During a special meeting convened Friday, the Haines Borough Assembly directed manager Mark Earnest to research cost estimates for burying power lines near the intersection of Front Street and the Old Haines Highway. Assembly members Norm Smith, Joanne Waterman and Steve Vick called the special meeting to discuss what Smith called the “power pole debacle.” Alaska Power and Telephone recently relocated several large power […]
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Budget: $12.2 million, reduction in tax rates
On a 4-2 vote, the Haines Borough Assembly approved its $12.2 million spending plan for the coming year Tuesday, including a reduction in the property tax rate inside and outside the townsite. Townsite landowners will pay 10.17 mills under the new budget, down from 10.79 mills last year. The base property tax rate outside the townsite was […]
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Manager contract talk heats up
Discussion of Haines Borough Manager Mark Earnest’s contract became heated Monday, prompting an assembly member to request police presence at the personnel committee meeting due to an “unruly” audience. Seven residents spoke at the meeting, with their complaints ranging from Earnest’s “ridiculous” amount of leave time to his perceived mishandling of borough issues. Annie Boyce voiced concerns […]
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Bury utility lines?
Utility lines strung along Main Street, Third Avenue and the waterfront are a concern for some Haines Borough Assembly members, but the path to getting those lines buried is unclear. Assembly member Debra Schnabel said Tuesday she was disheartened the borough didn’t pursue buried power lines on the construction project at Beach Road and Old Haines Highway. “I don’t […]
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Earnest contract talk Monday
The Haines Borough Personnel Committee will meet at 1 p.m. Monday to discuss manager Mark Earnest’s contract. The assembly voted at its Jan. 22 meeting to forward Earnest’s contract to the committee for review, after voting to give Earnest a “satisfactory” evaluation and extend his contract until June 2014. Assembly members Joanne Waterman, Steve Vick and Norm Smith comprise the personnel committee. […]
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Budget amended for museum, pool
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday approved changes to the manager’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, including keeping the pool open year-round and increasing funding to the Sheldon Museum. The assembly also voted for the manager to provide a revised budget reflecting a combined 8 percent cut to the library, administration, finance and assessment/land management departments. […]
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Appeals board upholds most Canary valuations
Members of the Haines Borough Assembly acting as the Board of Equalization (BOE) May 21 slogged through the second round of appeals for nearly four hours, tackling 14 cases of Haines residents unsatisfied with their 2013 property assessments. The board struggled to come to consensus several times, as only four board members were present, the minimum number […]
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Election change hits assembly opposition
Haines Borough Assembly members on Tuesday pulled from the agenda an ordinance aimed at changing assembly and school board election procedures. The ordinance, which was spearheaded by assembly member Debra Schnabel and scheduled for introduction Tuesday, would eliminate the current system in which candidates run against one another for designated, individual seats. Under the change, all candidate names would […]
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BOE upholds 24 assessments
Members of the Haines Borough Assembly acting as the Board of Equalization (BOE) Monday upheld 24 property assessments recommended by contract assessor Jim Canary. Canary said he and assistant assessor Dean Olsen have worked their way through about 100 appeals so far. The 24 cases heard at Monday’s hearing were largely the result of appellants not responding […]
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Assembly scratches $2,300 for new chairs
For assembly members, sitting around at meetings won’t be getting any easier. Members on Tuesday narrowly struck $2,300 from next year’s borough budget for new chairs around the dais. The assembly split 3-3 on the budget item, with Mayor Stephanie Scott breaking the tie with her vote to nix them. Members Steve Vick, Debra Schnabel and Joanne Waterman voted against the chairs; assembly […]