Community table in remembrance of the December 2020 landslide victims. (Amelia Nash photo)

Haines borough employees get a new contract, rebuilding and remembrance continue for the victims of the December 2020 weather disaster, scientists continue studying what caused the landslide, and activists implore residents to speak out against the Constantine Mine Project. KHNS’ Mike Swasey spoke with Borough Manager Annette Kreitzer for the latest news in Haines.

SwaseyAnnette Kreitzer, Borough Manager for Haines, Alaska, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start off talking about what came out of this last borough assembly meeting?

Kreitzer – Sure. Well, I think probably the biggest thing for the borough was the successful ratification of our new contract with Local 71, which represents almost all of the borough employees. And so the fiscal year started July 1, so it was really gratifying that the union members ratified on Monday and the assembly ratified the contract on Tuesday. So we’re glad, going forward, that we have an agreement for the next several years with the employees.

SwaseyAnd Team Rubicon is coming into town, they’re going to be working on how many homes while they’re in town?

Kreitzer – They’re bringing 13 carpenters, and they’re going to be working on two homes from the 15th until July 31. And that’s in collaboration with the Chilkoot Indian Association and the Haines Long Term Recovery Group. So, that’ll be great news for those residents that are still displaced from the 2020 weather event.

SwaseyAnd you guys are unveiling memorial benches and a community table to help honor the victims of that landslide.

Memorial benches and community table at Picture Point. (Amelia Nash photo)

Kreitzer – Yeah, so the memorial benches for David Simmons and Janae Larson, have been sited at Picture Point, along with the community table that was finished this last year. And that really is the culmination of those activities that began over a year ago. So, looking forward to that, especially at the same time the celebration of life for David Simmons is happening this weekend.

Swasey To switch gears a bit, I’ve received a letter from the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council that’s asking residents to speak up and send letters to the EPA and to the Bureau of Land Management, trying to get the Palmer Project shut down on a federal level. And I’m wondering, is there anything the borough assembly can do to stop the potential contamination from exiting that mine?

Kreitzer – You know, it would be an assembly decision that they want to participate in this. My understanding is what they’re looking for is that Constantine has submitted a permit application to DEC for their Wastewater Management Design. And so that’s a DEC issue. There is a process for this project, and SEACC is certainly welcome to advise folks, you know, how they would like them to be involved in that process. But in terms of the borough right now, I don’t have any direction from the assembly to offer an opinion on that process or not.

SwaseyYeah, and I guess I’m wondering more, is it something that the borough assembly could take up if they wanted to?

Kreitzer – I suppose the borough assembly could take up any issue, whether they want to take it up outside the process that’s there, you know, DEC is certainly taking comment. And so if the assembly decided that it wanted to create a comment letter, then they could absolutely do that.

SwaseyOkay. And then, on a scientific front, you’ve got some geologists coming into town to do some geologic mapping. Let’s talk about that.

Kreitzer – Some of the scientists in the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, and the University of Alaska are here, starting Friday, the 15th through the 30th doing some helicopter-supported geologic mapping and sampling to help understand the landslide hazards that are in the borough. 

So you’re going to see some scientists in town, you’re gonna hear some helicopters, they’re continuing to collect field data to document the Beach Road landslide, and some of the other slope failures that occurred in December 2020. So we just want folks to be aware that they’re here and that they are going to be using some helicopters to support that work.

SwaseyHaines borough manager Annette Kreitzer, thanks for filling us in on what’s happening in Haines.

Kreitzer – Thanks for the opportunity.