Beth Weldon

Juneau Assembly votes 6-2 to table nonprofit sales tax ordinance indefinitely

“It's the confusion that seems to be creating, and that's what's troublesome to me because I don't like any legislation that's confusing and many different ways to interpret it.”

Juneau aging commission chair asks Assembly to fix or cancel paratransit contract

Juneau Assembly votes 6-3 to sell old City Hall to Sealaska Heritage Institute

Juneau airport's control tower to get its first new roof since 1987

Juneau arts council refuses to sign FY27 grant over how $202,000 can be spent

“they've had to lay off staff, and they're trying to figure out their path forward”

A Juneau task force wants congestion data to support limiting cruise calls

Juneau's glacial flood was the mildest yet, but barrier costs are climbing

Juneau Assembly votes 6-3 to sell old City Hall to Sealaska Heritage Institute for $1.5 million

Juneau's task force weighs crowding fixes amid a bigger question on how much tourism is enough

Juneau sets hearing on $1.5M City Hall sale to Sealaska Heritage Institute

“I support SHI, but again, they don't pay property tax, so we're going to get $1.5 million and that will be it.”

Senate bill would fast-track Army Corps engineering for Juneau's glacial flooding

“This bill is critical to protecting our community from devastating flooding. Juneau is fighting for our very future, and we are beyond grateful to Senator Sullivan for his tenacity and leadership in that fight at the federal level.”

Senate panel advances water bill with Alaska Native village sanitation, Nome port, and Juneau flood provisions

Juneau's new casino, and the land the city can't reach

Steel and pilings shrink Juneau's Oak Landing to a third its size

Juneau weighs selling City Hall for top dollar — or for less, to Sealaska

“my intent is to move two ordinances to the full assembly, one with an authorization of a sale, sealed competitive bid, and one for a negotiated sale, and we'll see what the public says”

Juneau task force takes up cruise cap criteria Thursday, with dock pressure looming

Juneau finance committee deadlocks 4-4 on Eaglecrest closure study as ski area seeks $1.68M

Juneau clerk certifies 1% seasonal sales tax petition, Assembly has 45 days to act

“Thank you for all your work, because I do know that that is time-consuming to go through all those signatures.”

Juneau declares a glacier-flood emergency — in 16 minutes, without debate

“we had 3 resolutions on our consent agenda, one for declaring a local emergency for the glacier outburst flood, another appropriating $3.5 million for school roof repairs, and another resolution supporting the homeporting of two major United States Coast Guard cutters, including the CGC Storis. And those all just passed.”

Juneau gets clean audit despite control gaps, three-month delay

Juneau mining industry warns sales tax cap removal could cost $5M yearly

“We may have inadvertently caused a double taxation that we just have to work with our our finance director and sales tax person to make sure that it's not what— I doubt that's what the intention of the assembly was, is to double tax something.”

Juneau Assembly Finance Committee cuts $736,000 in recurring expenses, faces $687,000 deficit

“I'm trying to do the job that we set ourselves up in the fall, so I'm looking for $2 million, so some of my cuts will seem harsh, but I'm also looking at them in service reductions. I'm not looking for them from the manager's budget.”

Juneau Assembly Finance Committee cuts Travel Juneau budget in 5-4 vote

“hotel bed packs, they get $1,267,000-ish. Marine passenger fee, they get $614,000-ish.”

School district property insurance costs to double, equivalent to four teaching positions

Juneau Assembly faces budget crisis with projected negative fund balance

“I was one of the votes that voted for the gondola, but the 5 of us, because it was a 5-4 split, saw the handwriting on the wall with Eagle Crest. And here we are with Eagle Crest that we saw more and more general fund going into more and more subsidy.”

Juneau Assembly votes 8-1 to end gondola deal, repay Goldbelt $12.2M

“Do you realize that ending the RSA with Goldbelt does not mean that we still cannot negotiate with Goldbelt or another third party?”

Juneau Assembly Finance Committee votes 6-3 to end gondola project, repay Goldbelt

“And my amendment would be an 'and' at the end of that sentence. To ask, because we can't, um, direct EEOCrest board to see if they could find another investor, which could include Gold Wealth. We haven't heard from them, um, or to find someone to sell the gondola.”

Joint committee forwards $16M school bond with flood mitigation funds

“I would move the— make it so it's $16 million, and that might take care of some of our, uh, flood problem, erosion problems.”

Juneau's new budget ends all trail brushing and cuts the arboretum

“I think these cuts were already made. These are not service reductions, there were cuts already made in the budget, and so these are real items, and they're not used just to beautify the city.”

Hundreds pack Juneau Assembly meeting to oppose recreation facility cuts

“I know that people are— were not pleasantly surprised with the list of priorities that we marked for reductions. Be advised, this is just a list that we're going to talk about, does not mean that things are going to come off of that list.”

Eagle Crest faces $1.68M subsidy request or severe cuts

Senate Finance advances pension bill with municipal opt-in provision

Juneau schools seek $10M bond for roofs, HVAC after state funding dries up

“in reality, since debt reimbursement has been reduced, an awful lot of how it's operated is when the leaks get too bad. So just when roofs start to fail”

Airport firefighting trucks fail, leaving Juneau one flat tire from losing all flights