Breaking: Dunleavy changes gasline board members

By
Suzanne Downing
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8

JOEY MERRICK, HUGH SHORT DISMISSED; DAN COFFEY, DOUG SMITH REPLACE

Gov. Michael Dunleavy today announced key changes and appointments to the seven-member board of directors governing the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation.

But not before the previous board gave AGDC President Keith Meyer a $300,000 performance bonus for his work over the past two years, adding to his $550,000 base annual salary. Meyer’s contract is up this year.  The board had given him $138,750 for June 2017, and $157,256 for 2018.

Dunleavy has now changed out four of the seven members of the board, so Alaskans might expect more changes ahead in coming days.

Dunleavy named Department of Labor Commissioner Tamika Ledbetter and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Jason Brune to serve as State of Alaska department-level appointees to the AGDC Board.

Doug Smith and Dan Coffey were named to replace board members Hugh Short of Girdwood and Joey Merrick of Eagle River. Short and Merrick were both notified of their dismissal from the AGDC board earlier today.

The AGDC board meets next at 9 am on Jan. 10. Meetings can be monitored via teleconference by calling 855-282-6330, access number 921 325 605.

“Alaskans have long focused on the benefits of reduced energy costs, bringing our rich energy resources to market and monetizing our North Slope gas. Today’s announcement continues those goals, while putting in place the personnel to make diligent review of the project. AGDC is tasked with a very complex mission – and I look forward to seeing how best the State can assist in moving a project forward,” Dunleavy said. “Each one of our appointees bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to table, including in areas of resource development, labor and workforce, regulatory issues and oversight, and I look forward to working closely with them in the future.”

The seven-member board of directors includes five public members and two principal department heads of the State of Alaska. Board members are appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the legislature.

The new members of the board will join AGDC board members Dave Cruz of Palmer, David Wright of Anchorage, and Warren Christian of North Pole.

Doug Smith, of Anchorage, has specialized in the Alaska oil and gas and construction industries for over 25 years. He has previously served as the President and CEO of ASRC Energy Services, and on the boards of the Resource Development Council and Alaska Support Industry Alliance.

Dan Coffey, of Anchorage, served two terms as Chair of the Anchorage Assembly. He is a business owner, attorney and longtime oil and gas advocate. Coffey previously served as the Chairman of the Alaska Board of Fish, as Chairman of the Anchorage Energy Commission and as a member of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Community Advisory Council.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Can someone please tell us exactly what Keith Meyer did to earn $850K last year? Did he write a book? Star in a movie? Did he invent and patent a product. How do these characters get this kind of pay? Was he best friends with the guy who signs his check?

      • Why is it that while governor, all of Bill Walker’s “buddies” became enriched and saturated with big pay by the state? From Bill’s former law partner in Valdez, right down the line, including his former chief of staff Jim Whitaker (now retired and living like a fat cat in AZ), the Walker Administration officials are living awash in state money? This needs to be investigated and reported. And btw, did old Byron Mallott receive his big fat severance pay after he was caught diddling?

  2. Can’t the AGDC be dissolved/deleted? Some things need to go to make the state work without taxing the people and this would be a great start. Why waste a dime more on this right now? Only government would, a private company who was worried about the bottom line would have never spent billions on this with no potential realistic payoff.

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