Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell this week voiced optimism that a billion-dollar oil industry tax break he pushed through last year would bring returns to Haines equivalent to the funding that is building projects like the McRae-Soboleff Veterans Village. Parnell said his trip to Haines Tuesday was “to better understand the concerns of the community and […]
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School improvements won’t make fall ballot
Haines Borough voters won’t be deciding a $5 million bond for districtwide school improvements in the Oct. 1 election after all. At its Aug. 13 meeting, the assembly voted unanimously to indefinitely postpone an ordinance for the ballot measure. The postponement came at the request of borough manager Mark Earnest, who told assembly members the borough […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Motorized use at beach resurfaces
The Haines Borough Assembly will look into putting teeth into a state directive against use of motorized vehicles on Chilkat River beaches. Confusion among area residents, borough staff and law enforcement officials over the legality of riding ATVs on the beaches led Mayor Stephanie Scott to investigate the issue. Scott concluded that while commercial motorized use is prohibited, personal use of ATVs […]
Posted inNews
Why so few assembly candidates?
With only two names appearing on the fall municipal ballot for two seats open on the Haines Borough Assembly, interest in serving on the town’s main decision-making body has reached the lowest point since at least 2002, when the former City of Haines and Haines Borough merged into a single government. The paucity of assembly candidates is particularly […]
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Gov. Parnell to visit
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell will make a social call to Haines Tuesday for a half-day visit, including stops at the American Bald Eagle Foundation and Haines School. He will visit Ketchikan before stopping in Haines, and then head to Skagway Tuesday afternoon before returning to Juneau. Parnell is seeking re-election in 2014. Parnell’s press secretary, Sharon Leighow, […]
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Borough may get help on manager hire
The Haines Borough Assembly appears to be leaning toward hiring a headhunting firm to find the municipality’s next manager, but assembly members still want some details hammered out first. The assembly met Monday as a committee of the whole to discuss how to move forward with the hiring of a new manager. Manager Mark Earnest said last week he’d […]
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Tighten access to public records?
The Haines Borough Assembly last week introduced an ordinance that would restrict public access to employee evaluations and applications for borough jobs. Borough attorney Brooks Chandler drafted an ordinance at the request of manager Mark Earnest that would make performance evaluations and job applications of many borough employees confidential and inaccessible to the public. The Chilkat Valley News […]
Posted inNews, Elections
‘Corporate personhood’ issue advances
Haines Borough voters will likely get a chance to strike a blow against “corporate personhood” when they go to local polls Oct. 1. Clerk Julie Cozzi this week reported said that a petition with 291 signatures submitted to the borough Aug. 6 probably contains the required 216 valid signatures to go on the municipal ballot. […]
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Earnest says he’s leaving
The Haines Borough Assembly on Wednesday approved 5-1 the resignation of manager Mark Earnest. Member Norm Smith, a longtime Earnest critic, opposed the motion without comment. “I truly want to spend more time with my wife and son. I’ve been missing a good part of his development and maturity and it’s becoming very important to me now,” Earnest said […]
Posted inNews
Snafu, ship visit kill cell service
Cell phone service came to a virtual standstill in Haines Wednesday when statewide problems affecting provider ACS coincided with an ongoing gridlock in service for AT&T Alascom customers on days large cruise ships dock. “It’s getting to be a real problem,” said Krista Kielsmeier, who greets cruise ship visitors for the borough’s tourism department. The […]