Mayor Jan Hill broke a 3-3 Haines Borough Assembly tie Tuesday to recommend that the state regulatory commission regulate trash collection rates instead of the borough. Community Waste Solutions, the town’s privately-owned trash handler, said state regulation could lead to a hike in collection fees. This action comes after the RCA set a March 2 deadline to hear a […]
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Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted
Tod Sebens has returned from a solo, month-long bike trip across Madagascar, the island nation of Africa. His route took him through rainforests, past beaches and over more hills than he expected. He saw lemurs, chameleons, anacondas and century-old baobab trees. He’ll make a presentation about his trip at the public library on Thursday, March […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Make committee more well-rounded
In the borough code, conflict of interest is defined as someone who would gain financially or have a special interest in a particular topic. In regards to the Parks and Recreation Committee, four of the standing five are Lynn Canal Conservation members. By adding George Figdor to the board, it would be five. It seems that since Lynn […]
Posted inNews
Borough, DA won’t pursue Turner claim
Neither the state district attorney nor the Haines Borough will investigate a complaint that the assembly acted improperly when it voted against seating former assembly member Diana Lapham on the borough’s Port and Harbor Advisory Committee. A complaint authored by residents Don Turner Jr. and Terry Pardee and signed by 15 residents was received by the borough […]
Posted inNews
Code group decides priorities
The Haines Borough Code Review Commission set minor offenses – the catalyst for the group’s formation – as its third priority as it begins to weed out errors and redundancies in borough law next month. “That’s like a shotgun, minor offenses, that’s huge,” said commission chair Mike Denker. The commission decided at its Feb. 2 meeting to […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly takes up taxes, cuts
Haines Borough Assembly members voiced support for reducing or eliminating dedication of sales taxes, and pursuing new alcohol, tobacco and marijuana taxes during a workshop Tuesday aimed at providing direction to staff developing next year’s budget. There was also support voiced for a severance tax and for billing insurance for ambulance calls. But the meeting […]
Posted inNews
Lapham complaint heads to DA
Fifteen Haines residents recently filed a complaint with the Haines Borough on behalf of Diana Lapham, who applied for, but wasn’t appointed to the borough’s Ports and Harbor Advisory Committee. The complaint, put together by Don Turner Jr. and Terry Pardee, says that during the Jan. 10 regular assembly meeting, Lapham’s rights were violated. The complaint, along […]
Posted inNews
Assembly extends lobbyist’s hire
The Haines Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to keep lobbyist Bill Thomas on the job until June, to advertise for a permanent borough manager in Alaska only and to award a $71,000 marine mammal monitoring contract to proHNS, a local engineering firm. Thomas, 69, is a commercial fisherman and former state legislator who worked last year as borough lobbyist for […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Manager vote violated borough charter
At the Jan. 10 meeting, the Mayor broke a 3 to 3 assembly tie to select an interim manager from two available applicants. This decision violated the Haines Borough Charter and the equal protection clause. First, the decision violated Section 5.03(A) of the charter that states, “The manager is selected solely on the basis of professional qualifications.” Merriam Webster […]
Posted inNews
Legislature looking to tighten alcohol regulations
An ongoing revision of the state’s alcohol-licensing laws could have effects on Haines eating establishments. Specifically, a working group formed by the Alaska Legislature is considering eliminating “public convenience licenses” a certificate that allows restaurants to serve wine and beer after proving public support by collecting signatures in a one-mile radius. Another proposal supported in […]