The Haines Borough Administration building. (Emily Files)
The Haines Borough is rethinking the naming of public facilities. Borough Manager Debra Schnabel brought the idea for a new policy to the assembly at its Tuesday meeting.
Schnabel asked the assembly to consider developing a policy for naming public facilities after people. Or, to not name things after people at all.
“That’s just an idea that I had and a way that we can maybe address some of the issues,” said Schnabel. “Because as I stated earlier, undoing something is a lot more painful than doing it.”
In the last few weeks, allegations of sexual abuse in the Haines Borough School District’s past have been made public.
The Haines High School gym is named after Karl Ward, the man accused of sexual misconduct. Ward, who died more than 20 years ago, worked in the school as a teacher, principal and superintendent from the 1950s, through the 1970s.
Mayor Jan Hill addressed the allegations at Tuesday’s meeting. She said she is in the process of drafting a statement on behalf of herself and the assembly.
“I just want the community to know that we are dealing with this situation and with this issue,” said Hill. “I appreciate the sensitivity that I’ve seen. Whether something like this ever happened to you personally, it affects this whole community. Personally, I have been surprised about how it has impacted me.”
The assembly voted to direct Schnabel to establish a policy for naming public facilities that includes vetting. It will also include a procedure for the removal of names.
