Municipal Government

Juneau International Airport. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Search for airport manager continues

The search continues for the next airport manager for the Juneau International Airport. The board, on June 9, identified two finalists, Michael Clow and Michael… Continue reading

 

Harris Harbor, a City and Borough of Juneau Docks and Harbor’s facility on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Natalie Buttner / Juneau Empire)

Longtime Juneauites appointed to city commissions

Planning Commission, Docks and Harbors Board, and Parks and Rec. Advisory Board gain new members

 

Homes in downtown and west Juneau on Friday, May 13, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Short-term rental task force recommends rule adjustments, but no cap on units for property owners

Group suggests allowing multiple STRs for a single dwelling, “grandfathering” period for new rules.

 

The Black Bear chairlift at Eaglecrest Ski Area will not reopen because repairs are no longer practical, officials said Thursday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Eaglecrest leaders decide Black Bear chairlift is beyond repair, seek alternatives to get skiers at their peak

Possibilities include converting Ptarmigan lift to triple-chair in addition to long-awaited gondola.

The Black Bear chairlift at Eaglecrest Ski Area will not reopen because repairs are no longer practical, officials said Thursday. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
Juneau International Airport. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Two Juneau airport manager finalists set for meet-and-greets, interviews on Wednesday and Thursday

One is a longtime municipal and military aviation manager, the other a longtime airport and Alaska DOT manager.

Juneau International Airport. (City and Borough of Juneau photo)
Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon (right) confers with city administrative leaders during a break at a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday, June 9, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly approves budget that hikes mill rate to 10.24; also OKs 5% annual increase in utilities fees

City leaders reject cuts proposed by mayor, who expresses concern about tax-limiting ballot measures.

Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon (right) confers with city administrative leaders during a break at a Juneau Assembly meeting on Monday, June 9, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Telephone Hill on the evening of Monday, May 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Demolition of Telephone Hill homes after occupants leave by Oct. 1 approved by Assembly

Years-long debate about redevelopment of historic downtown neighborhood culminates with 7-1 vote.

Telephone Hill on the evening of Monday, May 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
The Juneau Assembly and city administrative leaders hear public testimony during a meeting Monday, May 19, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Massive agenda awaits Assembly on Monday, including proposal to start meetings earlier

Late-night decisions by exhausted leaders, people avoiding participation cited as reasons to change.

The Juneau Assembly and city administrative leaders hear public testimony during a meeting Monday, May 19, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
The entrance road to Juneau’s landfill in Lemon Creek on May 24, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Study: Shipping Juneau’s trash south best option once landfill is full

Local leaders pondering what to do with waste once current disposal site fills up in a decade.

The entrance road to Juneau’s landfill in Lemon Creek on May 24, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Deputy Municipal Clerk Andi Hirsh (left) explains options for implementing ranked choice voting to Juneau Assembly members during a Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, June 2, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly moves forward with influencing this year’s election, ranked choice voting in next year’s

Leaders look at spending $50K this fall with eye on tax issues, introducing RCV ordinance next week.

Deputy Municipal Clerk Andi Hirsh (left) explains options for implementing ranked choice voting to Juneau Assembly members during a Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, June 2, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jason Williams, a Juneau resident experiencing homelessness and suffering from multiple medical ailments, lies on a cot in a tent on the edge of a ditch on Teal Street on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau’s homeless camping crisis: ‘They don’t feel safe around us? We don’t feel safe around them’

Business, home dwellers agree with unhoused that city’s “dispersed camping” remains dangerously unhealthy.

Jason Williams, a Juneau resident experiencing homelessness and suffering from multiple medical ailments, lies on a cot in a tent on the edge of a ditch on Teal Street on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Assembly members discuss a proposed increase in the mill rate for the fiscal year starting July 1 during a meeting of the Assembly’s Finance Committee on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Increasing mill rate to 10.24, rather than 10.19 in earlier versions of city’s budget, gets OK from Assembly

Extra costs in budget, loss of federal funds cited for higher increase from current rate of 10.04 mills.

Juneau Assembly members discuss a proposed increase in the mill rate for the fiscal year starting July 1 during a meeting of the Assembly’s Finance Committee on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Assembly members hear a report from Eaglecrest Ski Area leaders during a Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau Assembly taking on pretty much the entire town with 59-item agenda Monday night

Items include mutitude of projects, faster release of police bodycams, stopping Mendenhall Glacier from being sold.

Juneau Assembly members hear a report from Eaglecrest Ski Area leaders during a Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Eaglecrest Ski Area Board President Mike Satre (left) confers with Juneau Assembly member Christine Woll during an Assembly Finance Committee meeting Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly’s budget deep dive: Debate spans from $3M to support Eaglecrest to $2,000 for veterans’ events

City leaders spend marathon evening seeking to resolve notable items during year when funds are short.

Eaglecrest Ski Area Board President Mike Satre (left) confers with Juneau Assembly member Christine Woll during an Assembly Finance Committee meeting Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Staff at the Juneau Public Library’s downtown branch sort materials on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly moves to keep Juneau libraries open daily by providing funds after federal cuts

Money would prevent branches from closing one day a week, but won’t restore statewide loan program

Staff at the Juneau Public Library’s downtown branch sort materials on Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Telephone Hill on Monday evening (top) and in an architect’s rendering under a development plan advanced by the Juneau Assembly. (Top photo Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire; bottom illustration by First Forty Feet / City and Borough of Juneau)

Telephone Hill residents will need to vacate homes Oct. 1 under demolition plan advanced by Assembly

Proposal calls for city to demolish neighborhood this fall, prepare site for development next summer.

Telephone Hill on Monday evening (top) and in an architect’s rendering under a development plan advanced by the Juneau Assembly. (Top photo Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire; bottom illustration by First Forty Feet / City and Borough of Juneau)
The city of Hoonah is seeking to incorporate as a borough with a large tract of surrounding area that includes most of Glacier Bay National Park and a few tiny communities. (Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development photo)

Election to incorporate new Xunaa Borough, and select its Assembly and school board, set for July 15

Approval would form Alaska’s 20th borough; result in dissolution of Hoonah’s municipal government.

The city of Hoonah is seeking to incorporate as a borough with a large tract of surrounding area that includes most of Glacier Bay National Park and a few tiny communities. (Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development photo)
Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon and Deputy Mayor Greg Smith discuss the city’s proposed budget for next year during a pair of meetings by Assembly members Wednesday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Assembly moves forward on mill rate and utility fee hikes, $10M school projects bond

Juneau leaders opt against utility projects bond, put seasonal sales tax on hold for further study.

Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon and Deputy Mayor Greg Smith discuss the city’s proposed budget for next year during a pair of meetings by Assembly members Wednesday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A dropoff box for ballots at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library during Juneau’s 2024 municipal election. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)

Petitions for mill rate cap, sales tax exemptions and in-person elections certified for signatures

Supporters have until May 30 to get 2,720 signatures to put measures on local fall ballot.

A dropoff box for ballots at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library during Juneau’s 2024 municipal election. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau Assembly members and other city leaders get an overview of the proposed municipal budget for the coming fiscal year during meeting at City Hall on April 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

How city leaders collect and spend money from residents, visitors getting big night of scrutiny

CBJ and school budgets, mill rate and utility fee hikes, seasonal sales tax part of Wednesday’s agenda.

Juneau Assembly members and other city leaders get an overview of the proposed municipal budget for the coming fiscal year during meeting at City Hall on April 5, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)