Haines Mayor Jan Hill will continue to appoint volunteers to the borough’s committees and boards after a proposal to shift responsibility to voters failed Monday. Assembly member Tom Morphet supported the idea from the audience at Monday’s assembly Government Affairs and Services Committee meeting. While not a member of the body, he said members of the borough’s boards […]
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Posted inNews
New administrator hired for Chatham School District
The Chatham School District hired from within for its new superintendent as Gustavus School principal Ann Hilburn plans to take over the position July 1. Hilburn said she has been in education for 35 years, elsewhere in Mississippi and the Lower 48, and moved to Alaska four years ago to follow her husband’s sense of […]
Posted inNews
Enrollment drop could hurt school budget
The Haines Borough School District is at risk of losing $154,895 if school enrollment decreases as expected this fall. Interim superintendent Rich Carlson said the school’s enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year is estimated at 233 students, down from 253 this year. “A lot of it has to do with a fairly large senior class and a […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Let’s elect our committees
The manager’s letter in last week’s CVN attempting to exonerate the police chief from complicity in an unfounded, brazen, and unsuccessful political maneuver to criminally prosecute the assembly for a political appointment notwithstanding, the point of my April 26 paid commentary was this: The borough’s process for filling seats on boards, committees and commissions – […]
Posted inNews
Homeschooling topic of joint meeting
The Haines Borough School District is taking strides to foster an inclusive relationship with roughly 50 homeschool students in the valley. As school enrollment has tottered in the last several years, the Haines Borough Assembly and school board discussed Haines’ homeschool population at a joint meeting May 3. “The homeschool issue is not an issue that is unique to Haines,” said […]
Posted inNews, School Board
School board removes Ward’s name from gym
By Natalie Helms The Haines Borough school board voted unanimously Tuesday to rename Karl Ward Gymnasium as Haines High School Gymnasium. “When I was in school that was what it was called,” said board member Sarah Swinton, who made the motion. “If we’re changing things we should go back to how it was.” In March and April, six […]
Posted inNews
Assembly to adopt naming policy
In light of the discovery that a former Mayor dedicated the school gym to Karl Ward, the borough assembly has directed manager Debra Schnabel to create a policy for naming public facilities. Last week four men came forward alleging Ward sexually abused them or approached them inappropriately when they were students. Ward, who died 21 years ago, was a […]
Posted inNews
Former Haines students allege sexual abuse by Karl Ward
Four Haines High School alumni came forward this week detailing sexual abuse by former Boy Scout leader, school principal and superintendent Karl Ward, who died 21 years ago. Craig Loomis, Robert Brouillette, Nick Kokotovich and Roger Schnabel allege that Ward fondled them or acted inappropriately toward them while they were visiting at his home. The […]
Posted inNews
What happens next? How a similar tragedy changed a community
Haines isn’t the only town where a trusted leader sexually abused children. In Charleston, South Carolina during the late 1980s, a victim came forward alleging sexual abuse against a teacher at the private school Porter-Gaud, but was rebuffed by school administrators. The sexual abuse began in 1970 and lasted decades. The teacher, Eddie Fischer, also […]
Posted inNews
Question raised about Open Meetings Act after public excluded from briefing
The Haines Borough manager and police chief on Wednesday uninvited the assembly to a meeting aimed at developing a local response plan for active shooter situations. The meeting invitation initially included assembly members, but specified the event would be closed to the public and the media. After it was pointed out that a meeting attended by more […]