Inuvik (Feb 21/03) - There will be no increase in water or sewer rates next year and there will be new money for recreation, streets and sewage, if the town adopts its draft budget. Also, a new dog pound will be built.

Denny Rodgers, chairman of the finance committee for the Town of Inuvik, unveiled the draft budget for 2003 to about 30 people at town hall last Thursday night.

Rodgers said the town incurred a $20,000 deficit last year, which included an increase in town wages and a few other over-runs, but the deficit was neutralized through the previous year's surplus.

"The previous year, we had a $34,000 surplus, so the net accumulated surplus would be about 15 grand," Rodgers said.

In the 2003 draft budget, the town has allocated $200,000 to build a new dog pound that has stirred some controversy.

"Keep in mind, this is not an invoice, it is a budget," Rodgers said at the meeting. "It may come in at $150,000 or $120,000, but it's certainly something the town feels we need to replace."

Recent reports have caused some confusion over who will be running the new dog pound.

"It has nothing to do with the SPCA or the vet clinic," Rodgers clarified.

Linda Eccles, founder of the Inuvik SPCA, said she was disappointed that she'd been left out of the loop concerning a proposal she'd submitted on the issue.

"I would have thought one of you would have called me and talked with me about it," Eccles said.

She said she had a new proposal to submit to the town and hoped the new facility will be more than "just a place to kill dogs."

Rodgers said the town appreciates the work Eccles does, but they have to follow procedure.

"We have a bylaw and we cannot and will not give up control of the dog catching issue," Rodgers said.

Mayor Peter Clarkson clarified the town's position regarding unsolicited proposals.

"We would need to put out a request for proposals to the community to cover dog handling and disposal," Clarkson explained.

"Then the SPCA, along with anyone else in the community, would have the opportunity to put in a proposal."

The dog pound issue will go to the department of public works and services for input on where to build and how much to spend.

Only $2,350 was actually paid out last year for casual wages in dog control and former councillor Vince Sharpe thought that line should be increased.

"We should have more animal control officers out there, doing the job, so we can take care of the animal control problem," Sharpe said.

"Can I get some names, Vince?" senior administrative officer Jerry Veltman asked Sharpe. "We've run the ad for the last month, without much success -- other than the guy we just hired."

Other items of note in the capital plan include $600,000 of the utilidor fund to build a lagoon dyke, $400,000 for paving, $25,000 for ball diamond upgrades, $30,000 for a wheelchair lift in the recreation centre and $40,000 to upgrade the skate park.

On the environmental budget, the town took a hit on a waste oil sale that pushed that budget line's expense to $19,941 from $1,000.

Last year, the town had commissioned some drawings to build an ampitheatre and market place at Chief Jim Koe Park, but there were no new funds allocated in the new budget.

Rodgers said with the new family centre and the departure of Brian Desjardins, who was the major proponent of the park upgrade, the park plans have gone by the wayside.

"It wasn't even discussed at budget time," Rodgers said.

"Had we not had these other big projects going on, someone might have brought it forward."

Clarkson said the initial drawings came back with plans that were far to expensive for the town's needs. "We will complete the design work this year."

"We were doing some work with trails and other park development and the family centre and the thinking was, let's not start too many things at once here."