Can you tell I’m leaving for a few days and want to be sure to keep you updated on all things large and small?
Here is the latest (unofficial until certified results) from the Haines Borough web page, on yesterday’s municipal election. My friend Margaret Friedenauer won by a lot– 629 votes! The surprise is that progressive artist Tresham Gregg and conservative former mayor Jerry Lapp are tied with 411 votes each. There are 14 question ballots that may or may not count, and 2 ballots that I believe had trouble in the voting machine ( I think that’s what rejected by “OS” means?) and there are 9 absentee by fax ballots that were requested and may or may not all be returned. So, what that means, with maximum of 34 ballots to count, is that we won’t know if it is Tresham or Jerry until the canvas on October 13. The school board had three folks running for three seats, so Sara Chapell, Inez Gross, and Mike Wilson will all be serving the community on that board. The only question will be who gets the three or two year seats.
In regional news, Juneau has a new mayor. Mr. Fisk defeated incumbent Mr. Sanford, and Skagway voted a solid two-to-one NO on the proposed 35 year waterfront lease to White Pass. (This was surprising to me, having followed the issue on local radio KHNS for a year. I’m curious to see what the next step is. It is interesting that the mayor and assemblyman who advocated for the lease agreement were both re-elected. )
