Manager – City and Borough of Juneau

CBJ Solicits Construction Bids for Municipal Offices, Assembly Chambers at Burns Building

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) posted a solicitation for bids to perform construction work on the first two floors of the Michael J. Burns building. The project will accommodate CBJ offices for 147 personnel, an accessible Assembly Chambers and central public service counter. The cost-based bid solicitation materials include a summary of work, site layout and list of alternates should budget allow. The solicitation period closes on July 13.

The primary scope of work addresses critical updates to the building’s mechanical and electrical systems that are out of code and at risk of needing constant repairs if not updated. There will also be limited renovations to the first floor for an Assembly Chambers, public service counters and restrooms. Some office spaces will receive minor renovations, including replacing partitions and limited finishes. At this time, the current budget does not include paint and flooring updates, however, should bid come in below budget, these are included among several items that could be added as alternates to the scope.

“We took a very frugal approach to this project,” explains CBJ City Architect Liam Knecht. “We may not get updated paint or flooring, but this scope will get us to a safe, consolidated, and cost-effective workspace for municipal employees.”

The current City Hall houses about 40% of CBJ office staff and faces major renovation and repairs estimated at nearly $10 million for immediate health and safety repairs, and over $45 million for full structural repairs. Additional CBJ offices are spread throughout the city in private commercial buildings and are subject to increasing lease costs and needed repairs. In the current arrangement, annual operating costs–including for maintenance, utilities and lease–total approximately $1.3 million. Annual operating costs for municipal services to operate out of the Burns Building will be approximately half that at $650,000 and include utilities, maintenance, and capital reinvestment costs.

In September 2025, the Juneau Assembly formally approved the purchase of two floors of the Burns Building (801 W. 10^th Street) for use as the new CBJ Municipal facility. The plan structures the arrangement as a condominium association, with CBJ purchasing the first two floors while the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation retains the top floor. The building plans prioritize public accessibility and services, with the new Assembly Chambers being 3,530 square feet (versus 1,929 in the current City Hall) and a larger public counter to better receive and direct inquiries for all departments. The space will function as a one-stop shop for residents to interface with their municipal government.

The total budget to move and consolidate CBJ offices in the Burns Building is $20.5 million. This total cost includes the purchase of 46,000 square feet of commercial office space for $9.3 million and an upfront capital investment fund contribution of $2.7 million (similar to a deferred maintenance fund, to save for future capital project needs).

Interested contractors can find the solicitation and instructions on the CBJ Public Purchase website.

For more information about the future CBJ Municipal Offices and Assembly Chambers, visit juneau.org/manager/cbj-municipal-offices or contact [email protected]. For questions about the bid solicitation process, contact [email protected].

June 19th, 2026|

Visitor Industry Task Force Hearing Public Comments on June 18

The Visitor Industry Task Force (VITF) invites the public to share testimony at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18 in the Assembly Chambers and via Zoom. All members of the public are encouraged to attend and provide input to the VITF as they draft recommendations for the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Assembly regarding further management of Juneau’s visitor industry.

The second VITF was established by Mayor Beth Weldon in December 2025 to advise the CBJ Assembly on a variety of visitor industry topics. So far, the task force has discussed recommendations from the previous task force, public survey results, crowding in downtown, flight seeing, whale watching, long-term planning, and other topics. Recordings of past meetings and documents, along with all received public comments thus far can be found on at the VITF website.

Residents who would like to testify can come to the Assembly Chambers and sign-up for in-person testimony before the meeting. Residents can also testify remotely by calling the City Clerk’s Office at 907-586-5278 before 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

Comments can also be provided to the VITF at any time by emailing the CBJ Clerk’s Office at [email protected].

For questions about VITF, contact Alexandra Pierce at [email protected].

June 12th, 2026|

Residents Invited to Take CBJ Emergency Operations Plan Survey

Share your experience during past city emergencies through the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Emergency Operations Plan Survey by Friday, July 3 at 11:59 p.m. Feedback collected will inform the update to CBJ’s 2016 Emergency Operations Plan.

An Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) defines roles and responsibilities in a disaster to effectively coordinate critical response operations. The update of the CBJ EOP will include significant updates to better reflect the local risk environment and needed response actions. This survey, administered by Fairweather Science, seeks to better understand how emergencies affect CBJ residents, how CBJ’s emergency response efforts have worked, where improvements are needed, and how to better serve residents moving forward.

Only one response per person is permitted. All responses will remain confidential and reported to CBJ in summary form.

For more information about the Emergency Operations Plan update process, contact Mason Page at [email protected]. For more information about CBJ Emergency Management, contact Ryan O’Shaughnessy at [email protected].

June 11th, 2026|

Visitor Industry Task Force Extended, New Presentations From Cruise Lines and Goldbelt, Inc.

To explore additional tourism topics and increase opportunities for public testimony, the City and Borough of Juneau’s Visitor Industry Task Force (VITF) calendar has been updated to continue through October 2026. The updated schedule can be found at juneau.org/assembly/visitor-industry-task-force.

Meetings added include Thursday, May 21, where the VITF will be joined by various cruise line representatives to discuss seasonal impacts of cruise activities on Juneau. On Thursday, June 11, Goldbelt, Inc. will give a presentation on their proposed West Douglas Port project.

Additionally, the first public testimony meeting has moved to Thursday, June 18, so the public may more immediately respond to information discussed on the May 21 and June 11 meetings. The second public testimony meeting has been moved to Thursday, October 15 so that the public may review and respond to the VITF’s draft recommendations before they are finalized. Public comment can be made at any point by emailing the City Clerk’s office at [email protected].

CBJ encourages all interested members of the public to join VITF meetings in-person at City Hall Assembly Chambers or via Zoom at juneau.zoom.us/j/83826098583.

For more information about VITF, contact Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce at [email protected].

May 19th, 2026|

Assembly to Review Proposed Budget Reductions at April 22 Finance Committee Meeting

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Assembly will discuss propositions to both reduce operating costs and realize foregone revenue at the Assembly Finance Committee meeting this Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers and online.

In early April, the City Manager shared the FY27 Proposed Budget with the Assembly. The proposed budget includes $4.6 million in savings through tightened staffing assumptions and a projected $2.5 million in new revenue, primarily from increased user fees. However, decreased local consumer spending, along with the recently passed sales tax exemptions, means that CBJ is facing an even larger budget shortfall than previously estimated. The Assembly was tasked with providing suggestions for $2 to $4 million in operational savings through service reductions for FY2027 as a part of a phased approach to reducing the budget shortfall.

Residents can find the list of proposed budget reductions in the April 22 Finance Committee Meeting packet. This list includes a broad range of proposed reductions that will serve as a starting point at Wednesday’s meeting.

The Assembly is also actively exploring opportunities to realize foregone revenue, such as adjusting taxes for inflation and removing certain exemptions. These proposals can also be found in the April 22 meeting packet.

CBJ thanks Juneau residents for their active participation in this year’s budget process. There are two more opportunities for the public to share their input before the Assembly adopts a final by June 15. The next public hearings are currently scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. and Monday, June 8 at 6 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers and over Zoom. Residents can also email the Assembly at [email protected].

For more information, contact [email protected].

April 22nd, 2026|