News of a meeting between borough staff, Mayor Jan Hill and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) regarding Lutak Dock repair needs is generating interest among local conservation groups.

In a Sept. 14 email, Lynn Canal Conservation criticized the borough for lack of transparency about the discussion with AIDEA, and urged the public to contact assembly members and request a full account of the meeting.

The AIDEA meeting, which took place on Aug. 27, was a topic of conversation at the assembly’s Sept. 8 meeting after it appeared in interim manager Alekka Fullerton’s assembly report.

Assembly members Zephyr Sincerny and Stephanie Scott expressed concern that a partnership with AIDEA to repair the Lutak Dock would require the community to commit to building an ore terminal at the facility. They said they were concerned that the public hasn’t been included in these discussions

In an interview with the CVN after the assembly meeting, Fullerton explained the content of the meeting in greater detail.

“My notes say that (AIDEA representative Jesse Petersen) said that he ‘managed fixed assets in the state including the Skagway Ore Terminal,’ that they are looking to explore opportunities for development, and yes, he was explicit that they would be supporting the mining industry,” Fullerton said. “He did not say that he was reaching out on behalf of anyone, but just that it had been some time since he talked to Haines and he was reaching out again.”

Discussions with AIDEA regarding the Lutak Dock have been ongoing. In March, Hill met with the organization during Southeast Conference to discuss support for the project.

The dock has been in need of repairs for some time. In 2014, PND Engineers, Inc. conducted a structural assessment of the facility, and determined the dock had “reached the end of its credible 60-year service life” and was operating “on borrowed time.”

Over the years, the borough has applied for several grants to renovate the dock, as well as submitting funding requests to the Alaska Legislature. So far nothing has come through for the dock face repair needs. Earlier this summer, the borough successfully negotiated a lease agreement with Alaska Marine Lines (AML) for construction of a new freight ramp at the dock.

Fullerton said the new AML roll-on/roll-off facility will help keep Haines’ supply chain intact, lessening the urgency of the dock repair needs, but the dock face still needs to be rebuilt.

Fullerton said she knew news of a conversation with AIDEA would be a sensitive topic, which is why she included it in the manager’s report.

She said the meeting with AIDEA was a preliminary discussion of what a partnership might look like and when AIDEA funding might become available. She said Petersen suggested funding might not be available for at least five years, which Fullerton said might not be soon enough for the borough.

She said the plan is for AIDEA to get back to the borough with a more fleshed-out proposal and to bring the proposal to the public.

“I was very clear that we would need community input with respect to any partnership with them,” Fullerton said. “(Petersen) agreed and (said he) would request (a memorandum of understanding) prior to investing any money in Haines.”

Fullerton said she hasn’t received any additional communications from AIDEA since the Aug. 27 conversation.

AIDEA didn’t respond to requests for comment by press time.