NOTN- The Juneau Assembly voted to purchase two floors of the Michael J. Burns Building to serve as a new City Hall, citing the need to consolidate operations and cut costs.
“The reason we’re trying to move is the buildings that we have historically leased are either no longer available or have major problems.” Said Mayor Beth Weldon, “We’re just trying to consolidate. We’re trying to cut our rent money, and this makes fiscal sense.”
The city will spend $9.3 million on the property, with an additional $2.7 million reserved for future capital projects. Weldon said the move is more cost-effective than building a new city hall, which was estimated at $48 million.
Assembly member Christine Woll, head of the Finance Committee said the city’s current office spaces are aging and expensive to maintain. “The Burns building has emerged as the most financially responsible option, and makes the most sense to bring all our city employees into a single building that’s not leaking like our other locations right now.”
The plan also includes a $600,000 condominium lease, but Weldon said overall costs will still save the city money compared to current rental expenses.