 "Serving Western Legislatures" Council
of State Governments - WEST OFFICERS Melvin
R. Brown Jeannette
Hamby Timothy
Z. Jennings Manny
M. Aragon Kent
Briggs COMMITTEE CHAIRS Electrical
Industry Restructuring Future
of Western Legislatures Energy
& Minerals Western
Water Policy Southern
Boarder Smart
States Public
Land Policy Trade
& Transportation WESTRENDS Legislative
Service Agency Directors |
Alaska Hosts Western Legislators Politics and Resources to Dominate September 19-22 Meeting For Immediate Release: September 16, 1998 Contacts:
Anchorage -- When Western state legislators gather in Anchorage to talk about the policies and politics of the region, Juneau Gold author David Stone will transport them back in time with a history lesson on the 1898 Gold Rush. But lawmakers will move quickly into the 20th century with Washington, D.C. energy expert Mark Mills. Mills will explain why he thinks increasing the cost of energy could reach far beyond the oil and gas industries to depress the national economy. A sizzling wrap-up session will feature 1998 election predictions from the president of The Gallup Organization, David Moore, California political expert Sherry Bebitch-Jeffe and Phil Burgess, president of the Denver-based Center for the New West. The September 19-22 meeting is co-hosted by the Alaska Legislature and the Council of State Governments-WEST. CSG-WEST is a nonpartisan organization that serves Western state legislators. The Alaska meeting will mark the 51st annual gathering of lawmakers from 13 Western states and four Pacific island governments. Historian and Montana Army National Guard General Hal Stearns will combine laughter with lessons in leadership when he talks about the relevance of the Lewis and Clark expeditions to modern-day dilemmas faced by Western legislators. Committee sessions will focus on access to Alaska’s energy and mineral resources, the Year 2000 computer problem, a new Western water report, a Western public lands roundtable, electrical restructuring and regional trade opportunities with Canada and Mexico. Utah House Speaker Melvin R. Brown currently chairs the Western legislative group. Alaska host legislators for the meeting are Rep Ramona Barnes (R-Anchorage) and Sen. Tim Kelly (R-Anchorage). Senate President Mike Miller (R-North Pole) and House Speaker Gail Phillips (R-Homer) will play an active role in the CSG-WEST annual meeting. All sessions will take place in Anchorage’s Hotel Captain Cook located at 939 West 5th Avenue. Reporters may pick up press badges and information packets in the Resolution Room of the hotel beginning Saturday, September 19th at 10 a.m. An abbreviated schedule of meeting times, places and speakers is attached, but the program is subject to change. # # # |