{"id":16712,"date":"2018-05-17T19:30:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-18T02:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spijue.wpengine.com\/news\/city-manager-rorie-watt-talks-new-city-hall-aelp-whale-statue\/"},"modified":"2018-05-17T19:30:00","modified_gmt":"2018-05-18T02:30:00","slug":"city-manager-rorie-watt-talks-new-city-hall-aelp-whale-statue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/city-manager-rorie-watt-talks-new-city-hall-aelp-whale-statue\/","title":{"rendered":"City Manager Rorie Watt talks new City Hall, AEL&P, whale statue"},"content":{"rendered":"

Successful<\/span> or<\/span> not,<\/span> Juneau<\/span> likes<\/span> to<\/span> take<\/span> on<\/span> new<\/span> ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>City<\/span> Manager<\/span> Rorie<\/span> Watt<\/span> spoke<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Juneau<\/span> Chamber<\/span> of<\/span> Commerce<\/span> Thursday<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> many<\/span> different<\/span> topics<\/span> surrounding<\/span> the<\/span> city<\/span> and<\/span> said<\/span> many<\/span> big<\/span> ideas<\/span> that<\/span> have<\/span> either<\/span> come<\/span> into<\/span> fruition<\/span> or<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> verge<\/span> of<\/span> happening<\/span> help<\/span> keep<\/span> Juneau<\/span> thriving.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Juneau<\/span> is<\/span> the<\/span> kind<\/span> of<\/span> town<\/span> that<\/span> has<\/span> the<\/span> appetite<\/span> to<\/span> take<\/span> on<\/span> big<\/span> ideas<\/span> and<\/span> try<\/span> them,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> referenced<\/span> the<\/span> Dimond<\/span> Park<\/span> area<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Mendenhall<\/span> Valley<\/span> as<\/span> an<\/span> outline for other big ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

“A<\/span> group<\/span> of<\/span> people<\/span> came<\/span> together<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> ‘80s<\/span> and<\/span> took<\/span> an<\/span> initiative<\/span> (for<\/span> Dimond<\/span> Park),”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span> “We<\/span> actually<\/span> followed<\/span> a<\/span> master<\/span> plan<\/span> for<\/span> 30<\/span> years.<\/span> Where<\/span> would<\/span> we<\/span> be<\/span> today<\/span> without<\/span> those<\/span> facilities?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> said<\/span> Dimond<\/span> Park<\/span> was<\/span> a<\/span> good<\/span> example<\/span> of<\/span> what<\/span> working<\/span> together<\/span> and<\/span> having<\/span> a<\/span> clear<\/span> idea<\/span> of<\/span> what<\/span> needs<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> done<\/span> can<\/span> help<\/span> make<\/span> a<\/span> project<\/span> work.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I<\/span> think<\/span> you<\/span> can<\/span> make<\/span> transformational<\/span> changes<\/span> if<\/span> you<\/span> strategize,<\/span> lay<\/span> out<\/span> a<\/span> compelling<\/span> vision<\/span> and<\/span> maintain<\/span> a<\/span> coalition<\/span> of<\/span> support,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> pointed<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> idea<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> new<\/span> City<\/span> Hall<\/span> as a current big project that<\/span> could<\/span> soon<\/span> play<\/span> out.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We<\/span> currently<\/span> pay<\/span> $750,000<\/span> a<\/span> year<\/span> in<\/span> rent<\/span> for<\/span> municipal<\/span> offices<\/span> downtown<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> idea<\/span> is<\/span> if<\/span> we<\/span> turn<\/span> that<\/span> into<\/span> a<\/span> stream<\/span> of<\/span> payments<\/span> on<\/span> debt<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> construction<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> new<\/span> facility<\/span> we<\/span> might<\/span> be<\/span> able<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> essentially<\/span> on<\/span> par,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> old<\/span> City<\/span> Hall<\/span> building<\/span> would<\/span> be<\/span> sold<\/span> and because of its location in regards to cruise ship dock<\/span>s,<\/span> he<\/span> is<\/span> confident<\/span> there<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> business<\/span> owners<\/span> willing<\/span> to<\/span> scoop<\/span> up<\/span> the<\/span> building.<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> new<\/span> City<\/span> Hall,<\/span> Watt<\/span> said,<\/span> would<\/span> be<\/span> on<\/span> top<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> downtown<\/span> transportation<\/span> center<\/span> parking<\/span> garage.<\/span><\/p>\n

