Maybe it depends on how one defines leadership and management. A lot can happen in committee meetings that has nothing to do with the direction of Borough “leadership” and “management.” A recent LTE stating that a meeting of the Port and Harbor Advisory Committee exposed collaboration among “Borough leadership, the Canadian mining industry and the Chamber of Commerce to benefit mining interests” is just false.
`An advisory committee simply advises, it has no power to set direction for the Borough. That direction happens through the assembly process and is carried out by management of the borough. For the last 10 years, Borough Assemblies have named the Lutak Dock project as one of its top priorities for funding. There have been at least six previous attempts to procure funds for the project. With two public records requests of my emails and texts, the mayor’s emails and texts, other staff emails and texts — there has not been one shred of evidence that “leadership” or “management” has been working through the project with anything in mind other than to protect the fuel and goods delivered to Haines. The roll-on/roll-off ramp is not sufficient for the needs of the borough, barges still must tie off to the face of the Lutak Dock to use the RO/RO. Those who state that the RO/RO is sufficient apparently haven’t consulted Delta Western as we have. Should the dock not be rehabilitated, a Delta Western representative has advised me that there could be an “increased risk of fuel shortage” and if the barge cannot deliver fuel the only alternative is delivery by truck.