Haines Mayor Jan Hill will continue to appoint volunteers to the borough’s committees and boards after a proposal to shift responsibility to voters failed Monday. Assembly member Tom Morphet supported the idea from the audience at Monday’s assembly Government Affairs and Services Committee meeting. While not a member of the body, he said members of the borough’s boards […]
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Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Borough to advance taxpayer-funded solid waste program
Prompted by citizen complaints and borough staff intervention, the Haines Borough Assembly this week decided to take a more active role in waste management. The assembly voted 4-2 to adopt six recommendations from borough manager Debra Schnabel that include reporting landfill conditions at Community Waste Solutions to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation as well as initiating a plan […]
Posted inNews
C-SPAN heads to town
The C-SPAN bus is making a pit stop in Haines on its quest to visit all 50 state capitals. Mayor Jan Hill said she was contacted by officials from the television network, in coordination with GCI, about a traveling educational exhibit that will be in Haines on Wednesday, June 20. The C-SPAN bus, which is celebrating its […]
Posted inNews
Assembly withdraws funding for OpenGov
The assembly withdrew funding for an online public engagement software program before approving next year’s $13.6 million budget, reversing its former support of the tool designed to promote civic engagement. Assembly member Heather Lende made an amendment to withdraw funding for opengov.com. The assembly had previously voted on May 9 to fund the platform in […]
Posted inNews
Delegation travels to Excursion Inlet
Haines borough staff, public officials and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski traveled to Excursion Inlet last Friday to tour the Ocean Beauty Seafoods cannery, dedicate a newly acquired borough bridge and talk with residents who live in the remote borough community that’s flanked to the east by the south end of the Chilkat Range. Borough manager Debra […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
We’re at a crossraods
The mining and logging proposals being talked about seem to be nothing more than corporate welfare. Non-local corporations come to rural areas for a “project” on public land where the government lets them make a huge profit by removing non-renewable resources for pennies on the dollar (welfare). A few locals might get work for a […]
Posted inNews, Timber
Eagle council weighs in on timber sale
The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Advisory Council recommended the University of Alaska not log within the boundaries of the preserve after citing a lack of information about the proposed sale. The council discussed the letter of opposition at a May 17 meeting, with members saying they wanted to keep their message short and sweet. […]
Posted inNews
OpenGov could take time to see citizen response
The Haines Borough Assembly last week narrowly approved purchasing a $40,000 software program aimed at increasing citizen engagement, but the assembly may take up the issue again. The CVN reached out to two similarly sized communities using the software to see how it’s working in their towns. The “Citizen Engagement” program from the tech company OpenGov allows […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Let’s elect our committees
The manager’s letter in last week’s CVN attempting to exonerate the police chief from complicity in an unfounded, brazen, and unsuccessful political maneuver to criminally prosecute the assembly for a political appointment notwithstanding, the point of my April 26 paid commentary was this: The borough’s process for filling seats on boards, committees and commissions – […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly stops new tours in Chilkoot
The Haines Borough Assembly voted 4-2 to stop issuing new tour permits in the Chilkoot corridor and prohibit permit-holders from transferring their permits for the duration of the moratorium. Assembly member Tom Morphet proposed the idea last month, and said the ban on new tours would send a message to Alaska State Parks, the agency responsible for […]