Haines assembly candidates Richard Clement (left), Tyler Huling, Brenda Josephson, and Debra Schnabel (Corinne Smith/KHNS)

Candidates for the Haines borough assembly squared off Tuesday in a forum  hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. The four candidates answered questions about the local economy, redeveloping Haines’ fuel and freight dock, and more. KHNS’ Corinne Smith reports on where the candidates stood on some of the issues ahead of the October 5 election.

The top two vote getters in the October election will be seated on the Haines borough assembly for full terms. And there are four candidates: Richard Clement, Tyler Huling, Brenda Josephson and Deborah Shnabel. Each  shared their positions on key economic issues with about half a dozen people gathered at the Aspen Hotel, and over Zoom. 

A major concern of the Chamber is infrastructure improvements. Candidates were asked about their priorities and addressing decay. Tyler Huling and Brenda Josephson both say they would look to federal funding from Biden’s infrastructure bill, to fund big projects like Haines’ fuel and freight dock. 

“Of course Lutak Dock is a huge concern. As Brenda has mentioned, I think we have an incredible opportunity to attract some funding into the community with this federal infrastructure bill potentially going through and so hopefully, we are able to really make some big moves in the coming years,” Huling said.

Debra Schnabel says it’s also a task of planning and managing projects. 

“Financial planning is a very difficult thing to do. And it is what needs to be done for the maintenance of our infrastructure, and the replacement of our infrastructure. You asked about priorities for maintaining existing infrastructure. I think first and foremost, we do need a public safety building,” Schnabel said. 

Richard Clement agreed the aging public safety building needs to be improved as well as the Lutak Dock, adding that if it failed, Haines would see soaring costs for freight and fuel. 

“Everything in this town would cost seven times more everything,” Clement said. “I mean, you just go to the store, and you look at all the prices, and you multiply it by seven.))) And that’s what would happen if we had to truck in all of our goods.”

All candidates agreed Lutak Dock is important for Haines’ economic development, as a regional transport hub from Southeast to the interior. Josephson says development should be based on community needs, and Schnabel says it should be a multi-purpose dock.

None of the candidates directly mentioned the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, or AIDEA’s proposal in April to finance the dock development, to include an ore terminal, and elevated risks of transporting mining materials through Haines. Or whether they would support it. 

The questions were written by the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and moderated by staff member Andrew Letchworth.

Candidates were asked how they would approach budget cuts, given declining state funding, the COVID pandemic, and projected 2022 budget deficit. 

Schnabel says she’d look at borough staffing levels. “People are the most expensive part, the largest part of our budget. And I think that we can look at how we have structured our work and our priorities for that.”

Until last year, Schnabel had worked as the borough manager who ran the local government for three years. 

Huling and Clement both say they would need to study the budget more and couldn’t say what should be cut. 

“I would be new to the position and therefore I’m not currently able to offer a lot of hardline answers about budget cuts,” Huling said. “However, I’m would be very humbled and eager to be a student of people who have been in this community and in this role longer and happy to learn and take direction.”

Josephson proposed new tax revenues, like a new online sales tax created last year, and public input on cuts.

“Our remote sales tax in the past has been less than $4,000 a month. Now we’re over $20,000. That’s been a benefit of $200,000 a year on average to the community. So looking for ways that we can add, which hasn’t been much harm to the public,” Josephson added. 

The candidates were asked how they’d support the winter economy and year round employment. Huling says by supporting winter tourism, and Clement says by attracting remote workers and mining.

“We can invite a lot of remote workers to Haines,” Clement said. “It would just be a great setting forum if we had the broadband capacity for it. Also, mining is a very strong sector year round. And pays really, really well.” 

All four candidates supported local value-added production and manufacturing, like the Port Chilkoot Distillery making liquor for export. Schnabel and Josephson also point to sawmills and logging Haines State Forest as a year-round industry. 

“When Haines was thriving, we had sawmills that were operating. I believe the Haines State Forest is a tremendous resource that we can use to encourage value added products, including biomass is an opportunity that we have, and we’ve got a lot of supply,” Josephson said.

Candidates also addressed questions on the COVID outbreak, the debate around allowing more heli-ski operators in Haines, conflict resolution, and why they are running for assembly. 

You can listen to the entire one-hour forum here.