“Sometimes our best efforts do not go amiss,” writes Sheenagh Pugh, in her poem Sometimes, which I’ve been reciting all morning with gratitude and a happy heart, because last night the Haines Borough Assembly voted to zone the Chilkat Beaches recreational and non-motorized, 4-2 with steadfast supporters Debra Schnabel and Joanne Waterman, former mayor Dave Berry (who phoned in from down south) and, brand new assembly woman Diana Lapham in favor. Diana, a longtime officer of the only motorized recreation group in town, the Haines Snowburners snowmachine club, made the motion, noting there are places for motorized recreation and the popular beach was not one of them. I love this town. I could have kissed her. George Campbell and Jerry Lapp were opposed. I do think we owe them thanks too, as their firm opposition and especially George’s strident advocacy for an ATV park on the beach if the ordinance failed, did more to rally support for it than anything else. The hall was full of people testifying on behalf of the beach, some who never attend meetings, and in the end, the love of the place spoke for itself. It was so clearly the right thing to do. Isn’t it great that “Sometimes,” as the poem goes, “things don’t go after all from bad to worse,” sometimes people will “elect an honest man” (and four women– Mayor Scott shepherded it through, too); “decide they care enough”, and “do as we are meant to?” O, glad tidings of comfort of joy! In the meantime, there’s a blizzard warning for today and tomorrow, they say we’ll see a few feet of snow, and it will get colder and start blowing 40 from the north later this afternoon. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas– and thanks to the Mayor and majority of the borough assembly, it feels like it, too.
