Juneau is advancing its petition to annex parts of Admiralty Island, despite an attempt by a Juneau Assembly member to bring the issue back for further review.
The City and Borough of Juneau submitted its application for initial review by the state Local Boundary Commission in June. The commission provided feedback earlier this month.
The current Assembly has a very different makeup than the one that approved the boundary proposal by a narrow 5-4 vote more than a year ago.
“That was hardly a resounding victory,” Assembly member Rob Edwardson said during Monday’s Assembly meeting. “The Assembly’s composed of very different members now, and obviously there’s curiosity about discussing this in-depth to make sure that either we are doing the right thing or that we stop doing the wrong thing.”
Edwardson proposed the Assembly repeal the original resolution at its next meeting and revisit the issue. He also referenced opposition from the community of Angoon, which has protested the annexation.
Mayor Beth Weldon said she felt the issue has been discussed at length, and is now up to the commission and, eventually, the Alaska Legislature to decide.
“I think the Assembly’s already weighed in on this,” Weldon said. “This isn’t the end of this.”
Weldon also said she had planned to meet with the former mayor of Angoon at one point, but an offer by CBJ officials to visit the community was declined.
Edwardson’s motion failed by a vote of 3-5, with one Assembly member absent.
The revised petition will be submitted to the state commission for formal review in the next few weeks. There will be opportunities for further public review.
