The Haines Borough school board voted unanimously last week to allocate up to $280,000 to Dawson Construction for a roof to go over the paved basketball court and play area on the Haines School’s west side. The work will be done as a change order proposal to the school renovation project and funds will come from about $400,000 […]
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Top candidate for job at harbor turns it down
The Haines Borough will re-advertise its harbormaster job after its top candidate for the job – Ed Barrett of Whittier – turned down an offer of $65,000. Barrett was chosen over local candidates Ken Gross, Ellie Braaten and acting harbormaster Joe Parnell. Christian Racich, who most recently held the top job at the harbor, was paid $55,000. […]
Group proposes pedestrian signs
A committee appointed to develop new pedestrian signs for the borough has determined 13 locations for them and as many as 21 landmarks they’ll point to. As envisioned, the signs will be akin to signposts in Britain, with a dozen or more signs about the size of street signs – pointed on one end to […]
Borough officials lobby in D.C.
The Haines Borough recently spent $7,500 sending three leaders on a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. The money was well spent, according to Mayor Jan Hill, assemblyman Jerry Lapp and facilities manager Brad Maynard, who made the four-day trip. The group met with U.S.senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich and staff of U.S. Rep. Don Young. Other meetings included with U.S. […]
Fair gets borough funds for hall work Last-minute budget plea nets $175K
The Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday approved its $11.7 million budget for the coming year, including a $175,000 appropriation to the Southeast Alaska State Fair to help renovate Harriet Hall into a convention center. Discussion of the fair appropriation came at the last of three public hearings on the budget, following Gov. Sean Parnell’s veto of $277,000 […]
Veto ax kills fair funds, dock sale Residents opposed funding source for requests
Some residents opposed $2 million in state funding for Klukwan’s purchase of the Chilkat Cruises dock and vessel and $277,000 for renovation of the fair’s Harriett Hall as a convention center, staff to Gov. Sean Parnell’s budget director said this week. State Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, submitted the two requests to be funded from cruise ship […]
Second pipeline firm to give plans Tuesday
Representatives of one of two companies vying to build a natural gas pipeline paralleling the Alaska Highway will speak with Haines Borough leaders 5 p.m. Tuesday at the assembly chambers. That will be followed at 6:30 p.m. with an open house public meeting. The meetings are to provide an overview of the Alaska Pipeline Project and its […]
Assembly replaces borough attorney
The Haines Borough has hired new legal help. On the recommendation of manager Mark Earnest, the assembly voted 6-0 last month to dump the Anchorage firm of attorney Michael Gatti and hire Brooks Chandler of Boyd, Chandler and Falconer. Earnest told the assembly he’s worked with Chandler’s firm in his past manager positions and he described it as […]
Boy, 14, drowns within view of crowds at PC Dock beach
Haines Borough officials were scheduling a meeting this week among emergency responders, social workers, and school officials to make sure witnesses to a drowning Saturday at Port Chilkoot Dock have access to counseling. Andrew Williamson, 14, drowned in about 10 feet of water 100 feet offshore on a warm afternoon as 50 or more people at […]
Increased assessments are form of tax
I recently spoke at a borough meeting about increased assessments placing an undue burden on taxpayers when mill rates are left the same. I likened the situation to 20 years’ worth of tax increases in just three years. The assembly seemed unable to grasp the concept. Spelled out, it looks like this: According to local […]
