Public Meetings - Juneau, Alaska

The Juneau Assembly convened on December 16, 2025, at 6:11 PM to approve the November 17th minutes, process a modified Consent Agenda, and address five public hearing items ranging from zoning code revisions to city lease authorizations. The meeting featured extensive public testimony, particularly regarding the Telephone Hill redevelopment, where citizens raised significant concerns about historic preservation, financial feasibility, and the lack of a concrete development plan. Two ordinances (40 and 43) and a budget appropriation ordinance were adopted with unanimous consent, while the Downtown Douglas/West Juneau Area Plan was referred to a future Committee of the Whole. Public Comments & Testimony - Max Rosen (Friends of the Juneau Public Libraries): Expressed full support for the Juno Public Libraries, emphasizing their role as a non-judgmental resource and urging the Assembly to maintain budget support despite fiscal challenges. - Joshua Adams (Incremental Developer): Strongly opposed the planned demolition of Telephone Hill. Argued that the Assembly should fund a Section 106 review and preserve the historic homes as a means to remember local history. - Mark Whitman (Douglas): Opposed the demolition of the Telephone Hill site (formerly a brick oven bakery). Stated that preserving the site requires maintaining the "people and memory" of the location, not just physical remnants, and questioned the removal of heritage elements like heritage roses. - Catherine Fritz: Advocated for "Concept D" (incremental infill) as a superior alternative to demolition. Emphasized that this approach would increase housing density, lower costs by $5.5 million, and align with existing neighborhood strata. - Larry Talley: Expressed strong opposition to the current Telephone Hill project's financial feasibility. Stated that without a pro forma, the $155 million projected cost creates an unrealistic gap, suggesting the Assembly is proceeding with an unfeasible plan. - Paige Bridges: Supported the incremental infill approach (Concept D) and opposed the demolition. Cited local architect Sean Boydey's report stating that developers see no profit opportunity in the current demolition model and that infill keeps money local. - Tony Tangs: Critiqued the public process surrounding Telephone Hill, characterizing it as corrupt and manipulated by city management without proper committee review or public input. - William Quail: Requested a reduction in petty cab fees from $800 to $20 (and harbor fees from $600) to assist small business owners facing high insurance rates. - Susan Clark: Raised concerns regarding the statistical significance of surveys and the lack of proper feedback from the city. Opposed the project's trajectory due to waste reduction concerns and the existence of an unresolved lawsuit. - Mary Alice McKean: Questioned the existence of a concrete alternative plan (87 units) versus the advertised 155-unit plan. Demanded transparency, arguing that proceeding without clear disclosure would be a "bait and switch" for the community. - Bruce Simmons: Questioned the Assembly's stewardship of resources. Requested specific answers regarding ownership, construction responsibility, and subsidy costs before proceeding with irreversible demolition. - Carol Brookless (Steering Committee Member): Opposed Planning Commission recommendations for the West Juneau plan. Noted that the proposed changes (like treating a specific parcel like any other) ignore known landslide and water drainage risks. Also stated that the current Telephone Hill costs could reach $100 million when financing is included. - Robert Sewell (Steering Committee Member): Opposed development above Sixth Street. Stated that the community voted against it and that the proposed changes were a "concoction" by the Planning Commission without community will. Consent Calendar - Ordinance 2025-40, Part B: Amending Title 49 (Land Use Code) to allow reasonable accommodations for the Fair Housing Act, subdivide parcels adjacent to arterial streets based on underlying zoning, and modernize zoning map references. Adopted unanimously. - Ordinance 2025-43: Authorizing the lease of an 8-acre fraction of city land at Crazy Horse Drive to Juneau Animal Rescue for $10/year (instead of $3,000/month) for a permanent shelter. Adopted unanimously after rules were suspended to allow public clarification on acreage. - Ordinance 2024-01, Part B & C: Appropriating $1,316,554 for FY25 operating costs, including risk management claims, pandemic response transfers, and downtown parking camera installation. Adopted unanimously. Discussion Items - Telephone Hill Redevelopment: The Assembly received extensive testimony regarding the feasibility and impact of the project. Key issues included the lack of a financial pro forma, the potential for $14M-$16M development gaps, the desire to preserve historic structures, and the push for incremental infill development. The project sponsor and staff were not present to address specific pro forma questions directly during the public hearing. - Downtown Douglas/West Juneau Area Plan: The Planning Commission recommended several amendments to the plan, including deleting text regarding Alaska Native stewardship, modifying Mayflower Island actions, and altering density designations above Sixth Street. Carol Brookless and Robert Sewell, former steering committee members, spoke against these specific amendments, arguing they ignored community input and environmental risks. Key Outcomes - Ordinance 2025-42 adoption referred: The Assembly voted unanimously to refer the adoption of Ordinance 2025-42 (Downtown Douglas/West Juneau Area Plan) to the next Committee of the Whole for further discussion, rather than adopting it immediately. - Executive Session: The Assembly entered executive session to discuss collective bargaining negotiations. No action was taken or recorded during the public portion of the session. - Meeting Adjournment: The meeting was scheduled to adjourn following the executive session.

