Mayor Stephanie Scott last month appointed six residents to a task force that will examine responses to a “request for qualifications” for community center professional design services.
Appointees include Dave Berry, Chilkoot Indian Association; Lenise Henderson Fontenot, Downtown Revitalization Committee; Daymond Hoffman and Steve Vick, Haines Borough Assembly; Rob Goldberg, Haines Borough Planning Commission; and Michael Byer, Haines Borough School District. One more seat is available, for a representative from the borough’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and that group has recommended Ron Jackson for the opening.
According to the eight-page document seeking qualification statements, the community center project currently lacks a defined location, but “the old school site is the most likely” and “the first phase is nominally envisioned to include borough administrative offices and a recreation center.” The borough has set a goal to start construction by spring 2014.
Five responses were submitted following the request, due in December. Firms Bettisworth North Architects and Planners, Jensen Yorba Lott, Kumin Associates, McCool Carlson Green and NorthWind Architects all are based in Alaska.
A selected architect’s scope of work would entail providing “an architectural/engineering team to perform professional design services for the new Haines community center and other related services,” the request states. “The professional services will include architectural, planning, landscape, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical, cost estimating and other specialties as required.”
The document notes a plan of finance has not been developed. “It is anticipated a combination of fund balance, other borough appropriations, grants, and bond funding will be employed.”
The assembly in December moved that a task force be created to review the qualification statements and directed borough manager Mark Earnest to propose the composition of the group. Earnest listed what organizations group members should represent, but did not recommend specific individuals.
At a January assembly meeting, Scott also appointed residents Joe Parnell and Leslie Ross to the Chilkat Center Advisory Board and told the assembly the new Haines Port Development Steering Committee had selected Chip Lende as chair and Joanne Waterman as vice chair. This week, Scott appointed Karen Hess to the Tourism Advisory Board and Dennis Geasan to the Letnikof Estates Road Maintenance Service Area Board.