The Haines Borough Personnel Committee will take up the issue of whether to tighten public access to personnel records, including employee evaluations and job applications. The assembly forwarded the ordinance, which had its first public hearing Tuesday, to the personnel committee for review. If passed, the ordinance would make performance evaluations and job applications of many borough […]
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Posted inNews
Borough may get help on manager hire
The Haines Borough Assembly appears to be leaning toward hiring a headhunting firm to find the municipality’s next manager, but assembly members still want some details hammered out first. The assembly met Monday as a committee of the whole to discuss how to move forward with the hiring of a new manager. Manager Mark Earnest said last week he’d […]
Posted inNews
Earnest says he’s leaving
The Haines Borough Assembly on Wednesday approved 5-1 the resignation of manager Mark Earnest. Member Norm Smith, a longtime Earnest critic, opposed the motion without comment. “I truly want to spend more time with my wife and son. I’ve been missing a good part of his development and maturity and it’s becoming very important to me now,” Earnest said […]
Posted inHaines Borough, News
Assembly approves community donations
On a 5-1 vote, the Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday approved more than $100,000 in grants to local non-profits. The borough had set aside about $130,000 for gift-giving. Contributions from the borough’s general fund included Haines Friends of Recycling, $4,887; Chilkat Valley Preschool, $11,010; Southeast Senior Services, $6,176; Haines Dolphins Swim Team, $3,184; Lynn Canal Broadcasting, $1,378; American Bald Eagle Foundation, […]
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Fort Seward fire hall restoration under way
To preserve or restore – it’s a question Joanne Waterman is thinking about a lot now that she and partner Phyllis Sage have purchased the former Port Chilkoot Volunteer Fire Department building. Used primarily for storage since the cities of Port Chilkoot and Haines merged in 1970, the structure has deteriorated, following a disjointed building history. “I […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly to consider raises Tuesday
Where an extra $151,000 for borough employee wages and benefits will come from is a concern for some assembly members, though Haines Borough manager Mark Earnest said the municipality would be able to sustain the increases if the assembly approves a recently renegotiated union contract Tuesday. The assembly will decide Tuesday whether to approve a package of raises and health […]
Posted inNews
Assembly to decide on employee raises
The Haines Borough Assembly will decide July 23 whether to approve a package of raises and health insurance compensation for unionized borough workers which would increase the budget by about $151,000 in the current fiscal year. The cost of the contract would increase over each of the following two years. The Local 71 Union ratified the three-year […]
Posted inNews
Assembly retains parking rules
The Haines Borough Planning Commission will have to go back to the drawing board to address parking requirements, as the assembly on June 25 struck down an ordinance endorsed by the commission to relax the rules. The ordinance would have allowed commercial business developers to allow adjacent, on-street parking to count toward parking space requirements with the permission […]
Posted inElections, News
Borough adopts roster-style ballot
Elections for positions on the Haines Borough Assembly and school board will no longer pit candidate vs. candidate for specific seats. Mayor Stephanie Scott broke a 3-3 tie Tuesday to establish a roster-style ballot, eliminating the current system in which candidates vie for designated, individual seats. Assembly members Debra Schnabel, Joanne Waterman and Norm Smith supported the change; Dave Berry, Steve Vick and Jerry Lapp were opposed. “This system simply […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Election ballot likely to change
The push to change local election procedures continues with the Haines Borough Assembly still split down the middle on whether to switch from a seat system to a roster-style ballot. Mayor Stephanie Scott has repeatedly broken ties between the assembly members on whether to advance the ordinance which would make the change. Members Debra Schnabel, Joanne Waterman and Norm Smith have consistently voted for […]