Concerns about Haines Borough Police chief Gary Lowe include a Feb. 15 incident in which he allegedly screamed obscenities at an employee during a discussion about leave, and allegations that Lowe trained a Taser beam on officers’ chests on two separate occasions. Further, a letter the employee sent to assembly members March 13 alleges Lowe has a five-year history […]
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Former bear monitor rejected for tour permit
The Haines Borough Assembly denied a request Tuesday from former bear monitor Shannon Donahue to begin small-scale bear-viewing tours along the Chilkoot River. The assembly split 3-3 on the decision to deny the permit proposed by Donahue. Assembly members Joanne Waterman, Steve Vick and Jerry Lapp voted to award the permit; Debra Schnabel, Dave Berry and Norm Smith were opposed. Mayor Stephanie Scott broke the tie with […]
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Nonprofit funding request process changed
The Haines Borough Assembly is changing its process for doling out funds to local nonprofits, and will be capping allocations from the general fund at $80,000 in its 2014 budget. Borough manager Mark Earnest also will decide how much money to set aside for nonprofits from several other funds, including the tourism and economic development fund, medical service area […]
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‘Corrective action’ for Lowe
The Haines Borough Assembly directed the manager during a March 12 special meeting to “apply corrective action” to address the assembly’s concerns about police chief Gary Lowe’s behavior during a March 5 assembly meeting. “Appropriate public comments in dealing with personnel matters” and “appreciation for a respectful relationship between law enforcement and the media” were the two […]
Posted inNews, Alaska Marine Highway System
Borough’s ferry plan response
The Haines Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to establish an ad-hoc, three-person committee to follow issues related to the Alaska-class ferries, following the release of draft design plans for the two shuttle ferries last week by the Alaska Department of Transportation. Borough nominees for the committee to date include assembly member Joanne Waterman, borough planning commissioner Robert Venables, and […]
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Meetings scheduled
Lack of a quorum cancelled Tuesday’s scheduled meeting of the Haines Borough Assembly. Members Norm Smith, Joanne Waterman and Jerry Lapp were absent. Tuesday’s meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 5. A regular meeting also is scheduled for March 12. A meeting that would have been held Feb. 12 was canceled and rescheduled in advance, due to anticipated absences.
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Assembly to review executive sessions
A Jan. 22 closed-door meeting of the Haines Borough Assembly may have violated Alaska’s Open Meetings Act and borough code, according to borough officials. Assembly members met as a committee of the whole prior to the regular assembly meeting and effectively extended borough manager Mark Earnest’s contract until July 2014 by determining he achieved a “satisfactory” performance […]
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Contract includes 48 days of leave
In June 2012, Haines Borough Assembly member Debra Schnabel asked Mayor Stephanie Scott for a report on manager Mark Earnest’s accrued and used leave. Schnabel was concerned about Earnest’s frequent absences. Schnabel learned Earnest hadn’t come close to depleting the paid time off his contract allows. According to his $108,000 annual contract, Earnest may take 48 paid days off per year, not […]
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What’s up with local gas price?
Motorists may get a break in what they’re paying at the pump with the arrival of a fuel barge here in 10 days. Or not. Haines Borough Assembly member Dave Berry raised the issue of gas prices at this week’s assembly meeting, asking why they’re not dropping the way they are in the Lower 48. “It’s […]
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Earnest scores a ‘satisfactory’
The Haines Borough Assembly gave manager Mark Earnest a “satisfactory” evaluation Tuesday, a decision that came during an executive session at a committee of the whole meeting. Mayor Stephanie Scott announced the decision during the regular assembly meeting that followed the closed-door session, but did not elaborate. Based on interviews after the meetings, it appears the satisfactory determination relied heavily on […]