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Juneau Assembly to discuss flood mitigation, Buyout Plan, Telephone Hill and budget survey results

NOTN- The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly is set to tackle several hot button issues at tonight’s Committee of the Whole meeting, including flood mitigation efforts, redevelopment plans and new budget survey results.

According to a release from CBJ, the major focus of the meeting will be long-term solutions for glacial lake outburst flooding in the Mendenhall Valley.

City officials will present updates on a proposed Lake Tap which has been identified as the preferred engineering option following a recent planning session hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Engineers estimate that without further mitigation, a future maximum flood event could impact more than 2,800 properties in the valley.

The Assembly will also receive updates on the second phase of the HESCO barrier flood project, and review results of an informal poll of View Drive residents about a voluntary federal buyout program.

City Manager Katie Koester said the buyout option would require a 25% non-federal match, estimated at roughly $6 million if all 18 eligible properties on View Drive participate.

Officials are seeking to determine whether homeowners are interested and whether they could help assemble the local share through private or nonprofit contributions.

City leaders emphasized participation would be voluntary, and the city would not move forward without sufficient interest.

Beyond flood response, the Assembly will hear results from a recent citywide budget priorities survey.

The meeting will also include discussion of next steps for a developer solicitation for Telephone Hill and updates on the ongoing Seawalk project.

City leaders are anticipating a late night tonight.

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CBJ Recycling Center to Reopen After Equipment Repairs Completed

Screenshot

CBJ- The Recycling Center will open with limited services this Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Recycling drop off will be limited to cardboard and mixed paper only. 

The Recycling Center closed in January 2026 when the baler, essential equipment used to clear recycling material, was damaged during the extreme cold. Staff found that the baler’s wire guide system was in need of replacement and located a technician to help with repairs. The baler is now operational, and staff are arranging for the baler to receive annual inspections to prevent future equipment failures.  

While the baler is working as intended, staff at the Recycling Center hope to minimize build-up of materials so recent repairs are not overwhelmed. The Recycling Center is accepting cardboard and mixed paper only this weekend to allow for Juneau residents to drop materials off without overloading the center. No other recyclables will be accepted this weekend. 

Recycling Center staff will evaluate conditions next week and announce a new Recycling Center schedule based on performance this weekend. Ongoing updates about Recycling Center services and operating hours can be found at juneaurecycling.com.  

The City and Borough of Juneau thanks Juneau residents for their patience and looks forward to welcoming residents back to the Recycling Center this weekend.  

For more information about the Recycling Center, visit the RecycleWorks webpage at juneaurecycling.com or contact RecycleWorks Manager Stuart Ashton at Stuart.Ashton@juneau.gov.  

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CBJ budget survey is closed, so what’s next?

NOTN- The City and Borough of Juneau survey seeking public input on how to address a projected $10 million budget gap has officially closed, but now the Assembly is preparing for a series of community workshops to further guide its decisions this tense budget season.

The survey, asked residents to weigh in on municipal services and identify what they value most as the Assembly begins work on the fiscal year 2027 budget.

Assembly Member Neil Steininger said the city faces a significant revenue shortfall following voter-approved ballot measures that eliminated sales tax on food and capped the local mill rate. The changes reduced revenue and left the Assembly with the task of determining how to maintain services with less funding.

“We got that message from the voters that, they wanted lower taxes. We need to figure out how to make that work and how to deliver city services, and we’re really looking for information from the voters to understand what their priorities are for what they see from government here in Juneau.” He said. “It is very difficult to make these decisions, which is something that we want to impress to people.”

Detailed reports from the survey are expected in the coming weeks.

“I think that’s just a really important thing for everyone to do, especially in a community like Juneau that’s so small and so closed, I think it’s important that people actively voice what they want prioritized in our city, so that the assembly can use that information to better inform their decision making.” Steininger said.

In addition to the survey, the city is hosting three in-person Community Compass workshops This month and early March. During the 60- to 90-minute sessions, participants will work through mock budgeting scenarios and discuss how to respond to unexpected financial changes.

