Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 5

star Legislature Saturday, Feb. 21, 1987 Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo. A5 Dan 1 Neal I Sullivan's ax hits succession measure Bill would have diluted governor's power to appoint replacements for some offices in line with other statutes. And he noted that he is sponsoring other i By DANIEL H. NEAL Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE-Gov.

Mike Sullivan Friday vetoed legislation that would have diluted the power of the governor to appoint replacements when vacancies occur ment from a list of three names submitted by the political party of the last incumbent. In his veto message, Sullivan said the legislation conflicts with other statutes and would place the Wyoming Secretary of Stale in an untenable position. Sullivan based his veto on arguments used by former Gov. Ed Herschler when he vetoed similar legislation two years ago. If a vacancy occurred in the governor's office, Sullivan noted, the secretary of slate would not have a clear line of succession.

A court would have to decide whether the new act supercedes other statutes authorizing the secretary of state to run the state when the governor is absent. Secretrary of State Kathy Kar-pan "should not be placed in a compromising and cosily position of having seek a judicial interpretation of whether a successiion slill allows a vacancy in office," Sullivan wrote. "On a personal note, please be assured that I look forward to a long and healthy time in office," he wrote. Arney said Sullivan "was looking out for the power of the office." I le noted that votes in the Senate and the House reflected a view that the Democrats thought it "took some potential powers away from their governor." He said the bill was not partisan in intent, however, and merely brought the replacement procedure in the oil ice ot U.S. senator or high state of- fices.

Sullivan's first veto prevented legislation sponsored by Sens. Rex Arney, R-Sheridan, and Diemer True, TRUE R-Natrona, from becoming law. Arney's bill would have required the governor to choose a replace- New tribal relations promising Liaison with state possible By DANIEL H. NEAL Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE In the midst of the rush and rumble surrounding state budgets here, the spotlight Friday turned briefly to the center of the state and the Wind River Indian Reservation. Gov.

Mike Sullivan signed into law a bill written by Rep. Scott Ratliff, R-Fremont and a proud member of the Shoshone tribe that declares the third Friday in September Native American Day in Wyoming. The law directs Wyoming's w' I 1 I 1 7 1 V- I 10 i' -iiiiilriii i -J Vetoed bill sponsor Rex Arney, right, and Win Hit-key in Senate disciiHnion Measure requiring solons to declare conflicts of interest out of committee legislation that strengthens the governor's powers to remove slate appointed officials from office Sullivan's specific reason "may or may not be valid," Arney 4 4 SULLIVAN said. During debate of the bill, he said, "No one ever suggested there was a problem of the nature brought up in the veto message." Either way, Arney added, "I'll carry with me the distinguishment of having Gov. Sulivan's first veto." Capitol Briefs Sullivan going to governors meeting CHEYENNE Gov.

Mike Sullivan will travel to Washington, D.C. this weekend to attend the National Governors' Association winter meeting. The meetings will provide an opportunity to meet President Ronald Reagan as well as other state governors. The governors will attend a White House dinner Sunday night and meet again with the president Monday morning, according to a meeting agenda. Sullivan said he hopes to discuss such issues as an oil import fee, reserved Indian water rights, acid rain, and a recent proposal to reduce the state's share of federal coal royalties.

Sullivan said he hopes to get a chance to talk with Reagan but does not expect much opportunity to discuss issues. "If every governor took off on his pet project, (the dinner) wouldn't be much fun for the president," Sullivan said. Sullivan says arts a 'central element' CHEYENNE Wyoming's arts community "provides a good example of the kind of public-private partnership essential" to meeting the challenges facing the state, Gov. Mike Sullivan said Friday Speaking at the sixth annual governor's Awards for the Arts banquet, Sullivan said the arts are a "central element" to enriching the lives of Wyoming residents. Sullivan said public funding through both the state and federal governments and the financial support of private business are only part of the partnership that helps maintain a vibrant arts community in the stale.

The efforts of private volunteers and tpublic sector work led by the Wyoming Council on the Arts also stimulate and encourage artists in the slate. The governor handed out awards to: James Boyle, a professional artist and educator who helped establish the arts council 20 years ago. The Mountain Bell Foundation for its corporate support of the arts in Wyoming. The Casper Star-Tribune's Arts Edition for media support of the arts. Mary Back, a Dubois artist and educator who teaches arts extension courses.

