The nomination period for the second annual Governors Peak Performance Denali Awards,
which recognize outstanding employees and teams for excellence in service to the state,
will be Jan. 1-Feb. 15. Outstanding State of Alaska employees can be nominated in four
categories coworker recognition, excellence in customer service, exceptional performance
and leadership.
Nominations can be made by any employee, including self-nomination. For more information
about the nomination process, please visit the website at http://dop.state.ak.us/.
Nominations must be made on the official nomination form for the appropriate award category.
Each nomination must be submitted to the employees departmental Denali Award representative
by Feb. 15.
Click to Download
Changing the Course to Slow Government Growth
Click to Download
FY09 General Fund Budget
Judge Tom Stewart Dead at 88
Governor Sarah Palin ordered state flags lowered to half-staff on Dec. 18 in honor and memory of retired
Superior Court Judge Thomas Stewart. Judge Stewart died Dec. 12 in Juneau. He was 88.
Judge Stewart served in the territorial House of Representatives and served as a senator in the first session
of the Alaska Legislature. He was the secretary of the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955 and 1956. Judge
Stewart also served as Superior Court Judge in Juneau from 1966 until his retirement in 1981.M
During World War II, he was a U.S. Army captain in the 10th Mountain Division ski troops, serving in Italy and
the Aleutian Islands.
We lost a true visionary and a wealth of Alaska knowledge, said Governor Palin. We can forever
hold on to Judge Stewarts Alaskan spirit and his guidance for the future if we abide by the constitution he
helped create. Todd and I send our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones.
Judge Stewart volunteered for the Juneau World Affairs Council, served on the board of directors for the Symphony
Foundation and the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, and was active with the Juneau Lyric Opera and other arts and
community groups.
Judge Stewart is survived by six of his children.
Governor Palin will present her 2008 State of the State address to the citizens of Alaska at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15
before a joint session of the Alaska Legislature in the House Chamber in the Capitol. The Legislature will hold its
regular 2008 session Jan. 15-Apr. 13.
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Christmas is a season for good will and hope to spread across Alaska, from our smallest villages to our largest cities,
and to brighten even the darkest, coldest winter nights. We are so blessed to live and work in a state rich in
resources and opportunities.
Great things are happening in Alaska every day. As we approach 50 years as a state, we can reflect on how far
we've come and how far we can still go, limited only by our own vision and determination. We have so much to be
thankful for as we celebrate this special season of giving and fellowship, love and charity.
I want to thank Alaskas service men and women for their devoted service to our nation. We are deeply grateful
for their courage, bravery and personal sacrifice. May they have Gods protection and may they return home safely
and quickly to their loved ones.
To every Alaskan, may the peace and goodwill of this special season fill every heart and warm every home with the
blessings that fill our lives.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
We presented a budget on Dec. 10 to the Legislature, five days before the Dec. 15 mandate. Our $4.6 billion budget,
which includes pro-business, pro-family initiatives, is part of a fiscal plan for Alaska that builds on our commitment
to slow the trend of government growth, from an average of 14 percent to only four percent.
The plan is based on three principles saving for the future, living within our means and controlling government
spending and ramping up resource development. Our plan focuses on investment in core services and constitutionally
mandated state responsibilities.
I announced a $7.1 billion savings and investment plan on Dec. 5. The savings portion of our proposal is a key element
of our fiscal plan. By setting money aside, Alaska will be able to meet its obligations like funding schools, public
safety and infrastructure when oil prices drop, revenues decline and the federal largesse that were so used to may
not continue at the same level that Alaska has seen in the past.
We are extremely blessed with a projected surplus of $4.6 billion. This gives us the opportunity to do more than save
for near term spending. We have an unprecedented opportunity to save for future generations.
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CLICK TO LISTEN
Governor Sarah Palin announces her Fiscal Year 2009 proposed Budget.
CLICK TO LISTEN
Lt. Governor Sean Parnell comments on building the FY09 proposed Budget.
GO ONLINE TO THE
BUDGET PRIORITIES WEBPAGE
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/govbudget.php
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Commissioner Click Bishop
Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Q: Commissioner, please describe your personal background?
I first came to Alaska in 1959. My father worked for Green Construction Company. My summers as a young person
were spent around Alaska on construction projects from Ketchikan to Kotzebue and just about every town or village
on the Alaska State Highway System. I am a third generation construction worker.
After graduating from Lathrop High School in Fairbanks I went to work on the Trans Alaska Pipeline.
I spent 16 years in the field on projects all over the state and I spent another 16 years working for
the Alaska Operating Engineers Training Trust as coordinator and administrator.
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Q: What do you do for fun on your spare time?
I like to hunt, trap and fish, snow machine, race boats and mine for gold. I love to spend quality time with my wife,
daughters and granddaughters, and my dog Raven.
Q: What is your favorite movie and why?
Patton. I am very patriotic. Patton thought outside the box and didnt lead from the rear. My uncle served with
Pattons 3rd Army and was also an honor guard at his funeral. Patton could motivate people. Makes you proud to be an American.
Q: What was your least favorite job and/or experience?
Cutting open asphalt drums with a chisel, one barrel at a time. Years ago asphalt was shipped to the bush in 55 gallon drums and
you had to manually remove the top of the drum. When you use up to 8,000 gallons a day, thats a lot of drums boring.
Q:
How have you worked with the Alaska labor community?
I worked for the Alaska Operating Engineers Training Trust as the statewide coordinator and administrator for 16 years promoting
and expanding apprenticeship opportunities. I also worked on bringing other training programs together in sharing resources and
training together as a team where applicable. Some of the trainings that occurred were ball field, soccer field and parking lot
grading and paving for non-profit organizations.
Q: What is your involvement with the Alaska Pipeline Training program?
Alaska Works Partnership provides a pipeline training course every fall to Alaskans wanting to work in the oil and gas construction industry.
My previous involvement with the pipeline training was as the team leader for the program. My present involvement is knowledge transfer.
Q: After graduation, what opportunities become available for graduates?
In the past more than 90 percent of graduates of each class were placed on North Slope pipeline projects in the same training year.
Q: Why is this program important for the development of the Alaska workforce, especially with the Natural Gas Pipeline on the horizon?
It is our responsibility, everyone not just the state, this time around to step up to the plate and maximize the lessons learned from the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) construction, and implement those lessons to training the next generation of Alaskan pipeliners.
Q: What would you tell a student who is worried about the future of oil and gas development in Alaska with the declining fields and world focus on alternative energies?
I would tell a student today the same thing that I told our entry level class of operators in 1998. Alaska is the place to be for the next 25 years in the business of oil and gas, as well as highway construction and mineral development.
I am the eternal optimist and never really had a bad day. Some are just better than others. Life is what you make of it.
Q: How does an interested party find additional information for enrollment?
Alaska Works Partnerships, (907) 569-4711.
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Support Our Troops, at Home and Away
A great way to help our soldiers when they are away is to support the USO (United Service Organizations). They provide all the services our men and women in uniform need beyond the battlefield.
Show your support and visit the USO website.
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Until next time,
Governor Sarah Palin
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