Although required to by code, Haines Borough Manager Mark Earnest has not provided for evaluations of employees since starting on the job three years ago. As manager, Earnest serves as the borough’s personnel director. He is responsible for supervising and evaluating about a dozen of the municipality’s upper-level employees, including department heads and three borough “officers”: police chief Gary Lowe, […]
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Posted inNews
Mine summit helpful, borough officials say
Haines Borough officials recently returned from a Canadian mineral exploration conference. Assistant to the manager Darsie Culbeck and assembly member Steve Vick traveled to Vancouver, B.C., for the Mineral Exploration Roundup conference, a four-day annual trade show. In addition to meeting with mining companies Constantine Metal Resources, Chieftain Metals and Prophecy Platinum, Culbeck and Vick spoke with officials […]
Posted inThank You Letters
Thanks for helping Winter Games
Thanks to all who attended the Haines Winter Olympic Games on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds. Organizers might have wished for more wintery conditions, but could not have wished for more enthusiastic participants! Thanks to Tomi Scovill and The Parts Place for bringing Golf Olympics, and to all the volunteers who […]
Posted inNews
Assembly to review executive sessions
A Jan. 22 closed-door meeting of the Haines Borough Assembly may have violated Alaska’s Open Meetings Act and borough code, according to borough officials. Assembly members met as a committee of the whole prior to the regular assembly meeting and effectively extended borough manager Mark Earnest’s contract until July 2014 by determining he achieved a “satisfactory” performance […]
Posted inNews
Earnest scores a ‘satisfactory’
The Haines Borough Assembly gave manager Mark Earnest a “satisfactory” evaluation Tuesday, a decision that came during an executive session at a committee of the whole meeting. Mayor Stephanie Scott announced the decision during the regular assembly meeting that followed the closed-door session, but did not elaborate. Based on interviews after the meetings, it appears the satisfactory determination relied heavily on […]
Posted inNews, Mining
Mining trip: Necessary or junket?
Some Haines Borough officials are questioning whether the borough is spending its time and money wisely by sending three public officials to a Canadian mineral exploration conference. Borough Manager Mark Earnest, executive assistant to the manager Darsie Culbeck and assembly member Steve Vick are scheduled to travel to Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 28-31 for the Mineral Exploration Roundup conference. Assembly member Debra […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Advisory committee elections scrutinized
Following an unusually large turn-out at the Upper Lynn Canal Advisory Committee’s Dec. 14 election, the Haines Borough Assembly will recommend the committee consider changing its election procedures. The election – which drew 78 people, packed the assembly chambers beyond capacity, and forced the creation of extra ballots – seated new members Julia Heinz and Kip Kermoian and reseated John […]
Posted inNews
Skaters mull improved, moved ice rink
A grant opportunity recently renewed the efforts of a local volunteer organization to move the ice rink from the fairgrounds to downtown, but board members are hitting the brake on the initiative, at least for now. Until Tuesday evening, Haines Hockey board members intended to bring the issue before the Haines Borough Assembly in the form of […]
Posted inNews
Two dogs hit by arrows on hillside
A pet dog died and another was sent to Juneau for treatment after they were hit by arrows early this week in the same Mount Ripinsky hillside neighborhood where three dogs disappeared last fall. Maple, a 1-year-old black lab and rat terrier mix, came yelping back to her West Mathias Avenue home at about 10 a.m. Tuesday, […]
Posted inNews
Borough inks deal with mine firm
The Haines Borough Assembly took a step toward establishing Haines as a potential transshipment port for minerals when it voted during its Dec. 11 meeting to authorize entrance into an agreement between the borough and a Wellgreen mine developer. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the borough and Prophecy Platinum Corp. allows the two parties to exchange […]