HAINES BOROUGH CHARTER
WITH PROVISION FOR TRANSITION UPON CONSOLIDATION OF
THE CITY OF HAINES
AND
THE HAINES BOROUGH
Prepared by
THE CITY OF HAINES
PETITIONER
December 20, 2000
As Amended by the Local Boundary Commission with the Concurrence of the Petitioner Following the
March 9, 2002 Public Hearing on the Proposal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I: NAME AND BOUNDARIES
1.01 Name of Borough
1.02 Form of Government
1.03 Boundaries
1.04 Participation with Other Governments
ARTICLE II: THE ASSEMBLY AND THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
2.01 Legislative Powers Vested in the Assembly
2.02 Composition and Apportionment of the Assembly
2.03 Qualifications, Terms, Compensation
2.04 Vacancies
2.05 Organization and Rules of the Assembly
2.06 Officers
3.01 Legislative Body
3.02 Introduction and Enactment of Ordinances
3.03 Actions Requiring an Ordinance
3.04 Emergency Ordinances
3.05 Adoption by Reference
3.06 Codification
ARTICLE IV: INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
4.01 Initiative
4.02 Referendum
4.03 Procedures for Initiative and Referendum Petition
4.04 Initiative Election
4.05 Referendum Election
5.01 The Office of the Mayor
5.02 Powers of the Mayor
5.03 Borough Manager
5.04 Officers and Staff
5.05 Administrative Procedures in Borough Code
5.06 Boards
6.01 Areawide Powers
6.02 Powers for Service Areas
7.01 Public School System
7.02 School Board Membership
7.03 Powers of the School Board
7.04 Relationship of the Borough School Board and Borough Assembly
8.01 Planning Commission
8.02 Qualifications, Term, and Compensation
8.03 Powers and Duties
8.04 Comprehensive Plan
8.05 Proposals for Zoning and Boundary Changes
8.06 Form of Petitions
8.07 Protest
8.08 Hearings and Report
8.09 Designation or Alteration
9.01 Annual Budget and Capital Improvements Program
9.02 Altering and Transferring Appropriations
9.03 Enterprise Funds
9.04 Emergency and Supplemental Appropriations
9.05 Lapse of Appropriations
9.06 Administration of the Budget
9.07 Competitive Bidding and Contract Approval
9.08 Audits
9.09 Permanent Fund
10.01 Taxing Authority
10.02 Kinds of Taxes
10.03 Sales Tax Ratification
10.04 Tax Procedures
11.01 Municipal Debt
11.02 Limitations
11.03 Notice of Bond Election
11.04 Actions Challenging the Validity of Obligations
11.05 Proceeds from Sale of Obligations
12.01 Purpose and Criteria of Service Areas
12.02 Proposals and Protests
12.03 Establishment
12.04 Administration and Finance
ARTICLE XIII: LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
13.01 Purpose and Criteria
13.02 Proposals, Protests, and Appeals
13.03 Establishment
13.04 Finance
ARTICLE XIV: OTHER SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS
14.01 Purpose and Criteria
14.02 Proposals and Protests
14.03 Establishment
14.04 Finance
15.01 Designating Utilities
15.02 Operating Standards
15.03 Management
15.04 Accounting
15.05 Selling or Leasing
16.01 Regular Elections
16.02 Special Elections
16.03 Notice
16.04 Election Procedures
16.05 Qualifications of Voters
16.06 Recall
ARTICLE XVII: CHARTER AMENDMENT
17.01 Vote Required
17.02 Procedure
17.03 New Charter
17.04 Ballot Form
17.05 Filing
ARTICLE XVIII: GENERAL PROVISIONS
18.01 Conflict of Interest
18.02 Prohibitions
18.03 Public Meetings
18.04 Public Records
18.05 Oaths of Office
18.06 Continuation in Office
18.07 Borough Name
18.08 Interpretation
18.09 Definitions
19.01 Effective Date
19.02 Consolidation Election
19.03 Intial Terms of Assembly and School Board Members
19.04 Prior Law Preserved
19.05 Conflict in Prior Law
19.06 Code of Ordinances
19.07 Existing Rights and Liabilities Preserved
19.08 Prior Organizations Continued
19.09 Organization of the Executive Branch
19.10 Employees of Former Governments
19.11 Assets and Liabilities
19.12 Utility Profits Preserved
19.13 Planning and Zoning
19.14 Land Use Service Area Boards
19.15 Compensation of Elected Officials
19.16 Transition Plan
19.17 Definitions for Transition
ARTICLE XX: NOTES AND REFERENCES
20.04.01 Initiative and Referendum
20.06.01 Areawide Power of Finance
20.08.05 Zoning and Boundary Changes
20.10.02 Taxes
20.12.01 Petitions of Protest and Proposal of Service Area Ordinances
20.19.08 Prior Service Areas
PREAMBLE AND BILL OF RIGHTS
We the people of the Haines Borough, exercising the powers of home rule granted by the Constitution of the State of Alaska, in order to achieve common goals, to support individual rights, to form a more responsive government, and to secure maximum control of our own local affairs, hereby establish this charter.
This charter guarantees to the people of the Haines Borough the following rights that are in addition to the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Alaska:
The right to a government of the people, by the people and for the people, which safeguards our diversity, harmony between neighbors and respect for the environment;
The right to access a well maintained public record of all actions of public officials in accordance with this charter, so that the citizens of the borough may retain control over the affairs of their government;
The right to enjoyment of private property, chosen lifestyles, traditions, employment, and recreational activities without unnecessarily restrictive or arbitrary laws or regulations.