After just learning that the Haines Animal Rescue Kennel hired an out-of-town person to fill what was advertised as a part-time animal control officer, I am appalled at this community’s refusal to employ its own residents. (I offered to volunteer time and donate the saved money to the building of the full-time vet clinic. The key word is volunteered. Many local people also applied.) From the alleged illegal hiring of Tracy Cui that cost the taxpayers here literally thousands of dollars to the hiring of out-of-state police officers to enforce Alaska law, this town can no longer snub its nose at those on food stamps and welfare in this community. Our track record shows we spend more money hiring and then even more money firing out-of-state personnel than we do on fixing simple potholes that are causing unspoken thousands of dollars in damage to people’s vehicles. By the way, Carlos Jimenez, where are the warning markers I was promised would appear at the meeting between you and me and the Mayor and interim manager? Oh yeah, I remember, you spent the whole meeting texting on your phone.

Dean Lari