Department – Page 8 – City and Borough of Juneau

Airport Board special meeting scheduled for August 7

The Airport Board will hold a special meeting at 12 p.m. on Thursday, August 7, in person at the Juneau International Airport Alaska Room and remotely via Zoom. The meeting will discuss the selection of an Airport Manager and recess into executive session.

The agenda is available at juneauak.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4596/files/agenda/10993.

Zoom link: https://juneau.zoom.us/j/81320381493

Dial-in: 1-253-215-8782

Meeting ID: 813 2038 1493

To see the complete CBJ public meeting calendar, visit juneau.org/calendar.

August 5th, 2025|

Registration for Parent & Tot swim lessons opens in early August

Juneau Pools will offer new sessions of Parent & Tot swim lessons at Dimond Park Aquatic Center and Augustus G. Brown Swimming Pool beginning in mid-August. Registration opens online Friday, August 8 for DPAC and Friday, August 15 for AGB. Registration will not be accepted over the phone, in person, or in advance.

Parent and Tot swim lessons are open to children ages 6 months to 3 years with little to no water experience. Read more about Parent & Tot class goals at bit.ly/CBJSwimLessons. Please be aware that each child must be accompanied in the pool by an adult, and children are required to wear swim diapers (available for sale at the front desk) during class.

Lessons will meet on Saturday mornings, from August 16 through September 27 (no class August 30) at DPAC and from August 23 through September 27 at AGB. Lessons for children 6 to 17 months old will take place from 9:15 – 9:45 a.m. and lessons for children 18 to 35 months old will take place from 10:00 – 10:30 a.m.

The session cost is $60 plus tax and scholarships are available. To apply for a scholarship, complete the form at bit.ly/ZGYCscholarship by Wednesday, August 6, at noon.

Registration for DPAC lessons opens Friday, August 8 at 12 p.m. Registration for AGB lessons opens Friday, August 15 at 12 p.m. Register online at bit.ly/registerCBJparks (click the Juneau Pools tab).

For questions, please contact:

Dimond Park Aquatic Center: (907) 586-2782
Augustus G. Brown Swimming Pool: (907) 586-0839

August 4th, 2025|

Statement from City Manager Katie Koester

August 1, 2025

Good afternoon,

On July 30th Juneau Police Department officers responded to an altercation in which a woman was observed harassing and making racial slurs at a man waiting for the bus in front of the Douglas Library. Officers responded and arrested the female. Another party entered the altercation and was arrested using a technique designed to control the situation by bringing the suspect to the ground. However, this action went terribly wrong and resulted in the suspect hitting his head on the concrete sidewalk, requiring medical attention and transport out of Juneau. CBJ does not have information on his current medical status, nor do we have permission from the family to share that information. Our heartfelt thoughts are with him and his family during this traumatic and difficult experience.

In response to these events, the arresting officer was placed on administrative leave. JPD has requested an independent investigation by an external agency that will review the use and level of force deployed in this incident. Following the investigation, the State of Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions will review the case. In addition, we are conducting an internal investigation that will consider the technique and level of force used and if it was aligned with JPD policy. Body camera footage will be reviewed as part of this investigation and will be made available to the public within 30 days of the incident, or no later than August 30.

CBJ understands the deep community concern over this tragic injury. We recognize that the incident and associated video footage may be deeply upsetting, confusing, and overwhelming and encourage residents to utilize the support services available through local resources (www.juneaumentalhealth.org/services).

We appreciate our community’s outreach and shared concerns, and are taking steps to review our own policies, procedures, and practices to ensure they are consistent with JPD values to preserve human life while meeting its mission to protect public safety.

Respectfully,
Katie Koester, City Manager
City & Borough of Juneau

August 1st, 2025|

New joint flood initiative prepares Juneau for 2025 Glacial Lake Outburst

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

July 25, 2025

(Download PDF)

New Joint Flood Initiative Prepares Juneau for 2025 Glacial Lake Outburst

In anticipation of a potential 2025 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida), and the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) have launched a joint communication strategy in coordination with additional state and federal agencies. This unified approach is designed to enhance public preparedness, streamline emergency messaging, and ensure clear and consistent communication across all jurisdictions in the event of a GLOF.

The National Weather Service, the United States Coast Guard, Alaska Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, and the Alaska Department of Environment Conservation are part of the coordinated effort through information sharing and emergency planning resources.

The collaborative effort stems from increased awareness of the growing risks posed by the Mendenhall Glacier’s Suicide Basin and recent flood events that have affected homes, infrastructure, and traditional lands. With the basin approaching capacity, agencies are taking proactive steps to minimize confusion, provide timely updates, and improve response coordination in the event of a flood.

“This partnership will allow us to pool our resources to make sure our residents receive accurate, timely information—especially during high-stress situations like a flood,” said City Manager Katie Koester. “By aligning our messaging and working closely with Tlingit & Haida, DOT&PF, and federal agencies, we can support community preparedness, safety, and resilience.”

The new communications partnership – or Joint Information Center (JIC) – was designated by the Unified Command established between CBJ, Tlingit & Haida, and Alaska DOT&PF under the Incident Command System (ICS). The JIC includes a centralized message coordination group that meets regularly, shared communication tools and protocols, and consistent public outreach through websites, social media, SMS alerts, and media briefings.

The JIC is also coordinating the rollout of a twice-weekly email update and near-daily social media posts that will cover preparedness tips, flood status updates, evacuation messaging and emergency alerts as needed. This cadence is designed to maintain public awareness and readiness across all segments of the Juneau community.

“Community emergencies such as flood events do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard J. Peterson. “That’s why collaboration between tribal, municipal, state, and federal partners is critical as we prepare our community, pool our resources, knowledge and coordinate response. Together, we are building a framework that prioritizes public safety and ensures that no one is left behind when it matters most.”

Key Ways Residents Can Stay Informed:

1. Sign up for emergency alerts at bit.ly/CBJAlerts

2. Check in with the Juneau Flood Ready website at bit.ly/JuneauFloodReady

3. View road closure leading up to and during an event at 511.Alaska.gov

4. Stay tuned to the National Weather Service Suicide Basin monitoring page (link)

5 Review the interactive flood inundation maps available at JuneauFlood.com.

5. Follow partner agencies on social media.

For media inquiries, contact Ashley Heimbigner at [email protected] or 907.586.5240.

July 25th, 2025|

Full-Scale Disaster Exercise at Juneau International Airport on July 26

The Juneau International Airport will conduct a full-scale emergency response exercise on Saturday, July 26, from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The exercise will include a simulated aircraft crash and live fire training, conducted in coordination with local emergency response agencies. As part of the simulation, controlled burning of fuel will occur to produce black smoke, replicating a real-world aircraft fire. This training scenario is essential to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety requirements and improve emergency readiness.

What to expect:

Visible smoke and flames from the airport grounds
Emergency vehicles and response activity
No danger to the public, this is a planned exercise

The burning is in accordance with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Open Burning Guidelines under 18 AAC 50.065(i) and (j), which permit limited black smoke emissions for firefighter training. All reasonable steps are being taken to minimize environmental impact and reduce smoke duration.

EVAR (Airport Dike Trail) Parking Lot Closed for Volunteer Parking
To support the exercise, the Emergency Vehicle Access Road (EVAR) parking lot off Radcliffe Road, also known as the Airport Dike Trail parking lot, will be closed to the public from 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 25 through 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 26.

We appreciate the public’s understanding and cooperation as we work to ensure safety at Juneau International Airport.

For more information, contact Andres Delgado at [email protected] or 907-321-3803.

July 23rd, 2025|