The hot button issue that’s expected to drive discussion on Tuesday night is the second appearance of a resolution to defend gun ownership rights in the borough. It’s been amended since the first time it was introduced. The original resolution would have labeled the Haines Borough as a Second Amendment Sanctuary City.

 

But that language caused a public outcry and was removed. Acting borough clerk and interim manager Alekka Fullerton said she expects to hear from both sides on the issue. 

“It really does have support from some factions of our community. And there is virulent opposition from others.”

Fullerton said the resolution was not voted on at the last meeting as the chief sponsor Assemblyperson Paul Rogers made motions to change language, and asked for it to be held until this Tuesday’s meeting so as to allow for further comment.

“Now, he has offered a substitute resolution… and is asking that it be entered in place of the original resolution,” said Fullerton.

The new proposed resolution says the borough opposes any regulations that would infringe on a residents’ second amendment rights to possess firearms under state and federal laws, and would not allow borough funds to be used for enforcement of any law that would contradict those rights. 

Also on the agenda for Tuesday night is a motion to change the way property taxes in the borough are assessed taking into account last December’s catastrophic storm damage.

“The assembly was trying to grapple with how to make people whole, that lived specifically on Beach Road,” said Fullerton.

Property taxes are usually assessed based on the values from January of the previous calendar year. Fullerton says there is a state law that allows communities to adjust those dates if a disaster has occurred. Doing so will allow the valuation to be assessed on appraisals from 2021 to take into account properties that have been damaged or destroyed. This is the first reading of the ordinance and the second reading is scheduled for the May 25, meeting, where it will either be adopted or voted down.

“In essence, we’ve already had the conversation about it. But now by introducing it and having the two public hearings, we can hear from the public,” said Fullerton.

Finally, the wastewater treatment plant is about to enter the final phase of its electrical upgrades. The two resolutions up for approval would allow the borough to borrow around $640,000

“So phase IV of the wastewater treatment plant, the electrical upgrades are really the last thing that was on our master plan for our water sewer upgrades. So that’s the one thing in the Haines borough that we’ve actually done a pretty good job at maintaining and keeping up to date with,” said Fullerton.

The cost of the project is expected to run $487,000.

Fullerton said this will be the final step in the borough’s current master plan and the next step will be to design a new master plan with a phased approach that will allow the borough to make upgrades affordable and timely.

There’s no telling how long Tuesday’s meeting might run, she added

“I expect that it will be longer than normal. But they really run the gamut. We have some meetings that are, you know, an hour, and we have some meetings that are three hours. Remember that Haines borough meetings cannot go past 10 o’clock, without a motion before 9:30 to extend the meeting. And in no event, can they exceed midnight,” said Fullerton.

The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night at 6:30 pm. The first ten residents to arrive at assembly chambers will be allowed inside, otherwise, you can stream the meeting via the zoom link on the borough’s website or listen live at  KHNS.org.