The Haines Borough and Pacific Pile & Marine could end up in mediation over a dispute about the hardness of the harbor basin, according to borough manager Debra Schnabel. Settlement discussions Monday failed to reach agreement on resolving the contractor’s $1.2 million claim, Schnabel said. “We’re at a stalemate and we’re not in the same place,” Schnabel said. […]

The Haines Borough Assembly last week narrowly approved purchasing a $40,000 software program aimed at increasing citizen engagement, but the assembly may take up the issue again. The CVN reached out to two similarly sized communities using the software to see how it’s working in their towns. The “Citizen Engagement” program from the tech company OpenGov allows […]

The Haines Borough Assembly quashed a request from a reality television producer to film a show centered around the Haines Police Department. Engel Entertainment approached Haines and other Southeast communities about creating programming that depicts Alaska law enforcement. They offered a development agreement to pursue filming a pilot that would “explore possible programming involving the work of the Haines Police Department […]

The Haines Borough Assembly discussed and made amendments to the $13.3 million 2019 fiscal year budget Tuesday—which included voting to allow children under 18 years old free admission to the pool, approving a $40,000 online government engagement platform, and deciding whether to hire an additional employee in the planning department. The assembly unanimously approved member Heather Lende’s […]

Last week, the Haines Borough put the word out that it’s seeking a new municipal attorney. The assembly directed borough manager Debra Schnabel to put out an RFP last month, but offered few reasons why they were unsatisfied with the current attorney, Brooks Chandler. In interviews last week with assembly members, they offered few specifics. Assembly member Heather Lende […]

The Haines Borough Assembly met Monday and discussed their effectiveness as a body and as individual representatives. The special meeting, which is slated to occur the third week of each month, is the latest effort from the assembly to increase its efficiency and engage in productive discussions. The meeting opened with assembly member Heather Lende proposing they […]

The Haines Borough Assembly is exploring the possibility of hiring a new attorney. Haines Borough Manager Debra Schnabel asked the assembly Tuesday if they wanted current attorney Brooks Chandler to reapply for the position. “I have notified our existing attorney that you are interested in seeing who else is interested in serving as your legal counsel,” Schnabel said. Assembly member […]

In light of the discovery that a former Mayor dedicated the school gym to Karl Ward, the borough assembly has directed manager Debra Schnabel to create a policy for naming public facilities. Last week four men came forward alleging Ward sexually abused them or approached them inappropriately when they were students. Ward, who died 21 years ago, was a […]

Haines Borough Manager Debra Schnabel previewed her $13.3 million draft budget for the coming fiscal year, which includes a small increase in townsite property tax rates and an unexpected increase in tax revenues that helped the borough reduce its use of savings to balance the budget. Despite a roughly $60,000 increase in personnel costs, which includes hiring […]