Juneau mayor seeks governance change for Eagle Crest; assembly delays final vote until joint meeting

Mayor Weldon told the Committee of the Whole she introduced an ordinance to change the governance structure of Eagle Crest Recreation Area, saying the ski area has struggled with management and deferred maintenance and “is in the hole a few million” and that the assembly needs more oversight. “If we are investing large amounts of money on things such as the chairlifts or maybe even the gondola, we want to have more of a say in how that money is spent,” Weldon said.

City Manager Kester and other members described trade-offs if the manager’s office assumed hiring and operational authority: the manager’s office would bring executive‑hiring experience and internal capacity but acknowledged trade-offs in operational knowledge and the need to involve board expertise in hiring and transition work.

Assembly members split over timing and approach. Some, including Speaker 6 (Mr. Steininger) and Speaker 2 (Mr. Brooks), argued the assembly needs tools to ensure long‑term financial sustainability and faster operational decisions. Others, including Speaker 8 (Ms. Wall), Speaker 10 (Ms. Scandis) and Speaker 4 (Mr. Kelly), urged a joint meeting with the Eagle Crest Board to explore options and to avoid destabilizing hiring of a new general manager. The manager confirmed a joint meeting is scheduled for March 4.

On a procedural motion, an amendment to postpone consideration of the ordinance until the first Committee of the Whole in 2027 failed (2 yeas, 7 nays). Mayor Weldon then moved to hold the ordinance in the Committee of the Whole until after the March 4 joint meeting with the Eagle Crest Board; that motion was adopted without objection, meaning formal action on the ordinance will return to committee after the joint meeting.