The Haines Borough will spend $242,000 to move the Letnikof Cove float another 17 feet offshore to keep it afloat during low tides. Manager Mark Earnest said glacial rebound is causing the harbor floor to rise a foot every 10 years, meaning shallower waters for boats to dock in, especially during extreme low tide when some near-shore floats are […]
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Lapp seeks meeting time limits
Haines Borough Assembly member Jerry Lapp wants to outlaw long meetings. Lapp introduced an ordinance last week that, if passed, would end regular and special assembly meetings at 9:45 p.m. If the assembly wanted to allow the meeting to carry on into the night, four members would have to vote to continue. Mayor Stephanie Scott said she has no […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly approves pay hikes
The Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday approved raises and benefits for employees that will cost, on average, at least an additional $165,000 annually during the next three years. The assembly unanimously approved the contract negotiated by workers’ union Local 71 and a negotiating team of borough leaders. The borough’s negotiating team included chief fiscal officer Jila Stuart, mayor Stephanie […]
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Smell targeted in 1st phase of sewer work
According to the Haines Borough, upgrades to its sewer plant are at the top of its priorities for spending state money. The assembly passed a resolution Tuesday establishing sewer upgrades as the borough’s “number one local state-funded priority” in the hopes of scoring extra points on an application to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) […]
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 […]
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Borough releases Lowe evaluation
A March performance evaluation of former Haines Borough police chief Gary Lowe released this week says Lowe maintained good relationships with the public and high-ranking borough employees while behind-the-scenes relations with department personnel were “abysmal.” On a scale of 1 to 4, under “communication with employees,” Lowe received a “0” in “daily interaction,” “constructive feedback,” and “setting an example,” […]
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Mayor pushes monitoring, tougher fines on heli-skiing
Haines Borough Mayor Stephanie Scott is proposing the borough ramp up its monitoring of heli-ski tour companies and stiffen fines. Scott will ask the assembly Tuesday to change the borough’s GPS data collection policies and adopt a graduated fine schedule for violations. Under the change, each operator would be subject to a minimum of 10 GPS spot checks […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Redistrict plan would link Haines, Juneau
The Alaska Redistricting Board approved a new political map Sunday, placing Haines in a state House district with downtown Juneau, Douglas Island, Skagway, Klukwan and Gustavus. The map will be submitted to a judge for review. The board redrew the boundaries after the Alaska Supreme Court ruled last year the board hadn’t followed the correct process in […]
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Borough adds $210K to Front Street work
The Haines Borough has agreed to chip in up to $210,000 toward state-funded Front Street improvements, bringing the project total to about $5 million. The assembly voted July 9 to use $110,000 of cruise ship head tax funds to ensure that existing Front Street sidewalks are replaced. It also voted to appropriate up to $100,000 from the […]
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Assembly to mull $5 million bond
The Haines Borough Assembly will consider asking voters to approve a $5 million bond for districtwide school improvements. The borough’s hopes for approval hinge on the package of projects qualifying for reimbursement through a state program that covers up to 70 percent of costs. The bond would finance six projects: mechanical upgrades to the vocational education building […]