The Assembly Finance Committee convened on December 1, 2025, to discuss a diverse array of agenda items ranging from property tax exemptions to significant budget allocations for dockage fees, the Fourth of July fireworks display, and legislative capital priorities. The session also included updates on assembly grants, the formation of a new visitor industry task force, and a preview of an upcoming retreat focused on the FY27 budget process. Key discussions centered on liability management, revenue allocation nexus, and prioritizing housing and safety projects within the capital improvement plan. Consent Calendar - The minutes of the previous meeting were approved without objection. - Roll call confirmed the presence of all assembly members except Assemblymember Wool (available via Zoom) and Assemblymember Smith (absent). Public Comments & Testimony - Public comment was not a distinct featured segment of this specific meeting transcript; however, city staff provided updates on behalf of the Juno Fireworks Crew regarding their willingness to form a corporation to address liability issues. Discussion Items - Property Tax Exemptions and Credits: Staff presented a comprehensive review of exemption groups, including senior/disabled veterans' property tax reductions, dollar-threshold credits, motor vehicle/vessel exemptions, manufactured home tax issues (noting 467,000 dollars in value in mobile home parks), health/burial exemptions, and economic development credits. It was noted that the dollar cap adjustment for single goods/services would occur January 1, 2026. - Dockage Fee Usage and FY27 Budget: A discussion regarding the estimated 2.9 million dollars in additional revenue from increased dockage fees. Staff clarified that 2.2 million dollars would remain for city-wide allocation after 700,000 dollars is retained by the docks and harbors enterprise fund for security, restrooms, and maintenance. - Positions and Deliberation: Director Flick explained the "nexus" requirement for transferring funds, referencing a "red face test" to ensure legal defensibility. - Key Contributions: Assemblymember Brooks suggested using funds for South Douglas Harbor restrooms. Assemblymember Hall questioned if the funds would cover capital needs for docks; Director Flick clarified the motion only covers operating excess. Assemblymember Wall proposed a motion to utilize all excess dockage fees to offset general operating expenditures (police, fire, transit) to the fullest extent, with remaining funds directed to prioritized projects. - Fourth of July Fireworks Display: Madam Manager presented three options: (1) Hire a contractor (costing 250,000–350,000 dollars), (2) Stop funding, or (3) Maintain status quo with increased city management of risk (storage, procurement, insurance). - Positions and Deliberation: Director Flick highlighted that while the city has insurance ($1 million per incident), liability risks regarding storage and procurement without an indemnity agreement are significant. The Juno Fireworks Crew expressed a preference to remain volunteers but acknowledged the need to address barge and storage costs. Assemblymember Kelly questioned the liability caps. Assemblymember Steininger noted that volunteer donations (like barges) might be harder to secure under strict city procurement. Assemblymember Wall moved to maintain the status quo with an emergency ordinance exemption for this year while directing staff to resolve indemnification and risk management issues for the future. Assemblymember Brooks objected to a $350,000 cap, arguing it discourages seeking donated services; however, the objection was withdrawn after clarification that staff would seek the cheapest option first. - FY25 Assembly Grant Update: Mr. Barr presented the first comprehensive report on FY25 grants, including spending summaries, funding sources, and grantee performance. - Positions and Deliberation: Assemblymember Hughes Scandis asked if the Assembly could mandate specific actions, such as syringe exchange programs for the Four A's grantee. Mr. Kerr explained that such conditions can be added to Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) during the budget process. Assemblymember Brooks requested clarification on the overlap between the Juno Economic Development Council and the Small Business Development Center. - Legislative Capital Priorities: The committee reviewed the legislative capital priorities list. - Positions and Deliberation: Assemblymember Steininger moved to prioritize Fish Creek Road resurfacing to number 10 (to address gondola access safety), but the motion faced objections from Assemblymembers Hughes Scandis and Atkison, who preferred maintaining the existing ranking due to project uncertainty. The motion to move Fish Creek Road to spot 15 (breaking a tie) passed. - Assemblymember Hughes Scandis moved to reposition the Telephone Hill Redevelopment project from rank 11 to rank 9, citing housing as a linchpin priority. This motion failed by a roll call of 4-4-1 (Mayor Weldon and four Assemblymembers Yes). As a compromise, Assemblymember Wall moved to place Telephone Hill at rank 10, which passed 5-3. The final list was forwarded for adoption by the full