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 […]
‘Corporate personhood’ on agenda
The Haines contingent of “We the People” is pushing the Haines Borough Assembly to pass an ordinance rejecting corporate personhood and restricting the definition of “person” in borough code to human beings. Under Haines Borough code, “person” is defined as “a corporation, partnership, joint venture, the borough and any other public agency, as well as an individual or individuals.” […]
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 […]
Telephone poles, wires to stay
Borough officials this week said recent efforts to bury view-obstructing utility lines at the intersection of Front Street and Old Haines Highway are “dead.” The state Department of Transportation’s reluctance to work with the borough on burying the lines this far into the project plus the expense involved have effectively “squashed” the idea, said public […]
Assembly to decide on employee raises
The Haines Borough Assembly will decide July 23 whether to approve a package of raises and health insurance compensation for unionized borough workers which would increase the budget by about $151,000 in the current fiscal year. The cost of the contract would increase over each of the following two years. The Local 71 Union ratified the three-year […]
Neighbors’ dispute stumps borough
Haines Borough officials this week said they have no legal recourse to remove seven large overturned stumps lining the roadway near the intersection of Lutak Road and First Avenue. The stumps, placed there by property owner Carol Waldo following a dispute with neighbors Keith and Irene Stigen, have been called “unattractive,” “unappealing,” and flat-out “ugly” by residents […]
Muniplex cost: $8.6 million
An Anchorage-based architect estimates a new “muniplex” including Haines Borough offices, a fire hall, police station and assembly chambers would cost the Haines Borough about $8.5 million to build. The estimate does not include design, construction administration, furniture, fixtures, building permits, geological investigation or hazardous clean-up (if necessary). Jason Gamache, an architect with McCool Carlson Green, provided estimates for […]
Assembly retains parking rules
The Haines Borough Planning Commission will have to go back to the drawing board to address parking requirements, as the assembly on June 25 struck down an ordinance endorsed by the commission to relax the rules. The ordinance would have allowed commercial business developers to allow adjacent, on-street parking to count toward parking space requirements with the permission […]
Heli map committee seeks 22 changes
The Haines Borough’s ad-hoc heli-ski map committee is recommending 22 alterations to the current boundaries, including the expansion of areas in the Takhin Ridge and removal of lands in the Kicking Horse area. Of the 22 proposed changes, eight involve contraction of areas due to wildlife concerns and lack of use. Arguments for increased areas […]
