Borough officials this week said recent efforts to bury view-obstructing utility lines at the intersection of Front Street and Old Haines Highway are “dead.” The state Department of Transportation’s reluctance to work with the borough on burying the lines this far into the project plus the expense involved have effectively “squashed” the idea, said public […]
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Assembly retains parking rules
The Haines Borough Planning Commission will have to go back to the drawing board to address parking requirements, as the assembly on June 25 struck down an ordinance endorsed by the commission to relax the rules. The ordinance would have allowed commercial business developers to allow adjacent, on-street parking to count toward parking space requirements with the permission […]
Posted inElections, News
Borough adopts roster-style ballot
Elections for positions on the Haines Borough Assembly and school board will no longer pit candidate vs. candidate for specific seats. Mayor Stephanie Scott broke a 3-3 tie Tuesday to establish a roster-style ballot, eliminating the current system in which candidates vie for designated, individual seats. Assembly members Debra Schnabel, Joanne Waterman and Norm Smith supported the change; Dave Berry, Steve Vick and Jerry Lapp were opposed. “This system simply […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Election ballot likely to change
The push to change local election procedures continues with the Haines Borough Assembly still split down the middle on whether to switch from a seat system to a roster-style ballot. Mayor Stephanie Scott has repeatedly broken ties between the assembly members on whether to advance the ordinance which would make the change. Members Debra Schnabel, Joanne Waterman and Norm Smith have consistently voted for […]
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Budget: $12.2 million, reduction in tax rates
On a 4-2 vote, the Haines Borough Assembly approved its $12.2 million spending plan for the coming year Tuesday, including a reduction in the property tax rate inside and outside the townsite. Townsite landowners will pay 10.17 mills under the new budget, down from 10.79 mills last year. The base property tax rate outside the townsite was […]
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Assembly softens crab letter terms
The Haines Borough Assembly voted unanimously Tuesday to remove mention of an emergency closure to the local Dungeness crab fishery from a letter to the Department of Fish and Game. In the original letter, Mayor Stephanie Scott expressed concern that human and sea otter pressure on the fishery will ultimately decimate the crab biomass and prevent sustainable commercial, subsistence and […]
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Bury utility lines?
Utility lines strung along Main Street, Third Avenue and the waterfront are a concern for some Haines Borough Assembly members, but the path to getting those lines buried is unclear. Assembly member Debra Schnabel said Tuesday she was disheartened the borough didn’t pursue buried power lines on the construction project at Beach Road and Old Haines Highway. “I don’t […]
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Lobbyist makes case for fee
The Haines Borough’s Washington lobbyist defended his annual $43,200 fee to the assembly this week, claiming his work on finding funding for the harbor expansion project and other issues warrants the bill. Brad Gilman spoke Monday at a committee of the whole meeting organized by Mayor Stephanie Scott. Scott had questions about the effectiveness of Gilman’s services […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Cozzi: Election change can’t happen this year
Though Haines Borough Assembly member Debra Schnabel said she is pushing to get a change in election procedures in place for the October municipal election, but clerk Julie Cozzi said such a goal is impossible. Even if the election ordinance passes according to schedule – it is set for a first public hearing Tuesday and adoption June 25 – […]
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Budget amended for museum, pool
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday approved changes to the manager’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, including keeping the pool open year-round and increasing funding to the Sheldon Museum. The assembly also voted for the manager to provide a revised budget reflecting a combined 8 percent cut to the library, administration, finance and assessment/land management departments. […]