Assembly. - Visitor Industry Task Force: A motion passed to create a new Visitor Industry Task Force with a specific charge to review 2020 recommendations, manage impacts (congestion, whale watching), develop a revolving loan structure for clean energy, and identify new revenue opportunities. Ms. Atkison was confirmed as Chair, with Mr. Steininger and others serving. Assemblymember Wall raised concerns about revisiting revenue options already addressed, but staff clarified the task force would compare fees against global markets. - Budget Retreat Preparation: Madam Manager and Director Flick outlined the agenda for the upcoming budget retreat, focusing on service-by-service review, public engagement strategies, and final budget direction. A humorous motion to confirm "tacos" for lunch passed by consensus. Key Outcomes - Dockage Fee Allocation: Motion passed to direct the Manager to include in the FY27 budget the use of all dockage fees in excess of dock operations (estimated 2.2 million dollars) to offset CBJ general operating expenditures to the fullest extent possible, with any remainder brought back for project prioritization. A separate motion passed to memorialize this process via a resolution. - Fireworks Display: Motion passed to maintain the status quo for the upcoming season with an increased budget (without a fixed cap specified in the final motion) and an ordinance exempting the purchase from procurement code, while directing staff to resolve indemnification and risk management issues for future years. - Capital Priorities List: Motion passed to move Telephone Hill Redevelopment to rank 10 on the legislative capital priorities list. The list was forwarded to the full Assembly for introduction. - Task Force Creation: Motion passed to establish the Visitor Industry Task Force with the defined charges and proposed membership. - Next Meeting: The Finance Committee is scheduled for January 7, 2026. The Assembly Budget Retreat is scheduled for 8:30 AM following the meeting.

The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly convened for its regular meeting on November 17, 2025, to address routine approvals, public testimony on critical local issues including the Telephone Hill development and election procedures, and several ordinances regarding airport safety equipment and ski area franchises. While the assembly successfully approved several non-controversial items, significant deliberation occurred regarding Ordinance 2025-1-C (Ranked Choice Voting), which was tabled indefinitely following public opposition and committee concern regarding the timing relative to budget constraints. Consent Calendar - Approved the October 27, 2025, regular assembly meeting minutes unanimously. - Added "Alaskan Coffee Pot" (currently licensed) to the consent agenda after it was moved from new business, based on the recommendation to approve their license renewal. - Adopted the amended consent agenda as a whole. Public Comments & Testimony Telephone Hill & Community Development - Joshua Adams (Incremental Developer): Expressed full support for legalizing building and reining in Community Development, stating the agency has become "high-handed" and "self-absorbed." He argued that weaponizing building codes has criminalized individual citizens and that the city competes unfairly with the private sector, worsening labor shortages. - Catherine Fritz (Architect): Expressed opposition to the demolition approach (Concept C) for Telephone Hill, urging the council to explore Concept D (infill). She argued that Concept C involves significant financial and social risks, discards the neighborhood's history, and fails to maintain the scale and character of the community. - Larry Talley (Resident): Urged the city to winterize Telephone Hill buildings to keep options open, arguing against immediate demolition. He noted that Concept D received substantial support in surveys and represents a lower-risk alternative to the vacant lot outcome of Concept C. - Carol Bookless (Resident, Douglas): Expressed concern that the city was ignoring constituent wishes regarding Telephone Hill, drawing a parallel to the recent rejection of a new city hall and tax sales tax cuts. She criticized the $5 million demolition budget, noting the buildings are valued at $3 million. - John Ingalls (Former Resident): Expressed support for restoring restorable houses on Telephone Hill rather than demolishing them. He advocated for a "win-win" approach that includes adding smaller housing units like garden apartments to the existing neighborhood. - Bruce Simonson (Resident, Star Hill): Opposed the current irreversible direction on Telephone Hill, suggesting the assembly is conflating the asset of Telephone Hill with the broader housing problem. He urged the city to winterize the buildings as a stewardship measure immediately and form a working group to explore alternatives. Election Procedures (Ranked Choice Voting) - Angela Rodell: Expressed opposition to Ordinance 2025-1-C, arguing that changing election procedures requires a public ballot initiative to honor democratic consent. - Michael Reeder: Stated that if RCV passes, the assembly must prioritize accessibility features like large font and plain