The Haines Borough Assembly voted unanimously Tuesday to dispose of two Main Street lots totalling about 1.2 acres through a negotiated sale. The action comes as a response to a proposal by Aspen Hotels to buy property at the site of the former primary school and build a $4 million, 49-room hotel there. Haines Borough interim manager […]
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Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly offers Sosa manager’s job
The Haines Borough Assembly voted during a special meeting Tuesday to offer its manager job to candidate David Sosa, a 20-year U.S. Marine Corps officer. He holds a master’s degree in public administration but has never worked for a municipality. After a 30-minute closed-door session, the assembly voted unanimously to extend the job offer to Sosa and […]
Posted inNews
In 2013, projects belied forecast
For the first time since the rebuilt Haines School was oriented toward Old Haines Highway in 2007, students could make it to the school along a sidewalk. The $975,000 project was one of several changing the face of downtown in the past year. Work also started on the $6 million Soboleff-McRae Veterans Village and the […]
Posted inNews
Committee endorses harbor ‘wave barrier’
The Haines Borough Port and Harbor Advisory Committee is recommending the assembly endorse a wave barrier breakwater – instead of a rubble mound – so the harbor expansion project can move forward. The committee voted unanimously Monday to recommend the wave barrier option, as all rubble mound options presented by PND Engineers were too expensive for the […]
Posted inNews
Parnell pencils in $35 million for Juneau Road
Gov. Sean Parnell’s proposed capital budget for 2015 includes only one Haines item: $20 million for ferry terminal modifications so the facility can accommodate the new Alaska Class Ferries. The capital budget totals about $1.7 billion, including $35 million for the Juneau Access Road. DOT communications officer Jeremy Woodrow said the $35 million will go […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
With straight road, more risky driving
When did the Haines Highway become so dangerous? Why is our Mayor looking to other Southeast mayors to support its realignment despite legitimate concerns about negative impacts to fish habitat, the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and the aesthetics of the Haines Scenic Byway? Driving any road, no matter how straight, is inherently dangerous. But it’s not the […]
Posted inNews
Assembly leans toward Sosa hire
The Haines Borough Assembly isn’t ready to offer the job to manager candidate David Sosa just yet. After coming out of executive session Tuesday, the assembly voted unanimously to call additional references provided by Sosa and ask him to provide a “community interface scenario” he has encountered outside of the military. Sosa has worked as a U.S. […]
Posted inNews
Does town need a safe house?
Supporters of a local domestic violence response group say they’ll seek state and local funding for a permanent “safe house” in Haines for female victims and their children. Jackie Mazeikas, domestic violence health educator for Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, said there’s a need for a permanent shelter here, rather than emergency accommodation in private […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Chamber election may be ‘huge overhaul’ for board
An election that ended this week could bring a “huge overhaul” to the Haines Chamber of Commerce, said president Barbara Mulford. Seven open seats attracted only six declared candidates – Scott Sundberg, Thom Ely, Bill Kurz, Rod Hinson, Kyle Gray and Stan Mazeikas – meaning all six will be seated unless two strongly supported write-in […]
Posted inNews
Borough’s push for pellet heat
The Haines Borough Assembly has authorized staff to continue pursuing the use of wood pellet heat in borough facilities, and recently approved a $33,000 contract for design of three biomass pellet boilers. The boilers would be installed in the Chilkat Center, Haines School and sewage treatment plant. Executive assistant to the manager Darsie Culbeck said the borough […]