Local Government

The Juneau Assembly Finance Committee on Wednesday will determine non-profit funding for the next two years.

While the Social Services Advisory Board recommends grants for all 24 that applied, the money runs out at 20.

The SSAB uses various criteria to score the programs, and all fall within five points of each other. But Catholic Community Services’ Hospice and Homecare, Southeast Alaska Independent Living’s adult ORCA program, and two National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence programs would not get grants under the SSAB’s ranking. The city has funded all of them in the past.

“It would be different if general funds were appropriated on a regular basis, but instead the agencies have to compete against each other for these funds,” says SSAB chairwoman Joanne Schmidt.

She says the SSAB has revised funding guidelines, clarified criteria, and used research to show whether applicants meet a critical need in Juneau.

“So we decided that we wanted to match our focus with community issues as identified by the United Way’s Compass to Assessment Report as well as the Juneau Economic Indicators report, both which were done in 2011,” she says.

Catholic Community Services administrators say CBJ dollars are very important to the Hospice and Homecare program. The organization is obligated to serve people who need home healthcare, whether or not they can pay for services. It’s also a part of the Juneau Homeless Coalition health care program that serves all people, regardless of ability to pay.

Schmidt says social services grants fell $120,000 short in the last budget cycle, and the Assembly funded all the applicants. But that’s never guaranteed.

All nine Assembly members sit as the Finance Committee. The budget must be the completed and approved by June 15th. The Finance Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. in Assembly chambers.

Juneau International Airport officials plan to fill a $371,000 deficit this fiscal year using reserve funds – an exercise they’re likely to repeat in 2013.

Last year at this time, the city-owned airport presented a balanced budget of about $4.9-million to the Juneau Assembly. But according to materials provided to the Assembly Finance Committee this week, actual spending is expected to be closer to $5.2-million, while revenues have not lived up to projections.

The airport’s FY13 budget calls for about $5.3-million in expenses, with just over $5-million in revenues. Again, the deficit is expected to be made up with reserves.

Deputy Airport Manager Patty deLaBruere could not be reached for comment. She’s scheduled to give a presentation to the Finance Committee tonight (Wednesday) as part of the committee’s biennial budget review.

The Juneau Human Rights Commission, Alaska Committee, and Convention and Visitors Bureau also are scheduled to present budget requests.

The Assembly-appointed Human Rights Commission is asking for $2,500 for its “I Am Juneau” events. But the proposed budget does not include any funding for the panel.

The Alaska Committee and Convention and Visitors Bureau are requesting the same level of funding as last year – $434,000 and $650,000 dollars respectively.

The Finance Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Assembly Chambers.

The availability of child care in Juneau remains abysmal – but the Assembly can help, according to the Association for the Education of Young Children and the Juneau Economic Development Council.

They’re asking Assembly members to help fund the Hearts Initiative over the next two years as a way to increase the capacity and quality of child care in Juneau.

HEARTS stands for Hiring, Educating and Retaining Teaching Staff.

AEYC director Joy Lyon on Monday presented the Assembly a petition signed by 300 Juneau residents urging members to support the program.

“Right now there is only one space in licensed child care for every four children that have all their parents in the workforce,” Lyon said.

She said only one in five child care workers in Juneau meets state qualifications required for licensing. The HEARTS Initiative would give monetary incentives to those who earn early childhood credentials or degrees. It also would reimburse them for such training as first aid and CPR to help them meet state licensing requirements. And it would waive certain CBJ fees for licensed child care businesses, including sales and property taxes.

According to the Juneau Economic Development Council, about 2,400 Juneau children are under the age of six.

JEDC Executive Director Brian Holst said Juneau’s cost of living is so high that most parents must work.

“A typical community has 60 percent of their community with two-income earners,” Holst said. “Juneau has 70 percent of families with two-income earners.”

Holst calls child care an “unattractive industry” marked by low pay and no benefits, long hours and high turnover. He said the average wage is just over $11.60 an hour, so quality employees quickly move on.

That was the case for Samantha Adams, who moved here with her family in 2006. It was so difficult to find child care that she started her own business and now offers early childhood and after school care.

But she told the Assembly that it’s difficult to retain qualified teachers because she cannot afford to pay them the wages they deserve.

“And then that turnover that results from not being able to retain highly qualified people impacts the children and the families,” Adams said. “And that’s what we really have to look at is how that turnover impacts these kids.”

Lyon called the turnover of child care providers in the capital city “out of control” at 65 percent.

“The rest of the state is 46 percent. So we really have a tougher climate for child care in general and a stronger need for support from the city,” she said.

Lyon estimates funding the Hearts Initiative would cost the CBJ $143,021 a year, or about $60 per child.

It’s one of several programs on the pending list to come before the Assembly Finance Committee on Wednesday night.

Increasing child care options in Juneau is one of the CBJ Assembly’s priorities for the year.

An ordinance to increase residential density in Juneau has passed the Assembly.

It adds 10 feet to the height limits of buildings in light commercial, general commercial and mixed-use zoning districts. It also reduces minimum lots sizes in mixed-use zones.

The changes are intended to spur construction of more affordable housing in Juneau.

Juneau contractor Bill Heumann told the Assembly last night (Monday) that more zone changes could be made to increase housing, including on waterfront lots.

“I think there’s other areas that warrant the same kind of attention that’s been given to these zoning districts that are being addressed,” Heumann said.

The Assembly also directed the city manager look at other possible changes to residential density in Juneau.

The Juneau Assembly will hear the appeal of a CBJ Conditional Use Permit granted by the Juneau Planning Commission last month to Coogan General, LLC.

Assembly member Ruth Danner is among more than 40 Montana Creek subdivision neighbors to file the appeal.

As Danner recused herself from the issue at Monday’s Assembly meeting, she told her colleagues she expects to lose.

“I have increased the level of difficulty from five out of nine votes to five out of eight,” Danner said. “I give up the right to discuss this matter with all of you and abandon nearly all hope that you will see what I see from my side of this complicated thing between us.”

The appeal was filed last week by subdivision neighbors, who say they’re concerned about the impact of the rock crusher on neighborhood health, safety, traffic, and aesthetics.

The Assembly will act in a quasi-judicial capacity as the appeal agency, but the hearing officer will come from outside city government.

City Attorney John Hartle has said Danner’s comments on the issue to the Planning Commission and during Assembly meetings have compromised impartially on the issue.

He said Michael Lessmeier of the law firm Lessmeier and Winters has agreed to preside over the hearing.

The Planning Commission’s permit attached more than 20 conditions on Coogan’s proposed operations. Among them is a requirement that the rock crusher be located at the far north end of the gravel pit. The permit also limits hours of operation and requires.

CBJ Assembly Meeting
May 14, 2012
Agenda