Juneau Assembly to weigh fire service deal for tribal casino on Fish Creek Road

Capital City Fire and Rescue will respond to the Two Coppers Casino on Fish Creek Road under a draft agreement the Juneau Assembly Committee of the Whole is set to review Monday. It marks the first time a tribal property has been formally recognized under the city's public safety memorandum of agreement with the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

The Central Council has identified the casino parcel as tribal sovereign land. The City and Borough of Juneau has no jurisdiction over the site and had no involvement in permitting or inspecting its construction. The draft amendment is intended to set service terms and compensation for municipal fire and emergency response on tribal land.

The amendment covers emergency medical services, fire response, rescue, hazardous conditions response, and public safety incidents on all tribal properties within city and borough boundaries. The city manager's memo describes the tribe's proposal as compensating the city at the mill-rate equivalent of the value of improvements on those properties. The amendment itself states the annual contribution amount would be mutually agreed upon through separate budgetary or intergovernmental discussions. The agreement frames that payment as a voluntary governmental contribution, not a tax.

If the tribe elects to provide services directly, it may terminate payment obligations with 30 days' written notice. If the parties cannot agree on compensation, the city must give 30 days' notice before suspending services.

Operational details, including fire lane access, road maintenance, and false alarm protocols, will be worked out in a separate agreement between Capital City Fire and Rescue and the tribe.

The Committee of the Whole worksession is scheduled for Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m. No public testimony will be taken. The city manager recommends forwarding the amendment to the full Assembly for approval.