As of Wednesday morning, Cheryl D. Stickler, Jerry Lapp, Carol Tuynman, Helen Alten and Caitie Kirby are the latest candidates to confirm their candidacy for assembly seats before Thursday’s Aug. 20 deadline. There are two three-year and two one-year assembly seats up for election in October, with six candidates running for four seats. Assembly incumbent Brenda […]
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Posted inNews
Town hall cancellation delays manager hire
Three months after the firing of manager Debra Schnabel, Haines Borough officials have yet to begin the process of hiring a permanent replacement. In July, the assembly decided to solicit community input on the role of the manager before moving forward with the hiring. A town hall meeting on the subject was scheduled for Aug. 6 but was […]
Posted inNews
2 measures will likely be on the Oct. 6 ballot
This fall, the Haines Borough ballot will likely ask voters to make decisions about two proposals: a plan to draw $450,000 from the borough’s permanent fund to offset unexpected costs associated with school bond debt and a charter amendment allowing police emergency response outside the townsite. The July 28 assembly meeting was the deadline for introducing an […]
Posted inNews
Committee to discuss childcare vouchers
The Cares Act ad hoc committee will discuss providing vouchers for childcare to individuals and families at its next meeting. Assembly member Brenda Josephson raised the issue at Tuesday’s regular meeting. While the assembly is working on a draft to provide households $1,000 for utilities, rent and moorage, Josephson said funding for childcare would likely […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Candidate filing period opens Aug. 1
The filing period for elected office in the Haines Borough opens Aug. 1, with an Aug. 20 deadline. This year, positions up for election include the Mayor, four school board seats and four on the assembly. Borough clerk and intern manager Alekka Fullerton said she’s noticed increased interest in running. “This year, six or seven people have asked me when […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Taxpayer-funded garbage collection back on the table, again
Discussions about a taxpayer-funded garbage collection will be revived for the third time in as many years if the assembly approves the commerce committee’s recommendation this week to reconvene the solid waste working group. On Tuesday, the commerce committee discussed advancing a 2018 draft ordinance that would increase sales tax up to 1% to pay […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Try governing responsibly for a change
First, it was Debra Schnabel, who was not only fired by Mayor Hill and assembly people Josephson, Rogers and Thomas. But—as if that were not enough—the EOC attempted to publicly shame her by rushing out a press release that was so wrong it had to be rescinded the following day. It was a mean attempt to sow doubt […]
Posted inNews
Borough has no plans to consider face mask mandate
A growing number of Alaska communities in recent weeks have considered mandates that people wear face masks to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 infections but, at present, the Haines Borough has no plans to consider such a measure. This month, city councils in Valdez and Seward approved mask mandates, while Juneau and the city of Ketchikan […]
Posted inObituaries, News
Lende’s latest book reflects on small-town political stress
Oh, the toxic political vitriol, the alternative facts, the intimidating personalities, the character assassinations. Nope, we aren’t talking about wheeler-dealers in Washington, D.C. Not even in Juneau. Our locus is the small community of Haines, with a borough population of about 2,500. This former logging town now survives on tourism, fishing and the outdoors, and […]
Posted inNews
Assembly may hold town hall on role of borough manager
The public may have an opportunity to weigh in on the Haines Borough’s next manager. After a meeting July 1, the assembly’s personnel committee is recommending the full assembly solicit community input before moving forward with the hiring process. The borough has been without a permanent manager since the assembly fired Debra Schnabel on May 19. Borough […]