Despite written opposition, the Haines Borough Assembly chambers overflowed with impassioned testimonies Tuesday evening in support of a draft ordinance that would ban underwater storage of hazardous material within 1 mile of any surface water.  More than 20 fishermen, conservationists and business operators asked the assembly to support the ordinance, proposed by assembly member and fisherman Will […]

An ordinance that would ban the distribution of non-compostable plastic shopping bags in the Haines Borough was introduced by the assembly on April 23. If approved, the draft ordinance would take effect January 1, 2020, to give businesses time to transition. Plastic bags used to package bulk items such as produce, nuts, candy or leaking products are […]

By Jenna Kunze Fifteen residents defended the Haines swimming pool against seasonal closure at the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee last week. Local swimmers expressed that the pool serves all ages, helps provide essential life-saving skills and promotes mental and physical health. Earlier this month, assembly member Brenda Josephson suggested summer closure of the pool […]

Last week, Haines Borough Planning Commission chair Don Turner III resigned over a last- minute rewrite to an ordinance the commission worked on for more than two years. Other commissioners also expressed frustration that the ordinance they drafted to regulate resource extraction was changed last week by borough planner Holly Smith to address assembly and public concerns. […]

The borough manager’s draft budget was brought to life Tuesday when 11 department heads pitched assembly members on operations and goals. “Budgets really are a numerical way to talk about what people do, and I thought this was an important thing for all of us,” borough manager Debra Schnabel said afterward. “It’s important for assembly members to […]

Four hours before the Haines Borough Planning Commission was set to hear a conditional use permit application for a heliport at 26 Mile, the applicant Big Salmon Ventures withdrew the application, citing lack of commissioners at the meeting. In 2011, the Planning Commission denied Big Salmon Ventures’ heli-port application. In 2014, they approved a one-year permit while the borough […]

It starts with a generic question. A one-liner email appears in your inbox from what appears to be Haines Borough Mayor Jan Hill. “Are you available?” The recipient responds. It escalates. “The Mayor says, ‘I’m in a bind. I’m stuck in Juneau and I lost my wallet, can you do me the favor of going and getting gift cards and […]

An ordinance that would prohibit underwater storage of hazardous materials within one mile of any surface body of water in the Haines Borough was introduced to the assembly by its newest member Will Prisciandaro on Tuesday. Hazardous materials are defined under Alaska statute as “waste that exhibits the characteristic of toxicity, persistence, or carcinogenicity.” “This will regulate […]