The Haines Borough’s sewer treatment plant smells. But the odor isn’t just bad, some business owners and public officials say, it’s “almost intolerable.” Mayor Stephanie Scott said she’s been pressing the borough for the past several years to fix the problem and maintains the smell has only worsened with time. “I’ve been complaining for years. I go […]
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Posted inNews
Aspen Hotels looks at 5th and Main site
A statewide hotel chain is “very serious” about buying Main Street property to build a 50-room hotel, but Haines Borough leaders will have to decide whether they want to sell the 1.21-acre lot the company wants for its site. Aspen Management LLC submitted an application in July to purchase two lots of the old primary school land […]
Posted inNews, Alaska Marine Highway System
Cuts in ferry system discounts, services loom
The ferry system’s 30 percent winter roundtrip discount is gone and come next summer, the “driver go free” option will disappear, too. Cuts to the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) have been widespread and show no signs of slowing or reversing: Naturalist interpreters aboard vessels were eliminated earlier this year. Printed schedules will be discontinued […]
Posted inNews
Lapp seeks meeting time limits
Haines Borough Assembly member Jerry Lapp wants to outlaw long meetings. Lapp introduced an ordinance last week that, if passed, would end regular and special assembly meetings at 9:45 p.m. If the assembly wanted to allow the meeting to carry on into the night, four members would have to vote to continue. Mayor Stephanie Scott said she has no […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly approves pay hikes
The Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday approved raises and benefits for employees that will cost, on average, at least an additional $165,000 annually during the next three years. The assembly unanimously approved the contract negotiated by workers’ union Local 71 and a negotiating team of borough leaders. The borough’s negotiating team included chief fiscal officer Jila Stuart, mayor Stephanie […]
Posted inNews
Mayor pushes monitoring, tougher fines on heli-skiing
Haines Borough Mayor Stephanie Scott is proposing the borough ramp up its monitoring of heli-ski tour companies and stiffen fines. Scott will ask the assembly Tuesday to change the borough’s GPS data collection policies and adopt a graduated fine schedule for violations. Under the change, each operator would be subject to a minimum of 10 GPS spot checks […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Redistrict plan would link Haines, Juneau
The Alaska Redistricting Board approved a new political map Sunday, placing Haines in a state House district with downtown Juneau, Douglas Island, Skagway, Klukwan and Gustavus. The map will be submitted to a judge for review. The board redrew the boundaries after the Alaska Supreme Court ruled last year the board hadn’t followed the correct process in […]
Posted inNews
Borough adds $210K to Front Street work
The Haines Borough has agreed to chip in up to $210,000 toward state-funded Front Street improvements, bringing the project total to about $5 million. The assembly voted July 9 to use $110,000 of cruise ship head tax funds to ensure that existing Front Street sidewalks are replaced. It also voted to appropriate up to $100,000 from the […]
Posted inNews
‘Corporate personhood’ on agenda
The Haines contingent of “We the People” is pushing the Haines Borough Assembly to pass an ordinance rejecting corporate personhood and restricting the definition of “person” in borough code to human beings. Under Haines Borough code, “person” is defined as “a corporation, partnership, joint venture, the borough and any other public agency, as well as an individual or individuals.” […]
Posted inNews
Assembly to mull $5 million bond
The Haines Borough Assembly will consider asking voters to approve a $5 million bond for districtwide school improvements. The borough’s hopes for approval hinge on the package of projects qualifying for reimbursement through a state program that covers up to 70 percent of costs. The bond would finance six projects: mechanical upgrades to the vocational education building […]