The Juneau Assembly moved forward with measures to close Mount Jumbo Gym and cut funding for the Juneau-Douglas City Museum as part of efforts to manage a multimillion-dollar budget deficit faced by the city in the upcoming fiscal year.
After a lengthy finance committee meeting exceeding five hours, the Assembly unanimously approved the gym’s closure and sale. The gym is located inside the former Douglas High School on Douglas Island. The decision follows earlier votes to retain other city facilities and services, including the Douglas Fire Station, pools, Dimond Park Field House, and social service grants.
The Assembly also voted to reduce the museum’s funding by $261,000, a move that will require laying off two museum staff and significantly curtailing its hours of operation. Deputy City Manager Robert Barr explained that the museum would remain open intermittently but would lose much of its regular schedule and its ability to host public events such as First Fridays, exhibit openings, and school visits.
While the funding cut passed with a 7-2 vote, Assembly members Maureen Hall and Paul Kelly opposed the reduction. Hall argued against diminishing support for the museum, emphasizing its importance as a cultural and historical resource for the community and suggesting alternative budget balancing methods.
Other reductions approved by the Assembly include cuts to Travel Juneau, the city’s landscaping budget, and the Juneau Economic Development Council. Additionally, the city will eliminate an administrative support position within the city administration department. These steps contribute to a broader strategy to close the budget gap.
A crucial budget measure advanced by the Assembly involves redirecting $2.7 million from a temporary 1% sales tax reserve fund, originally approved by voters as a restricted rainy day fund in 2022, to the city’s general fund. This redeployment seeks to bolster the city’s operating budget amidst fiscal challenges.