“now it’s your turn to put yourself in an assembly member’s shoes and actively decide the city budget and then react to unforeseen circumstances that will ask you to reallocate certain pieces of the budget accordingly.” Steininger said.

Input gathered at the workshops will be shared with the Assembly as it moves deeper into the budgeting process this spring.

The workshops are scheduled for Feb. 18 at the Filipino Community Hall, Feb. 24 at Mendenhall Valley Public Library and March 3 at Douglas Public Library.

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Juneau Assembly advances housing rezonings, directs more than $2 million to housing projects

NOTN- The Juneau Assembly on Monday approved zoning changes at two Lemon Creek properties, one near Costco, and directed more than $2 million from the city’s Affordable Housing Fund to support several housing developments, as officials continue efforts to address a persistent housing shortage.

Deputy Mayor Greg Smith said housing was the focus of Monday night’s meeting.

The rezones were “tricky” he said, as certain zoning districts may not always be appropriate for housing.

“The Comprehensive Plan has a map that says what zoning districts are for good reason, people may not want to live next to an asphalt plant, or a rock crushing place, or a shooting range. So there are these zoning deserts, and there’s reason for it.” he said. “The development department and the planning commission looks and says, how will this use work? I think kind of a broader sentiment at the assembly was. some of these sites have been developed in a long time, we really need housing. lets give it a shot.”

Despite earlier recommendations against the changes from the Planning Commission, one property had been zoned industrial, where housing was not allowed, and the other required a zoning adjustment to permit expanded residential development.

The votes were not unanimous, he said.

In addition to the zoning decisions, the Assembly approved five measures allocating money from the city’s Affordable Housing Fund to projects across the city. Altogether, the developments are expected to add roughly 40 housing units, including a mix of single-family homes and multifamily buildings.

“We passed five that appropriated funds from the affordable housing fund for various projects throughout the borough, that was big.” Smith said.

Among the projects receiving support is the planned redevelopment of the former Bergmann Hotel in downtown Juneau. The developer is seeking to convert the long-closed building into an apartment complex. Other funded projects include new single-family homes and a small multifamily development in various neighborhoods, like Pederson Hill.

The Assembly also formally adopted its goals for the coming year, building on priorities identified during a December retreat.

City representatives will be attending the Southeast Alaska Conference this week.

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Juneau’s new Fire Chief starts his role today

Chief Hatley, photo courtesy of CBJ

NOTN- The City and Borough of Juneau has appointed Thomas Hatley as the new fire chief for Capital City Fire Rescue, his role officially begins today.

City officials said Hatley’s three decades of experience across multiple fire agencies in the Northwest made him a strong fit for Juneau. He has held a range of leadership positions during his career, including fire chief, deputy fire chief, assistant chief and fire marshal.

“Fire chief is always tricky because there are lots of people that you have to please, including the public.” Said Mayor Beth Weldon, “Trying to bring things under control is difficult in an ever-changing world, being at a fire scene is chaotic at best. I know that the firefighters are looking forward to a new chief, so hopefully Chief Hatley will fit the build and also try to revive some of our volunteers.”

Hatley said he is looking forward to joining Capital City Fire Rescue and building on the work of his predecessor.

“I am honored to join the City and Borough of Juneau and the dedicated professionals of Capital City Fire Rescue,” shared Chief Hatley. “After more than three decades in the fire service, I have learned that the strongest departments are built on relationships, trust, and pride in serving the community.”

He also thanked retiring Fire Chief Rich Etheridge.

As fire chief, Hatley will serve as the administrative leader of Capital City Fire Rescue, overseeing emergency response and preparedness, fire prevention and community risk reduction, strategic planning, workforce development, interagency relations and community engagement.

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Share Your City Budget Priorities at a CBJ Community Compass Workshop

CBJ-The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) invites Juneau residents to take a deeper dive and share their city budget priorities by participating in one of three in-person CBJ Community Compass Workshops offered this February and March. Workshops are open to all, however, space is limited, so residents must sign-up in advance at bit.ly/CBJWorkshop to reserve a spot.  

