The proposition to allow police services boroughwide will not appear on the October ballot, after the assembly failed to vote on the ordinance in enough time to allow for the required 40-day notice period before elections. “At least 40 days before each general or special election, notice of the subject of any proposition, referendum or […]
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Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Six candidates vie for two seats in assembly race
Residents Diana Lapham, Sally McGuire, Zephyr Sincerny, Sean Gaffney and Gabe Thomas filed candidacy for two vacating seats on the Haines Borough Assembly, joining applicant Paul Rogers, who registered last week. Lapham, a three-decades long Haines resident and former assembly member from 2013 to 2016, said she was solicited by community members to campaign for a […]
Posted inNews
Policing ballot prop stalls
A charter change for areawide policing might not make it to the October ballot. The Haines Borough Assembly voted 4-2 to hold a third public hearing for the ordinance at their Tuesday meeting to give staff time to hash out disputes in interpretation of charter language. “We’ve had some information that caused us to have more than […]
Posted inNews
Assembly reaches impasse on staff attrition
On Tuesday, the Haines Borough Assembly met to discuss the merits of eliminating or consolidating vacating staff positions in response to statewide budget cuts, but ultimately disagreed on what- if any- positions should be removed. This month, the Haines Borough staff experienced an unexpected shake up when several employee resignations came at once. Borough planner Holly Smith served her […]
Posted inNews
Assembly to consider cutting staff positions
The Haines Borough Assembly will meet as a committee of the whole with manager Debra Schnabel on Aug. 20 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss personnel restructuring in light of a handful of soon-to-be vacant borough positions. Last week, borough planner Holly Smith worked her last day after resigning in May; public facilities director Brad Ryan accepted a manager position […]
Posted inHaines Borough, News
Rogers only filer for two assembly seats
With less than one week before the filing deadline, Paul Rogers is the only candidate registered to run for one of two open seats on the Haines Borough Assembly. At a training for potential candidates on Monday, five other residents attended, though none have filed as of press time Wednesday. Diana Lapham, Sally McGuire, Zepher Sincerny […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Borough Briefs
KHNS receives borough funding The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously approved a $20,000 allocation Thursday to KHNS in the wake of stripped state funding. Last month, KHNS station manager Kay Clements requested the money from the assembly after Gov. Mike Dunleavy eliminated public radio funding, which amounted to about $75,000 for KHNS. To compensate for cuts, the department […]
Posted inLocal News, Haines Borough
Borough Briefs
School enrollment higher than projected Haines school enrollment is more than projected, which will result in an increase in the school’s budget. Last November, school administrators had projected this school year’s enrollment at 233, which would have resulted in a $154,000 loss in revenue for this fiscal year. Enrollment is now projected at 246, school […]
Posted inNews, Public Safety
Should the assembly be in charge of police chief?
The assembly voted 5-1 on July 18 to elevate the Haines Borough chief of police position to a borough officer. That would put the chief directly under the supervision of the assembly instead of the borough manager. At least one assembly member has criticized the move as leading to politicization of the police department. The chief of […]
Posted inNews
Hamilton awarded $4.7 million bid
The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously voted to award the $4.7 million Portage Cover boat launch project to Skagway-based company Hamilton Construction in a special meeting. The project includes a two-lane boat launch ramp, parking lot and harbor park. At a July 23 meeting, the borough assembly voted to postpone three of the smaller projects included in the […]