Engineer: Plan could create ‘confused seas’ An independent engineer reviewing the design of the Small Boat Harbor expansion says work done to date by PND Engineers is “thorough and well done,” but says the municipality should consider moving the planned entrance. The change would add about $1 million to the estimated $30 million cost of […]
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Splitting of mayor’s duties OK’d
Can the Haines Borough Mayor vote in a meeting without presiding over it as chair? Mayor Jan Hill did that on Dec. 29, casting two important tie-breaking votes after turning over the chair to deputy Mayor Diana Lapham. Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer said she looked into it and doesn’t believe anything illegal occurred. Lapham chaired the meeting at the request of Hill, […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Involvement is not compliance
At the Dec. 15 Haines Borough Assembly session, the always impeccably coiffed Mayor Jan Hill redefined “bad hair day” with her invective against citizen activists. The Mayor read her “prepared statement” with commanding presence, accusing citizens of being “contentious” and “hateful.” I commend this great example of exercising free speech rights – to contest others’ rights as she implored citizens “…must stop […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Important to honor mentors
At the Haines Borough Assembly meeting on Jan. 12, Mayor Jan Hill joined Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama in proclaiming January as Mentoring Month. It can seem routine, as every month seems to belong to somebody. But shining a light on the need for adults who can foster a one-to-one relationship with a child […]
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Thomas will lobby Legislature for Haines Borough
The Haines Borough Assembly on Dec. 29 authorized acting manager Julie Cozzi to draw up a $45,000, one-year lobbying contract with former state Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines. Mayor Jan Hill broke a 3-3 assembly tie on whether to contract with Thomas. “You are not going to find another lobbyist who is going to represent Haines better than Bill Thomas,” Hill […]
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Assembly hires Ryan as manager at $96K
Following an hour-long executive session, the Haines Borough Assembly voted 4-2 on Dec. 29 to make facilities director Brad Ryan interim municipal manager at pay equivalent to $96,000 per year. Members George Campbell and Diana Lapham were opposed. Under terms of a letter of agreement, Ryan will continue to also perform functions of his facilities position. In […]
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Planners seeking review of trailers
The Haines Borough Planning Commission is recommending Mayor Jan Hill appoint a committee to dig into the issue of commercial trailers. “We really don’t have anything in code that addresses this, and it’s something I think we need to address,” commission chair Rob Goldberg said. Commercial trailers have been popping up around Haines in recent years: a scooter rental business […]
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Year marked by citizen involvement
Heightened citizen participation marked 2015, a year in which residents challenged municipal leaders on a range of issues, and seemingly small matters spawned prolonged debates. Harbor expansion plans and a proposed minor offenses ordinance touched off months of give-and-take, but residents also raised questions about borough meeting procedures, funding for studies of helicopter noise and […]
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Executive sessions close door on public
In the past month, the Haines Borough Assembly and its committees have met four times in closed-door sessions. According to a public notice, the assembly’s Personnel Committee may go into another executive session Friday to discuss interim manager applications, bringing that number to five. Some assembly members have questioned the practice or expressed concern about the lack […]
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Committee reshuffled
The Haines Borough Personnel Committee is playing musical chairs following a realization that the committee can only have three assembly members – not four – according to borough code. The make-up of the committee came under scrutiny after a recent vote to recommend Mayor Jan Hill serve as acting manager for a month. An examination of code revealed the committee […]