At each CBJ Community Compass Workshop, participants will take a hands-on approach to providing input about the city’s upcoming budgeting process in the face of both challenges and opportunities. Participants will respond to different scenarios that impact the city budget in this collaborative activity and small group discussion. Workshops are expected to run 60 to 90 minutes and all input gathered will be shared with the Assembly. 

Workshop Dates and Locations: 

Wednesday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m. at Filipino Community Hall (251 South Franklin Street)

Tuesday, February 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Mendenhall Valley Public Library (3025 Dimond Park Loop)

Tuesday, March 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Douglas Public Library (1016 3rd Street) 

The CBJ Community Compass Workshops are a part of CBJ’s effort to gather community feedback in support of the Assembly’s budgeting process this spring.  

Not able to make it to a workshop? Learn more about additional ways provide your input by visiting juneau.org/community-compass or by emailing your comments to boroughassembly@juneau.gov. 

For more information, contact the CBJ Communications & Engagement division at communications@juneau.gov.  

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Juneau weighs budget pressures as officials review partners, ferry plans and governor’s tax proposal

NOTN- Juneau officials are watching state decisions closely as local government prepares for what could be a difficult budget season.

Christine Woll, chair of the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly’s Finance Committee, said the committee is preparing for the upcoming budget process.

“We’ve been going line by line, through what we typically fund, and asking a lot of questions. And so last night, we invited some of our partner agencies in to talk to us, and did a deep dive into their budget.” She said.

Those groups included Travel Juneau, which handles tourism marketing for the city, and the Juneau Community Foundation, which administers grant programs supporting local social services. The city typically provides about $1.5 million annually to each organization, Woll said.

“Given that, we’ll likely be thinking about cutting some services over the next few months, we want to make sure we understand what they’re up to and the impact of the dollars that we put in.” Woll said.

The committee also heard from the Small Business Development Center, which receives a smaller amount of city funding but provides coaching and support to local small businesses.

The Juneau Assembly has not taken a formal position on the proposed Cascade Point ferry terminal project, which is being considered by state lawmakers today.

“The assembly has not taken a position on Cascade Point. We probably don’t all agree on it is part of the reason. Obviously it’ll have an impact on our city, so we’re interested to see what happens.” Said Woll, “Personally, I’m not convinced that it’s the best use of state resources, especially because we do have a struggling ferry system, but the assembly has basically said, we know this matters, but if we’re not all going to be unanimous in our decision, we’ll wait and see how things play out.”

Questions about state spending priorities extend to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed fiscal plan, which includes a statewide sales tax. Woll said the Assembly is still deciding whether to take a specific position on the proposal.

“We’re still deciding whether we want to take a specific stance on his fiscal proposal around sales tax. We have taken a position in the past that I think is going to be presented to the Legislature today. We are figuring out how we fund our state budget; it is going to require a broad-based tax of some sort, and so we are supportive of that.” Said Woll, “I know there are folks with some concerns about if it is a sales tax, as proposed by the Governor, because, of course, the city has a sales tax, and that’s usually about 50% of our general income. The challenge is, if the state also has a sales tax that takes away some of our local control, we wouldn’t be able to decide who gets exemptions.”

Woll mentioned the Governor’s proposed sales tax might also make it harder for voters to approve future municipal taxes.

“Voters have to approve our local city sales tax. So if the state puts a tax on top of that, it just makes it less likely that the voters will support a city tax. So that definitely makes me a little nervous.” She said.

The Assembly is expected to continue its budget discussions in the coming weeks.

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Residents can weigh in on JSD Superintendent search in new survey

The Juneau School District office in downtown Juneau. (Photo courtesy City & Borough of Juneau)
The Juneau School District office in downtown Juneau. (Photo courtesy City & Borough of Juneau)
The Juneau School District office in downtown Juneau. (Photo courtesy City & Borough of Juneau)
The Juneau School District office in downtown Juneau.
(Photo courtesy City & Borough of Juneau)

NOTN- The Juneau School District is seeking public input as it begins its search for a new superintendent, asking parents, staff, students and community members to weigh in on priorities and desired leadership qualities.

First reported by the Juneau Independent, the district released an online feedback survey Wednesday, designed to guide the Board of Education as it recruits candidates to lead the district.

