CHAIR’s Message

By Terrence S. Welch

Terrence S. Welch is Chair of the Section and practices law with the Richardson, Texas office of Brown & Hofmeister, LLP.

Anchorage is just around the corner! (At least figuratively, if not literally!) The Section’s Spring Meeting in Alaska from June 2 through June 4, 2005, at the Captain Cook Hotel in downtown Anchorage is just weeks away, and it will be one of the year’s highlights for many Section members and their families.

What can you expect if you attend? First, you will have an unforgettable time in Anchorage with some of the nicest people you could ever meet. Second, there will be an abundance of CLE on the latest developments in local government law, including updates on new cases involving zoning and land use, environmental law, employment law, governmental liability issues, condemnation, and homeland security. The Friday CLE seminars will address the following topics: mutual aid and intergovernmental agreements for homeland security, the Alaska experience in government law, the No Child Left Behind Act and the obligations placed on local school districts, the Alaska Permanent Fund and issues regarding a new Alaska pipeline, the pending Supreme Court case of Alaska v. United States and associated land use and environmental issues, and ethical issues for local government practitioners. Third, on Saturday, June 4, the Section will sponsor a half-day glacier cruise out of the port at Whittier— an unbelievable opportunity to see some of the biggest chunks of ice on earth while enjoying lunch and spirits on board. Fourth, and foremost, both Anchorage and the Spring Meeting will be lots of fun.

I would like to send a special thank you to two Anchorage attorneys who have been instrumental in assisting the Section with planning for the Spring Meeting—Louann Cutler, Preston Gates & Ellis in Anchorage, and Rhonda Fehlen Westover, deputy municipal attorney for the City of Anchorage. Both Louann and Rhonda have coordinated speakers, put us in touch with the right people for our programming, and are encouraging Alaska attorneys to participate in our events. Heartfelt thanks to both of you—we appreciate you and all that you have done very much!

Very briefly, the Section’s Council Meeting at the ABA’s Midyear Meeting in Salt Lake City on Saturday, February 12, 2005, was very positive, and I am happy to report that the state of the Section is good. My personal highlight was presenting ABA Board of Governors member Jim Baird (one of our former Section Chairs and a diehard Michigan football fan) with a University of Texas Rose Bowl Champions t-shirt. I am certain it will make a splendid addition to Jim’s sportswear collection!

See you in Anchorage! Hook ’em!