RMSA board forwards amended commercial‑user fee draft to assembly, exempts residents’ first two loads of aggregate

The Haines Borough Road Maintenance Service Area (RMSA) board voted to forward an amended draft of commercial‑user fees to the borough assembly after agreeing to exempt the first two loads of aggregate delivered to private residences each year.

Sheila, a borough staff member who presented the board’s spending figures, told the RMSA the accounts show limited balances in several subzones: “you guys collected $5,133 for historic Dalton Trail Road and you spent $2,400; you collected $10,005 for Eagle Vista, and you spent $11,340,” she said during the meeting. She also reviewed the manager’s six‑year CIP and noted that only FY‑27 items are funded in the manager’s proposed budget; a chip‑seal placeholder for Chilkat Lake Road appears in FY‑28 and could draw on multiple funding sources, including user fees.

Board members then debated a draft ordinance that would add a small per‑load commercial fee intended to funnel funds back to the RMSA. Nicholas (speaker 6) argued that the fee should be charged to commercial operators and that even a modest surcharge “is part of the cost of doing business” and should return to the RMSA rather than remain in an operator’s pocket. Other members and residents warned that operators would pass a surcharge on to property owners, potentially burdening households that pay to receive gravel deliveries. One resident said a small per‑load charge would be “another hardship” on households that already face high delivery costs.

After extended discussion about thresholds (for example, treating more than 10 loads as commercial rather than residential use), the board agreed on an amendment that exempts the first two loads of aggregate per private residence per year from the fee but applies the fee thereafter. The motion to change the draft and forward the amended user‑fee recommendation to the borough assembly passed in board action recorded in the meeting as carried (vote recorded in the meeting as 3–1 in favor). The motion to set the two‑loads exemption was made from the board and seconded; members then moved to send the amended document to the assembly for consideration.

The board’s vote directs staff to submit the revised fee draft to the borough assembly; the assembly will need to decide whether to adopt any ordinance and set the rates. The board emphasized the recommendation is advisory: the assembly establishes rates and may edit or reject the draft.

Next steps: staff will file the amended draft with the assembly, and the RMSA will continue to refine funding assumptions (including the chip‑seal placeholder) as the document proceeds through other committees and the assembly.