The region’s dry conditions prompted the Haines Borough to issue a mandatory water restriction on Tuesday, prohibiting lawn sprinklers until further notice. The restriction does not prohibit watering flower and vegetable gardens, but the borough encourages people to use hand watering and drip irrigation methods. To enforce the restriction, by code the borough can turn people’s water […]
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Posted inNews
July 4th draws crowd
Hot, sunny weather drew crowds to Haines’ Independence Day festivities. The day started with a hotly contested Mount Ripinsky Race. In the women’s category, Sarah Elliot broke her own women’s record, finishing in first with a time of 30:40 seconds. Alissa Henry finished second in 38:40. In the men’s race, two 17-year-olds finished within 30 seconds of […]
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Fire ban snuffs business
Fire danger over the Fourth of July holiday doused the scheduled fireworks display in Haines and cost local pyrotechnician Phil Wilde up to $20,000 in lost profit. On June 27, the Alaska Department of Public Safety instituted a burn ban in much of the state, including suspending the sale and use of fireworks, due to […]
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Heat, smoke stifle the Chilkat Valley
Haines residents are combating record heat by scrambling to purchase shorts, ice cream and the town’s supply of fans. On July 6, thermometers reached 90 degrees for the first time since 1975 – 27 degrees hotter than average for the day – as residents struggled to cope with a heat wave. “Every day people come […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Assembly again will consider expanded police service area
Policing outside of the townsite could be on the October ballot once again, one year after Mud Bay, Lutak and Haines Highway voters rejected raising property taxes to create a separate police service area in their neighborhoods. On July 8, the borough’s Public Safety Commission voted 2-1 to recommend the assembly introduce an ordinance that would add […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Borough Briefs
Quarterly sales tax collections down Sales tax collections submitted to the Haines Borough for the first quarter of 2019 are down 3.6 percent, or $17,000, from the same quarter last year. Borough manager Debra Schnabel said the reasons for the dip are a poor heliskiing season, costing the borough about $8,000, and the borough assembly’s decision to no longer […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Borough Briefs
Hearing set for solid waste proposal The Haines Borough Assembly introduced a taxpayer-funded solid waste management program ordinance along with a ballot measure that would increase borough sales tax by 1 percent to pay for the operation, maintenance and enforcement of the program that is estimated to cost between $350,000 to $450,000. The revenue would, in part, […]
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Research: proposed mine tailings ordinance will not be effective
A proposed ordinance aimed at limiting storage of hazardous liquids within one mile of waterways will not meet its intended goal of regulating a mine tailings dam, according to the borough attorney and an environmental consultant. On June 26, borough manager Debra Schnabel, public facilities director Brad Ryan, assembly member Will Prisciandaro, borough attorney Brooks Chandler […]
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High bidder for harbor project complains to assembly
On June 27, borough staff recommended the assembly proceed with awarding a harbor project to low-bidder Hamilton Construction. But the assembly took no action after public facilities director Brad Ryan removed himself from further discussion following allegations against him by the losing bidder and as a former assembly member accused that same bidder of inappropriately […]
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Borough will release RFP for wood chipper
The Haines Borough Assembly has taken a step towards purchasing a wood chipper, its next move in a multi-year borough discussion about converting of public buildings from burning diesel to biomass for heating. The assembly voted unanimously June 27 to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a wood chipper, which would be used to produce fuel […]