Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Aug 21/98) - A possible land swap between Mayor George Roach and the Town of Inuvik has Coun. Vince Sharpe suggesting Roach did not distance himself enough from council when the matter was discussed.

The two faced off at council Aug. 12 even after Roach left the mayor's chair to make a presentation as a private citizen.

"I'm asking you to leave the room," Sharpe called to Roach, who sat in the public seating.

"I'm getting tired of you," Roach responded.

The deal involves Roach's river front land below the current water works building and adjacent to the winter pipeline system. The property is valued at $22,200.

He wants to trade it for land valued at $21,500 on Adams Road where Roach owns and rents a trailer.

Roach currently pays the town $1,400 per year to lease the Adams Road property.

Taxes are similar for the two lots.

"Since the town had expressed an interest in the property before, I thought I would do a little swap with them. The assessed values are actually the same -- within $700. It seemed reasonable," Roach said.

But, he said if the trade involves a hassle, it is not worth it and he will withdraw the proposal.

"Well, I'll submit it to council and they can do what they want about it," Roach said. "I don't care."

Sharpe called the proposal a conflict of interest, even though Roach made a point of leaving the mayor's chair to address council. "It's a blatant abuse of the mayor's position as mayor," Sharpe said.

"There's nothing in there for the people of this community if we do the trade. The only person to gain is the mayor."

Though Sharpe said the waterfront lot floods annually, Coun. Derek Lindsay, who chairs the finance committee, said he can see the lot turning into a possible future marina.

"I like to think down the road," he said.

"My idea is if we get a lot on the river, which I could see someone wanting to buy down the road, the town could be in a position to make a bit of a profit on it."

Lindsay said as someone aware of the town's debt, he supports the town selling land to put money in a reserve fund to pay off debentures

"I'm all for that. If I can transfer a piece of dead property for a viable piece of sellable property, I would go that avenue."

But Roach should have left the room entirely, according to Sharpe, who said he left the room when he owned Mackenzie Construction and it came up for discussion.

"If somebody can convince me (the land swap) makes economic sense then I'll vote for it," Sharpe said.