Last week there were two issues reported in the media that I just want to touch on. First the Assembly decided to continue to accept all recycling items. We will subsidize this for the next year or so and see if commodity prices rise. We will also re-evaluate how much an incinerator might cost in terms of higher garbage rates.

Secondly, the Mental Health Trust announced it was entering an agreement with the state to construct a new building on the land in front of the Coast Guard building (across from KTOO). The Departments of Labor, Fish and Game and Corrections will have offices there. The ground floor may have retail. Their plan is to apply for a height variance to add a fourth floor.

The annual request for grant proposals from the Youth Activities Board is out. Applications are due March 2nd. http://www.juneau.org/parkrec/grants/

I received notice of a review of the National Forest Service Admiralty National Monument and Juneau Ranger District Access and Travel Management (ATM), specifically for evaluating motorized use on US forest lands. There will be a hearing March 4th in Juneau 5-7:30 at the Juneau Ranger District office. Let me know if you are interested and I will send the document to you.

DOT is again asking for feedback on its State Transportation Improvement Plan or STIP. Comments are due by March 13. I have doubts about how much DOT actually uses the comments. They are great on asking for comments, but it always seems they just go ahead and do what they want. Still it is important to keep giving them feedback. I certainly will. http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwdplng/cip_stip/index.shtml

Three Candidates for City Manager will come to Juneau February 23-25 for an Assessment Center and interviews. The public is especially invited to two gatherings. On Tuesday the 24th in the City Hall Chambers, each candidate will give thirty minute presentations and then be open to Q&A. The presentations will be at 11:30 am at 12:15pm and at 1:00pm. Then Tuesday evening from 5-7 there will be a public reception. PLEASE COME! This hire is extremely important.

Finally, we hired a new Harbormaster - Phil Benner http://www.juneau.org/clerk/misc/news_items/2009-02-03-John_Stone_re_New_Harbormaster.pdf

I had noted previously about the Planning Commission permitting some communication towers. An appeal to the Assembly has now been filed, so eventually we will “hear” that. FYI- In the Assembly’s quasi-judicial role, I can’t talk about the issues outside of the hearing. However, if you want to learn more- the Planning Commission minutes on that decision are now posted. This decision begins at the bottom of page 15 http://www.juneau.org/plancomm/documents/011309.pdf

I have a My Turn in today’s Empire on the issue of the Kensington Mine. Basically I criticize several of my Assembly colleagues who have turned into Kensington Mine spokespersons and the publicity campaign which asserts Kensington is some kind of public interest organization rather than a private corporation. I’d be interested in hearing from anybody on their reactions.

Monday’s Assembly meeting was not overly eventful (I’m sure some feel differently). You can check out the agenda through the link at the right.

The high profile news out now is the issue of recycling and dropping commodity prices and the fact that the processors are not even accepting paper anymore. If we continue to accept paper and ship it south, we will have to raise the community’s garbage collection rates. On the other hand, we already know that the proposed community wide curbside recycling will also raise rates. The consultant’s report on all this can be found at http://www.juneau.org/pubworks/projects/SWMS/

Applications for CBJ Social Service grants are due February 15. http://www.juneau.org/SSAB/pdfs/FY09-10BlockGrantPacket.pdf

Reminder: comments on the Passenger Fee Proceeds are taken until February 15.
http://www.juneau.org/manager/passenger_fees.php

And the live streaming web cam on the downtown transit center is still running through Sealaska at http://www.sealaska.com/object/webcamtest