The Juneau Police Department’s radio infrastructure is in dire need of an upgrade, as approved by the Juneau Assembly in two ballot measures on Monday. If passed by voters in the upcoming fall election, nearly $23 million would be added to the city’s debt for public health and safety improvements, including upgrades to the public safety communication system and the Juneau Douglas Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The first ballot measure asks for $12.7 million to cover the costs of replacing the current radio system used by the Juneau Police Department and Capital City Fire/Rescue. The outdated system was designed with an eight-year lifespan but has been in use for a decade, leading to dead zones and reliability issues. The total project cost is estimated to be around $25 million.
The second ballot measure requests $10 million to replace the wastewater clarifier building at the Juneau Douglas Wastewater Treatment Plant, which serves Thane, Downtown, and Douglas. City officials cite decades of erosion as the reason for the replacement, highlighting the necessity of this infrastructure improvement.
Both ballot measures will be put to voters on the Oct. 1 municipal election ballot, with the hope of securing funding for essential public health and safety upgrades in Juneau.