The Haines Borough Assembly held its first public hearing May 14 on manager Mark Earnest’s proposed budget, but assembly members have yet to make any significant changes to the document. Thus far, the only amendment made to Earnest’s $12 million budget was the striking of $2,300 worth of new chairs for assembly members. The borough is attempting […]
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Borough Digest
Tank project hits a bump An error in surveying measurements brought construction of the new Barnett water tank to a halt Saturday, Haines Borough public facilities director Carlos Jimenez said this week. Jimenez said a surveyor made a six-foot error in calculating elevation. The Barnett tank works on a gravity-fed system and is fed by the Tower […]
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Election change hits assembly opposition
Haines Borough Assembly members on Tuesday pulled from the agenda an ordinance aimed at changing assembly and school board election procedures. The ordinance, which was spearheaded by assembly member Debra Schnabel and scheduled for introduction Tuesday, would eliminate the current system in which candidates run against one another for designated, individual seats. Under the change, all candidate names would […]
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Smith revives assembly chair effort
Haines Borough Assembly member Norm Smith on Tuesday leveraged his vote needed for several capital improvements to get $2,300 of new chairs for the assembly members added to this year’s budget. Smith declined to vote for an amendment that would appropriate $150,000 for a new fire truck and other equipment unless other assembly members agreed to put […]
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Police: Get rid of hybrid patrol cars
The Haines Borough Police Department is looking to replace two hybrid electric patrol vehicles purchased four years ago, due to concerns about their safety, practicality, and fuel economy. Interim police chief Simon Ford told the assembly during an April 23 budget meeting that the department’s two hybrid Ford Escape SUVs, purchased for $45,000 apiece in 2009, are […]
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BOE upholds 24 assessments
Members of the Haines Borough Assembly acting as the Board of Equalization (BOE) Monday upheld 24 property assessments recommended by contract assessor Jim Canary. Canary said he and assistant assessor Dean Olsen have worked their way through about 100 appeals so far. The 24 cases heard at Monday’s hearing were largely the result of appellants not responding […]
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Assembly scratches $2,300 for new chairs
For assembly members, sitting around at meetings won’t be getting any easier. Members on Tuesday narrowly struck $2,300 from next year’s borough budget for new chairs around the dais. The assembly split 3-3 on the budget item, with Mayor Stephanie Scott breaking the tie with her vote to nix them. Members Steve Vick, Debra Schnabel and Joanne Waterman voted against the chairs; assembly […]
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Replacing police chief on Tuesday agenda
The Haines Borough Personnel Committee will meet 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss how to deal with police department staff organization in the wake of former Police Chief Gary Lowe’s recent resignation from his position. Manager Mark Earnest said the committee will likely discuss several points, including whether and how to move forward with a job announcement for the position. […]
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Lowe gets $53K in payout, paid leave
Haines Borough Police Chief Gary Lowe will receive three months of paid leave plus a $36,000 payout as part of a “negotiated separation agreement” with the Haines Borough. The agreement, signed April 8 and released Tuesday, was negotiated between manager Mark Earnest, Lowe and attorney Brooks Chandler. It allows Lowe to remain on paid leave until June 17, when […]
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Assembly hears budget concerns
The Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday discussed potential ways to keep the pool open, including possibly raising fees or implementing a membership system. The assembly discussed the matter during its second public budget workshop. Manager Mark Earnest is recommending the pool be closed for three months in the summer to save about $35,000 in the budget. During the Tuesday meeting, […]