A ballot question to create a publicly funded solid waste program stalled Tuesday after the Haines Borough Assembly’s split vote. The proposed ordinance that would levy up-to-a-1-percent sales tax to pay for the program passed during its first public hearing after Mayor Jan Hill broke a 3-3 tie. Hill was absent from Tuesday’s meeting, attending an Alaska Municipal League meeting […]

The question of whether or not voters want to elect members of the planning commission, port and harbor advisory committee, public safety commission and tourism advisory board will appear on October’s ballot. Assembly member Tom Morphet circulated the ballot initiative petition during the past two weeks and collected the necessary 250 certified signatures by last […]

The Haines Borough Assembly narrowly advanced a ballot measure during its first public hearing Tuesday that would give voters the option to approve a 1 percent areawide sales tax increase to pay for a municipally managed solid waste program. The ordinance would provide for “regulation, operation and management of a municipal solid waste program that pays for […]

Presenting a range of alternative plans, being more objective and formulating processes for vetting ordinances and a feeling of mistrust between borough staff and the assembly were among the topics discussed during the assembly’s annual evaluation of borough manager Debra Schnabel. Four assembly members and Mayor Jan Hill met Wednesday to evaluate Schnabel’s performance. On the whole, assembly members […]

A Nevada pastor celebrating his wedding anniversary with a cruise to Alaska died at Glacier Point Monday after a canoe capsized during a trip with Skagway-based Alaska Excursions—a tour company that faced public scrutiny this spring when former employees alleged poor maintenance habits and unsafe tour practices. Steven Todd Willis, 50, was one of 10 […]

Haines Borough Assembly members needed more time to provide feedback for manager Debra Schnabel’s first evaluation. Assembly members were recently tasked with filling out an evaluation form with feedback on several questions about Schnabel’s performance since she started as manager in June 2017. Questions included identifying the manager’s strengths, performance areas that need improvement and […]

The Haines Borough Assembly narrowly approved introducing two ordinances for public hearings that, if advanced, would allow voters to decide whether or not they want to expand police services beyond the townsite. But which one voters will decide is drumming up debate reminiscent of consolidation. One ordinance would allow voters who live outside the townsite service area […]