The Haines Borough recently installed its new $5,000 “Welcome to Haines” sign at the Port Chilkoot Dock, but visitors might have some trouble getting the message. The sign, designed and constructed by Haines artist Megan Morehouse, features the salutation “Welcome to Haines” spelled out in blue mussel shells and inlaid in sticks of gray driftwood. The problem […]
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AP&T customers: Don’t penalize us for conserving
Dozens of Alaska Power Company customers testified at a recent Regulatory Commission of Alaska hearing in Haines, railing against the company’s request for an 18 percent power rate increase. As part of the RCA’s investigation into whether an 18 percent rate increase is warranted, the commission heard from customers including residents from Haines, Skagway, Tok, […]
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Assembly endorses new office in trailer
The Haines Borough is looking to buy a 450-square-foot trailer to use as extra office space despite having an empty desk at the administration building and empty offices in the public safety building. The $12,500 “mobile office” would be located behind the administration building on Third Avenue. Manager David Sosa said the trailer would be used as […]
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Planners want consideration
Several members of the Haines Borough Planning Commission asked for more support from the assembly during a joint meeting of the two bodies last week, citing overturned decisions and unheeded recommendations that caused discontent. Commission chair Rob Goldberg said he would like the assembly to “take the planning commission seriously,” and give the group’s decisions “the weight […]
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Strong leadership key to revitalization efforts
In 2007, the downtown of Greenville, Kentucky, population 4,200, looked a lot like Haines’ Main Street does today. According to Brett Schwartz, a National Association of Developments Organization research fellow who studied Greenville, the southern town was decaying. “On a Saturday night, you would have likely walked on deteriorated sidewalks, peered into vacant storefronts […]
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Tap fund balance to improve roads?
Haines Borough staff is looking into improving roads within the townsite following a request by Mayor Stephanie Scott to spend more of the borough’s fund balance. The townsite general fund is currently carrying a $1.5 million balance, which essentially acts as a “savings account” for the borough. Last year, the borough took more than $500,000 out of the […]
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Chamber drops sauna support
The Haines Chamber of Commerce board has rescinded its offer to help raise money for a sauna at the Haines pool. After months of roadblocks and resistance, the Haines Borough Assembly last week agreed to fund maintenance of a sauna to be installed at the pool and purchased through private donations. It’s estimated to cost $6,500. The […]
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Assembly starts digging into next year’s budget
At its first budget discussion Tuesday, Haines Borough Assembly members and officials made suggestions including revisiting the possibility of building an $8 million “muniplex” and slashing the nonprofit “community chest” from $32,500 to $2,500. No official action was taken at the meeting that reviewed the budget submitted by former interim borough manager Julie Cozzi. The perennial question of […]
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Borough planners OK 60-foot tower
The Haines Borough Planning Commission recently approved resident Joanne Waterman’s plan to restore the Port Chilkoot Fire Hall to its original height of roughly 60 feet. The plan required a variance, as the height limit for buildings in the borough is 30 feet. The request for a variance passed unanimously. Waterman clarified at the planning commission meeting […]
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Winter tour study gets OK
The fourth time was the charm for the Haines Borough tourism department. The Haines Borough Assembly last week approved the deparments’s request for a winter tourism study. Mayor Stephanie Scott said the proposal was in its fourth incarnation . The proposal for a $30,000 study last came before the assembly in August, when leaders sent it back to the Tourism Advisory […]