Expanding a cooperative agreement between Juneau’s municipal government and the Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska — with a focus on public safety and solid waste issues — is being proposed to Juneau Assembly members scheduled to consider the matter Monday.
Memorandums of understanding for those two policy areas are intended to build upon a letter of intent signed in 2017 by then-Mayor Ken Koelsch and tribal President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson, according to a memo by City Manager Katie Koester prepared for Assembly members. City and tribal leaders were scheduled to meet Friday to draft specific wording of the memorandums.
“Progress has been made towards building trust and relationships with the joint response to the Mendenhall Flooding in August 2024 and continued partnership on mitigation measures,” Koester wrote, referring to record flooding that damaged nearly 300 homes.
Tlingit and Haida’s Tribal Emergency Operations Center had about 65 people involved in assistance to an estimated 470 tribal citizens living in 45 homes following the flooding, according to officials. Tlingit and Haida also partnered with Gov. Mike Dunleavy in seeking a federal disaster declaration, and is now involved in a federal disaster assistance center that opened this week.
“Tlingit & Haida has a robust Public Safety department with headquarters and a Tribal Emergency Operations Center in Lemon Creek,” Koester’s memo notes. “They have employees trained and practiced in emergency management and equipment to aid in response including search and rescue. They also maintain a Village Public Safety Officer program that employs individuals residing in the villages trained in fire protection, emergency medical assistance, crime prevention, and basic law enforcement.”
“It makes sense to pool our resources and talents on behalf of Juneau residents,” she added. However, “both parties agree to cover their own costs and commit to open and free communication.”
The city, like many employers in Alaska, has struggled in recent years with workforce shortages in a number of areas including emergency services. Koester, in an email to the Empire on Friday, stated the prospective agreements wouldn’t involve the city outsourcing some functions related to emergency services such as police and fire departments.
“The MOA is just a way to formalize our partnership and leverage resources,” she wrote. “I don’t see it changing how we operate (and we are not looking at outsourcing any of the CBJ emergency management and public safety functions). Putting in writing joint trainings and regular communication helps strengthen our partnership — and we are stronger together.”
Both the city and tribal council are also involved in solid waste projects that, among other things, include developing large-scale composting facilities. Tlingit and Haida got a $15 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in September to develop or expand composting operations in five Southeast Alaska communities including Juneau, while Juneau’s municipal government also has received federal funds for such a facility.
“Not only do we share the common goal of developing sustainable waste management practices for our communities, but we also stand to benefit from pooling our collective resources in these efforts,” Koester wrote. “By combining our resources and expertise, we can optimize solid waste diversion practices in Juneau, and potentially the region, thereby ensuring the sustainability of our programs and minimizing costs for our communities.”
At the same time, she noted, “such partnerships do not exclude working with other businesses or nonprofit organizations.” Concern about the city’s plans for a composting site has been expressed by the owner and supporters of the privately operated Juneau Composts that has existed for the past eight years, with suggestions the city should invest in that entity due to its existing facilities and expertise.
The memorandums, if supported by Assembly members, would be forwarded for official consideration at the Assembly’s Nov. 18 meeting.
The Assembly’s Committee of the Whole is also scheduled to get updates about flood barriers that may be used along a four-mile stretch of the Mendenhall River, a task force to consider policies for short-term rentals such as Airbnbs, relocating some downtown city employees to other buildings, and efforts involving people experiencing homelessness. The meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
