Mayor joining MARAD meeting over Lutak dock During this week’s report from borough manager Alekka Fullerton, she said the Lutak Dock Liaison committee will be meeting with the Maritime Administration on Wednesday. Committee members are borough staff: clerk Mike Denker, Fullerton, facilities director Brad Jensen, planner Chen Wu, and harbormaster Henry Pollan. Fullerton told assembly […]
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Posted inLocal News
Trumpet student assists mayor in time of need
Haines High senior JC Davis got a knock on his front door last week. When he answered it, he found a high-profile visitor. It was the mayor, Tom Morphet, come on “bended knee,” as Morphet later described it, with $100 in hand. He needed the young Davis’ help. The trouble had started a few weeks […]
Posted inNews
Alaska mayors say governor’s proposed tax break for $46B gas line ‘needs a lot of work’
Five Alaska mayors voiced concerns about how a proposed tax break for the Alaska LNG gas line project would impact their communities. Republican Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proposed eliminating property taxes and other local taxes for the $46 billion megaproject. Instead, his bill would impose a volume-based tax when substantial quantities of gas are delivered from […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Mayor and others misleading on dock
The revisionist history has begun. While discussing a contract for an owner advisor on the dock project, Mayor Tom Morphet and Eben Sargent characterize our relationship with the previous contractors as full of “complications and distrust” or claiming R&M was “working for Turnagain,” not for us. Nothing could be further from the truth. Last year […]
Posted inLocal News
Mayor proposes transferring Tlingit Park to Chilkoot Indian Association
Mayor Tom Morphet is proposing transferring the borough’s Tlingit Park property to the Chilkoot Indian Association. Morphet, who has discussed the idea with CIA tribal administrator Harriet Brouillette, is pitching the transfer as both a return of the land to its rightful owners and also a move to save the borough money. Critics have raised […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Assembly Briefs: 5G, sales tax, muzzling the Mayor, assembly pay, and a complication for the new police chief
Cell Towers There’s no immediate end in sight for 5G cell-tower discussion, though the topic will start getting its own dedicated meeting time. The planning commission has scheduled a special meeting for July 10 to discuss two conditional use permit applications for new towers in the borough. One tower has been proposed for Main Street, […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Mayor supports existing borough staff, wants to expand it
I’d just like to clarify my support for borough staff. In January, when issues arose about our former manager, I insisted on an evaluation and discussion, not termination. Later, at the end of the manager’s contract, I urged keeping the manager on as long as possible. Further, I established an annual assembly planning session to […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Mayor, assembly are neglecting Lutak corrosion
Twenty-two years ago, our freight dock was showing signs of failure. Twenty years ago, the dock spilled debris into Lutak Inlet. Twelve years ago, many more sinkholes appeared along the length of the dock face. Just over one year ago, the borough had a plan to address the constant corrosion. There was opposition to the […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted: A dozen Dunk the Mayor, trash king and queen named, Bridge players take second in tournament
Dozens of residents came out for the spring clean up, organized by the Haines Chamber of Commerce. Pete and Joan Degen were named Trash King and Trash Queen for collecting the most trash over the weekend “It’s really about her. I married into that,” said Pete Degen. “(Picking up trash) is a way of being […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
After eventful three years in Haines, Olerud steps down as mayor
When Douglas Olerud took over as Haines Mayor in November of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. A few weeks later, a fatal landslide on Beach Road shook the community to its core. Many public officials credited Olerud with improving public discourse and trust in government throughout his term. As he stepped down, he was […]