the future of our state. This is a critical time in Alaska’s history and never has it been more important to support our state leaders in a cooperative effort to responsibly address the fiscal challenges that confront all of us as Alaskans. Let’s remember, as local government leaders, we play an important role in this debate and the decisions that will shape the future of Alaska. The 65th Annual Conference also provides opportunities to improve local governance by sharing with other local government leaders our thoughts, ideas, experiences and best practices on policy decisions and issues affecting our communities and residents. I hope you’ll take advantage of the many training opportunities offered by the AML, de- signed to help municipal officials better understand and utilize the tools available to help navigate throughout the different structures of government. The training opportunities include newly elected officials, basis & legislative research techniques, and how to lobby the legislature. It’s also a great time to connect with old friends and to meet new friends from around the state. Enjoy the AML Conference and the many networking and educational opportuni- ties it provides. Sincerely, Mayor Mike Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough President, Alaska Conference of Mayors Anchorage, Alaska - November 18-20, 2015 Page 6 AML EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S WELCOME On behalf of the Alaska Municipal League, its member municipalities, its affiliate organizations, its associate companies and its staff, I would like to welcome you to the 65th Alaska Municipal League Annual Lo- cal Government Conference held in the beautiful city of Anchorage, Alaska. This location (Anchorage) is a land of restaurants, movies, and shopping. That alone is enough to bring you to our conference. But, besides all those perks, we have a great and informative confer- ence awaiting you. Our theme this year is “Navigating Through Rough Waters.” We heard the Governor coin this term during his State of the Budget address back in January. While we all are anticipating calmer seas in the future, for now, we must do what is necessary to keep