The Haines Borough Assembly voted 5-1 to place a proposition on the fall ballot that would reallocate one-half percent of tax proceeds distributed to the tourism and economic development fund to the borough’s areawide general fund. Currently, a cumulative 5.5 percent sales tax revenue is allocated across five departments: 1 percent to economic development, 1.5 percent to […]
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Posted inNews, Public Safety
Should the assembly be in charge of police chief?
The assembly voted 5-1 on July 18 to elevate the Haines Borough chief of police position to a borough officer. That would put the chief directly under the supervision of the assembly instead of the borough manager. At least one assembly member has criticized the move as leading to politicization of the police department. The chief of […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Borough Briefs
HEDC compiles studies The Haines Economic Development Corporation will dust off and compile borough studies and surveys completed in the past for a potential baseline economic study. “Over the years this community’s spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on plans,” board member Mike Ward said at their Oct. 19 meeting. “I wonder how many plans […]
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Electricity bills set to rise
This is the second in a series of stories about how Gov. Mike Dunleav’s vetoes will affect Haines residents. After the statewide Power Cost Equalization (PCE) subsidy was defunded starting July 1, customers of Alaska Power and Telephone (AP&T) can expect minimal cost increases, while customers of Inside Passage Electric Cooperative (IPEC) may experience substantially […]
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Boroughwide policing back on the table
The Haines Borough Assembly voted 4-2 to advance a charter amendment that would again put the question of boroughwide policing on the October ballot. The ordinance would amend the charter to make it legal for police to respond to calls for help from Lutak, Mud Bay, and the Haines Highway- a job they’ve already been doing in cases […]
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Water restrictions lifted, partial burn ban remains
After last week’s rainy weather, the Haines Borough has lifted its water restrictions, though the burn ban remains in place with some modifications. The restrictions, which prohibited Haines residents from watering lawns with sprinklers, were canceled on Friday. The Haines Volunteer Fire Department announced modifications to the burn ban last Wednesday, allowing burn barrels with a screen […]
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Borough to pay $450,336 for school debt reimbursement
The borough is set to pay $450,336 for school debt this year, bond payments which had largely been covered by the state since 2005. On Monday, the Alaska House Finance Committee passed a bill reversing $92 million of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s $444 million in vetoes, but failed to reverse the governor’s veto of $48.9 million […]
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Borough cancels woodchipper RFP
The Haines Borough is no longer in the market for a wood chipper. The borough is relinquishing nearly $100,000 in grant money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, after the agency informed the borough that a wood chipper bought with the funds could not be used for any commercial activities other than making fuel for a municipal […]
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Hamilton awarded $4.7 million bid
The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously voted to award the $4.7 million Portage Cover boat launch project to Skagway-based company Hamilton Construction in a special meeting. The project includes a two-lane boat launch ramp, parking lot and harbor park. At a July 23 meeting, the borough assembly voted to postpone three of the smaller projects included in the […]
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Commission recommends Turner
On Thursday, the planning commission recommended that the borough assembly appoint Don Turner II to fill the seat previously held by his son, Don Turner III. For three months the planning commission received no applications to fill the seat the younger Turner vacated in April. “No one else had applied for it, and I am […]