Petersburg Pilot -

Unless the Legislature decides otherwise by mid-March, Gov. Mike Dunleavy will take over appointment of the entire nine-member Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board.

State law reserves four of the seats for appointment by legislative leaders, but Dunleavy on the first day of the legislative session Jan. 16 introduced an executive order that changes the law so that the governor would control all of the appointments.

The change will take effect 60 days after the order was issued — unless a majority of the 60 legislators vote in a joint session to reject the executive order.

The governor’...