“When<\/span> we<\/span> built<\/span> the<\/span> parking<\/span> garage<\/span> we<\/span> oversized<\/span> the<\/span> structural<\/span> elements<\/span> and<\/span> we<\/span> can<\/span> go<\/span> on<\/span> up<\/span> on<\/span> that,” Watt<\/span> said.<\/span> “The<\/span> reason<\/span> for<\/span> that<\/span> location<\/span> is<\/span> that<\/span> it<\/span> has<\/span> parking,<\/span> is<\/span> very<\/span> accessible<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> public,<\/span> a<\/span> lot<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> development<\/span> cost<\/span> have<\/span> already<\/span> be<\/span> incurred<\/span> and<\/span> it<\/span> keeps<\/span> the<\/span> offices downtown.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> said<\/span> there<\/span> are<\/span> still<\/span> needs<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> a<\/span> more<\/span> diligent<\/span> cost<\/span> estimate<\/span> and<\/span> preliminary<\/span> architectural<\/span> plans<\/span> that<\/span> need<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> made,<\/span> but<\/span> when<\/span> the<\/span> new<\/span> City<\/span> Hall<\/span> is<\/span> complete,<\/span> it<\/span> will<\/span> make<\/span> going<\/span> into<\/span> the<\/span> building<\/span> a<\/span> better<\/span> experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I<\/span> think<\/span> what<\/span> we<\/span> are<\/span> going<\/span> to<\/span> find<\/span> is<\/span> we<\/span> can<\/span> design<\/span> offices<\/span> operate<\/span> more<\/span> efficiently<\/span> as<\/span> well,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span> “Right<\/span> now<\/span> we<\/span> are<\/span> spread<\/span> out<\/span> in<\/span> some<\/span> of<\/span> our<\/span> offices.<\/span> We<\/span> could<\/span> eliminate<\/span> that<\/span> and<\/span> departments<\/span> could<\/span> figure<\/span> out<\/span> how<\/span> to<\/span> share<\/span> employees<\/span> and<\/span> services<\/span> if<\/span> we<\/span> are<\/span> in<\/span> one<\/span> building.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> also<\/span> commented<\/span> on<\/span> some<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> decisions<\/span> that<\/span> were<\/span> made<\/span> during<\/span> the<\/span> recent<\/span> budget<\/span> season<\/span> during<\/span> Finance<\/span> Committee<\/span> meetings.<\/span> He<\/span> said<\/span> his<\/span> office<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> Assembly<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> receive<\/span> a<\/span> lot<\/span> of<\/span> public<\/span> input,<\/span> which<\/span> he<\/span> said<\/span> he<\/span> believes<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> sign<\/span> that<\/span> those<\/span> in<\/span> City<\/span> Hall<\/span> are<\/span> doing<\/span> their<\/span> jobs<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> way<\/span> the<\/span> public<\/span> sees<\/span> fit.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I<\/span> take<\/span> that as<\/span> the<\/span> public<\/span> has<\/span> confidence<\/span> in<\/span> what<\/span> we<\/span> are<\/span> doing,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span> “I<\/span> am<\/span> proud<\/span> of<\/span> our<\/span> efforts.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> also<\/span> heard<\/span> questions<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> city<\/span> possibly<\/span> buying<\/span> back<\/span> Alaska<\/span> Electric<\/span> Light<\/span> &<\/span> Power.<\/span> Watt<\/span> said<\/span> that<\/span> a<\/span> decision<\/span> of<\/span> that<\/span> magnitude<\/span> is<\/span> better<\/span> left<\/span> as<\/span> an<\/span> Assembly<\/span> matter.<\/span> He<\/span> also<\/span> added<\/span> that<\/span> city-controlled<\/span> services<\/span> go<\/span> against<\/span> the<\/span> city’s<\/span> plans.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Generally<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> city<\/span>, we<\/span> are<\/span> trying<\/span> to<\/span> figure<\/span> out<\/span> the<\/span> least<\/span> services<\/span> the<\/span> city<\/span> can<\/span> provide<\/span> and<\/span> let<\/span> the<\/span> private<\/span> sector<\/span> do<\/span> as<\/span> much<\/span> as<\/span> it<\/span> can,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span> “I<\/span> am<\/span> not<\/span> saying<\/span> (buying<\/span> back<\/span> AEL&P)<\/span> is<\/span> not<\/span> a<\/span> good<\/span> and<\/span> worthy<\/span> idea,<\/span> but<\/span> largely<\/span> this<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> political<\/span> question<\/span> that<\/span> remains in<\/span> the hands of the<\/span> Assembly.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> also<\/span> touched<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> hot<\/span> topic<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> whale<\/span> statue<\/span><\/a> at<\/span> Mayor<\/span> Bill<\/span> Overstreet<\/span> Park.<\/span> He<\/span> said<\/span> that<\/span> The<\/span> Whale<\/span> Project<\/span> committee<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> able<\/span> to<\/span> get<\/span> a<\/span> patent<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> whale<\/span> which<\/span> could<\/span> alleviate<\/span> maintenance<\/span> costs<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> statue.<\/span> Watt said there is not an exact estimate on those costs.<\/p>\n

