City Engineering Director Rorie Watt will be hosting several meetings throughout the month for the public to learn more about the AJ Mine.
The meetings are split into two categories. One set is an introduction to the AJ Mine, the other set will focus on a planned water study.
“Essentially, I’m just trying to give people the opportunity to learn about the mine and what the city’s up to in an informal short meeting,” Watt said. “(The) intention is just to make it easy for people to drop by for an hour and find out what’s going on. My intention is to spread information better on the project. I want to make it very accessible for anyone who’s interested, and that’s why I’m offering it at four different times. I want to make the information as accessible as possible. Right now someone could just go to the website, but it’s hard to wade through it.”
Watt said it’s easier to talk to people about it so the information makes more sense.
Then, he will host two meetings focusing on the water study. He said he wanted to have the introductory sessions first, so those who aren’t familiar with the topic have a chance to catch up, and that way the water study meetings also will stay closer to the topic.
“It’s just asking for people for comments on that, to make sure we’re going to answer the questions that they have,” Watt said. “I need to do some outreach on the water study.”
The “Intro to the AJ Mine” meetings will be Thursday and Oct. 19 at noon and 5 p.m. in the city’s Engineering Conference room, which is on the third floor of the Marine View Building, 230 S. Franklin St.
The meetings related to the water study will be 5 p.m. on Oct. 20 and noon on Oct. 26. in the same location as the introductory meetings.
The draft outline of what will be included in the water study can be found at bit.ly/qdnSxm.
Watt said if there is enough public interest, there could be more meetings.
“It will all be based on public interest,” he said. “If people are really interested we’ll hold more meetings. There will be a draft water study that will come out at some point and we’ll have meetings again. There will be lots of opportunity for people to get involved.”
• Contact reporter Sarah Day at 523-2279 or at sarah.day@juneauempire.com.
Comments (5)
Add commentWhat an great opportunity,
What an great opportunity, how many local governments own a gold mine to help with the financial short falls. The antieverything people should look at how they and the city can work together to make this happen. The mine is already here, it built our popular Sandy Beach.
Need a new school, no problem, step up production. If there is a solid funding source for the government it will take the burden off the tax payer. Let's move forward responsibly.
Lets see some effort on the
Lets see some effort on the part of local officials and our reps and work to get some of the state jobs back to Juneau that Sarah Palin and Sean Parnell moved to Anchorage.
These state jobs were also "already here" and these jobs would be far better jobs for our kids to have. Who is raising their kids to work underground in a dangerious mining pit also in an earthquake zone?
I agree with Yellowflowers
I agree with Yellowflowers comments.
we've been had
Now it is June 23rd and who would have known that there would be no FINAL water study, no response to the questions and comments and the CBJ would be voting in 2 days to accept a 4 page water plan and build a treatment plant for Salmon Creek without any cost analysis.
Does the word "hoodwinked" sound about right?