As part of our election season coverage, KHNS is bringing candidates to you through a series of profiles. In Haines, four candidates are running for two seats on the borough assembly, vacated by Carol Tuynman and Jerry Lapp. Today, we hear from Debra Schnabel, who is running for her third term on the borough assembly.
Debra Schnabel has deep roots in Haines, as does her family. For decades, the Schnabels have been in business doing logging, mining, construction — even reality television about mining. Schnabel herself has an extensive record in the community, serving several terms on Haines now-dissolved city council, the school board, planning commission and two terms on the borough assembly. She currently works as a property manager for St James Place, Inc, a mobile home park, and Lynn Canal Corporation, an office building, where she is owner and director.
Debra Schnabel
She says she’s motivated to run now to be a part of planning and critical decision-making for Haines’ future. And she’s interested in working with the new borough manager, Annette Kreitzer, who is scheduled to start October 1.
“I think that the government with the leadership of Annette Kreitzer will be a very interesting and directive one,” Schnabel said. “I think that the community has been kind of churning for a long while, without really being able to identify or come to agreement on where we want to go or how we want to address development issues.”
She says there is a culture of arguing, and wants to build unity to move forward on public issues.
“Right now, at least from the outside looking in, we are seen as a very divisive community, I would like to contribute to the processes that might help to alleviate or mitigate that. And I think that with my background in conflict resolution, and in management, and administration, I can contribute to that.”
Most recently, Schnabel worked as the Haines borough manager for nearly three years, but was fired in May 2020, following a contentious 4-3 vote. A statement by the Haines assembly at the time said it was a termination without cause, but Assemblymember Paul Rogers brought the motion saying she failed to take direction and accused her of using borough resources inappropriately. Schnabel says many people in the community felt it was unjust.
“The upwelling of support for me in my termination, seemed rather strong to me, which is one of the reasons why I didn’t have any fear in putting myself up as a candidate. If I believed that the majority of people in this community have lost respect or trust in me, I would not have run, I would not be running,” she said.
She said being fired was a painful experience, but she reached out and engaged with her critics at the time, demonstrating her willingness to continue dialogue. And she’s attended borough meetings and participated in town issues since then.
“So I would like to, by example, show that we can talk with people whose ideas are very different, and identify that there’s a humanity and all of us and that humanity has to take precedence over political opinions. And we need to be able to converse, you know, with people to come to some kind of consensus.”
Schnabel has extensive working knowledge of the borough code and processes, and wants to see a deep dive into its public finances – looking at revenues and spending – and envision long-term plans for Haines’ future.
Debra Schnabel was the founder and manager of KHNS.
A live debate with the four candidates for Haines borough assembly will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 16, and will be broadcast live on KHNS. Questions for the candidates can be submitted in advance to reporter@khns.org.
