The Haines Borough Assembly voted to send a letter requesting the legislature allocate funds to cover service gaps after the breakdown of the Matanuska, the last state ferry serving many Southeast communities. The decision emerged from a discussion about the possibility of borough-subsidized ferry service at the Feb. 11 assembly meeting. Borough manager Debra Schnabel said she added the […]
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Posted inNews, Alaska Marine Highway System
Foul weather highlights need for ferries
After ferry mechanical issues and record-breaking snowfall over the weekend, stranded residents had to come up with a creative solution to get home. On Sunday, Jan. 26, there was no way in or out of Haines. Flights had been canceled throughout the week as a storm system dumped more than 50 inches of snow downtown. […]
Posted inNews
Cruise ship company considers Haines
Haines tourism director Steven Auch will travel to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) headquarters on Feb. 25 to pitch Haines as part of efforts to increase cruise-ship revenue after the loss of nearly three-quarters of Holland America’s business. Last year, Holland America announced that it was cutting sailings to Haines, causing concern in the local […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Online sales net more than $70,000 in 2019
In Haines, it will soon be impossible to escape sales tax, even online. On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Haines Borough Assembly introduced an ordinance that would adopt the Alaska remote sellers sales tax code. The code, created by the Alaska Remote Sellers Tax commission, applies Haines sales tax rates to online sellers (like Amazon and Netflix) who […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
PRAC to promote avalanche safety
The Haines Borough Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee will discuss buying avalanche safety equipment for public loan and how to increase avalanche awareness, safety and education with the community. Committee member Scott Sundberg, a former co-owner of a heli-ski company, brought the idea to the group last week. He said he wanted to raise the issue because […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly rejects taxes, leans toward cuts to close expected budget gap
Funding priorities in the upcoming budget cycle for the Haines Borough Assembly include education and public safety. For everything else, funding levels are negotiable, assembly member Paul Rogers said. An assembly meeting last week with borough department heads and Nils Andreassen, executive director for the Alaska Municipal League (AML), focused on ways the borough can accommodate state […]
Posted inNews
U.S. census begins hiring for count
The United States 2020 census is recruiting local hires this month, with the decennial population count in Haines to begin in March.The U.S. Census Bureau is advertising a $28-$31 hourly wage with flexible hours. Individuals can apply online at https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html. Barb Miranda of the U.S. Census Bureau in Juneau said that local hires will be responsible […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly to solicit interest for vacant seat
The Haines Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to solicit letters of interest to fill its sixth seat left vacant by Sean Maidy last month. Immediately following the Dec. 10 assembly meeting, Maidy resigned his seat over a dispute over charter amendment. “I resigned because I cannot be a party to an assembly who willingly and knowingly violates their […]
Posted inNews
New data quantifies 2019 tour season
From May through September last year, 85,330 people toured the Chilkat Valley by four-wheeler, boat, bus, bike, plane or on their own feet, according to data collected by the borough for the first time. In late 2018, the Haines Borough Assembly amended borough code to require tour operators to submit annual customer numbers based on location by […]
Posted inNews
Maidy resigns over charter interpretation
Haines Borough Assembly member Sean Maidy resigned Tuesday, following the assembly’s 4-2 approval of a resolution interpreting charter to specifically allow for areawide emergency police service. “I resigned because I cannot be a party to an assembly who willingly and knowingly violates their own charter,” Maidy told the CVN after the meeting. He emailed his […]