Jones to fill assembly vacancy
The Haines Borough Assembly voted unanimously for Margaret Jones to serve on the assembly until the next election in October. The seat was declared vacant following the resignation of former assembly member Tyler Huling.
The motion, created by assembly member Jerry Lapp, was carried unanimously.
“I know in years before we have done this,” Lapp said. “It’s been a while now but for as close as we are to the election, I feel the runner up has a good chance. We would only have to fill this term before they run for the next election.”
Jones will vacate her seat on the planning commission.
Assembly members and the Mayor expressed their gratitude for Huling’s time spent on the assembly.
“It’s not the easiest job,” Mayor Doug Olerud said. “I appreciated her unique outlook on things…It’s going to be tough shoes to fill, but hopefully we can take this as a lesson to do better as a community in the way that we interact with each other going forward.”
Commercial Tour Permits
The assembly granted commercial permits to Lindblad Expeditions and Innersea Discoveries UnCruise Adventures to guide hikes on the Battery Point and Mt. Riley trails.
Sarah Friedlander, spokesperson for Lindblad Expeditions, said tours would provide one guide for 10-14 people. They are aiming for 24 visits during the summer, she said. Tours will be led from town to Battery Point, as well as Battery Point to town. Guests will be dropped off to the Battery Point trailhead via zodiac.
Innersea Discoveries UnCruise Adventures will service eight tours from the 74-passenger Wilderness Explorer ship. Innersea Discoveries is also working with Sockeye Cycle to rent bikes for guests to explore businesses in town, spokesperson Megan Moran said.
The Borough will collect $5 per person. Approval of both permits passed unanimously.
Code Revision
The Haines Borough Planning Commission will require four votes to approve any action after the assembly voted unanimously to revise language in Title 18.
The assembly struck the phrase “four members” from Haines Borough code in reference to what constitutes a quorum for the planning commission. The code now reads, “No action shall be taken by the commission except where a duly authorized quorum exists and where an affirmative vote of the quorum at a properly noticed public hearing is taken.”
The change comes after the planning commission voted 3-2 last December to approve a conditional use permit for a heliport. Only five commissioners were seated at the time. The vote drew ire from residents who believed the vote was invalid. The assembly voted to allow the vote to stand.
“They want four affirmative votes being required by the planning commission to pass anything,” said borough manager Annette Kreitzer. “It removes the confusion and makes it very specific.”