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Haines Borough committee presses for clearer MOU terms as 4 Winds seeks signature to pursue grants
Summary
At a Government Affairs & Services meeting, the borough and 4 Winds Resource Center discussed a draft MOU for management of the Mosquito Lake facility; the borough asked for regular facility-use and revenue reports, defined maintenance responsibilities, a liaison and repair-reserve planning; no MOU was signed.
The Haines Borough Government Affairs & Services committee spent most of its meeting discussing a draft memorandum of understanding with the 4 Winds Resource Center over management and cost-sharing for the Mosquito Lake facility, and agreed to return with tighter language rather than sign an agreement tonight.
Julie, a representative of 4 Winds Resource Center, told the committee: “We would like to get this MOU signed, and have it in place so that we can go forward to look for grants and look for partnerships,” saying the nonprofit needs borough backing on paper to attract funding and partnerships. The organization described running food-security programs, emergency shelter capabilities (cots, showers) and operating mostly with volunteers.
Committee members raised concerns about financial transparency and long-term maintenance. One borough official who reviewed the draft said the borough had not received meaningful cost-sharing from the Mosquito Lake facility since November 2024, noting “we have not seen a dime…even then, we got, like, $23,” and added there was no consistent accounting or auditing documenting funds sent to the borough. Members urged the MOU to require routine reporting so the public and borough staff can see how the facility is used and what costs are incurred.
The committee coalesced around several specific items to add to the draft MOU: a regular facility-utilization and revenue report (the group suggested quarterly reporting), explicit definitions of "major" versus "minor" maintenance and who is responsible for each, a designated borough liaison to improve communication, and a requirement to log maintenance and in-kind labor. Committee members also discussed establishing a repair reserve or enterprise account to fund eventual major structural work (for example, a roof replacement) and suggested milestone-based steps if title were to transfer to the nonprofit over time.
4 Winds representatives said they already pursue grants and partnerships and listed recent awards and in-kind support, including a $10,000 state microgrant and other smaller grants and equipment donations; they said some funding flows through partner organizations and that a formal MOU would make them a more credible grant recipient. Erica, a 4 Winds speaker, said the organization had sought and used microgrants and equipment grants to support the Victory Garden, a food hub and community programs.
On governance and transparency, staff noted the existing draft already contains public-notice language for meetings tied to permits and regulatory matters but does not require routine board meetings to be public. The committee suggested clarifying what counts as a borough project and whether certain changes to the property require prior borough approval.
No MOU was signed. The clerk will post cleaned-up minutes, provide museum lease/MOU templates for comparison, and the committee agreed to rework the draft MOU with more specific reporting, maintenance and reserve-language before the next Government Affairs & Services meeting.
The meeting closed with committee members encouraging 4 Winds to continue its community work and with borough staff and the nonprofit agreeing to collaborate on a revised draft and templates.
