Haines’ upcoming borough assembly meeting will address cell phone towers, reinstated FEMA funds and an advisor contract for the Lutak Dock. KHNS reporter Melinda Munson spoke with the Chilkat Valley News’ Will Steinfeld from in preparation for the Jan. 13 meeting. Munson: “At Tuesday’s assembly meeting, they’re going to be discussing cell phone towers again. […]
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Posted inLocal News
Borough to put Lutak Dock advisor role out for bid, outlook challenging
Old contractors and old designs are out on the Lutak Dock; a new adviser bearing a new plan may soon be coming in. Roughly a month ago, the borough terminated its contracts with Turnagain Marine and owner-adviser R&M Consultants. As the two firms went out the door, so too did Turnagain’s design for the dock […]
Posted inLocal News
Lutak sees another power surge
A winter storm two weeks ago caused a power surge in the Lutak Spur area that caused significant damage to appliances, heating systems, and furnaces, residents said. The surge was caused by heavy snow causing tree branches to hit power lines, said Alaska Power & Telephone Vice President Jason Custer, something he described as “relatively […]
Posted inLocal News
Lutak dock mediation fails, lawsuit to come
The Haines Borough has failed to come to an out-of-court agreement with former Lutak Dock contractor Turnagain Marine. A previously-paused lawsuit filed by the contractor against the borough last year will now resume. Turnagain filed suit almost exactly a year ago, on Nov. 11, 2024, alleging unreasonable delays and unpaid invoices by the borough in […]
Posted inLocal News, Klukwan, Government & Elections
Chilkat Indian Village, consultation experts, weigh in on review of the Lutak Dock
The Chilkat Indian Village is pushing back against the idea that it was stalling the Lutak Dock project during its consultation with the U.S. Maritime Administration over the particulars of the repair and replacement project. After 2.5 years of that process, the federal agency and Klukwan’s tribal government still disagree on the federal agency’s finding […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly Briefs: heated debate, new appointments, Lutak Dock, and Mosquito Lake School
Morphet chooses committee member Diana Lapham was appointed by mayor Tom Morphet to fill a vacant seat on the Ports and Harbors Advisory Committee, but only after lengthy and heated debate. Lapham, who previously served six years on the committee, was one of two candidates who expressed interest in the open seat, which was previously […]
Posted inLocal News
Assembly votes to cut ties with Lutak dock contractor
The fraught relationship between the Haines Borough and Lutak Dock contractor Turnagain Marine is officially ending, with the assembly Tuesday voting to cut ties with the contractor. The city hired Turnagain in 2022 to design and rebuild the dock, but construction did not go forward as planned – the cause of which is the subject […]
Posted inLocal News
State again seeks comments on Washington company’s proposed log transfer facility in Lutak Inlet
The comment deadline is looming on a land-use permit application submitted by a Chehalis, Washington company proposing to build a log transfer facility in Lutak Inlet. NSEA Timber, Inc., plans to build the facility to transfer logs from a timber sale in the Haines-area, and seeks to use about 12 acres of surface and 17 […]
Posted inHaines Borough, Local News
Assembly to consider cutting ties with Lutak dock contractor
The borough assembly on Tuesday is set to decide whether to cut ties with Lutak Dock contractor Turnagain Marine. Turnagain was hired in 2022 to design and rebuild the dock, but construction has not gone forward as planned – the cause of which is the subject of a dispute between the borough and the contractor. […]
Posted inLocal News, Public Safety
Another sinkhole opens on the Lutak dock
About midday on Friday, an Alaska Marine Lines employee called the Haines harbormaster to let him know a new sinkhole had formed on the Lutak dock. Borough staff spent the weekend repairing the hole that harbormaster Henry Pollan said was at cell 12, near the center of the dock, about 20 feet from the guardrail. […]