By Krista Kielsmeier Haines Borough code mandates the municipality have a department of economic development and a director to lead it. “Despite this code requirement, to my knowledge the department has never been established,” Mayor Stephanie Scott wrote in a memo last month, requesting that section of code be repealed. The Haines Borough Assembly this week advanced to a second public […]
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Planning job goes to foreign applicant
The Haines Borough is sponsoring a work visa for a Chinese national to become the municipality’s next planning and zoning technician. Xi “Tracy” Cui, who holds a master’s degree in planning from the University of Florida, was the administration’s top choice for the job, said manager Mark Earnest, who made the hire with the assistance of clerk Julie […]
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Assembly considers appointments
Members of the Haines Borough’s government affairs and services committee last week debated the role of special elections in filling assembly vacancies. The April 3 meeting followed the assembly’s failure last June to appoint a replacement for a seat vacated by Greg Goodman. The decision was left to voters in the October municipal election. The […]
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Benner hired; Lemcke here longer
The job shuffle at city hall continued this week with the temporary hire of Phil Benner as harbormaster, and a four-month extension for facilities manager Brian Lemcke. Meanwhile, the Haines Borough Assembly is moving ahead with a transition plan that would give clerk Julie Cozzi responsibilities of the borough manager. Cozzi would be aided in the job […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Amount of turnover disappointing
Here we go again with another change of borough managers. These changes cost us at least $200,000 each time simply for the change: Lost productivity, getting up to speed, new manager getting known to agencies. Near as I can tell we have only had one manager who worked for us a reasonable time, that being […]
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July 4 fireworks display in limbo
The future of the annual, Fourth of July fireworks display was in question this week, following a 4-1 vote by the Haines Borough Assembly March 27 against taking on insurance liability for the display. Member Debra Schnabel voted to provide the coverage. Joanne Waterman was absent. Haines Chamber of Commerce president Ned Rozbicki recently told the assembly the business group is […]
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Earnest to leave June 15
Staff turnover reached the top of the Haines Borough this week, as manager Mark Earnest submitted his resignation, effective June 15. “We’re getting good at changing managers, and I don’t want it to be taken lightly,” said Daymond Hoffman of the Haines Borough Assembly. “I think we really need to find out, from Mark, what we can do better, what we can […]
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Borough juggles planning tasks
Confused about all the planning going on at the Haines Borough? The assembly is working on a “strategic plan,” a brief, “to-do list” of upcoming projects for elected leaders, and a “comprehensive plan,” a blueprint that addresses a range of community concerns. The “comp plan” is intended to help steer borough decision-making for the next […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Garden conference bloomed here
We wish to thank you for the overwhelming support of the garden conference. With more than 50 people in attendance, including folks from Juneau, we consider it a complete success. Haines really helped get the word out with help from the local newspaper, radio, television scanner, announcements in many meetings and neighbors talking about it. […]
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Heli-ski firm not releasing accident data
One week after an avalanche claimed the lives of a heli-ski client and guide, key details of the March 13 accident are missing, including its precise location. Alaska State Trooper Josh Bentz said Wednesday he has asked Alaska Heliskiing four or five times for the coordinates of the accident, information he needs to complete his […]