The Haines Borough Assembly expressed support for a Rainbow Glacier Adventures tour permit application that will increase the company’s passenger limit. Ordonez requested his tour permit be increased from 14 guests per trip to 42 per trip in order to provide rafting opportunities for a small cruise ship company’s guests. Uncruise will dock an 84-passenger ship in […]
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Posted inNews, Obituaries
2017 sees shifting leadership, new beginnings
A shakeup in leadership across government and business, a group of unsatisfied citizens who challenged the assembly and how to approach policing outside the townsite dominated the news this year. The first ripples of discontent occurred after the assembly rejected Diana Lapham’s application to sit on the Ports and Harbor Advisory committee. Don Turner and […]
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Committee suggests more meetings for more efficiency
Haines Borough Assembly members suggested a new “overwhelming” ethics code go to a committee of the whole for review and decided to experiment with a different meeting structure. Borough clerk Julie Cozzi and deputy clerk Alekka Fullerton introduced an ordinance to the assembly in October with about 15 new pages of ethics code. Cozzi said […]
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Coliforms present in ‘spring’
The Mud Bay “spring” tested positive again this month for total coliforms, a type of bacteria found in human and animal waste. On Tuesday the assembly directed borough manager Debra Schnabel to post a sign at the spring indicating the water had tested positive for total coliform and that the source is surface water. KHNS reporter Abbey […]
Posted inNews, Timber
Assembly: University timber sale University timber sale
The Haines Borough Assembly voted to evaluate the borough’s legal options if the University of Alaska awards a timber sale contract in the Chilkat Peninsula because “the proposed University timber sale violates all existing provisions for commercial use in the Mud Bay rural residential zone as well as the purpose and intent of that code.” Assembly member Stephanie […]
Posted inNews, Timber
Assembly: University timber sale violates Mud Bay code
The Haines Borough Assembly voted to evaluate the borough’s legal options if the University of Alaska awards a timber sale contract in the Chilkat Peninsula because “the proposed University timber sale violates all existing provisions for commercial use in the Mud Bay rural residential zone as well as the purpose and intent of that code.” Assembly member Stephanie […]
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Department of Justice awards borough grant for sixth officer
The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the Haines Borough $125,000 to hire a sixth police officer, but the borough might have to give it back. Borough Manager Debra Schnabel said the borough applied for the grant when staff created an ordinance that would have expanded police service borough-wide. The borough assembly did not advance the ordinance due to community […]
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Manager urges litigation for land
Haines Borough Manager Debra Schnabel recommended the borough assembly challenge the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ attempts to withhold a parcel of land the borough selected as part of a municipal land entitlement allotment from the state. In a preliminary decision of land conveyance letter to the borough, DNR’s Southeast Regional Land Manager Benjamin White wrote that […]
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Borough to take over new bridge in Excursion Inlet
The Neva Lake Bridge in Excursion Inlet is open to traffic again after the U.S. Forest Service replaced the structure. The previous wooden bridge, located on a National Forest System road was closed to vehicle traffic in July of 2016. The Forest Service deemed the bridge unsafe because of main support beam failure. The Forest […]
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Planning commission revisits zoning conflicts
The Haines Borough Planning Commission discussed rezoning Takshanuk Watershed Council’s heavy industrial zoned property after previous commissioner Brenda Josephson questioned the borough assembly’s support of a Takshanuk letter requesting state grant money for trail development on the property. People already bike, hike and cross-country ski in the area. A natural trail “along the Chilkat River between Carr’s Cove and […]