Laraine<\/span> Derr,<\/span> head<\/span> of<\/span> fundraising<\/span> for<\/span> The<\/span> Whale<\/span> Project,<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> committee<\/span> thought<\/span> about<\/span> those<\/span> costs<\/span> while<\/span> planning<\/span> the<\/span> statue<\/span> and<\/span> that<\/span> getting<\/span> a<\/span> patent<\/span> only<\/span> made<\/span> sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> want<\/span> the<\/span> city<\/span> to<\/span> assume<\/span> the<\/span> burden<\/span> (of<\/span> maintenance<\/span> costs),”<\/span> Derr<\/span> said<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> phone<\/span> interview<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> Empire.<\/span> “Any<\/span> proceeds<\/span> from<\/span> T-shirts,<\/span> aprons<\/span> and<\/span> mugs <\/span>will<\/span> have<\/span> a<\/span> percentage<\/span> that<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> donated<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> city.<\/span> We<\/span> figured<\/span> when<\/span> you<\/span> go<\/span> to<\/span> Paris<\/span> you<\/span> buy<\/span> a<\/span> statue<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Eiffel<\/span> Tower,<\/span> so<\/span> when<\/span> people<\/span> come t<\/span>o Juneau <\/span>they<\/span> will<\/span> buy<\/span> a<\/span> statue<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> whale.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Watt<\/span> certainly<\/span> hopes<\/span> that<\/span> is<\/span> the<\/span> case.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Hopefully<\/span> people<\/span> buy<\/span> a<\/span> lot<\/span> of<\/span> T-shirts<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> whale<\/span> on<\/span> it,”<\/span> Watt<\/span> said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

• Contact reporter Gregory Philson at gphilson@juneauempire.com or call at 523-2265. Follow him on Twitter at @GTPhilson.<\/b><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Successful or not, Juneau likes to take on new ideas. City Manager Rorie Watt spoke to the Juneau Chamber of Commerce Thursday about the many different topics surrounding the city and said many big ideas that have either come into fruition or on the verge of happening help keep Juneau thriving. “Juneau is the kind […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":431,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","wds_primary_category":4,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[75],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-16712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/431"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16712\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16712"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=16712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}