The Haines Borough Assembly again has declined to issue a commercial tour permit to Dave Button of Eco Orca.
Button on Oct. 12 referred to Chilean miners who were saved when rescuers “successfully drilled a half-mile underground.”
“Today I ask the assembly to start drilling on my tour permit,” Button said. “I have been without a tour permit in Haines for six years.”
A public hearing is required for new tour activities in the Haines Borough. During the hearing, Button said he wanted a chance to redeem himself.
“We have AA; why not TT, for ‘troubled tours?’” he asked.
In his permit application, Button described his proposed “plans to operate two, three-passenger, four-wheel Rhoades (human powered) cars on a designed route during the tour season” and said the “route will include stops at the Bald Eagle Foundation and Haines Museum,” with the “designed route determined by police chief for safety.”
Police chief Gary Lowe, though, wrote that he was “opposed to Mr. Button’s tour permit request” in a letter dated Oct. 4 that was included in the meeting packet.
“Rehabilitation occurs when the person is truly and deeply sorrowful for his actions because he has learned that those actions are against the public good,” Lowe wrote. “Rehabilitation is a long term, continuous effort to do the right thing.”
He then provided several examples to explain why he thought Button came up short of the requirements for a permit.
“Rehabilitation is not continuing to break the same regulations over and over again, all the while begging for forgiveness,” Lowe wrote. “There have been numerous anecdotal stories of Mr. Button continuing to conduct tours in Haines and Skagway even though he does not have a permit to do so in either community.”
He added that “rehabilitation is not refusing to pay your fines for over two years” and “rehabilitation is not operating without a State of Alaska business license.” Lowe advised the assembly to forgive but not forget.
The meeting packet also included written opposition from former tourism director Lori Stepansky.
“There is a part of me that really wants to approve this,” said member Daymond Hoffman.
He said Button’s tour idea “fills a niche,” but Hoffman said he was looking for “somebody to talk me into it.”
“If it were to be approved, is it possible to issue some sort of a zero-tolerance permit?” Hoffman asked.
He went on to vote against the permit, which failed with only Scott Rossman in favor. Rossman also had shown earlier support but said he would have changed his vote if he “knew it was going to pass.”
Member Joanne Waterman said Button likely would not adhere to a stricter standard. She said Button has shown “no trying to comply.”
“He hasn’t even proven that he can comply with not having a permit,” Waterman said.