The Tourism Advisory Board is unanimously recommending that the Haines Borough Assembly pass a resolution in favor of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. increasing its number of port calls to Haines in future years. The board met for the first time in roughly a month and a half to discuss RCCL prospects with Haines tourism director Steven Auch. […]
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Posted inLetters to the Editor
Time to defend borough facilities
During the May 5 Haines Borough Assembly budget discussion, manager Debra Schnabel presented a budget proposal to close the Sheldon Museum to the public for one year and close the public library one month per year, while eliminating four part-time positions there. Several assembly members also would eliminate Chilkat Center funding. No commensurate cuts are proposed to staff at […]
Posted inNews
Assembly considers year-long museum closure
A new budget draft discussed at Tuesday’s Haines Borough Assembly meeting proposes cuts including a one-month closure of the library and a year-long closure of the museum. The assembly has yet to officially adopt the new draft. It will have the opportunity to do so at its next meeting on May 12. Borough manager Debra Schnabel drafted the new […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly approves $3,000 chamber request
The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously approved at its Tuesday meeting the Haines Chamber of Commerce’s request for $3,000 and declined to discuss a $20,000 request from the Alaska Avalanche Information Center. Prior to the meeting, both organizations had submitted funding requests for assembly consideration. The chamber has lost revenue with the loss of its pull-tab operation due […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly requests new budget with more cuts to offset sales tax loss
On Tuesday, the Haines Borough Assembly introduced the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and began discussion of changes necessary to reflect the stark revenue realities of COVID-19. Borough manager Debra Schnabel’s budget estimates a 40% reduction in sales tax revenue for this year and makes a series of cuts to offset the reduction, including […]
Posted inNews
Winery clears hurdle in permitting process
A winery is making its way through the permitting process. Last week, the Haines Borough Assembly unanimously approved the liquor license application for the Three Northmen winery owned by Chris Thorgesen, Jeremy Groves and Chad Clark. The proposed winery will be located behind Alaska Wild Bear Photography, across the street from the bank, according to a diagram […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly rejects ordinance for quarantine enforcement
On Tuesday, the Haines Borough Assembly rejected an ordinance that would have given the borough the ability to enforce its recommended 14-day quarantine requirement. At a meeting on March 24, the assembly passed a resolution requiring people entering the borough to quarantine for 14 days with exemptions for workers traveling to support critical infrastructure. To have their […]
Posted inNews
2020 property assessments incur the wrath of residents
This year’s property tax assessments have generated more ire than usual among Haines residents. Many have complained about a spike in assessed property value as the world braces for an economic downturn. Resident Christopher Thorgesen, who owns a number of properties throughout Haines, said he received a stack of property assessment notifications on March 30, […]
Posted inNews
Haines asks state for autonomy in COVID-19 response
Haines Borough has asked the governor’s administration for a waiver allowing the community to set more restrictive social-distancing measures to promote community safety. At a town hall meeting Tuesday, borough manager and Emergency Operations Center incident commander Debra Schnabel said the borough has taken this step in response to concerns raised by community members about workers from […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Outside workers not ‘essential’
I encourage residents to contact Haines Borough Assembly members, Mayor Jan Hill and manager Debra Schnabel and urge them not to exempt from 14-day quarantine workers arriving from outside our community to work on elective construction projects like the harbor expansion. The existing harbor works fine for now. Expanding the harbor is a project we’ve delayed for decades. There’s no good public […]