The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously approved a $17.8 million budget Tuesday, including funding $95,000 for a local economic development corporation, hiring a fifth police officer and covering increased costs of staff health insurance. Due to rising costs in borough employee health insurance, the assembly increased the borough’s contribution for employees on the borough’s “blue family plan.” On […]
Search results
Posted inNews, Elections
Recall election to be held on August 15
A special election to recall Haines Borough Assembly members Heather Lende, Tresham Gregg and Tom Morphet is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 15. Borough clerk Julie Cozzi received the recall petitions June 6 and three days later certified that each document had the signatures of at least 258 registered Haines voters. Cozzi submitted the certified petitions to the […]
Posted inLocal News, Elections
Assembly seat draws 4 hopefuls
Four Haines residents have submitted letters of interest for the assembly seat vacated by Margaret Friedenauer’s resignation last month. The assembly applicants are stepping onto a stage where three assembly members face a recall election, two have resigned, and the body has been publicly criticized by Mayor Jan Hill. Andrew Gray, James Hart, Sean Maidy and Sally […]
Posted inDuly Noted
Duly Noted
Evan Alexander Knight was born to Kendra and Alex Knight in Juneau Oct. 15. He weighed 7 lbs., 4 ozs. and measured 19.5 inches long. Kendra’s mom, Frankie Jones, and sister Gracie Jones attended the birth. Alex’s parents, David and Carol Knight, flew down from Haines. Kendra’s grandmother, Kathy Pardee-Jones was there, as well as Kendra’s uncle Matt Jones. Kendra’s great-aunt Evelyn Hazelton visited as well as aunt Zdravca Jones and cousin Andres Jones. […]
Posted inNews
Recall organizers turn in signatures
The leaders behind a recall effort aimed at ousting three Haines Borough Assembly members turned in signatures required to move ahead with the process. Borough clerk Julie Cozzi received the signatures Tuesday afternoon and has 10 days to certify that each signer is registered to vote in the borough. Recall sponsor Don Turner Jr. said he collected […]
Posted inNews
Marijuana applications up to 5
Five commercial marijuana licenses are now in various stages of the application process for operating within the Haines Borough. Resident Shawn McNamara, doing business as Alaska Mountain Growers, applied for licenses for marijuana retail and cultivation. The address listed for the Alaska Mountain Growers cultivation facility is 1 Letnikof Drive and the retail location is listed […]
Posted inNews
Schnabel starts into manager’s job
Debra Schnabel began work as the Haines Borough manager Monday, wrapping up a controversial hiring process, but still leaving unanswered questions about how Schnabel will handle land use and contracting issues concerning her brother, Roger Schnabel. Roger Schnabel owns Southeast Roadbuilders and Skookum Holdings, two companies who regularly contract or work on projects in the borough. On […]
Posted inHaines Borough, News
Rules on conflicts-of-interest differ among Southeast towns
The Petersburg and Wrangell borough codes do not prohibit family members of public officers from contracting with their boroughs. Wrangell Borough Clerk Kim Lane said their borough manager’s son is an electrical contractor in town and he has contracted with the borough. Lane said not allowing him to do so would be discriminatory. “In a […]
Posted inNews
Friedenauer quits assembly, cites bullying, vitriol
Haines Borough Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer resigned her assembly seat Wednesday, citing bitterness, cynicism and a lost desire to lead. Krista Kielsmeier, executive assistant to the borough manager, also resigned Wednesday. Friedenauer penned a letter to the assembly and Mayor Jan Hill stating her resignation, effective immediately. “I have unfortunately strayed from focusing on issues and spend too […]
Posted inNews
Assembly balks at trooper bid to expand police role
The Haines Borough Assembly will seek legal advice regarding an Alaska State Trooper official’s opinion that the borough is responsible for policing boroughwide. The action comes after the Alaska Department of Public Safety offered a one-time, $25,000 payment to the Haines Borough for policing, on the condition that the borough provide policing outside the townsite. The area previously was […]