Things are a bit slow at the moment. The budget is done as are the vetos. Juneau did well, even if we did get a few things reduced.
I had an interesting experience with DOT. They have a process of rating transportation projects which they call the STIP or Statewide Transportation Improvement Projects. Many communities complain that DOT ignores them while they respond that they just follow their scoring criteria for projects. Of course there is the rub – what is the scoring criteria. Every few years they ask for public comment on these criteria and here is where communities can try and get them to alter those. That happened recently, and I submitted my comment calling on them to make the process more democratic. I browbeat CBJ to submit a comment. Bottom line was there were a total of 3 comments from the whole state. Sigh. You can view the comments and criteria HERE Yes, it is a bit “wonky” but this is how things actually happen. If you don’t respond to requests for comment, it’s hard to justify complaints – sort of like voting.
Monday night 6/28 is our regular Assembly meeting. I don’t see anything too controversial, although I encourage your review. There is a link to agendas on the right column of this page. One of the things on the agenda is art for Harborview School. We have a law that says 1% of a project’s cost must be allocated to some form of art for the building. We renovated Harborview a year ago and are just getting around to finalizing the art awards. See them HERE (big file)
I have been really interested in the 1% for art process for the downtown transportation center. So many people complained that they didn’t want another concrete box. Now I am really interested in seeing how this process turns out. We always appoint a citizen’s committee to select the art projects and the committee for the transportation center consisted of Paul Voelkers, Barbara Craver, Jane Lindsey, Donald Gregory, Ken Alper and Nancy Waterman. The projects looked great on paper, but I am anxious to see the final results. I also am interested in the final results of the park to be created on the top of the hill. I will follow up.
We finally made a decision about managing the new aquatics center. Through a series of 5-4 votes we decided to make it simply an advisory board. Lots of time and energy spent on something that doesn’t seem that big a deal.
There is continued concern with the organizational culture at Bartlett Hospital. I attended several Board meetings and subcommittee meetings. The Board hired the Foraker Group to assess the situation and they have just given their preliminary results. Now it is up to the Board to decide what they will do.
I will attend Monday evening’s meeting by phone from Hawaii. Isn’t that dedication!!
Happy solstice, summer, Independence Day and all that.
And the election season is just beginning......
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Hope everyone is having a great summer—(even if it isn't officially summer yet.)
A number of miscellaneous items and updates for you to glance through.
First of all, tomorrow (Tuesday 6/15) the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) will hold a hearing on the AEL&P proposed rate increases at 6pm Centennial Hall. AEL&P is proposing a 22% increase. If you have something to say, now is the time.
Tips for participating in rate hearings.
The oil salvage from the Princess Kathleen which sank off Lena Point the year I was born (1952) has been completed – or at least as much as they are going to do. Read about it HERE and read the final report HERE
CBJ is gearing up to try and sell the last 11 lots on Lena peninsula. The formal announcement will come this Wednesday 6/16.
Bartlett Hospital has retained the Foraker Group to help them deal with their employee relations issues. I have been watching this closely and have attended several Hospital Board meetings. I know the Board is taking this seriously, but it remains to be seen what kind of action will be taken. Bartlett has been very successful in a number of ways, but managing any large organization is challenging. It takes a lot of ongoing work. I see many parallels between the problems at Bartlett and the problems at UAS.
Sunday June 20 is the next CBJ Household Hazardous Waste event. Check HERE for more info.
CBJ is selling off surplus “stuff” and Friday June 18 is the deadline for submitting sealed bids. See the items listed HERE.
CBJ has come to an agreement with the owners of the downtown “Pit” to have them fill and landscape it in the next month. The owners (presumably Tom Huntington and Hugh Grant) are still negotiating with Sealaska about a sale. HERE is what the Assessor’s database says. So they presumably pay almost $10,000 in property taxes a year. You would think they would want to sell or build.
In the very near future the Assembly will have to decide what measures to put on the October election ballot. There are several tentative bond issues simmering. The school district has already said they want to put two schools – Auke Bay and Marie Drake up for multi million dollar renovations. I have heard that Docks and Harbors may ask for a bond issue to pay for disposing of mercury laden dredge materials from Douglas Harbor. There may be a proposal to use local dollars for a North Douglas Crossing. There could be a proposal to amend the charter to establish a new empowered board to manage the borough pools. And all that is in addition to the “every ten years” required proposition on whether to totally re-do the city charter. Juneau has normally been very supportive of borrowing money to maintain our schools. They have been less enthusiastic about other bonds (depending on the issue). What we have to remember is that each bond we approve will raise our property tax. That’s OK if we are willing to pay.
A number of miscellaneous items and updates for you to glance through.
First of all, tomorrow (Tuesday 6/15) the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) will hold a hearing on the AEL&P proposed rate increases at 6pm Centennial Hall. AEL&P is proposing a 22% increase. If you have something to say, now is the time.
Tips for participating in rate hearings.
The oil salvage from the Princess Kathleen which sank off Lena Point the year I was born (1952) has been completed – or at least as much as they are going to do. Read about it HERE and read the final report HERE
CBJ is gearing up to try and sell the last 11 lots on Lena peninsula. The formal announcement will come this Wednesday 6/16.
Bartlett Hospital has retained the Foraker Group to help them deal with their employee relations issues. I have been watching this closely and have attended several Hospital Board meetings. I know the Board is taking this seriously, but it remains to be seen what kind of action will be taken. Bartlett has been very successful in a number of ways, but managing any large organization is challenging. It takes a lot of ongoing work. I see many parallels between the problems at Bartlett and the problems at UAS.
Sunday June 20 is the next CBJ Household Hazardous Waste event. Check HERE for more info.
CBJ is selling off surplus “stuff” and Friday June 18 is the deadline for submitting sealed bids. See the items listed HERE.
CBJ has come to an agreement with the owners of the downtown “Pit” to have them fill and landscape it in the next month. The owners (presumably Tom Huntington and Hugh Grant) are still negotiating with Sealaska about a sale. HERE is what the Assessor’s database says. So they presumably pay almost $10,000 in property taxes a year. You would think they would want to sell or build.
In the very near future the Assembly will have to decide what measures to put on the October election ballot. There are several tentative bond issues simmering. The school district has already said they want to put two schools – Auke Bay and Marie Drake up for multi million dollar renovations. I have heard that Docks and Harbors may ask for a bond issue to pay for disposing of mercury laden dredge materials from Douglas Harbor. There may be a proposal to use local dollars for a North Douglas Crossing. There could be a proposal to amend the charter to establish a new empowered board to manage the borough pools. And all that is in addition to the “every ten years” required proposition on whether to totally re-do the city charter. Juneau has normally been very supportive of borrowing money to maintain our schools. They have been less enthusiastic about other bonds (depending on the issue). What we have to remember is that each bond we approve will raise our property tax. That’s OK if we are willing to pay.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
