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Trail Mix, the Juneau-based nonprofit is an organization dedicated to stewarding local trails, by bringing together people and resources for trail improvements and activities.
With a dedicated team of 15-20 seasonal workers and 4 year-round employees, they collaborate closely with the Forest Service, City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska State Parks, and indigenous organizations to maintain and enhance Juneau’s extensive trail network.
“I think something people maybe don’t realize, is how many years, and hours that it takes to complete a small section of trail, and oftentimes, like some of the trails that we’re working on this summer, are projects that have been in the works, you know, for maybe three or four years.” Said Trail Mix’s executive director Meghan Tabacek “You kind of just have to play the timing right and wait for the perfect grant, or the perfect crew lead or the perfect conditions in order to actually make the trail work. So we always have a very, very long list of trails that we want to work on.”
The organization recently faced challenges with potential Forest Service funding cuts, which forced them to reduce their trail crews from four to three for the season. In response, they launched a successful community fundraiser, raising nearly $55,000.
“it was really, really cool to see the community come together and support.” Said Tabacek, “Since February, it’s really just been touch and go. We have been working to kind of, diversify our project streams, so like working more with the city, more with state parks, and just trying to make sure we have other work guaranteed outside of the Forest Service.”
As of right now Trail Mix’s agreements with the Forest Service still stand and they are able to continue work as normal, but Tabacek said with increasing levels of uncertainty, they just dont know if – or when the cap is going to stop on those projects.
Volunteers play a critical role in Trail Mix’s operations, with the organization currently tracking over 700 volunteer hours this summer.
“Volunteers are huge to trail mix. I mean, the heart of trail mix is volunteerism.” said Tabacek “Trail Mix was started in 1993 by a group of volunteers and in our first years, Trail Mix was actually all volunteer run.”
This community involvement is essential, as only 30-35 people are responsible for maintaining Juneau’s 250 trails. Volunteers help meet grant requirements, supplement staff efforts, and support additional organizational work not covered by standard agency agreements.
“A lot of what we do is build the trails, but, also a lot of what we do is work with people who build the trails. And I think that’s the cooler part about Trail Mix.” Said Tabacek.
Volunteer waivers are available on the Trail Mix website, as well as their schedule of upcoming events.
By: James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
On July 1, Alaska’s new sick-leave and minimum wage increase law took effect.
Approved by voters in November, it states that someone working at a business with 15 or more employees will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 per year, unless the employer voluntarily increases that limit.
Someone working at a business with fewer than 15 employees earns sick leave at the same rate, but the maximum per year is 40 hours.
The law also raised the state’s minimum wage to $13 per hour. The minimum wage rises to $14 per hour next year and $15 per hour in 2027. It will rise with the rate of inflation for each year after that.
The law also forbids bosses from forcing their employees to attend meetings about religious or political issues, including whether or not to join a labor union, political group or church.
There are exemptions for religious organizations.
Under the law, sick leave can be used for an employee’s illness or to take care of a family member who needs care. It can also be used in cases of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
While workers can access the benefits now, it will be a few weeks before the state formalizes some of the details of how employers must implement the law. On June 25, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development proposed new regulations. Those won’t take effect until August at the earliest, but they would add some new rules to the sick leave law.
In the meantime, the department has published an informal Q&A about how the law works.
Under those regulations, all of the state’s employers “shall notify each employee in writing” about its sick leave policy.
Those policies may include the amount of advance notice required when using sick leave for a prescheduled medical appointment or “other forseeable absence.”
An employer can’t require more than 10 days’ notice in that case.
If someone is unexpectedly sick, the proposed regulations would require the sick employee to “notify the employer before the start of the employee’s shift or as soon as is possible.”
If someone uses sick leave for more than three consecutive days, their boss may require them to show proof of their need for sick leave, if that requirement is included in the written policy.
Someone who needs to take sick leave because of domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment or stalking, cannot be required to verify that explanation.
Under the law, someone can carry over unused sick leave from one year to the next, but they can’t exceed the maximum, unless their employer voluntarily allows them to do so.
Employers are forbidden from retaliating against employees who use their sick leave, and nothing prevents an employer from “front-loading” sick leave by giving them the hours in advance instead of accruing them over time.
The Department of Labor’s new regulations are subject to public comment through July 31. Anyone with questions may email dol.lss.regulations@alaska.gov.
