Juneau assembly approves distribution of remaining assembly grants, pauses waterfront museum project and sets FY27 public-engagement plan

The Assembly Finance Committee took several policy steps Nov. 5 related to grants, projects and the FY27 budget process.

On assembly grants, Mayor Weldon moved to ask grantees to consider amended requests; that motion failed on a roll‑call vote, 4 in favor (Mayor Weldon, Assemblymember Smith, Assemblymember Brooks, Assemblymember Steininger) and 5 opposed (Assemblymember Hughes Gandy, Assemblymember Atkinson, Assemblymember Kelly, Assemblymember Hall, Chair Wall). The chair then moved to distribute the remaining assembly grant funding for FY26; after an amendment asking grantees to advise the city if they did not need the funds, the assembly approved distribution by consent.

"We communicated to the grantees that we would get back to them in mid November," Miss Flick said; staff reported only a handful of grantees had raised urgent problems and that the impact varies by how much of an organization’s budget comes from the assembly grant. The assembly directed staff to distribute remaining FY26 grant funding and to ask grantees to notify the city if they do not need the money.

Separately, after discussion about project readiness and costs, the committee voted by consent to pause work on the waterfront city museum project. Assemblymember Smith moved the pause; the motion carried without objection. Staff said there was no ongoing irreversible work that would be jeopardized immediately and that pausing a project at early stages is within managerial discretion.

The committee also addressed larger FY26 operational guidance and FY27 planning. Members amended and approved a motion directing staff not to implement broad FY26 service reductions, while allowing targeted reductions for new programs or projects and asking the manager to exercise discretion on hiring and project starts. The assembly asked staff to identify projects that have not progressed and to avoid starting new projects where imprudent.

Finally, the committee directed staff to develop a public engagement program to solicit priorities for FY27. Staff recommended focusing engagement on discretionary services and on core services where service levels can be adjusted; several members urged that the engagement allow the public to test tradeoffs (for example via an online budget tool) and include in‑person meetings. The chair also signaled formation of a small working group to review foregone‑revenue options.