English instructions to support voters with impairments or limited English proficiency. - Dave Hannah: Expressed strong opposition, stating RCV is a "solution looking for problems that don't exist" in Juneau and will lead to discarded ballots, confusion, and higher costs. - Joe Geldoff: Argued that RCV is a "gimmick" and unnecessary for local non-partisan elections, asserting that the assembly has more pressing priorities like housing and affordability. - Tom Dienst (Poll Worker): Urged the assembly to vote against the ordinance based on high rates of rejected ballots in state RCV elections. He emphasized the need for a public ballot initiative if the change is proceeding. - Frank Bergström: Expressed opposition, stating that RCV violates the "one person, one vote" principle. - Beth McEwen (Retired City Clerk): Expressed opposition, arguing that local non-partisan elections do not require RCV and that implementing it now would confuse voters across multi-seat and single-seat races. - Shannon Green: Expressed concern over the lack of public engagement in the RCV process, noting the assembly had previously changed election methods without significant public input. - Roger Calloway: Expressed opposition, stating RCV is confusing, expensive, and unnecessary as Juneau already struggles with low candidate turnout and high implementation costs. Other Public Comments - William Quayle: Requested the reduction of "certificate of convenience" and harbor fees to $20 each to assist pedicab drivers facing high liability insurance costs ($5,300/year). Discussion Items Ordinance 2025-1-C: Ranked Choice Voting - Manager's Office: The ordinance, proposed by Assembly Member Adkison, would implement ranked choice voting for single-member races starting in the October 6, 2026 municipal election. - Assembly Consideration: Assembly Member Adkison initially expressed strong support for RCV as a means to handle races with many candidates and avoid split votes, acknowledging the city's general support for RCV at the state level. - Objection: However, Adkison subsequently cited the severe budget cuts and impending layoffs as reasons why the timing was inappropriate, moving to table the ordinance indefinitely. - Final Action: The motion to table was adopted by unanimous consent. Ordinance 2025-4-1: Eagle Crest Ski Area Franchise - Discussion: The ordinance authorizes a five-year franchise agreement with Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary, LLC (DBA Kawanti Adventures) to operate the Alaska Zipline Adventure Canopy Tour at Eagle Quest. The update is intended to adjust the timeframe to allow for funding improvements. - Outcome: No public testimony was received. The assembly adopted the ordinance by unanimous consent. Ordinance 2025-01 B-P: Wetlands Rescue Vehicle - Discussion: The assembly considered appropriating $320,200 (funded by FAA AIP and Airport Capital Reserve) to purchase a Marsh Master MM2 MX vehicle for emergency response in wetlands/tide lands. The vehicle will be stored indoors and floats to traverse ice and harsh terrain. It is required for FAA compliance regarding mass casualty event response. - Debate: Assembly Member Steininger objected, stating that from a fire department perspective, the equipment does not appear necessary at this time. - Tally: The motion passed with 6 yes votes (Mayor, Wall, Kelly, Hughes Scandis, Adkisson, Hall, Brooks) and 2 no votes (Steininger, Delgado's budget objection noted but vote not attributed to Delgado). Note: The transcript states "six yes and two nays," with Steininger being the sole objector who called for a roll call; the Mayor, Adkison, and others voiced their votes. (Correction: The transcript explicitly lists: Mayor, Wall, Kelly, Adkison, Hall, Brooks as "Yes" and Steininger as "No" plus the objector who called roll, but the roll call count was "six yes and two nays" implying another vote was "No" or the transcript summary of the count included the objector twice or a silent vote. Based on the text "Motion passes with two yes and six. Sorry, six yes and two nays," we record 6-2). Ordinance 2025-01 B-Q: Motor Grader and Vacuum Truck - Discussion: Appropriate $1,097,875 for new airport snow removal equipment. The new grader has a swept width of 8 feet compared to the current 2 feet, making it four times faster. It replaces aging equipment that is maintenance-heavy and poses safety hazards when down. - Outcome: No objections were raised. The assembly adopted the ordinance by unanimous consent. Hardship and Senior/Disabled Veteran Exemptions - Discussion: The assembly reviewed nine late-filed applications for real property tax exemptions for hardship, senior, or disabled veteran status. - Outcome: The assembly unanimously accepted and referred all nine applications (Estegoy, Giles, Lewis, Olsen, Sam's, Harris, Mulik, Polk, Potter) as eligible. Key Outcomes - Tabled Indefinitely: Ordinance 2025-1-C (Ranked Choice Voting) was tabled indefinitely due to timing concerns amidst budget cuts. - Adopted: Ordinance 2025-4-1 (Eagle Crest Franchise) approved unanimously. - Adopted: Ordinance 2025-01 B-P (Wetlands Rescue Vehicle) passed 6-2. - Adopted: Ordinance 2025-01 B-Q (Motor Grader and Vacuum Truck) approved unanimously. - Approved: Nine late-filed tax exemption applications were accepted. - Appointments: - Reappointed Marion Call and Nick Waldo; appointed Ariel Haas Zamiudo to the Junior Commission on Sustainability (2026-2028). - Reappointed Linda Kruger and Diane Kaiser; appointed Rhonda Ward and John Brett to the Juno Commission on Aging. - Appointed Melissa Beadle and James Green (owner seats) and reappointed Trenton English (labor seat) to the Juneau Economic Development Council (until Oct 31, 2028). - Committee Scheduling: Interview dates for the Empowered Board are tentatively set for December 17th. - Next Meetings: December 6th retreat scheduled for budget direction; December 10th Downtown Business Association meeting; December 17th/18th board interviews.;

