After less than three months on the job, the Haines’ borough clerk was let go following an executive session at the Oct. 22 Haines Borough Assembly meeting. It was the first executive session for three freshly elected assembly members, who were sworn in that evening.

 

Borough Clerk Kristine Kennedy was terminated without cause at Tuesday’s assembly meeting. She took the roll call for the vote that ended her employment.

Assembly member Craig Loomis participated in the assembly meeting by phone but had difficulty connecting to the executive session. He did not vote on the matter.

Just prior to going into the assembly members-only portion of the meeting, Mayor Tom Morphet outlined his perception of Kennedy.

“I would just like to say the mayor’s experience of the clerk is that the clerk is respectful, discreet, patient and earnestly committed to the clerk’s job,” Morphet said. “She’s been here three months. I believe she’s coming up to speed, and I recommend that the assembly move this to the personnel committee.”

Kennedy was given the option of having the executive session to discuss her employment status made public. She deferred to the assembly.

“I would support it being public, but I don’t want to get in the assembly’s way of doing their business,” Kennedy said. “So whatever they would like to do.”

After the assembly came out of their private meeting, they voted unanimously to terminate Kennedy, effective Wednesday. 

Several community members expressed support for Kennedy at the end of the meeting, when the assembly went back to open session and the commenting period re-opened. Among them was Patty Kermoian. 

“I must say, I am shocked by the assembly’s action of terminating a clerk who’s been on the job for three months,” Kermoian said. “I have absolutely no idea what happened. It seems like it would have been a much better decision to send it to a committee, to send it to arbitration –  something. I mean, really, half of you have only worked with the clerk for less than two hours.”

Kennedy, the mayor, the borough manager and various assembly members could not be reached by deadline for comment.

The vacant position adds to a list of unfilled municipal jobs. The borough is also in the process of hiring a manager and police chief.

More borough news

In other borough news, Haines’ 2024 municipal election results were certified. Richard Clement, Mark Smith and Cheryl Stickler were sworn in as assembly members.

The Junk Car Program closed before its Nov. 1 deadline due to a change in the barge schedule. The mayor said he is hopeful the program can resume in the spring.

Initiative One recently raised the property tax exemption for seniors and disabled veterans to $300,000. A proposed ordinance would have lifted the exception even higher for low-income senior citizens and disabled veterans. That ordinance failed in a four to two vote. 

Assembly member Cheryl Stickler explained why she didn’t support the measure. 

“So on top of the $300,000 we are discussing an additional reduction in property tax,” Stickler said. “And property taxes account for a large percentage of our operating budget. And we are facing, in light of what was just passed on the voter initiative, we are facing significant shortfalls that we as an assembly and as the Finance Committee are going to really have to grapple with.”

A proposed ordinance that would have charged nonprofits sales tax did not receive a motion and failed to come to the table.