The Alaska Department of Transportation will soon extend by nine feet the no-parking zone on Main Street in front of Talia’s Treasures. In an effort to address perceived traffic hazards, Haines Borough and Chilkoot Indian Association officials have been working with the DOT to improve traffic safety at intersection of Third Avenue and Main Street. Citizens have […]
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Posted inLetters to the Editor
Trash police service area, push for trooper
RE: police service areas I ask that we cancel the police service areas considered to come to a vote process and replace that effort with an all-out push for re-seating a state trooper for Haines. 1. Being an election year, the timing is right to seek re-seating of our trooper, using all influence with our […]
Posted inNews
Tie vote stops waste ordinance from making ballot
A ballot question to create a publicly funded solid waste program stalled Tuesday after the Haines Borough Assembly’s split vote. The proposed ordinance that would levy up-to-a-1-percent sales tax to pay for the program passed during its first public hearing after Mayor Jan Hill broke a 3-3 tie. Hill was absent from Tuesday’s meeting, attending an Alaska Municipal League meeting […]
Posted inNews
Question to elect boards,commissions heads to ballot
The question of whether or not voters want to elect members of the planning commission, port and harbor advisory committee, public safety commission and tourism advisory board will appear on October’s ballot. Assembly member Tom Morphet circulated the ballot initiative petition during the past two weeks and collected the necessary 250 certified signatures by last […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Voters one step closer to deciding on police service outside townsite
The Haines Borough Assembly advanced an amended ballot question that would allow Lutak, Mud Bay and Haines Highway residents to vote to create their own separate “on-call police service areas” that would be funded by a property tax increase. The original ordinance called for one on-call police service area that would encompass the bulk of borough land outside […]
Posted inNews
Communication a theme in assembly’s manager evaluation
Presenting a range of alternative plans, being more objective and formulating processes for vetting ordinances and a feeling of mistrust between borough staff and the assembly were among the topics discussed during the assembly’s annual evaluation of borough manager Debra Schnabel. Four assembly members and Mayor Jan Hill met Wednesday to evaluate Schnabel’s performance. On the whole, assembly members […]
Posted inNews
Man dies during Alaska Excursions canoe tour
A Nevada pastor celebrating his wedding anniversary with a cruise to Alaska died at Glacier Point Monday after a canoe capsized during a trip with Skagway-based Alaska Excursions—a tour company that faced public scrutiny this spring when former employees alleged poor maintenance habits and unsafe tour practices. Steven Todd Willis, 50, was one of 10 […]
Posted inNews
Assembly delays manager evaluation
Haines Borough Assembly members needed more time to provide feedback for manager Debra Schnabel’s first evaluation. Assembly members were recently tasked with filling out an evaluation form with feedback on several questions about Schnabel’s performance since she started as manager in June 2017. Questions included identifying the manager’s strengths, performance areas that need improvement and […]
Posted inNews
Southeast Alaska State Fair celebrates 50 years in Haines
The Carnival of Casseroles and Salad Parade, Licorice Ice Cream Eating Contest, the Alaskan Racing Pigs, the Table Setting Contest and the Cannon Duel. Those contests and events, some a reflection of their time, others more short-lived, have come and gone from the Southeast Alaska State Fair since its inaugural event at the American Legion […]
Posted inNews
Ballot measure would change charter to allow areawide policing
The Haines Borough Assembly narrowly approved introducing two ordinances for public hearings that, if advanced, would allow voters to decide whether or not they want to expand police services beyond the townsite. But which one voters will decide is drumming up debate reminiscent of consolidation. One ordinance would allow voters who live outside the townsite service area […]