Maidy named
to open seat
on assembly
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday appointed resident Sean Maidy to an open assembly seat after members questioned the preferred candidate’s availability.
Assembly members said last week that James Hart was their preferred applicant to take Margaret Friedenauer’s open seat until the October municipal election. Hart was unable to call in to Tuesday’s meeting and told assembly members he could not attend meetings in person until August. He also would be out of town the second week of October near the end of the term.
“I think it’s really important to have assembly people present at the table,” said assembly member Stephanie Scott. “I think that’s the best way we can resolve any differences we have. I’ve always thought telephone communications with absent assembly members are tough.”
Assembly members Ron Jackson and Tresham Gregg agreed. The assembly unanimously appointed Maidy. Andrew Gray also applied for the seat.
Maidy, a 35-year old apartment complex manager, was seated at Tuesday’s meeting. He has lived in Haines for two years with his wife and two young daughters. He said in his interview for this assembly seat, and Mike Case’s assembly seat that was vacated in April, that he has a passion for renewable energy and exploring how it can economically benefit the community.
Maidy said he plans to run for office in October.
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Family conflict
policy OK’d
The Haines Borough manager will delegate land management decisions to other borough staff in cases of familial conflicts of interest, according to a new policy adopted by the Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday.
The “Delegation of Land Management Authority” defers land management issues in land use permitting, conditional use permitting and subdivision/platting to the borough planner, clerk, deputy clerk, or public facilities director with the Mayor as the final authority.
The assembly unanimously approved the new policy without discussion at Tuesday’s meeting.
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Manager gets
approval to
bid on float
The Haines Borough could be the new owner of a surplus float from Gustavus for extra moorage in Portage Cove Harbor and a floating breakwater in Letnikof Harbor.
The borough assembly gave manager Debra Schnabel the go-ahead Tuesday to negotiate with the City of Gustavus for the float, which would be used initially in the small boat harbor, then as an anchored breakwater at Letnikof.
Public facilities director Brad Ryan and harbormaster Shawn Bell traveled to Gustavus this week to inspect the float.
In 2011 the 200-foot steel float broke free from its pilings in a severe storm and was slightly damaged. According to Bell, the float has been evaluated for structural integrity by the state Department of Transportation and for use in Haines by PND Engineers.
“The float will serve both short-term and long-term needs in Haines. Initially the float would be placed in the Portage Cove harbor basin and provide additional float space. After the permanent moorage floats are installed in Portage Cove, it would be moved to Letnikof harbor where it would serve as a floating breakwater and, in calm conditions, as a transient moorage float,” Bell said.
Bell said the City of Gustavus bought the float new for $1 million five years ago. Schnabel now estimated it might cost under $500,000.
Schnabel said PND Engineers estimated moving the float from Gustavus would cost about $140,000 that would come from funding for the harbor expansion project.
Assembly member Tom Morphet said he was skeptical the float would work as a breakwater at Letnikof.
He referenced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pulled the plug on a floating breakwater at Letnikof in 1992, after five years of study. The agency determined fierce winter weather would make such a structure cost-prohibitive.
Bell said PND Engineers determined the 200-foot float would stop about 53 percent of waves.
Schnabel said the float would be in the harbor for about three to four years until new moorage floats could be installed in the third phase of the harbor expansion project.
If negotiations are successful, the topic will come back to the assembly for final approval.
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Donation for
mining forum
The Haines Borough Assembly set aside $1,000 Tuesday for a mining education forum in the Chilkat Valley.
A mining steering committee that began meeting in April is organizing a mining forum for Haines and Klukwan residents aimed at “exploring the opportunities and impacts of a potential underground hard rock mine in the Klehini watershed.”
Over 11 organizations are represented on the committee – including ones representing mining, fishing, conservation, Native culture and business – and are planning the “well-balanced” meeting. This will be the second year of the conference.
The group has put out a call for public input on what the community would like to learn during the two-day forum. Group meetings are closed to the public.
Borough manager Debra Schnabel recommended the assembly suggest “Good Neighbor Agreements” and “Tier III River Designation Debate Issues” as topics to cover in the forum.
Mayor Jan Hill serves on the event’s steering committee. Assembly member Heather Lende said she thought it was important for the borough to be at the table.
“The more proactive we are with this the better,” Lende said.
The forum will be held October 14 and 15.
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Pot ordinance
in the works
The Haines Borough Assembly directed the manager Tuesday to draft an ordinance for a public hearing on marijuana.
Assembly member Heather Lende proposed the ordinance, saying she would like the ordinance to outline licensing procedures, allowable zones, revenue collection and allocation and other regulations as minimally needed regarding marijuana in the borough.
The ordinance is intended to be a starting point on discussion of pending marijuana permits.