Bill lets assessors fix only factual errors CHEYENNE (AP) There is no reason to allow county assessors to make valuation changes in the state's reappraisal project because a computer will automatically do it, a state Board of Equalization member said Friday. Shirley Whitlcr told members of a joint conference committee that a computer system in use for the state's reappraisal project will make corrections in a property's valuation if information on the property's physical condition is changed. Whitler's testimony led conference committee members to agree on language in a Senate bill giving assessors the authority to change only factual errors in the appraisal of a property. The joint conference committee was formed to iron out differences between the House and Senate on a bill outlining county assessors' roles in the reappraisal project. TERRY GUICE A new concept here Rerouting technology review defeated CHEYENNE (AP) There is no need to create a new board to oversee financing for businesses involved in proving and using new technologies, Rep.

Ron Micheli told the House on Friday. "We all believe we want to do something about the rapid growth of government," said Micheli, R-Uinta. "But this is how government grows. You are creating more state employees and another board." But Micheli was unsuccessful in his bid to amend a bill establishing a Science, Technology and Energy Alliance to help companies using new technologies obtain financing. The bill, approved during its second reading, would allow the alliance to help companies secure bonds and grants for projects and would allow the state treasurer to invest up to $10 million in a company's bond.

A committee made up of people with expertise in science and technology would evaluate proposals brought to them, a duty Micheli's amendment would have turned over to the Economic Development and Stabilization Board. But the measure was defeated after supporters of the bill argued that the EDSB lacks the technical expertise necessary to evaluate such projects. "We are talking about a new concept here," said Rep. Terry Guice, R-Albany. "This is the guts of the bill.

If every person goes to the EDSB, will be a cost to the state to find out if the project is viable or not." Furlough measure moves forward CHEYENNE (AP) State employees, their wages already frozen, should not be subjected to further losses through mandatory furloughs, Rep. Guy Cameron told the House on Friday. "People make government operate," said Cameron, D-Laramie. "And state employees pay a large part of the price in our efforts to cut costs. Employees have not received a pay raise this year.

They should at least have the opportunity to make government work and operate without facing a loss of money through a furlough." But Cameron was unsuccessful in his attempts to delete a section of a bill giving the governor the authority to furlough selected employees one day a month through July 1, 1988. The section is included in a bill repealing the state's 2.5 percent merit pay raise and prohibiting raises for state employees except for those at the University of Wyoming or when legislative approval is given. It would also call for the development of a viable pay-for-per-formance plan. Vinich fine tunes worker's comp bill CHEYENNE (AP) The Senate voted this morning to concur with a House amendment to a bill on worker's compensation, the issue that kept legislators working until the last minute of the last day of the Legislature last year. Senators voted 23-7 to accept the addition to a bill that Sen.

John Vinich said was designed to "fine tune" the Legislature's major revision of the rules and funding for the program during last year's budget session and special session. Vinich, a Hudson Democrat, said the House change to the bill added in a definition of total and permanent disability that was left off the bill this year. "Without this definition placed in the law it would be a tremendous detriment to the people of the state," Vinich said, adding that the definition had been on the books since 1913. By DANIEL H. NEAL Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE A bill defining and requiring legislators to declare conflicts of interest has been passed by the House corporations committee.

Legislators with such conflicts would be prohibited from voting but could speak about the measure or bill involved. Sen. John Vinich, D-Fremont, sponsored the bill that requires a legislator to disclose a conflict of interest in the house of the Legislature in which he serves. The bill says a conflict of interest exists when a legislator "will receive or incur a direct financial gain or loss if the measure or bill is enacted." The bill says that a conflict does not exist if a "substantial class of citizens in the state" will also suf schools and gov-ernments to observe the day It does not make the day a holiday but an Indian delegation still thought RATLIFF the measure important enough to attend the governor's bill signing ceremony Friday. But still-forming plans for an Indian Liaison Committee to establish lines of communication between the governor's office and the tribal governments may ultimately serve to improve state-tribal relations in more direct ways.

The governor talked during the fall election campaign of the need to establish closer relations with the tribes and to work to help alleviate some of the terrible economic and other problems facing them. Sullivan met in Casper with one delegation from the reservation during the campaign, mostly just to hear them explain their problems and concerns. The effort on the part of candidate Sullivan made a positive impression. The idea of a liaison committee, first announced in the governor's State-of-the-State message also has been well received, according to Pat Goggles, chairman of the District No. 14 school board.

The idea still seems to be somewhat nebulous in the governor's mind. He wants individuals on the committee who have what he calls "interconnecting relationships" with the state and tribes. "I haven't sat down and decided how many and who the participants should be," Sullivan said Friday. There are other ways Sullivan can extend a hand to the tribes. The recent round of appointments submitted to the Senate for confirmation conspicuously did not include anyone from the reservation.

