An AI-savvy upstart assembly candidate and the whims of President Trump led the Haines Borough to solve two long-term, unrelated problems plaguing the borough after years of complications and setbacks. The CVN sat down with assembly member Susie Helms in this exclusive interview: Kyle: So, Susie, how were you able to solve two major, long-term […]
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Posted inLocal News
Bonding increasingly likely on Lutak dock
After a contentious Tuesday Lutak Dock meeting, there’s still no explanation for why project costs have skyrocketed, and bonding looks a likely future. Even so, the borough’s contracted engineers now say talk of the borough losing grant funding, or otherwise running out of time, is “not credible.” Over the last two weeks, Moffatt & Nichol […]
Posted inLocal News, Transportation
New engineering estimates show Lutak Dock project could cost twice borough’s budget
Lutak Dock engineers have released cost estimates showing some iterations of the design nearly doubling the borough’s available project funds. The engineering firm Moffatt & Nichol has been tasked with doing the first round of designs on the dock rebuild, and assured the Haines Borough assembly in recent months it could do so within the […]
Posted inTransportation, Local News
Despite promises, cost overruns likely on Lutak Dock
The Lutak Dock replacement project will likely be over budget, engineers said this week.Engineering firm Moffatt & Nichol told borough staff in a meeting Monday that initial design work has shown higher costs than the company expected earlier this year, when they told borough leaders they were “confident” in the borough’s chosen dock design fitting […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly Briefs: A new budget, movement on the Lutak Dock and the question of a new tax
A white paper on the Lutak Dock A special meeting last week that Haines Borough Manager Alekka Fullerton said “fractured our community” did not need to happen, she said Tuesday during the body’s regular meeting. Last week’s meeting was called primarily to take a vote on sending a document to the federal agency providing Lutak […]
Posted inLocal News
Dock meeting leaves Lutak Dock project in limbo
The Lutak Dock redesign project is in limbo after a meeting borough manager Alekka Fullerton described as a “huge step back.” Borough staff say they’re ready to submit a “white paper,” a document that explains to the federal agency funding much of the project what the new dock design, selected in April, will entail. As […]
Posted inLocal News
“The experts are saying drastically different things,” say assembly members on Lutak Dock
Three weeks ago, the Haines Borough Assembly, in a vote momentous enough to draw applause from the audience in the room, chose a new design for the Lutak Dock project. But now, one borough advisor is contradicting key information that informed the design selection — information that came from another borough contractor — leading some […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Assembly briefs: A new direction on the budget, a Lutak Inlet tour and a cop on call
Next year’s budget Assembly members held a public hearing on next year’s budget and, while they did vote to add $1,000 to support volunteer recruitment and retention by the Haines Volunteer Fire Department, the majority of the discussion was centered on a proposal to potentially cut staff. Assembly member Eben Sargent kicked off the discussion […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Assembly to hear budget, the Haines Economic Development Corporation, new Lutak tour permit
The Haines Borough Assembly meeting on May 12 will include the first reading of the FY27 budget. The Chilkat Valley News’ Will Steinfeld and KHNS’ Melinda Munson sat down to talk about the budget process. Melinda Munson: The budget process has started, and it will make its first appearance at the assembly meeting. Can you […]
Posted inLocal News
Borough to pursue encapsulation for Lutak Dock
The assembly has thrown its support behind encapsulation for the Lutak Dock, the design concept most similar to that of previous dock contractor Turnagain Marine. The concept calls for building a steel retaining wall to stabilize some of the existing dock face, with the rest of the existing dock demolished. Winning out over two other […]