Fairbanks commission to weigh its sister city role, hear UAF talk on workforce needs

The Fairbanks North Star Borough Economic Development Commission may recommend changes to its role in overseeing the borough's sister city relationships when it meets in a special session at 2:30 pm Friday, Nov. 20, according to the meeting agenda and packet. Any recommendation would go to Mayor Grier Hopkins, who chairs the commission.

The commission will also hear a presentation from the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Business and Security Management on the university's efforts to identify and address local workforce needs, support talent development and contribute to economic development.

Tom Hewitt, special assistant to the mayor, first asked the commission on July 28 to consider updating its responsibilities for handling sister city relationships. Members discussed the history of the Sister City Commission and planned to bring the topic back with more research and a draft recommendation. Changes may be proposed by the mayor through an ordinance for the Borough Assembly to consider, according to the July minutes.

Borough code sets up a nine-member sister city commission to advise the mayor and assembly on new sister city affiliations, set up a sister city program and review proposals from citizen committees.

The workforce presentation comes as the borough's working-age population shrinks. The borough had 6,800 fewer adults ages 18 to 64 in 2024 than at its 2012 peak, while residents over 65 grew 88 percent to more than 13,000, according to the state labor department's 2026 Fairbanks forecast.

The forecast projects 300 more nonfarm jobs in the borough in 2026, a 0.8 percent increase, after a gain of 500 jobs in 2025. It calls for gains or stability in every sector except federal and local government.

The meeting is in the Chizmar Conference Room at the Juanita Helms Administration Center.