Haines Borough Assembly members reaffirmed their opposition to the U.S. A. Patriot Act last week, unanimously passing a resolution restricting borough employees’ participation or compliance with the federal law.
The controversial anti-terrorism bill allows government officials access to personal records without a search warrant, detention without a charge, and delayed notification of searches.
Joining Juneau, Fairbanks and other cities across the nation in opposition to the law, the resolution will be forwarded to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. According to its wording, the resolution is “reaffirming the borough’s commitment to civil liberties” and the “protection of Constitutional rights.”
Borough assembly member Stephanie Scott voiced her support. “It’s a “We’re all in this together’ type of thing. That’s what it says to me. People aren’t going to be snuck away in the dark of night.”
The Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp #5, sent a letter of support to the borough’s resolution, which read, “The Alaska Native Brotherhood will not condone the violation of the rights of the people of the U.S.A.”
Earlier this year, the borough sent a letter to the U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Murkowski voicing opposition to the act.
The assembly also unanimously approved a 2006 tour permit for Alaska Mountain Guides and Climbing School, adding three new tours to its existing permit. The new tour offerings include ice climbing and trekking on the Davidson glacier, golfing at the Valley of the Eagles Golf Links, and hiking the Battery Point trail.
The hiking tour, the third commercial hiking tour to Battery Point, generated discussion among assembly members concerning overuse. “How do we determine what use is too much use?” asked Scott.
According to the permit application, the hiking rips will be limited to 10 people per trail per day. Alaska Nature Tours and Packer Expeditions also lead hikes on the Battery Point trail, with 935 and 20 hikers respectively from May-Sept. 2004.
Scott was concerned that overcrowding of trails could diminish the quality of the areas in use. “My concern is that we do not create a situation at Battery Point … that we have at Chilkoot Lake, where we have so much commotion going on out there that it can negatively impact the experience for our tourists.”
She suggested that future permits incorporate wording demanding the recording of user data. That would require amending the Title 5 of borough code regarding tour permits.
In other matters, the assembly appointed Josh Moore to fill a seat on the Boat Harbor Advisory Committee and Travis Rdid to a position on the Tourism Advisory Board. A seat remains open on the planning commission.