The Haines Borough Assembly will be asked to revisit its spring decision not to seek funding or research the efficacy of a drug-sniffing dog for the Haines Police Department. A petition seeking the reconsideration is now being circulated, and about 50 residents from various segments of the community have signed, said organizer JoAnn Ross Cunningham. “We believe that for […]
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Posted inNews
2018 required residents to face difficult truths
The surfacing of what many residents described as a decades-long open secret shook the town this year: allegations from multiple men of sexual abuse by former school official Karl Ward. Craig Loomis, the first man to speak publicly, was contacted by several others who had similar experiences after he implored those affected to reach out […]
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Committee narrows attorney candidate list
A shortlist of applicants for the Haines Borough attorney position will be interviewed at the end of March, the assembly’s personnel committee decided. Brooks Chandler, the current attorney contracted by the borough since 2010, is one of three finalists. The others are Paul Grant, who has a firm in Juneau, and Joseph Levesque, whose practice is in […]
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Scott raises concern about Maidy representing borough on KINY radio
“One of the members of our assembly is now a person who communicates with a Juneau radio station and it may not be the right thing to do,” assembly member Stephanie Scott said at the Nov. 6 meeting. “People that speak on behalf of the Haines Borough are usually the Mayor or the manager,” she said. Assembly member Sean Maidy said […]
Posted inNews, Timber
Timber group aims to broaden understanding of industry
On Nov. 15, 12 community members went on a field trip into the woods, trailing state forester Greg Palmieri, in an effort to learn about a controversial Haines topic: timber resources. Palmieri, who has worked for the state since moving to Haines in 1995, is the one man responsible for nearly a quarter million acres […]
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Assembly advances 30K design for new chambers in library; Mayor breaks 3-3 vote
Should the Haines Borough spend $30,000 on a library addition design for assembly chambers that would ultimately cost upwards of $430,000 to build? Assembly members were divided 3-3 Tuesday evening in a vote, recommended by director of public facilities Brad Ryan, to authorize MRV Architects’ designs for new assembly chambers as part of the Haines Borough Public Library’s expansion. Mayor Jan […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Police restricted to town; manager wants ‘borough’ decal off police vehicles
The assembly voted 4-2 Tuesday to direct the Haines Police to serve only the townsite, unless the Alaska State Troopers request them to respond to calls for service. The decision came after Mud Bay, Lutak, and Haines Highway residents voted against raising property taxes for an on-call police service. Borough manager Debra Schnabel asked the assembly on Tuesday night how […]
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Borough to consider public art allocation
The Alaska Arts Confluence has requested the borough adopt an ordinance allocating one percent of all local public construction contracts to public art. The confluence’s community engagement director, Keri Eggleson, asked borough manager Debra Schnabel bring the request to the assembly. At Tuesday’s assembly meeting, executive director of the arts confluence, Carol Tuynman, spoke in support of […]
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Exempt seniors may be asked to donate
Senior citizens who receive mandatory property tax exemptions may be presented the option to “pick, click, give” back to Haines this fiscal year, an idea proposed by assembly member Tom Morphet. Morphet, who chairs the borough’s finance committee that met on Tuesday to discuss the option, suggested a letter be included in tax bills that […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Committee votes to zero out marijuana excise tax
The borough’s finance committee voted to amend the ordinance on an excise tax of marijuana cultivated in the Haines Borough before it is imposed on the only local grower, Erika Merklin, when she turns in crops in on Oct. 30. The ordinance was supposed to be clarified two months ago, but has been postponed and referred to […]