The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly held a special Committee of the Whole work session on October 31, 2025, to receive scientific updates on Mendenhall Glacier’s Suicide Basin, hear interim and enduring flood mitigation proposals from the Army Corps of Engineers, and discuss a potential buyout program for View Drive homeowners through NRCS. The assembly also voted on several action items related to flood recovery and future funding mechanisms. Scientific Presentations on Glacier and Flood Dynamics - Jason Amundson (University of Alaska) and Aaron Jacobs (National Weather Service) presented updates on Suicide Basin evolution: the basin’s storage capacity has increased over recent years due to ice loss, but the rate of expansion is slowing. The August 2025 flood released 51,000 acre-feet of water (more than 50% of Mendenhall Lake’s volume) and set a new record, partly driven by simultaneous heavy rain. The peak discharge was 15–20% higher than 2024 due to the rain contribution. For 2026, they project a 1–3% further increase in potential flood volume, though actual flood size depends on rain and drainage triggers. - Key unknown: the precise trigger for subglacial release and why second, smaller releases sometimes occur. - Assembly members asked about tidal influence (minimal during high flows), sediment in the basin (little data), and the timeline for when flood volumes might begin to decrease (unknown, but likely still on the rising part of the curve). Army Corps of Engineers: Interim and Enduring Solutions - John Rajik and Daryl Downing (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) described two parallel efforts: 1. Advanced Measures Phase 2: Under Public Law 84-99, the Corps will take a direct role in installing temporary flood barriers (HESCOs) for the 2026 season, funded 100% federally. The city retains responsibility for rights-of-entry, permitting, and long-term maintenance after installation. 2. Enduring Solution Technical Report: Five conceptual alternatives under evaluation: a flood control dam, levees/floodwalls, a bypass channel, a Suicide Basin lake tap (tunnel system), and infrastructure relocation. The Corps aims to select one alternative (or combination) by December 2025, complete a preliminary design and environmental assessment by May 2026. - Regarding View Drive, the Corps explained that HESCO barriers are not a viable community-wide solution due to soil instability, seepage risks, and the potential for catastrophic failure that would trap residents. Individual homeowners have used HESCOs successfully at higher elevations, but a uniform system for the whole area is infeasible. NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Buyout Program - Brett Nelson (NRCS) presented a potential buyout program for View Drive properties. Key details: - Total estimated project cost: $25 million (using Zillow-based estimates as a placeholder). - Typical cost-share: 75% federal, 25% local. A waiver of the local match may be requested but is rarely granted. - Participation is voluntary; 18 developed parcels are eligible. Appraisals would be based on either the day before the August 2024 flood or current market value (all participants must use the same method). Properties bought out would be deed-restricted in perpetuity against future structures. - Timeline: Funding already allocated (but delayed by federal shutdown); once the government reopens, funds could arrive within a month. The project must be completed within 220 days, with an expected one-year extension for buyouts. - Assembly members asked about sponsor flexibility (possible third-party contributions for the local match), timing for homeowner decisions, and the permanence of deed restrictions. Key Outcomes and Votes 1. Hold Phase 1 LID Open: The assembly voted 7-1 to keep the Phase 1 Local Improvement District (LID) open for another GLOF season, allowing time to account for variable costs from barrier reinforcement and potential new funding mechanisms. (Motion by Ms. Wall, carried.) 2. Explore Service Area Funding: A motion to direct staff to bring back options for future mitigation funding, including a service area (which would require a voter-approved mill rate increase), failed 1-7. (Motion by Mr. Kelly, defeated.) 3. Request NRCS Match Waiver: By unanimous consent, the assembly directed staff to request a waiver of the 25% local match for the NRCS buyout program. (Motion by Ms. Wall, carried.)