Happy New Year

I hope this year is an improvement on 2009 (economically). As I have said previously, the Assembly is focused on how to cut the budget. Last Thursday City Manager Rod Swope had a letter published in the Empire on the subject. Next Wednesday the Assembly sitting as the Finance committee will consider possible cuts and guidelines to the Manager.

Last Monday’s Regular Assembly meeting was fairly low key. The one controversy wasn’t even reported in the paper. The rebuild of 12th street is being planned and CBJ staff recommended narrowing the street by a foot or so. This passed Public Works on 12/28 where I voted against it. 12th street is already too narrow and even a foot will have negative consequences. The recommendation came to the Assembly and after a lot of talkr, the motion to follow staff recommendations failed 4-4. Mayor Botelho, Jeff Bush and Johan Dybdahl joined me opposing it while Merrill Sanford, Bob Doll, Ruth Danner and Randy Wanamaker supported narrowing the street (David Stone was absent). This was a situation where even though the Engineers had technical reasons – residents and others really don’t want the street clogged up even more. This will be taken up by the Planning Commission next Tuesday 1/12

January 19 is opening day for the Legislature. Probably the biggest thing shaping what they will do is the price of oil which has pushed above $80 and that pretty much ensures stable state funding to municipalities. If you want to know the nitty gritty details of state revenues it is worthwhile to review their biannual Revenue Sources Book This is the info they pass on to legislators. Juneau depends on the state for almost a quarter of its income.

The Assembly continues to work on the solid waste management issue. That was the subject of our 12/28 Committee of the Whole meeting. Public Works Director Joe Buck presented a memo talking about our next steps. The first thing we need to do is get an agreement with Arrow refuse and move on transferring their permits to CBJ. Then we need to pass a universal collection ordinance. Right now garbage collection is voluntary and it is estimated that about 20% of Juneau is not covered. When we advance that ordinance there will be a big outcry by those who do not want to have commercial collection forced on them, but this is really necessary to make our operations efficient. It will also cut back on illegal dumping.

I’d like to invite everyone to welcome Alaska’s legislators at our 25th Annual Legislative Welcome Reception Wednesday, January 20, from 5:00-6:30pm at Centennial Hall. Please come, eat some appetizers and go out of your way to be welcoming to legislators and their staff.