Anchorage -- The 11-member Commission on Privatization and Delivery of Government Services, established by the Legislature to examine the possibilities of turning some state functions over to private industry, held an organizational meeting Tuesday in Anchorage.

The Commission unveiled a new website, "http://www.privatizealaska.org." The site has photos and contact information for commission members, along with links to resource material about privatization, meeting schedules, and news items from the Commission. The website is designed to allow the public to keep abreast of Commission activities.

As part of the organizational meeting, members of the public signed up for subcommittees.

"There are fifteen subcommittees, one for each department of the government, and response was so great that eight of them are already filled," said Representative John Cowdery (R-Anchorage), Commission Co-Chair. "These subcommittees will meet with Executive Branch department heads and evaluate programs which might be candidates for privatization."

"The Commission could not hope to finish its work on time without the help of the volunteer subcommittees," said Senator Jerry Ward (R-Anchorage/Kenai), Commission Co-Chair. "This is where a good deal of the Commission's 'nuts-and-bolts' work will take place."

The commission will submit a written report to the governor and the legislature by January 1, 2000.