Haines moves forward with lifting cap on number of heliski permits, a new junk car storage facility, and more highlights from Tuesday’s meeting

Haines moved one step closer to allowing more heliski operators in the Chilkat Valley following a razor-thin vote by the Haines assembly. As KHNS’ Corinne Smith reports, elected officials also discussed the Lutak Dock redevelopment plan, and approved funding for a new junk car storage facility. 

Haines Assemblymembers were tied 3-3 on Tuesday over whether to support removing a cap on heli-ski permits for tours operators in Haines.

That had been recommended by the Government Affairs and Services Committee which has been studying the issue in recent months.

It’s been hotly debated all summer – at hours-long committee meetings, in newspaper editorials, and on social media – centered on whether to allow a fourth heli-ski operator, Stellar Adventure Travel, when the borough code limit is three. There are a variety of concerns raised by current operators and opponents around safety, impacts on mountain goat herds and noise pollution. While proponents say it’d be a boon to Haines winter economy.

Committee Chair Cheryl Stickler advocated for lifting the limit while also reviewing current operators, and possibly tied to the five year heliski map review.

“How we allocate skier days,” Stickler listed. “And how we define a permit holder in good standing, develop a process for purchasing user days prior to the start of the season, and the ability to purchase additional days as needed, if it’s a magnificent year of snow.”

But the 3-3 deadlock was broken after Haines Mayor Doug Olerud cast the tie-breaking vote. He says he wanted to move the debate forward. 

“At this time, I’m going to vote in favor of this because I want to see what the language looks like so we can continue this process. I feel if we stop this at this time, we’re never going to come back to this and I want to continue having this discussion,” Olerud said.

But that’s not the end of the issue. It’ll still need at least two readings by the assembly which could offer amendments, plus a public hearing.

And the mayor warned that he wouldn’t support the ordinance as-is when it returns to the agenda on October 26. 

“If we get to the final one and it’s 3-3, I’m going to vote against it because I don’t think that’s good policy,” Olerud said. “So I want to work together with everyone to get the ordinance we can.”

Prior to the vote, the issue had gone back and forth from the Government Affairs Committee to the Assembly and back again. On Tuesday Kirby proposed moving it back to a working group, but that amendment failed unanimously. Assembly members Kirby, Tuynman and Lapp voted against, while Stickler, Thomas and Rogers voted for the ordinance.

In other news, the mayor said he met with several economic and state representatives during the Southeast Conference’s annual meeting last week, about the Lutak Dock redevelopment plan. He said the borough will work with Alaska’s congressional delegation, state and federal agencies to pursue grant funding. He said they are not pursuing a loan from the Alaska Industrial and Development Export Authority as major industry revenue to pay it back is not there. 

“AIDEA recognizes that there isn’t a current need for an ore terminal in Haines. Before such a project could take place, there needs to be signed agreements with companies guaranteeing shipments through the facility with enough revenue to make the project profitable. As all of us know none of that currently exists,” Olerud read from his mayor’s report. 

 The Assembly also voted on several budget amendments, increasing spending as the borough saw more sales tax revenue, including $70,000 for a new junk car storage facility proposed to be across from the ferry terminal. 

Interim borough manager Alekka Fullerton says the borough has tried levying fines on people for abandoned cars, but said the borough needs a secure space, where contaminants are drained and cars stored, before they’re shipped out.

“We can try to hammer on these people to do something to get rid of these vehicles. But then they say, what do you want me to do with them? And we don’t have an answer for that. And so we need to come up with a borough answer for these people.”

In her interim manager’s report, Fullerton argued for the borough to take action on Haines housing shortage. 

“We don’t have enough housing in the Haines borough. We need to be talking about development in Haines. We need to talk about some kind of incentives to encourage people to put in developments,” Fullerton said. “This is one of the things that SEARHC has identified when they’re talking about potentially putting in a hospital here.”

She recommended the issue be referred to the Finance Committee. 

Assembly members thanked Alekka Fullerton for her work as interim borough manager over the last 16 months. She will be resuming her role as borough clerk, Annette Kreitzer is scheduled to start this Friday as the new manager.