The Haines Borough Assembly Dec. 14 approved resolutions that ranked 2011 federal and state legislative priorities.
The capital budget priorities for the Legislature, in order, were road upgrades, boat harbor improvements and the Lutak port facility master plan.
“I always remember this list being way longer than this,” said member Scott Rossman.
Borough manager Mark Earnest said he had consulted State Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, and Sen. Albert Kookesh, D-Angoon, to help with the priorities. Borough officials are hoping to benefit from Thomas’ new position as co-chair of the House Finance Committee.
“The clear communication, and this is consistent with all of my years of experience in this position in different communities, is that the legislative and Congressional priorities, you want to have a very, very focused list,” Earnest said. “You want to identify those projects that have the greatest likelihood of receiving not only the support of the appropriators, but also the governor and the administration. It’s a two-step process.”
The resolution to adopt the borough’s 2011 state legislative priorities instructed the manager to “take all appropriate steps to provide background information and testimony in representing the Borough’s best interests.”
Earnest noted the borough still would seek funding for other proposed projects, such as improvements to the Chilkat Center roof. A May 2008 condition survey estimated the cost for overall Chilkat Center repairs and improvements at $4 million.
Boat harbor improvements were the top capital budget federal priority, followed by the Lutak port facility master plan.
“The most important economic engine that we have in this borough is that boat harbor,” resident Jim Studley said.
In other business Dec. 14, the assembly postponed consideration of an application for a helicopter skiing permit from Alaska Mountain Guides (AMG).
Several residents who supported AMG requested that the assembly wait for a mayor-appointed heli-skiing work group to make a recommendation.
“I just wanted to emphasize that I don’t think by postponing this we’re being resistant to business or the industry,” said Joanne Waterman, who serves on the assembly and work group. “… This work group, I think, is a huge window of hope, the way the people have been working together and communicating and actually having good, constructive dialogue.”
The work group met Dec. 15 and has only briefly discussed adjustments to skier days and whether AMG should join Alaska Heliskiing and Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures (SEABA) as heli-skiing tour operators in the borough. The next work group meeting has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, in the assembly chambers.
Also at the Dec. 14 assembly meeting, Waterman asked to reconsider her vote on the consent agenda from a November meeting, when the re-appointment of Roger Maynard to the borough planning commission had been approved.
Maynard has a blog and newsletter on local issues.
“I’ve had people talk to me,” Waterman said. “There are concerns. I’m just airing it so we can discuss it. That’s all I want, is a discussion of it.”
She called Maynard “an editor of a newspaper” and said many publication companies have policies that restrict their employees from holding positions on commissions and in elected offices.
“This is Haines, Alaska, and a guy starts a little newspaper and we’re going to prosecute him because he’s doing that?” Rossman asked.
Member Greg Goodman said Pam Randles, education coordinator for Takshanuk Watershed Council, had expressed interest in serving on the planning commission, and should be considered.
“You are a public body,” Maynard said. “You do not have the right to tell somebody that they cannot serve as a volunteer, because you don’t like their opinion. You’re involving yourself in censorship, a clear violation of my constitutional rights, and you’ll hear more about it. I can guarantee that.”
The assembly in October approved a resolution to compensate members of the planning commission $50 per meeting attended.
Waterman again said she had reconsidered her vote just for purposes of discussion. She went on to vote in favor of Maynard’s appointment, which passed with a 4-2 vote, with Goodman and Steve Vick in opposition.