The Juneau Assembly met for a regular meeting on Monday night to vote on whether to divest from the ski area’s gondola project, approve funding toward a potential federal buyout program of flood-prone homes and approve a grant for summer childcare programs in Juneau.
Here are some of the highlights from the meeting:
• The Juneau Assembly approved two ordinances to finalize the city’s divestment from Eaglecrest Ski Area’s controversial gondola project and pay back a $10 million investment from Goldbelt Incorporated.
When the city purchased the gondola in 2022, the project was estimated to cost under $10 million. But the Assembly chose to back out of the project in April after its price tag skyrocketed to more than $37 million due to additional parts, high construction costs, and tariffs on imports.
Due to compounding monthly interest on the investment, the city actually owes Goldbelt around $12.2 million. But it has roughly $2.7 million still set aside for the project, so it will pay about $9.5 million. The money approved comes from the city’s general fund.
The Assembly approved both ordinances in an 8-1 vote. Assembly member Nano Brooks voted against both ordinances, arguing he wanted the Assembly to hold off on the decision to not to deplete the city’s general fund.
Several residents testified both for and against the decision.
• The Assembly approved an ordinance in an 8-1 vote to spend nearly $560,000 to appraise properties on View Drive in the Mendenhall Valley, the street hit hardest by annual glacial outburst flooding. The appraisals are a step in the process for a potential federal buyout program of the flood-prone homes.
Two View Drive residents testified during the meeting, both in support of the ordinance and potential buyout program. Assembly member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs voted against the ordinance, citing concerns about the city’s current financial situation.
The money approved comes from the city’s general fund.
• The Assembly also approved a one-time appropriation of $270,000 from its general fund for a grant to Southeast Childhood Collective for summer childcare programs in Juneau. The funding is aimed at investing in the expansion of childcare for school-age children in light of last year’s closure of the school district’s RALLY program.
The funding was approved in an 8-1 vote, with Mayor Beth Weldon casting the sole dissenting vote. She argued the grant was inappropriate in light of the other potential city service cuts and facility closures the Assembly is considering amid its budget-making process.
And …
• Several residents testified before the meeting on non-agenda topics, including the Assembly’s current budget-making process and the city’s Telephone Hill redevelopment project.
Check back in to KTOO.org to see more in-depth coverage of Assembly issues.
