Recent News

The Juneau School Board last night (Tuesday) delayed action on an update of the district’s search and seizure and student privacy policies.

District Spokeswoman Kristen Bartlett says the board wants to undertake a more thorough review of the proposed changes, which would clarify how school officials handle searches of student belongings, as well as details regarding consent and parental notification.

One notable change from current policy: Student vehicles parked on school grounds would be subject to the same search regulations as lockers, desks, backpacks and other student possessions.

Courts have given districts a lot of leeway to search student belongings on school grounds in order to protect the health, safety or welfare of the school community.

The update would make clear that any search more intrusive than a simple pat down is to be handled by law enforcement, which must obtain a search warrant.

Current policy says, if possible, parents or guardians should be notified before a search. The update adds that if it’s not possible, they should be notified as soon as possible after the search occurs. It also says parents should be informed of the district’s search and seizure and privacy policies annually, at the beginning of the school year.

Bartlett says the school board will revisit the proposed changes in September.

In other news, Bartlett says board members will wait until after this fall’s city election before deciding what to do about a possible vacancy on the board.

The vacancy would occur if no one steps forward to run a write-in campaign. That’s because only one candidate – Board President Sally Saddler – filed to run for two open seats during the just concluded candidate-filing period.

Official write-in candidates must file a letter of intent with the city clerk’s office at least five days before Election Day, or September 29th.

If no one steps forward to run a write-in campaign, the board will have 30 days after Election Day – October 4th – to fill the vacancy. The person selected will serve until next year’s regular election.

The Forest Service today (Tuesday) OK’d exploratory drilling at two Southeast Alaska mine sites.

The work will be done in roadless areas of the Tongass National Forest. That means they needed approval from agency Chief Tom Tidwell.

The Greens Creek mine is allowed up to three drilling sites totaling less than an acre. The operating multi-metal mine is on Admiralty Island, about 20 miles southwest of Juneau.

The Niblack project is OK’d for eight drilling sites, also totaling less than an acre. It is a multi-metal project is on Prince of Wales Island, around 30 miles southwest of Ketchikan.

Alaska Regional Forester Beth Pendleton says helicopters will move equipment to and from the sites. She says no roads will be built and reclamation will follow drilling operations.

“They would be permitted then to go in and actually construct the drilling pad sites and proceed with geotechnical and exploration drilling at those sites,” she says.

Greens Creek and Niblack were part of a recent court agreement listing mine, hydropower and other projects that would be allowed in roadless areas of the Tongass. An earlier court ruling imposed the nationwide roadless rule in Alaska after years of exemptions.

Drilling will help determine the extent and makeup of mineral deposits. Pendleton says other exploration has taken place outside areas designated as roadless.

“We’re able to expedite this process, but just to insure that any kind of incidental cutting of trees is acknowledged. And we’ve moved forward now with the approvals so the operators will be able to continue their exploration and drilling,” she says.

The Forest Service earlier this month approved tree-clearing for two other Southeast exploration projects. One is on Woewodski Island, south of Petersburg. The other is at Bokan Mountain, on southern Prince of Wales Island.

Greens Creek is owned by Idaho-based Hecla Mining Company.

Niblack is a mineral prospect being developed by Vancouver, British Columbia, based Heatherdale Resources. Its size and employment potential has been compared to Greens Creek.

The mines’ operators could not be reached for immediate comment.

The state’s Local Boundary Commission takes public comment Wednesday on the City of Gustavus’ petition to annex another 16-square miles.

Brent Williams, section staff supervisor for the LBC, says they’ve already recommended that annexation be approved. Commissioners could announce a decision as soon as Thursday.

“The LBC does not always follow the staff recommendation,” says Williams. “They will have received this material and read it, and listened to the testimony and public comments. Then, they will make their own mind.”

If LBC approves the annexation petition, then it goes to the Legislature for possible consideration next session.

The new expanded boundaries would include the Falls Creek drainage to the east, tidelands in the south, and submerged lands in Icy Passage up to the mean high tide line of Pleasant Island. The community wants to exert more control over those newly- or soon-to-be developed areas.

Comments will be taken during the public meeting that starts at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Gustavus City Hall.

Gustavus was originally incorporated as a second class city seven years ago with 39-square miles of land, tideland, and submerged land.

2010 City of Gustavus Annexation

Juneau’s weather may resemble October this week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t imagine a nice sunny stroll on the downtown waterfront.

City officials want to hear from the public about future development at Marine Park. CBJ Parks and Landscape Superintendent George Schaaf says there’s no specific plan right now, but several ideas were outlined in the 2004 Long Range Waterfront Plan.

“How it describes Marine Park is as a village green or a town square, basically a cultural gateway to Juneau,” says Schaaf. “So, we’re looking at pretty much everything. What types of landscape do we want? What kind of hardscape? What types of programs do we see the area being used for in the future, and what construction or what kind of planning do we need to do to best accommodate that?”

The city’s Parks and Recreation and Engineering Departments will host a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) at Marine Park to get public input.

Schaaf says some improvements, including an extension of the downtown seawalk to the park, could take place in the next few years. Others will be longer term projects. All ideas are welcome.

“We really want to try to get a feel for what’s important to the community, what they value about the place, and what they think we could do better,” Schaaf says.

Wednesday’s meeting will be held under the covered area at Marine Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Schaaf says it’s separate from, but dovetails with tonight’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting to consider a possible move of the Alaska Commercial Fishermen’s Memorial to Marine Park. That meeting starts at 6 p.m. in City Hall Assembly Chambers.

School board president Sally Saddler is a shoe-in for re-election. Saddler is the only candidate for two school board seats.

Randy Wanamaker is also unopposed for the District Two Assembly seat.

The filing period for municipal office has closed with few candidates. Both the school board and three Assembly seats are for three-year terms. Only two of the four races in the October 4th election are contested.

Three candidates are running for the Areawide Assembly seat: Loren Jones, Geny Del Rosario, and Carlton Smith.

Bradley Fluetsch and Jesse Kiehl will vie for the District One Assembly seat.

Wanamaker served on the Assembly for three terms ending in 2010, also representing District Two. Under city law, a candidate must sit out just one year before running again for municipal office.

With only one candidate for two school board seats, the board will have to appoint someone to fill the other seat. State law requires the board make the appointment within 30 days of the vacancy, which would be the October 4th election. The person selected will serve until next year’s regular election.

City Clerk Laurie Sica says it’s unusual to have so few school board candidates. A search of election records since the year 2000 shows at least one candidate running for each vacant seat.

In sports over the weekend, the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears trounced the Thunder Mountain Falcons by a score of 68 to zero in what was dubbed the first annual Glacier Bowl.

The two schools started their football season Saturday.

(Photos by Gail Fenumiai)