City and Borough of Juneau’s city manager, Rorie Watt, speaks to the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce in July. On Friday Watt announced his plans to resign from his position at the end of September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

City and Borough of Juneau’s city manager, Rorie Watt, speaks to the Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce in July. On Friday Watt announced his plans to resign from his position at the end of September. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau city manager to resign this fall

Rorie Watt announced his resignation Friday evening.

After working more than 30 years and serving eight different roles at the City and Borough of Juneau, City Manager Rorie Watt announced on Friday his plans to resign from his position at the end of September.

“It’s exciting, it’s like the next chapter in life for me,” Watt told the Empire. “It’s been great and fun and challenging, and I have a lot of things that I want to do after.”

Watt has served in his role as city manager since 2016 and was named 2022 Municipal Official of the Year by the Alaska Municipal League. Before that he took on seven different positions over his three decades working with the city, rising to director of engineering and public works before taking over the top administrative job.

Watt said it’s been a “wild and fun” time and he’s excited about what his future holds.

“It’s really special to be city manager of your own town, not many people get to do that,” he said. “You get to know so many people in the community and work on many issues, it’s really a position of tremendous privilege the way I look at it.”

City Mayor Beth Weldon told the Empire Friday evening the news wasn’t a shock to her, but said that his absence will be felt come his resignation.

“We will sorely miss Rorie,” she said. “But, we hope he enjoys his retirement and rock climbing at his convenience.”

Weldon said Watt’s biggest contributions to CBJ were his level of knowledge of the Juneau borough and of the community, along with his ability to work well with the Assembly and other city officials.

“He brings very creative thinking and he’s able to see solutions that others don’t see,” she said. “He also has very good written skills, talks very eloquently and gets along with a lot of people.”

Watt said he plans to remain a Juneau resident, though he “might go to Douglas every once in a while” he said, laughing.

After his resignation at the end of September, Watt said he plans to purchase a van and spend the winter driving across the country and explore his passions of rock climbing and writing. As for after that, Watt said he’s still young and is keeping the door open for other career opportunities in the future.

After his formal announcement to the Assembly on Monday, the Assembly will begin the likely monthslong process of finding his replacement.

• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807.

City and Borough of Juneau city Manager, Rorie Watt, sends a rock climbing route while climbing in Utah. On Friday Watt announced his plans to resign from his position at the end of September. (Courtesy / Rorie Watt)

City and Borough of Juneau city Manager, Rorie Watt, sends a rock climbing route while climbing in Utah. On Friday Watt announced his plans to resign from his position at the end of September. (Courtesy / Rorie Watt)

More in News

A male sea otter pup, estimated at 2 weeks old, was rescued near Homer and admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center rehabilitation program on June 23, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
Seward’s SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list

Alaska Seaplane pilot Vance Tilley stands in front of the Piatus PC-12 in Klawock on June 23 during the inaugural trip of the new service between Juneau, Ketchikan and Klawock. (Photos by Gemini Waltz Media/courtesy Alaska Seaplane)
New Juneau-Ketchikan nonstop flight service launches

The flight leaves Juneau at 3:45 p.m., and the trip lasts 1 hour 25 minutes

Danial Roberts, an employee at Viking Lumber Company, looks out at lumber from a forklift in Klawock, Alaska. (Courtesy of Viking Lumber Company)
Threads of the Tongass: The future of pianos and the timber industry

Timber operators say they are in crisis and unique knowledge, products will be lost

Suicide Basin as of 10:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025, taken by a U.S. Geological Survey camera at the basin entrance facing northeast, into the basin. (Screenshot from National Weather Service Juneau page)
Glacial lake outburst swells Salmon River near Hyder

The isolation of Salmon River limits the impact of flooding

Kahyl Dybdahl, left, and Bronze Chevis eat an egg sandwich breakfast before school at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
School board allocates extra state funds

More state funds available, but funding issues and federal uncertainty abound

Max Webster stands with Lemon Creek Correctional Center staff in front of new control tower on Tuesday, July 9, 2025. (Natalie Buttner / Juneau Empire)
A towering accomplishment for new Eagle Scout

Max Webster honored at Firearms Training Center Control Tower ribbon-cutting ceremony

Andy Engstrom (left) uses bitcoin to buy lemonade and cookies from business owner Denali Schijvens (right) on Saturday, July 5, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Alaska’s 1st Bitcoin conference held in Juneau

State leaders discuss integrating Bitcoin in Alaska energy, investment and universities

Most Read