Legislative Council approves snow‑removal contract increase, carpet purchase authorization, sanctions two fundraisers and funds appeal costs

The Alaska Legislative Council on Feb. 11 approved several administrative and contracting actions: an amendment to the Capitol Complex snow-removal contract, authorization to award a carpet procurement for the Senate and House Finance Committee rooms, ratification of two charitable events, and an increase to outside counsel funding for an appeal related to Executive Order 137.

Senator Giesel moved to adopt amendment No. 1 to the agency’s snow-removal contract with Cutting Edge Development Incorporated. Procurement explained the amendment was needed after a record winter in Juneau: "We have expensed, close to $45,000 for this contract already as of the January," the procurement officer said, and the agency asked to "increase the not to exceed limit to $90,000 for the remainder of this winter." Members asked whether the contract only covered services actually rendered; procurement replied that funds would only be expensed for services provided. The roll-call vote passed 11–0.

The council received the annual independent audit as an information item. Joel Rogozinski, the Legislative Affairs Agency finance manager, reported the FY25 audit result: "The outcome of the fiscal year 2025 audit was a clean audit with no exceptions."

The council then considered RFQ 692 to replace aging carpet in the Senate and House Finance Committee rooms. Procurement officer JC Kestel said the rooms’ carpet is close to or over 30 years old and that the RFQ had closed; the agency wanted to review vendor samples before final selection. The motion authorized the Legislative Affairs Agency to award the purchase to a responsive, lowest-cost vendor in an amount not to exceed $66,000; the vote passed 12–0.

On litigation matters, Senator Giesel moved to amend the existing contract with the law firm Stoll Reeves to add $85,000 to cover appeal costs related to litigation over the governor’s Executive Order 137, making the contract amount not to exceed $185,000. Megan Wallace, chief counsel for legal services, summarized the history: the Superior Court ruled on Dec. 31 that the governor’s issuance of Executive Order 137 was unconstitutional and the governor appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court; the original authorization did not include appeal costs. The council approved the additional funding in an 11–0 roll-call vote.

The council also ratified the chair's sanctioning of two charitable events (listed in committee materials). The chair noted the organizations’ 501(c)(3) status had been verified and acknowledged Senator Kiel’s role as an auctioneer at one of the events.

Senator Grama Jackson closed the meeting by thanking staff for their presentations. The council adjourned at 06:15.