The Haines Borough has accelerated a fence-building project at Lutak Dock after learning that a Jan. 1 deadline for project completion cannot be changed. Work was to start this week.
The borough will plow snow around the job to ensure it gets done on time, manager Mark Earnest told the assembly last week.
The borough in March received a $233,000 Homeland Security grant for an eight-foot, chain-link fence topped with barbed wire and cameras. Grant wording included the Jan. 1 deadline.
The borough solicited quotes for the work in mid-October and last week the assembly authorized Earnest to enter into an agreement with Roadrunner Fence Co. of Juneau to supply and install the fence for $128,500.
They also authorized Earnest to negotiate and execute change orders up to $50,000 to ensure the job is done in time.
Earnest pointed to communication mix-ups and misunderstandings regarding the deadline as reasons why construction is starting so late in the season.
“We did get some conflicting information from a funder regarding when the project time deadline was and we got that clarified and it was sooner rather than next summer and we accelerated (the project),” Earnest told assembly members.
Earnest said this week the deadline was “misinterpreted by somebody here at the office.”
Remaining grant money will be used to purchase security cameras for both the Lutak and Port Chilkoot docks. The grant requires each dock be equipped with at least one camera.
Earnest said he is researching camera types and capabilities.