Participants are asked to describe strengths of the Juneau community and school district that prospective superintendents should know, as well as the most significant challenges facing the district.

The survey also asks respondents to identify the qualities, skills and characteristics they believe are necessary for the next superintendent to be successful.

In addition, respondents are asked to rate the importance of various areas of experience, including prior superintendent experience, work as a classroom teacher, familiarity with Alaska’s public education system, knowledge of school finance and facilities, and understanding of the district’s culture and community.

District officials say the feedback will help inform the board’s decision-making as it evaluates candidates and determines what leadership qualities best align with the district’s needs.

Current Superintendent Frank Hauser will be stepping down June 30, he said this when asked what he was most proud of in his tenure as Superintendent, “I think that we’ve done a lot of great work here, the Juneau school district staff, are some of the best staff in the world. Consolidation was hard, those are really tough decisions. But I think looking at the future, we’re on much better financial footing.” He said, “There are still challenges with the budget, but I think putting together a fiscal plan that is more focused, and having opportunities for kids, and even through the consolidation, being able to maintain those opportunities for our students and still see growth, those are the things I’m really proud of. We made it through, and we’re in a better position than we were going in.”

What will Superintendent Hauser do next? He says he’s not sure yet, but he hopes it will continue to include advocacy for education in the state.

“I have spent the last 28 years in public education, advocating for public education, I’m Alaska educated, and I will continue to advocate for public education. I don’t know in what capacity that will be right now, but it is something that I believe in.”

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Recycling Center remains closed today; parts have been ordered for repairs

NOTN- Juneau’s Recycling Center remains closed today and, according to CBJ, will remain closed indefinitely while critical replacement parts are shipped to the city to repair damaged equipment.

The center, has been closed due to problems with its recycling baler.

Recycleworks said parts have been ordered to repair the center’s baler, the parts are on the way to Juneau, but no timeline has been given for when repairs will be completed or when the center will reopen.

During the closure, staff are working on deferred maintenance projects and manually baling accumulated recyclable materials already on site.

The center closed through the city’s major snow storm, and when it reopened closed once more due to a surplus of recyclables.

The center serves as a primary drop-off location for community recycling and has experienced intermittent closures in recent years due to equipment and operational challenges .

City officials acknowledged the inconvenience for residents and said updates will be posted daily here, as repairs progress.

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City leaders discuss changes to Eaglecrest board at meeting Monday night

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Committee of the Whole, Monday Jan. 26

NOTN- The major topic discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting last night was proposed changes to governance at Eaglecrest Ski Area, which has struggled for years with operational instability and deferred maintenance.

Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon said she introduced an ordinance that would shift the Eaglecrest board from an empowered governing body to an advisory role under a newly established City and Borough of Juneau Eaglecrest Recreation Area Department. The change would give the city more direct oversight over operations and capital investments.

“My ultimate goal is to try to save Eaglecrest. If anybody knows my history, both my kids grew up in Eaglecrest. In fact, my youngest son continued ski racing in college.” She said, “Eaglecrest is a great place to learn how to ski, but they have struggled with operational instability and management challenges for many years. So this tells me there’s a structural problem.”

She emphasized that the proposal is not a reflection on the current board, but rather an effort to ensure the ski area’s long-term survival.

“Currently, the board that we have is a very strong board, but despite having more year-round staff than ever before, Eaglecrest has still struggled with basic ski operations, amplified by long-term neglect of equipment and deferred maintenance.” Said Weldon, “And I think in order for Eaglecrest to survive, it needs a little shake-up, and the only shake-up we can really do is to have more city oversight.”

Without additional city control, Weldon warned, major repairs may not be financially feasible.

A joint meeting is scheduled for early March between the city’s Committee of the Whole and the Eaglecrest board to address these proposals and gather further input.

“We’re going to have a joint meeting where we’ll sit and talk to the Eagle Crest board, and then I think a couple weeks later, it’ll be back in front of the Committee of the Whole and we can decide what we change.” Said Deputy Mayor Greg Smith, “I’ve heard a lot about it. It shows how much people care about Eaglecrest.”

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