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The regional organization, which formed more than 40 years ago to encourage the development of a state ferry system, reviewed possible changes to the ferry system's management during its annual meeting in Craig this week. Members include business and community leaders from Southeast Alaska.

The resolution called on the organization to develop legislation to form "a more effective structure" to manage and operate the ferry system. The Southeast Conference is planning an in-depth study of management options.

"It appears to presuppose an authority or something similar," he said. "It may be an authority. It may not be an authority."

Murray Walsh of Juneau, co-chairman of the conference's Transportation Committee, said the main goal is to improve ferry service.

"A lot of us believe that in order to get the service we want, we are going to have to form an authority or something like it," he said. "But an ordinary person doesn't care who is in charge; they just want the service to be better."

A new management structure might include something akin to the state Board of Fisheries, a port authority with a board of directors, or a more formal community-input process, conference members said Tuesday.

Alaska Marine Highway System General Manager George Capacci said he welcomes proposals to make the system more efficient, but was glad the conference opted to remove the reference to an authority.

"It's not prejudging the answer," he said. "Why would you have a study if you already know an authority is the answer?"

The resolution approved Thursday establishes a subcommittee of the Southeast Conference to develop legislation and review management alternatives. The Southeast Conference, ferry workers, legislators, ferry users, and state administrators would be involved in the discussions, members said.

In other action, the conference approved a resolution supporting continued financing and implementation of a highway connecting the Wrangell area to Canada via the Bradfield Canal. And it approved a resolution that would explore federal forest roads funding for highway and ferry links in the region.

The conference elected City Manager Tom Briggs of Craig as this year's president and selected Haines as the location for its next annual meeting. Members raised more than $20,000 for scholarships.

Joanna Markell can be reached at joannam@juneauempire.com.