Haines Borough officials say they were left in the dark regarding a recent, abrupt decision by Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell to change plans for the Alaska Class Ferry. Parnell announced Dec. 4 the Alaska Marine Highway System would pursue plans to construct two smaller, less expensive ferries rather than a single, larger one. Parnell said […]
Search results
Posted inNews
Planners skeptical of tree-cutting rules
Members of the Haines Borough Planning Commission expressed skepticism during their Dec. 13 meeting that prohibiting residents from cutting down trees on their property would help address issues related to the slump and ground movement near the Oceanview and Lutak areas. Though PND Engineers Inc. have not yet submitted their technical memorandum – a report offering the engineering rationale […]
Posted inNews
Commission renews gravel pit permit
The Haines Borough Planning Commission voted Dec. 13 to renew a conditional use permit for operation of an Allen Road gravel pit despite concerns voiced by residents living near the pit. Commissioner Donnie Turner recused himself from voting because his company, Turner Construction, applied for the permit renewal. The three-year permit allows the company to operate under […]
Posted inNews
BLM issues ‘Ring of Fire’ draft plan
More than 300,000 acres of currently off-limits mountain terrain near Haines would reopen to heli-ski use under a recent Bureau of Land Management plan. The BLM released its Ring of Fire Draft Resource Management Plan Haines Planning Area Amendment and Draft Environmental Impact Statement last week, which is used to determine land use designations, management […]
Posted inNews
Borough inks deal with mine firm
The Haines Borough Assembly took a step toward establishing Haines as a potential transshipment port for minerals when it voted during its Dec. 11 meeting to authorize entrance into an agreement between the borough and a Wellgreen mine developer. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the borough and Prophecy Platinum Corp. allows the two parties to exchange […]
Posted inNews
Private fix sought for junked vehicles
The Haines Borough could soon be partnering with a private business to solve towing, impoundment and junked-car related issues. The assembly voted Tuesday to direct the administration to request bids for providing the services. The provider would help the borough enforce laws already on the books. In light of recent discussion of a proposed local motor vehicle […]
Posted inNews
Panel wants firehall studied
While a recent technical assessment of the public safety building determined the facility is in bad shape, the Haines Borough wants to know precisely how bad. The Facilities Master Plan Steering Committee voted Dec. 6 to recommend the assembly hire an engineering firm to conduct a more thorough, detailed analysis of the public safety building. The Anchorage-based […]
Posted inNews
Broken siren slows firefighter response
A breakdown of the town siren Oct. 14 and the simultaneous loss of a broadcast, tonal pulse – called a “tone-out” – have cost some firefighters time responding to calls. Emergency responders have been listening more closely to radio and pagers since the malfunction, but the problem grew more serious last weekend when the ambulance […]
Posted inNews
Mayor raises question about insider contracts
Haines Borough Mayor Stephanie Scott is looking into whether borough code could have been followed more carefully in the awarding of a borough contract to a borough committee member earlier this year. Lenise Henderson Fontenot, a member of the Facilities Master Plan Steering Committee, received a $9,000 contract to conduct the needs assessment portion of a larger project […]
Posted inNews
Accuracy claim of survey in question
A Juneau-based professional survey manager this week questioned the stated accuracy of a recent Haines Borough facilities survey. The $9,000 contract for the survey was awarded to a member of the borough’s facilities committee without a bid. Haines-based business consultant Lenise Henderson Fontenot reported that the results of the mail-in survey she conducted this fall carried “a […]