Editor’s note: A more in-depth profile of Eben Sargent can be found here.

Our next borough election is set to take place on Oct. 7. That means we’re working to get you the information you need to know to cast an informed vote here at the Chilkat Valley News.

We asked Chilkat Valley residents to weigh-in on what they’d like to hear from candidates and dozens weighed in asking nearly 50 questions. 

We pared down the list to 12 and asked candidates to answer them in about 100 words. We’ve edited those that came in significantly longer or contained grammatical errors.

Question 1 (from Barbara Nettleton): You may have your own ideology as to how, say, the Lutak Dock is repaired or replaced, how the school should be funded, how nonprofits should be funded, who our lobbyists are or if we should have them, that we should have more taxes, or that we should sell off borough assets, etc. How will you listen, process, and execute a topic that receives a broad spectrum of support and opposition?

Eben Sargent — Listening: When possible – meet with people off ‘the dais’, which is just a big ol’ desk that somehow presents ‘the members’ as being above ‘the people’, which they are not. When we relate to each other as neighbors, we usually have a fair bit of agreement. Processing: Go slow to go fast. How many decisions have we seen that were made quickly, then revisited for many cycles? Executing: Spend the most resources on topics where we agree. Don’t lean into big fights on small issues.

Question 2 (from Deborah Gravel): How would you support civility in all and any public meetings, including the school board, planning commission, and borough assembly?

Eben Sargent — Cheryl Stickler, with whom I’ve disagreed on plenty of topics, sets a great example among current public servants: Calm, polite and focused on issues, not individuals. I have done my best on the PC (planning commission), and will continue to aim for the discipline needed to pull this off at 10 p.m. after a work day.

Question 3 (from Kay Clements): How will you balance the needs of younger adults when the assembly is comprised mainly of older adults and leans toward older voter interest.

Eben Sargent — I don’t think there is as much tension as is suggested here. Most older residents care deeply about the future of this place – young families. One of our best community servants told me: “I voted for the senior tax cut because I did not see our borough supporting the things I thought were important so I prefer to give that money directly.” To me that means we need to do a better job of giving savvy taxpayers good value for their money.

Question 4 (from Thom Ely): Our population in the Haines Borough has remained relatively stable over the past 40 years at about 2,500 residents. Do you want our population to grow or stay about the same?

Eben Sargent — I will work very hard to grow our town to our widely shared dream of 2,500 year-round residents. When that happens we can talk about what comes next, but right now it’s feeling like it’s at least one assembly term away, if we play our cards right.

Question 5 (from Cynthia Jones): What is your vision for the Chilkat Valley in 10 years, 20 years?

Eben Sargent — My 10-year dream: The rest of the state wakes up to find that Alaska’s “drunken family Thanksgiving dinner fight” has finally made peace. Those of us who have made long-term commitments to the community are reaping the benefits of a town that works together for the common good in the best place on earth.

Question 6 (from Carol Tuynman): What specific actions have you taken to balance the Haines Borough budget, and/or what steps would you recommend to balance the budget in the coming year?

Eben Sargent — Raising the transient lodging (AirBNB) tax to parity with other tourism towns would net $160k. The severance tax developed in 2024 and tabled by this assembly was revenue lost. This would tax exports (not local uses) of timber and gravel, and be developed with industry input so not to add reporting headaches or kill projects. We should start the budgeting process earlier in the year, from my work in the PC (planning commission) I am confident there are savings to be found in our infrastructure planning and funding processes, such as charging overhead on grants in the way most municipalities do.

Question 7 (from Fran Tuenge): Do you want Haines to thrive and grow economically? Give an example of what you will promote.

Eben Sargent — The idea that some don’t want economic growth is another generation’s battle line. My generation is starting businesses or working hard in our existing industries, and understands that paychecks come with impacts. We want to see the borough help with basics: support for liquor licenses in food service, stabilize and grow childcare options – especially a critical shortage of infant care, stimulate low-cost housing options for employees. Marine infrastructure also needs better planning support, it is vital to many key industries and our needs outweigh our finances.

Question 8 (from Karen Wallace): What is your vision for the Lutak Dock?

Eben Sargent — We just lost a crucial year because the assembly was unable to move on from a plan that was too costly. We should issue a new request for proposals that defines key specification like types of vessels to support and operating areas for existing users then let bidders from industry suggest what solutions can be built with a budget that includes a contingency and management costs. We are likely looking at a phased solution, the first phase of which is less than we’d like, but that is preferable to timing out while we dream of more funds in a tough climate.

Question 9 (from Jessica Plachta):  Are you in support of public money being used for infrastructure projects that facilitate mine development? 

Eben Sargent — If the project mostly benefits a mine that may not ever happen – that’s a very poor use of our limited public resources. Projects with diverse benefits like the freight dock should be evaluated based on features needed for current users rather than a “build it and they will come” approach.

Question 10 (from Shannon Donahue): What will you do to protect the Chilkat Valley from the environmental and social impacts of resource extraction?

Eben Sargent — We need to bring in a facilitator to help us update our conditional use permit criteria, which are too subjective when evaluating important resource use like gravel pits. Industrial users need more certainty about how and where to invest, and other residents deserve a fair and specific process for concerns like landslides and runoff. Logging and mining are best managed by state and federal processes but I would like to see the borough find ways to bring outside funding in collaboration with the State Forester to ensure logging that does occur also helps build recreational and subsistence access once complete.

Question 11 (from Cary Weishahn): Do you support the borough gathering past helicopter flight and landing data from the heliski permittees to be used by future heliski map committees? Why or why not?

Eben Sargent — I believe Haines has over extended ourselves in management of Heliskiing far beyond where benefits to taxpayers lie. The borough should focus on pragmatic planning of heliports in the valley to balance very genuine residential concerns with cost effective operation of helicopters. Over time we should work to transition management of public land alpine areas to state or federal land entities which is how heliskiing is managed elsewhere in Alaska.

Question 12 (from Sally McGuire): The Chilkoot River is critical to tourism in Haines.  It has become only more overcrowded over the last 20 years, to the point that Haines is in great danger of killing the goose that laid the golden egg, and with less management rather than more.  We no longer have the river monitor position, there are no volunteers trying to help with the congestion, and the park ranger is left to cope by himself.  No one is dealing with traffic along Lutak Road including the burgeoning bicycle traffic all over the road,  and as far as I know there is no longer bear-safety training for bus drivers let alone bike renters.  Will you commit to funding river monitors, requiring driver/guide safety training, and other ways of addressing safety and congestion,  such that the Corridor is once again a place that visitors can enjoy?

Eben Sargent — My personal instincts are usually against more rules and more roles for our small town, but it’s clear that better stewardship of Chilkoot is needed to preserve economic and cultural value. In contrast to the heliskiing issue I think the borough actually is the best positioned entity to manage the corridor and reasonable investments of time and money in management coordinated with CIA and State Parks will pay off. I don’t claim to fully understand all details or have any personal agenda but am committed to listen and look for ways to improve the situation.