The Haines Borough Assembly passed a $12 million spending plan for the coming year on June 13, adding in money for Jenae’s Playground and grants to nonprofits while approving its first full-time, paid fire chief position. The budget includes $2 million for local schools, almost $300,000 for the swimming pool, $88,000 for parks, and $54,000 for road […]
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Borough to take close look at sheet-metal breakwater
The Haines Borough Assembly this week approved $136,000 to check the integrity of its 633-foot metal wave barrier. Built in 2017, the steel wall was centerpiece of the borough’s $20 million harbor expansion project. Harbormaster Shawn Bell said in an interview that the inspection is a routine one prescribed by the “owner’s manual” that came with the […]
Posted inLetters
Stand with Klukwan, Salmon Strong
Permanently storing toxic mine waste near the Klehini River? Many thanks to Haines Borough Assembly Members Debra Schnabel and Ben Aultman-Moore for hand digging through a pile of double speak and conflicts of interest. Might Dowa-Alaska’s new proposal for drilling and seismic testing near the Klehini River relate to siting a future mine tailings facility? After about ten minutes […]
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Assembly rejects call to extend comment period
By Lee Zion About 40 people showed up for the Haines Borough Assembly meeting Thursday night, most of them seeking the same thing. They wanted to slow down the process of modifying the permit for mining exploration at the Palmer Project. Residents felt the permit amendment was so different from the original project that it should be […]
Posted inLetters
Road building and seismic blasting
I moved to Haines because I love fishing, recreating, and this incredible subsistence lifestyle that exists nowhere else. I make my money remotely and put most of my earnings into the Haines economy. I am one of the types of people that the community has identified as location neutral in order to “create year-round economy.” […]
Posted inLetters
Mining exploration seeks expansion
A mining prospect near the headwaters of the Chilkat River is attempting to amend its permit application and expand operations. The public has been granted an additional two weeks to comment on the issue. The Palmer Project, led by Constantine Mining LLC, is a mineral exploration project targeting copper, zinc, gold and silver. The Palmer Project’s latest […]
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Assembly to discuss lobbying for new phone book
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday directed a committee to consider lobbying Alaska Power and Telephone to resume the printing of its phone book similar to its 2017 version. That version was divided by communities rather than a final consolidated version that was printed in 2021. A press release from the company at the time instructed customers to […]
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Special election set to elect planning commission
A special election that will ask voters whether the planning commission should be elected will be held June 6. Tom Morphet and nine other sponsors of the petition garnered 317 of the required 260 signatures to get the question on the ballot. A positive vote would make the seven-member body elected to three-year staggered terms. […]
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Assembly Briefs
Borough discusses AIDEA support for Lutak Dock Haines Borough department heads met Aug. 27 with representatives from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) to discuss Lutak Dock repair needs. AIDEA is a state-funded entity with a stated mission of diversifying the Alaska economy and creating jobs “by facilitating the financing of industrial, manufacturing and energy facilities, infrastructure, […]
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Fair works to reschedule Juneau Drag act to later time
The Southeast Alaska State Fair is working to reschedule Juneau Drag to a later time slot at the fair after the board received opposition from some residents about the event. In addition to writing letters to the fair board, residents spoke both in opposition and in support of the drag show during public comment at […]