Eagle Crest board lays out staffing, wage and capital requests as Assembly readies budget process

Mike Saitre, president of the Eagle Crest board, told the Juneau City and Borough Assembly on March 5 that the small ski area is an important community asset but is struggling with staffing, low snowpack and deferred capital needs as it prepares to expand toward year‑round operations.

"We have to pay our people more, we need more staff, and we have capital needs," Saitre said, describing a season marked by mechanical problems, a late opening of most of the mountain and additional costs tied to snowmaking and equipment repair.

The board and staff provided a financial and operational briefing that highlighted three linked problems: insufficient pay that hampers recruitment, unfilled positions that limit programming and maintenance, and a backlog of capital projects the board says it cannot complete at current staffing levels. The board intends to present specific funding requests during the city’s formal budget process beginning in April.

Why it matters: Eagle Crest is owned by the city and borough and is a revenue‑generating recreational facility that the board and Assembly say has a path to greater self‑sufficiency if it can expand summer operations (in part tied to the planned gondola). But board members said they need interim operating and capital support to stabilize the ski area while the longer‑term plan is implemented.

Key details the board presented

- Staffing: Current budgeted full‑time equivalents for Eagle Crest have historically been about 30–34 FTE. Board figures presented a “fully staffed” model of up to 56 FTE to operate to industry standards. The board said the increase would substantially raise personnel costs and needs further refinement.

- Wages: The board and staff told the Assembly that a 15% across‑the‑board wage increase for existing budgeted positions would add roughly $290,000 in personnel costs next year; a larger ‘‘big swing’’ to push pay much closer to market could add about $800,000. Saitre warned that moving to the full staffing model plus substantial wage increases could push additional personnel costs into the millions: "if you really take a big swing ... now you're starting to push $3,000,000 in additional personnel costs," he said.

- Pay parity study: Hannah Shively of the Eagle Crest board said the Duncan consultant report included an estimate for bringing Eagle Crest employees onto the city pay scale; Shively recalled that estimate as "up into the 4 and a half million." The board said city Human Resources would need to work with Eagle Crest staff to formalize any move to the city pay scale.

- Operations and summer revenue: Board members said Eagle Crest saw roughly 5,000 summer visitors via Alaska coach tours and Segway tours and received about $50,000 in zipline revenue this past season. The board argued that year‑round operations and the gondola are central to long‑term financial sustainability but are not yet producing that revenue.

- Capital needs: The board proposed a CIP package that included a roughly $511,000 request (with the BlackBear chair repair a major component). Board members also identified an additional long list of projects that could total at least $1.5 million through FY 2030, with about $700,000 of that potentially actionable before the end of FY 2026. The board cautioned these are high‑level estimates needing scope and schedule work.

- Safety and infrastructure: The board reported mechanical issues with lifts (including BlackBear) and with the water system that is separate from city water and provides facility potable water and a fire suppression source; staff said they coordinated with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the fire marshal to return the plant to compliance.

Board and Assembly interaction

Assembly members pressed for more concrete revenue forecasts tied to staffing increases. Mayor Beth Weldon asked whether the board had estimates of revenue per additional snow sports instructor; Saitre said that Erin and others are working on those forecasts and the board planned to refine its ask at an upcoming board meeting. Several Assembly members, including Wade Bryson and others, asked the board to consider alternative options beyond repeated requests for city funds; Bryson said at length that the repeated reliance on Assembly support was not a sustainable plan.

Gondola and timeline

Multiple board members and Assembly members stressed that the gondola purchase and its timely implementation are central to solving Eagle Crest’s long‑term funding gap. Assembly members said they would push for prioritization of engineering and procurement work necessary to put construction on an accelerated schedule.

Staffing and temporary workers

Board staff described challenges recruiting for maintenance and seasonal positions and said J‑1 visa workers have been a temporary help but are limited in duration; Erin (board staff) described J‑1 hires as a "Band Aid solution" who are "here for a very limited time" and leave at the end of their program period.

Next steps and budget timing

Saitre and Eagle Crest board members said they will finalize the board’s staffing and wage asks at an upcoming board meeting and bring formal budget requests to the Assembly during the April budget process. Assembly members said they would review those asks in balance with other city priorities in the budget cycle.

Ending: Eagle Crest board members thanked the Assembly for the discussion; the Assembly chair closed the joint session and moved to the Finance Committee meeting where the budget calendar and other items were discussed later the same evening.