10 years ago

Insurance rates are rising for homeowners in the upper valley, the result of a diminished rating of the Klehini Valley Fire Department by the Insurance Services Office (ISO).

The ISO about two years ago downgraded the department’s rating from “8” to “10,” the lowest score possible. Ratings are based on factors like number of personnel, amount of training, access to water and amount and quality of equipment.

Mardell Gunn and Mark Kistler, who have lived at 38.5 Mile Haines Highway for 15 years, saw their home insurance payments double, Gunn said last week. When Gunn received her bill, she called her insurance company, which informed her of the downgrade.

“It appears that the problems are numerous and complicated,” Gunn wrote in a letter to the Haines Borough’s Public Safety Commission.

“From what I can determine, there are few volunteers and they are doing what they can with the level of training they have; training is sporadic or nonexistent so qualified firefighters are not supported and new volunteers do not become qualified; equipment and water resources are problematic. Small-town personalities and politics play a part,” Gunn wrote.

KVFD Chief Robert Clay did not respond to calls for comment on this story. Assistant fire chief Sage Thomas referred questions to Clay.

A shortage of trained volunteers, older equipment and lack of adequate water sources have likely contributed to the downgrade, said Chuck Mitman, a former KVFD fire chief and volunteer.

Mitman, who lives at 32.5 Mile but now volunteers for the Haines Fire Department, said his insurance payment jumped by $1,000.

Mitman, who volunteered and served as chief at the department between 2000 and 2009, said volunteers are hard to come by up the highway. Right now, there aren’t any volunteers at the station with Firefighter I training, he said.

Personal politics and in-fighting also affect the department, causing volunteers to quit, he said.

If it wants to increase its rating, the department has to maintain a water source during the winter, Mitman said. During his tenure, the department kept the small pond across the Porcupine Bridge easily accessible by having the area plowed and the ice broken up. That no longer happens.

25 years ago

The state Department of Natural Resources is looking for suggestions for changes to the Haines State Forest and Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve management plans to reflect the “new economy” of Southeast Alaska. 

The department has scheduled an open house Thursday, Sept. 14 in Haines to find out what portions of the plans, last updated in 1986, should be changed to reflect recent increases in use of state lands for commercial recreation. 

State management of local areas such as Chilkoot Lake State Park, where feeding bears draw increasing crowds each year, and Glacier Point, site of protests this summer over the size and impact of commercial tours to Davidson Glacier, will be open to suggestions. 

Division of Mining, Land and Water planner Bruce Phelps said the meeting is the first step in a process of rule and permitting changes that will take up to two years to establish. 

“There’s obviously a divergence of opinion about what should be permitted on state land. We don’t know the solution yet. We have to understand the problems so we can manage the future.” 

Phelps said Haines is one of many areas in Southeast with new land use issues rising from the growth of tourism. “We’re doing this now because commercial recreational use of state land has become a pervasive issue throughout Southeast. It’s not just in Haines. People who used to be commercial fishermen are now charter operators or run bed and breakfasts. Loggers have moved out or are doing something else. The economy has changed, and the type of impacts have changed too.” 

The state will also be asking for suggestions to changes in the Northern Southeast Area Plan which includes state land between Haines and Skagway. 

The Alaska Division of Trade and Development is running a concurrent survey of tour operators and lodge owners to determine the current extent of use of state lands for commercial recreation. That survey will be mailed in October, Phelps said. 

The Haines meeting on revisions to state land use regulations is set for 7-9 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Chilkat Center. Similar meetings will be held in Skagway, Sitka, Tenakee Springs and Gustavus throughout September. 

50 years ago

A spokesman for the General Services Administration reports that no Congressional approval nor funding has yet been given for the proposed new Customs and Immigration Border Station at the Alaska-Canada border at Mile 42 on the Haines Cut-off Highway. 

Applications for an architect/engineer to do design work on the project have been requested, but there is no commitment yet on the project. 

Investigation of the site –such things as soil borings, a possible archaeological survey, and discussion with the State Historic Preservation Office – are still required. 

An interim building of 600 square feet to be leased during the period between the present and the building of a permanent station so far has had no bidders. The matter of possible re-routing of the Haines Highway is still being looked into, although the spokesman said that so far the Alaska Department of Highways has not talked in terms of any re-routing, nor have the Canadians. 

Possible re-routing through the Kelsall River drainage would eliminate several stretches of high-maintenance areas on the present route from the border up over the summit. 

The relocation, proposed by several individuals from Haines and elsewhere would follow for the most part a railroad survey made in 1912, which follows a fairly gentle grade all the way over the summit.