Four Haines residents have submitted letters of interest for the assembly seat vacated by Margaret Friedenauer’s resignation last month. The assembly applicants are stepping onto a stage where three assembly members face a recall election, two have resigned, and the body has been publicly criticized by Mayor Jan Hill. Andrew Gray, James Hart, Sean Maidy and Sally […]
Search results
Posted inNews
Solid waste group to hear from Hall
The Haines Borough Solid Waste Working Group will hear from Community Waste Solutions owner Tom Hall and a Department of Environmental Conservation representative at its Tuesday meeting. The group has been meeting for months, and Hall’s participation is seen as key for moving discussion forward. Group member Reilly Kosinski asked to hear from Hall at a June […]
Posted inNews
Rallying for upkeep of trails
Existing trails in Haines should be maintained and marked before new paths are built, about 20 community members told the Haines Borough Parks and Recreation Committee. The committee was looking for specific suggestions at a May 7 trails workshop on how to improve existing trails, as well as ideas for new trails in the valley. Community member […]
Posted inNews
Assembly’s final budget discussion set for Tuesday
The assembly on Tuesday is scheduled to approve a $17.8 million budget that for now includes some new, large expenditures, $50,800 worth of amendments made by the assembly, $95,000 for economic development and $97,000 for a fifth police officer, which includes associated benefits and equipment costs. During a committee of the whole meeting May 25, Haines […]
Posted inNews
Sibling contracts OK elsewhere
In contrast to Haines, small Southeast communities including Yakutat, Craig, Wrangell, Petersburg and Skagway have no language regarding their managers making decisions affecting the financial interest of their immediate family members. Codes of larger communities, including Ketchikan and Sitka, do prohibit managers from making decisions that would result in financial gain for an “immediate family […]
Posted inNews
Schnabel starts into manager’s job
Debra Schnabel began work as the Haines Borough manager Monday, wrapping up a controversial hiring process, but still leaving unanswered questions about how Schnabel will handle land use and contracting issues concerning her brother, Roger Schnabel. Roger Schnabel owns Southeast Roadbuilders and Skookum Holdings, two companies who regularly contract or work on projects in the borough. On […]
Posted inNews
Lawyer cites family conflict for Schnabel
An hour before the Haines Borough Assembly was set to discuss a manager contract for Debra Schnabel, the assembly received a memo from its attorney saying that contractor Roger Schnabel, Debra’s brother, would be prohibited from contracting with the borough if she holds the position. Roger Schnabel’s Southeast Roadbuilders is one of the largest contracting firms in town […]
Posted inNews
Friedenauer quits assembly, cites bullying, vitriol
Haines Borough Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer resigned her assembly seat Wednesday, citing bitterness, cynicism and a lost desire to lead. Krista Kielsmeier, executive assistant to the borough manager, also resigned Wednesday. Friedenauer penned a letter to the assembly and Mayor Jan Hill stating her resignation, effective immediately. “I have unfortunately strayed from focusing on issues and spend too […]
Posted inHaines Borough, News
Mayor blasts assembly, calls hire a ‘set-up’
Haines Mayor Jan Hill lambasted the borough assembly Tuesday evening, accusing members of violating borough charter and saying the hiring of Debra Schnabel as borough manager was a “set-up.” “I agree with those community members who have stated that this assembly violated our charter which clearly states that the manager shall be hired based solely on professional qualifications,” Hill read […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Schnabel is now manager; get over it
Wow, Krista Kielsmeier is clearly disappointed with the hiring of Debra Schnabel. However, unless you are self-employed, you don’t get to choose who you work for. It’s not the right of the employee to select their supervisor. You might not like who the borough assembly selected as the new manager or how decisions were made, but […]