Casting a tie-breaking vote, Haines Borough Mayor Stephanie Scott stopped an assembly motion Tuesday aimed at extending manager Mark Earnest’s contract through June 2014. With Scott’s vote, the assembly agreed, 4-3, to postpone the matter to Nov. 6, when Earnest has been asked to make a formal proposal. “My concern is that it’s a big decision,” Scott said. “I’m […]

Brian Lemcke, who resigned as the Haines Borough’s public facilities director last week, said the job is an important one. Lemcke, a local bar owner who once worked as a contractor here, started in July 2011, replacing Brad Maynard. The position, which oversees projects and supervises the public works and water and sewer departments, was […]

The Haines Borough Assembly voted Tuesday 4-2 to introduce an ordinance that would charge heli-ski companies a $5 per skier-day fee and allow fines up to $1,000 per day for permit violations. Establishment of the fee would not be effective until the 2014 season. Under current borough law, fines are limited to $300. Members Jerry Lapp and Norm Smith voted in […]

In the wake of concerns about government secrecy, the Haines Borough will ask its Haines Port Steering Development Committee to review a proposed memorandum of understanding and confidentiality agreement with Wellgreen mine developer Prophecy Platinum Corp. at its meeting Oct. 25. Prophecy is considering Haines as a transshipment port for nickel ore from Burwash Landing, Y.T. ore […]

Incumbent assembly member Joanne Waterman cruised by challenger Jim Studley and former City of Haines Mayor Dave Berry topped Jono Greene for an open seat in Tuesday’s Haines Borough election. Voters also exempted local political candidates from State of Alaska financial disclosure requirements. The vote tally was 457-362, or 56 percent approval. The vote was the third ballot measure on disclosure […]

Haines Borough officials last week addressed the topic of safety in relation to management of heli-skiing, following concerns raised by the family of a heli-skier killed in an avalanche during a tour in March. Borough officials said the municipality isn’t responsible for ensuring safety during heli-tours, but they consider a company’s safety record in evaluating […]

Haines Borough voters on Tuesday will fill two seats on the assembly and three seats on the school board, and revisit a question about exempting local candidates from the state’s financial disclosure laws. Polls at the American Bald Eagle Foundation and Klehini Valley Firehall are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Candidate views and election-related stories can be […]

Meeting packets are a thing of the past for the Haines Borough Assembly. Instead of reams of paper, assembly members now each get an iPad, a slimmed-down, tablet computer with a touch-screen keyboard. Borough officials say iPads will not only save the Haines Borough heaps of paper and ink; they’ll also reduce staff time and wear and tear […]

Some Haines school board members have pointed to the state’s financial disclosure requirements as reasons for apparent low interest in recent school board elections. There hasn’t been competition for candidates seeking seats on the board since 2010, and for the second year in a row, the board will have to appoint a member because one open seat hasn’t attracted […]