The Haines Borough Assembly took $65,000 originally earmarked for the area’s nonprofit organizations out of limbo, and approved the appropriations Tuesday. That reverses a 4-3 decision on Aug. 23 to table that appropriation decision for at least three months. Concerns about the borough’s $450,000 deficit prompted the decision to table the appropriations. “Taxpayers I’ve talked to … […]
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Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Borough offers forestry office, car
Haines Borough Manager Bill Seward this week offered office “space, utilities and transportation” for five years to the state’s Division of Forestry in response to plans to close the Haines forestry office. Seward made the offer Tuesday in a meeting with state forester Chris Maisch attended by Mayor Jan Hill, facilities director Brad Ryan, assemblyman Ron Jackson […]
Posted inNews
Assembly holds off on nonprofit funding
The Haines Borough Assembly stalled appropriations for local nonprofits Tuesday, delaying discussion of any funding for three months. The group also adopted new rules for making changes to commercial heli-ski maps used by tour operators. Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer urged the group to officially designate $32,500 in assembly appropriations in the general fund, $15,000 in the medical […]
Posted inNews
Turner wins award for supporting town
The Haines Borough Assembly meeting on Tuesday kicked off with an exceptional amount of back-patting, including the presentation of a new award created by police chief Heath Scott. Scott, who started on the job July 18, gave the first “Exceptional Service in Support of the Community Award” to Don Turner. “I know I’m the new guy, but […]
Posted inNews
Assembly comment time mulled
Audience members who ask questions and voice concerns during the public comment period at the beginning of Haines Borough Assembly meetings could soon be hearing responses from elected leaders. Traditionally, members of the public are invited to comment, but assembly members do not immediately reply. During a July 27 meeting, for example, Don Highsmith asked questions about […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Few turn out for assembly training day
A new program aimed at training residents contemplating a run for Haines Borough Assembly drew little interest this week, with three members of the public attending the Monday session led by Mayor Jan Hill and clerk Julie Cozzi. Leonard Dubber, Judy Erekson and Debra Schnabel turned out. Erekson said in an interview after the meeting she was “fairly committed” to running for […]
Posted inNews
Borough worker raises OK’d: $351K
The Haines Borough will spend an additional $351,600 on its employees over the course of the next three years following the assembly’s ratification of a new labor contract Tuesday. That’s on top of the $4.12 million the borough is currently spending on its employees’ wages, health insurance and other miscellaneous expenses like retirement, according to chief fiscal […]
Posted inNews
Buzz-in entry at borough defeated
On a 4-2 vote, the Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday rejected Bill Seward’s proposal to install a buzz-in security door at the administration building. Assembly members Diana Lapham and Mike Case voted against the motion, saying they didn’t want to “micromanage” Seward. In a recorded interview with the CVN last week, Seward detailed plans to redesign the […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Power players control harbor project
While code violations have certainly occurred, we don’t need them to tell us the harbor expansion process has been extremely flawed. Common sense tells us this clearly. We wouldn’t have this uproar if the public, and the borough groups – planning, parks and recreation and tourism – had been properly included from the beginning. At the […]
Posted inAlaska Marine Highway System, News
Borough OKs $10K for ferry plan
The Haines Borough Assembly last week unanimously agreed to contribute $10,000 to a joint effort between the state and a regional economic development organization for creation of a 25-year strategic plan for a sustainable ferry system. Gov. Bill Walker recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Southeast Conference to draft a long-term plan for the Alaska Marine […]