Alaska Gov. Bill Walker’s last-minute education cuts will cost Haines about $265,000, but most of that will be borne by the Haines Borough, not the school district. Borough chief fiscal officer Jila Stuart said Walker vetoed 25 percent of the state’s reimbursement for recent school projects, amounting to a $225,207 cut that will be absorbed by […]
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Posted inNews
Borough worker raises OK’d: $351K
The Haines Borough will spend an additional $351,600 on its employees over the course of the next three years following the assembly’s ratification of a new labor contract Tuesday. That’s on top of the $4.12 million the borough is currently spending on its employees’ wages, health insurance and other miscellaneous expenses like retirement, according to chief fiscal […]
Posted inNews
Borough’s attorney backs Dimok decision
The Haines Borough administration is standing its ground on a decision to hold Canada-based company Dimok Timber to the same sales tax requirements as local businesses. Dimok stopped delivering wood to Haines after the borough demanded the company remit sales tax and obtain a business license. Company owner John Clunies-Ross appealed to manager Bill Seward, asking him […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly dumps tour tax vote
Going against the recommendation of its own committee, the Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday decided not to ask voters about repealing the town’s 1 percent sales tax for tourism and economic development on the October ballot. Several residents and tour operators turned out to rally in favor of the 1 percent tax’s benefits to the community, including Alaska […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Foundation donation bought carpet
The Friends of the Haines Borough Public Library would like to acknowledge the Chilkat Valley Community Foundation for once again demonstrating their value to, and support of our community. At the library, in the story-hour corner of the kids’ room, is a sun motif. Since its installation, 47,500 little bums have planted themselves on that 12-foot square […]
Posted inNews
Borough seen as regional pilot for wood chip heat
The revised Haines Borough biomass project was characterized as a pilot project for small towns throughout Southeast at a Monday meeting where a federal official announced a $92,136 grant to the municipality to pay for a project log splitter and wood chipper. The project, funded by $1.4 million in grants, recently shifted focus from wood pellets to […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Training offered to assembly hopefuls
Interested in running for local office? The Haines Borough wants to make sure you know what you’re in for. For the first time, the clerk’s office will hold a brief “training” for residents considering a run for one of the two assembly seats open this fall. The event, which will include a question-and-answer session with a small […]
Posted inNews
Buzz-in entry at borough defeated
On a 4-2 vote, the Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday rejected Bill Seward’s proposal to install a buzz-in security door at the administration building. Assembly members Diana Lapham and Mike Case voted against the motion, saying they didn’t want to “micromanage” Seward. In a recorded interview with the CVN last week, Seward detailed plans to redesign the […]
Posted inNews
Seward: Beef up security at office
Following a confrontation between two residents and a Haines Borough employee last week, manager Bill Seward is looking to implement a new security entrance at the borough administration building where visitors would need to be buzzed in. Seward directed facilities maintenance technician Ed Bryant to sketch drawings for the redesigned entrance, which would involve separate doors for […]
Posted inNews
Manager delays harbor job, for a moment
Less than seven hours after postponing the Small Boat Harbor expansion project, Haines Borough Manager Bill Seward retracted the directive and gave the project the green light to continue. A bit before 9 a.m. Wednesday, Seward sent an email to public facilities director Brad Ryan directing him to postpone the project and inform stakeholders of the decision. […]