The Haines Borough Planning Commission and Haines Borough Assembly line up similarly on the $30 million plan for expanding the boat harbor. A majority of members in each body support the project as is, while a steadfast minority in each group is still expressing doubts.
(Recall that assembly approval of this plan in March 2014 came only on a 4-2 vote.)
It would be unfortunate for the project to go ahead with these divisions still in place. A decision by a community as small as ours to embark on a $30 million project should have broad, not fractured, support.
What’s needed? Probably more talk, including a frank discussion by assembly members of where the additional $10 million for this project is going to come from.
None of us can knowledgeably predict the future of oil prices, the fate of commercial fishing, or future demand for harbor slips, but local taxpayers need to hear from elected leaders how likely it is they’ll be asked to pony up the remaining $10 million needed to complete the project under the existing plan.
The project has been a fairly easy sell so far because the only money that’s on the line has come from the State of Alaska. For completion, the project will need half again as much money, plus the public’s confidence and trust.
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Next week is the start of the annual community cleanup, which besides Fourth of July festivities, might be the oldest community event in Haines. An account in the Haines Pioneer Press, a newspaper that was published here from 1909-1913, describes the Chamber of Commerce organizing a cleanup back then.
Maybe losing hold of concerns like tidiness is the hallmark of a long, Alaskan winter.
In any case, the cleanup is a way to get a bit of exercise, see your neighbors and set an example for our younger generation about respect for our town and social responsibility. As incentives, the cleanup offers prizes to households bringing in the most trash and cash to non-profits that participate.
You might also find some interesting stuff. One year, while picking trash in a ditch along Small Tracts Road, I found both a gas mask and a dead eagle.
Ours is a diverse town, with lots of opinions. Let’s agree to participate in this effort to make our town a bit more presentable.
– Tom Morphet