Stevens Seeks MTAB Seat for Southcentral

Jay Barrett/KMXT
If legislation introduced this session is successful, the state’s Marine Transportation Advisory Board (MTAB) will increase in size from 11 to 12 members by creating a separate seat for Southcentral Alaska.
Senate Bill 24, introduced by Kodiak’s Gary Stevens, will put Homer, Kodiak, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie, Port Lions and Seldovia in a newly-designated “Southcentral Alaska” area. They are currently included in the Southwest Alaska group, which includes the Alaska Peninsula and Dutch Harbor. The current representative is Unalaska Mayor Shirley Marquardt. Southeast Alaska.
Of the current 11 seats on the MTAB, seven are occupied by Southeast Alaska residents.
In his first newsletter to constituents, Stevens said he introduced the bill to ensure all regions in his senate district served by the ferry system will have a seat on the board.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Transportation Committee for consideration.