Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

Borough leaders refined a nonprofit application for borough funding and discussed broadening which nonprofits would be eligible to apply for money from the general fund.

The committee also discussed sending to voters the option to amend borough charter to create a road maintenance service area for Porcupine and Chilkat Lake roads.

Government affairs and services committee (GASC) chair Debra Schnabel suggested changing language that allows general fund monies for nonprofits to be spent “for any services that are approved for delivery area-wide by the Haines Borough Charter.

“If we say we are only going to fund things that are described in the charter for an area wide power, (then) the Haines Dolphins, the Hot Shots, Haines Arts Council, any number of people that have been funded in the past, the Salvation Army, Bald Eagle Foundation, the watershed council, all of those things we have funded in the past would not be eligible.”

Schnabel suggested they change the language to read that the assembly would accept applications from nonprofits that are “responsive to community needs and quality of life.”

GAS chair Cheryl Stickler agreed that limiting funding to what’s provided in the charter was too restrictive but said the phrase “quality of life” was too subjective. Both agreed that the application’s language could cite the borough’s comprehensive plan in respect to funding nonprofits’ services and activities.

The draft application uses a point system assembly members would tally to rank nonprofit funding requests. It includes categories such as “statement of need,” “contributes to economic development,” and “increases public safety.”

Schnabel also wanted to delete the categories related to economic development, public safety and serving vulnerable residents because she thought it would give the impression that the borough values one category over another.

Stickler suggested combining the categories to ensure nonprofits explain concretely how their services will serve residents and Schnabel agreed.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss funding Porcupine Road maintenance costs but ran out of time. Schnabel suggested sending to voters the question of whether borough charter should be amended to provide a percentage of road maintenance on Porcupine Road and Chilkat Lake Road.

Commercial users including tourism operators, Constantine Metals and timber companies currently contribute to road maintenance. Residents use the road often for subsistence and recreation reasons. The average cost to maintain the road is about $19,000 a year. The borough has spent more than $134,000 on the road since 2014 and commercial users have contributed about $24,000 in that time.

“If we want to use public money to do road maintenance then let’s provide that in our charter, “ Schnabel said. “I think the community recognizes that at least the Porcupine Road is utilized by so many people and it’s an important transportation route for lots of reasons.”