Officials attempt to assuage ore transfer concerns The Haines Borough Assembly voted 5-1 to approve conceptual plans for Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Lutak Dock—a controversial vote for many residents who opposed phase 3 because they thought the designs were catered toward Canadian mining interests, though borough officials and an engineer deny the charge. Some residents worried […]
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Yukon industry reps say Lutak Dock could be used to ship ore
Harbor committee violates Open Meetings Act, borough says A renovated Lutak Dock could serve as an export facility for minerals from the Yukon Territory, Yukon industry representatives told the Haines Borough Port and Harbor Advisory Committee at a March 24 meeting. Yukon mining companies are looking for an alternative to the Skagway ore terminal, which will be decommissioned in […]
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Harbor board reviews funding, design plan for Lutak Dock
Haines Borough staff estimate that the phases one through three of the Lutak Dock renovation project will cost about $26 million — approximately $6 million more than the borough secured through a federal grant in November. The grant alone likely is enough to cover most of the first two phases of the four-phase project, according to borough […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly approves Lutak cell tower lease
The Haines Borough Assembly voted unanimously to approve a land lease agreement for a telecommunications tower near Lutak Dock. The agreement enables Vertical Bridge Development to build a tower that the company plans to sublease to Verizon Wireless, which would provide cell service to the Lutak area. Initial reports said the tower would have 5G capacity, but Vertical Bridge representatives said […]
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Lutak cell tower pushed to third hearing
The Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday delayed voting on a resolution to lease land near Lutak Dock for a Verizon cell tower. The assembly postponed its decision about the tower until a third public hearing on Feb. 8. The tower would enable wireless communication services along Lutak Road and at the ferry terminal. Initially, it was reported that the tower would […]
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Borough secures $20 million to renovate Lutak Dock
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski called Haines Borough Mayor Douglas Olerud on Tuesday with some long and eagerly awaited news: The borough has been awarded a $20 million federal grant to revitalize Lutak Dock. “I’m ecstatic. This is huge for Haines,” Olerud said. “We’ve been working on this for a long time.” The grant, which is from the U.S. Department of […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Lutak cell tower to be moved near ferry terminal
The company building the wireless, 5G-communication tower that will provide cell-phone service to the Lutak area and the ferry terminal is seeking a new land-lease location. The original site, the mountainside across from the ferry terminal, was too steep for construction, according to Haines Borough planner Dave Long. The planning commission last week voted unanimously to recommend the new […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
The Lutak Dock
It seems that everyone running for assembly is in support of refurbishing the Lutak Dock. But why? This is the new white elephant, the new sacred cow. But we don’t need the dock, really. The roll-on barge facility can bring our goods and take our products out. Outside of timber and mining we don’t really have any […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Lutak Dock not a municipal obligation
Haines Borough taxpayers might consider whether the Lutak Dock is truly a municipal obligation or a piece of freight industry infrastructure the taxpayers have been subsidizing for more than 40 years. Consider that all or nearly all of the towns and cities in Southeast don’t own a freight dock. Juneau doesn’t. Ketchikan doesn’t. Petersburg doesn’t. Even Skagway, […]
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Public remains divided about use of Lutak Dock
There’s widespread support for existing Lutak Dock services, and a need for more information and public conversation before any attempt to expand services, Haines Borough officials said after last week’s Lutak Dock town hall meeting. The meeting involved presentations from potential dock users and investors, including the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, and several hours of public testimony. “My take-away […]