Less than a week after the Aug. 20 filing deadline, two candidates have withdrawn from the Haines Borough Assembly and school board races—Tresham Gregg from the assembly race and Sara Chapell from the school board contest. Chapell’s withdrawal means the four remaining candidates—school board member Brian Clay, school board president Anne Marie Palmieri, high school senior Lydia Andriesen and Tiffany DeWitt—are guaranteed seats […]
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Posted inNews, Elections
Six candidates running for four assembly seats with two days left to file
As of Wednesday morning, Cheryl D. Stickler, Jerry Lapp, Carol Tuynman, Helen Alten and Caitie Kirby are the latest candidates to confirm their candidacy for assembly seats before Thursday’s Aug. 20 deadline. There are two three-year and two one-year assembly seats up for election in October, with six candidates running for four seats. Assembly incumbent Brenda […]
Posted inNews
Town hall cancellation delays manager hire
Three months after the firing of manager Debra Schnabel, Haines Borough officials have yet to begin the process of hiring a permanent replacement. In July, the assembly decided to solicit community input on the role of the manager before moving forward with the hiring. A town hall meeting on the subject was scheduled for Aug. 6 but was […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Doug Olerud running for mayor
Business owner and former borough assembly member Doug Olerud is running for Mayor in this October’s municipal election. Olerud owns and manages the Alaska Sport Shop and served on the former city council and assembly for nine years. He said recent challenges facing the borough due to the pandemic, along with public support, motivated him to seek […]
Posted inNews
2 measures will likely be on the Oct. 6 ballot
This fall, the Haines Borough ballot will likely ask voters to make decisions about two proposals: a plan to draw $450,000 from the borough’s permanent fund to offset unexpected costs associated with school bond debt and a charter amendment allowing police emergency response outside the townsite. The July 28 assembly meeting was the deadline for introducing an […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Candidate filing period opens Aug. 1
The filing period for elected office in the Haines Borough opens Aug. 1, with an Aug. 20 deadline. This year, positions up for election include the Mayor, four school board seats and four on the assembly. Borough clerk and intern manager Alekka Fullerton said she’s noticed increased interest in running. “This year, six or seven people have asked me when […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Taxpayer-funded garbage collection back on the table, again
Discussions about a taxpayer-funded garbage collection will be revived for the third time in as many years if the assembly approves the commerce committee’s recommendation this week to reconvene the solid waste working group. On Tuesday, the commerce committee discussed advancing a 2018 draft ordinance that would increase sales tax up to 1% to pay […]
Posted inNews
Assembly may hold town hall on role of borough manager
The public may have an opportunity to weigh in on the Haines Borough’s next manager. After a meeting July 1, the assembly’s personnel committee is recommending the full assembly solicit community input before moving forward with the hiring process. The borough has been without a permanent manager since the assembly fired Debra Schnabel on May 19. Borough […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Draw your own conclusions
I’ve noticed a lot of letters from people I never heard of (and I’ve lived here for more than 50 years), protesting the firing of the most recent borough manager. Prior to this firing, the previous assembly saw fit to fire a retired, flag ranked U.S. Coast Guard officer. While serving, he had been the […]
Posted inNews
Volunteers rally for food security, Mosquito Lake Community Center
About 60 volunteers helped cultivate a new community garden Saturday at the Mosquito Lake Community Center. Organizer Erika Merklin has been trying to reinvigorate the building since earlier this year. She envisions the former Mosquito Lake School to be a multipurpose community center that offers child care services, gardening and fitness classes and, most importantly, […]