My brother Paul Nelson, who grew up in Haines, informed me when I moved here 20 years ago, “If you want to know what you are doing, ask your neighbor.” As a past borough assembly member, I’ve noticed—If I want to know what the Haines Borough Assembly is doing I need to attend meetings and study documents, not rely on street talk or Facebook chatter.
As a borough assembly member in 2020 and one who closely follows meetings, I believe the mayor, sitting current Assembly, and planning commission are the first elected bodies in recent history governing in the best interests of the majority of residents.
The current Assembly inherited from the previous Assembly a property assessment disaster that today has an independent citizen Board of Equalization and Alaska State Law that protects property owners from unchecked tax increases. This Assembly successfully resolved the tax assessment issue. They also identified and put a stop to contract practices initiated in the previous administration and assembly, by accident or by intent, that violated federal funding guidelines and fast tracked a Lutak Dock plan that would burden all taxpayers without any business plan for optimizing the dock.
Meetings are long and many to ensure that decisions are deliberated and made in full public view. As an advocate for fiscally conservative, responsible governance, I fully support Natalie Dawson and Debra Schnabel in the Oct. 1 election.
Carol Tuynman