The Haines Borough Assembly stalled appropriations for local nonprofits Tuesday, delaying discussion of any funding for three months.
The group also adopted new rules for making changes to commercial heli-ski maps used by tour operators.
Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer urged the group to officially designate $32,500 in assembly appropriations in the general fund, $15,000 in the medical service area fund, and $17,500 in the tourism and economic development fund for nonprofit grants.
Former interim borough manager Brad Ryan described the $32,500 general fund assembly appropriation as intended for the “community chest” in his budget transmittal letter in April.
Member Diana Lapham spoke against giving the money to nonprofits at this time, given the borough’s current $500,000 deficit. “Everyone is going to have to stand on their own two feet,” she said.
Borough manager Bill Seward also spoke in favor of a delay in the appropriation. Three months would allow the assembly time to see how state budget cuts will affect the borough. Although nonprofits provide valuable services, “this is not the time” to take funds from essential borough responsibilities, he said.
Assembly discussion barely got started before member Mike Case moved to table the topic. According to Robert’s Rules of Order, a motion to table cannot be discussed, so it went immediately to vote.
Tabling the funding discussion split the assembly, with Case, Lapham and George Campbell voting to kill the subject for at least three months. Friedenauer, Tresham Gregg and Ron Jackson wanted to continue talk of the nonprofit funding plan, but lost when Mayor Jan Hill voted to table.
During assembly comments at the end of the meeting, Friedenauer said she was disappointed in the assembly’s action. Nonprofit organizations should be notified that they shouldn’t expect to receive the money, she said.
Assembly member Campbell countered by saying that a $500,000 deficit is warning enough.
In other action, the assembly held the first public hearing to amend Haines Borough code that would affect the timeline to change a commercial ski tour areas map. This action comes after missing a June 15 deadline in code to convene an advisory committee and discuss proposals for map amendments.
Some verbiage was amended in the code, but the discussion will continue in a second public hearing Sept. 13.
Assembly member Gregg unsuccessfully sought a ballot question putting the Small Boat Harbor expansion to voters, but found out it was too late for the upcoming October election. Gregg’s distaste for the current design prompted a long discussion among all assembly members about the project.
“I’ve seen this rip you apart,” Seward said to the assembly about the project. “We’re already past the point of no return.”
Gregg’s motion failed with only two assembly members in favor.