Haines elected officials have learned that the company who is responsible for the reconstruction of the Lutak Dock has bought 10 millon worth of iron to complete the construction. Officials from the Haines borough were shocked and irritated over the deal, and it demonstrates an agreement to a plan which the new leaders stated they would like to change.
The Lutak Dock is the principal port of entry for freight to Haines. It was constructed by the military around 70 years ago and is now in decay. However, the style the borough has decided to adopt is now in the spotlight. The proposed design would involve enclosing the structure in question with a wall made of metal pipes, and then filling it with.
The design’s supporters say it offers the greatest efficiency, and it has been accepted from the Maritime Administration, or MARAD the federal agency responsible for financing the project. The opponents say that it is big for the needs of the community -which means it is expensive to maintain and will need to be rebuilt if the pipes made of steel eventually begin to rust.
They also believe that an enormous dock could attract mining companies to utilize the facility to transfer ore that could draw heavy trucks that could travel through the downtown area of Haines.
The debate was central to the last local election which was the time that all the candidates who were favour of a different design won. The new council members expressed they were interested in stopping the process and examining an alternative design that had less footprint. They discussed the matter during a discussion on November. 15.
Turnagain Marine Construction is the company responsible for rebuilding the dock. The company’s president Jason Davis attended the meeting Then, two days later Davis sent an email for Haines Borough manager Annette Kreitzer to inform her that his firm was purchasing around the sum of $10 million in steel.
“It seems that the coil was ordered, and the steel order was changed from a hold into binding orders I think it was august,” Davis said.
Kreitzer claims she didn’t realize the significance of the message until her return from vacation three weeks after her return. She didn’t notify elected officials.
“I wanted to speak with MARAD at first and I hoped that I could get some sort of answer to the meeting on the impact of this move,” she said.
The Mayor Tom Morphet says on Dece. 20th, he informed the manager the mayor was planning to talk with Davis regarding the project’s cost. This occurred more than a month later Davis sent the email.
“And that’s the time that the manager shared with me the letter from Nov. 17th letter. And my question to the manager is, “When did you expect to communicate that information with us?”
Morphet set up an specially-arranged session with the Borough Assembly to find out more about the current situation. In the meeting, Kreitzer acknowledged that she understood the discontent of assembly members however, she defended her position.
“I am aware of the sentiments of assembly members who feel that I’ve kept information from them, and I am sorry for this,” she said. “It is how I’ve conducted business by making sure that there is context in what I share with the assembly. I attempt to gather the facts in order that I can make them available to the group. It’s possible you won’t like this answer, but this is my response.”
The Assembly members were worried about purchasing the steel prior getting the approval of MARAD to do so could affect the funds.
Assembly Member Kevin Forster brought up the issue of another grant that the city was denied due to accusations of poor management – this grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to work on Porcupine Road. Porcupine road.
“We are currently at the end of the line part of a different grant reimbursement program, and we’re trying to determine the point at which it went off the track, however we’re still holding the the amount and aren’t getting paid by the government agency” the man said.
MARAD demanded information about the purchase of steel. Morphet outlined his understanding regarding the matter.
“Today the project is still in an uncertain state,” he said. “The Department of Transportation, which is the federal government’s department that oversees marine and transportation offices, also known as MARAD who is the sponsor of the $20 million grant we have received is looking into issues related to our management of this grant and also the reason that, in October Turnagain bought $10 million worth of steel without obtaining the approval of the Haines Borough or MARAD.”
Davis from Turnagain Davis, of Turnagain, has denied that the company was guilty of any wrongdoing.
“The only reason that there’s an issue about this process is that council members want to stop the program,” the council member said. “And it’s definitely within your rights to decide that however, I think it’s a bit embarrassing that you’re trying to sabotage the Borough staff and contractors who have worked in good faith to fulfill the agreements and meet the grant obligation and seek out a solution to blame the other.”
The conference lasted more than three hours and the tension was high at times. Many questions were left unanswered.
What was the most significant breach of the grant’s requirements was it Turnagain to buy steel?
Kreitzer recently wrote MARAD the following letter, which includes an elaborate timetable that outlines the date of purchase. In the letter, she states that Turnagain bought the steel at its own expense.
Can the borough continue to decide to change its mind and opt for an alternative design within this grant?
Mayor Morphet claims he’s been in contact to Sen. Murkowski’s staff, and that they’re willing to assist the borough’s effect caused by this shift.
In the event that design was modified Who would be responsible for the steel purchase of $10 million? In the moment, Turnagain and the borough do not agree and slam each other in the face.
The final decision will be decided by MARAD The agency, and numerous attempts to contact the agency to ask for feedback have been unsuccessful.
