The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously rejected Wednesday morning a proposal by architects and public facilities director Ed Coffland to pursue designs of a new 26,000 square foot public safety building south of the existing facility, characterizing the plans as too extravagant. Principal of Bettisworth North, Roy Rountree, presented a range of options to the assembly during a […]
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17 students quarantine after positive test result
Haines Glacier Bears basketball players and coaches are quarantining this week after boys head coach Tyler Swinton tested positive for the COVID-19 virus last week. The positive result was from a Feb. 22 test conducted in Haines, before the team traveled for games in Craig and Wrangell. It was not travel related, according to public […]
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12 applicants reviewed for manager job including Fullerton and Schnabel
The Haines Borough Assembly’s Personnel Committee reduced the list of manager applicants from 31 to 12 during a meeting held in executive session on Monday. The list includes four locals—interim manager and clerk Alekka Fullerton, former manager Debra Schnabel, Haines Borough school board member Brian Clay and new resident Michael York. By the Feb. 26 application deadline, the borough had received […]
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Heliski operators mark return of tourism
All three Haines heli-ski companies—Alaska Heliskiing, Alaska Mountain Guides (AMG) and Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures (SEABA)—are planning to operate this March. Operators have filed COVID-19 mitigation plans with the borough, but it’s unclear how many guests and guides will travel to Haines. One operator said they are keeping guests from traveling to town. This year, […]
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Study suggests borough to owe $500,000 if museum separates
The Haines Borough has received a report from the Haines Sheldon Museum PERS termination study conducted this winter. Based on the study, chief fiscal officer Jila Stuart estimates the borough will remain on the hook for roughly $500,000 over the next 18 years if the museum’s board of trustees moves forward with the plan to turn the […]
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GAS committee recommends lobbyist hire
The Haines Borough Assembly is taking steps to hire longtime lobbyist Ted Popely to represent the community’s interests in Juneau for somewhere in the $40,000-to-$90,000 range. At a meeting Tuesday night, the assembly’s Government Affairs and Services (GAS) committee voted 2-1 to recommend the full assembly take action to secure Popely’s services. Members Cheryl Stickler and Gabe […]
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Geotech team finishes gathering field data
A geotechnical team has been in Haines collecting field data about the stability of the Beach Road landslide area, with a findings report expected by the end of the month. Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT) technical engineer Travis Eckhoff, who is overseeing the work, said the team’s week-long visit, which ended Tuesday, was successful. “They […]
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Cruise lines cling to hope for 2021 season
The Haines Borough Assembly has asked interim manager Alekka Fullerton to draft a resolution welcoming small cruise ships to the community in preparation for its next regular meeting on March 9. “It’s really important that we put out something official because we have been contacted by some of the ships saying they want to come, but I […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted
Helen Tengs celebrated her 89th birthday this week. She spent Sunday having brunch with daughter Christy Tengs Fowler and niece Wendy Bergstrand. Helen also called old friends, including former Haines resident Dorothy Sele, who now lives in Washington state with son Darryl Sele, and Hazel Johnson, who came to Alaska with Helen decades ago and lives in Minneapolis. Helen’s son Tony Tengs also came […]
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Architect lists options for new Public Safety Building design
The Haines Borough is one step closer to a design for a new Public Safety Building. Last week, Bettisworth North Architects, Inc., the company contracted to plan and design the new building, submitted a list of potential design options, as well as a comprehensive list of spaces that could be included in the building and preliminary findings […]