There are qualified people there, but Sullivan said he could not fit anyone into the appointments puzzle. It's too bad. The prospect of placing Robert Harris on the Water Development Commission raises some interesting possibilities. Harris, one of the most respected members of the Shoshone tribe, has been intimately in volved in the long dispute between the state and the tribes over reserved water rights. He was one of the tribal leaders who rendezvoused with Gov.

Ed HARRIS Herschler and Attorney General Archie McClintock at the Casper Hilton to discuss possible negotiated solutions to the multi-million dollar court fight. He's a rancher, too, and knows how dear water rights are. But, as the governor points out, he still must make many other appointments that do not require senatorial confirmation. The opportunity to act now to make the state-tribal relationship a functioning one hasn't passed. People like Pat Goggles, geologist Gary Collins, Shoshone tribal councilmen John Washakie and Wes Martel, rancher Fred Nicol, Central Wyoming College 'counselor Bobby Potter and St.

Stephens school board member Marge St. Clair can make a contribution to the state as well as the reservation. Star-TribuneRick Sorenson authority in the Legislature" and may prevent eventual judicial determination of conflict questions. "It's an in-house problem. Maybe we should deal with it," Honaker said.

An amendment that would have softened the interpretation language was defeated. "I'd like to keep our dirty linen in the House," Rep. Eli Bebout, D-Fremont, said, arguing against the amendment. The committee gave the bill a do-pass recommendation over the nay-votes of Reps. Gale Zimmerman, R-Natrona, Dorothy Perkins, R-Natrona, and Allan Howard, R-Big Horn.

Reps. Bebout, MacMillan, Honaker, Carl A. Maldonado, D-Sweetwater, Bill Mcllvain, R-Laramie, and Richard R. Tempest, R-Natrona, favored the bill. of Sept.

1 986, would remain intact. The contract could also be changed to include conditions placed on PAC by the stale. Meyer said one of the conditions he would like to add is the reinstatement of John Lbert as the company's president or the appointment of an officer to act as a liason to report the project's progress to the surety companies and the state. Committee members agreed to the amendment, which was attached to a bill letting the Board of Equalization use money not paid PAC to complete the project as it sees fit, although some expressed doubts over the measure. "We don't have any choice," said Rep.

H.L. Jensen, D-Teton. "This is not the best of any world, but it's all we've got." But Rep. Ron Micheli, R-Uinta, said he would prefer to simply terminate PAC's role in the reappraisal. "I've reached the point where I've had it." he said.

"I think it's time we just forget the project and started over." AG: Control needed over PAC surety firms Committee OKs amendment modifying contract with appraisers fer the loss or gain. Committee Chairman Patti MacMillan, R-Albany, raised the only major objection to the bill when she questioned a section which leaves the interpretation of the act to the house of the Legislature in which the legislator serves. Vinich noted the problem most legislators have now is not knowing when a personal interest is significant enough that they should not vote on pending legislation. The Senate adopted rules under which the Rules Commmittee makes a determination after the legislator raises the issue, he said. But MacMillan objected, saying a "determination of conflict is a personal issue" that should be left to individual legislators, not a committee of the House or Senate.

But Rep. Richard H. Honaker, D-Sweetwater, said requiring a legislative interpretation "vests ing the companies to rehire PAC. "The ultimate decision will be on how much you want to punish PAC and how fast you want to finish (the project)," Meyer said, adding that other options, such as hiring another company to complete the project, could cost the state time. The amendment would modify the contract to allow the governor to terminate the contract if at any time it appears that PAC's performance is insufficient.

"If we reach the point where PAC is not doing what it has indicated it will, we will pull the plug," Meyer said. The amendment also would give PAC extra time to complete the project, up to six months, with no additional state funding, although Meyer stressed the provision should not be considered an extension. "This is a forbearance to bringing a suit," he said. "I am concerned because this contract is in default and it will continue to be in default." A $500 per day penalty paid by the company for each day it runs past the original completion date CHEYENNE (AP) Wyoming needs some measure of control over the surety companies that have promised that Professional Appraisal obligation to the state will be met, Attorney General Joe Meyer said Friday. "We could let this float and then the surety companies could come back and say they are contracting with the state to finish the project and then subcontract with PAC," Meyer told the House Revenue Committee.

"But then we have no rights to pull the plug. If we get in a lawsuit, it is your worst option. The best is to work out some kind of arrangement." Meyer convinced committee members to adopt an amendment that would modify the state's contract with the company, which has indicated that it is unable to complete the state's massive reappraisal project on its own. PAC's bonding companies have suggested that they provide PAC with enough money to let it finish the job, Meyer said, and modifying the contract to give the state some control over how the job is done would be better than simply allow.