Yellowknife (Aug 20/03) - Sections of the proposed Municipal Statutes Replacement Act were discussed during the recent priorities, policies and budget committee at city council.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said the existing Cities, Towns and Villages Act was put into effect many years ago and was due for revision.

"Over the last several years we've been active through some of our staff and through the NWT Association of Communities in working on the revisions with the NWT government," he said.

Currently, recommendations have been made and sent to council which "reflect the full spectrum of all the communities."

During the committee meeting various sections of proposed legislation were discussed, including one area which states an employee elected to council may continue to be an employee, but may not continue to be or become an officer, an employee who holds a managerial position or an employee who is responsible for financial matters.

Coun. Robert Hawkins called the issue a "double-edged issue", indicating while in towns and cities the legislation may not prove to be as difficult an issue as in small hamlets, settlements or villages, as it may be more difficult to find people to run in elections.

Coun. Wendy Bisaro countered it could not be left up to smaller communities to decide and the proposed legislation contradicts the Local Authorities Elections Act.

Various other sections of the proposed legislation were interpreted by the city and the revisions will be discussed in committee in the legislature for the next month.

First introduced into the legislative assembly June 6, the act is known as Bill 25.

It has undergone first and second readings and is currently before the standing committee.

Public hearings will be held in Yellowknife the week of Sept. 15 and in at least two other locations in the territories, said Dave Inch, clerk of the committee in the legislature.

If it passes third reading, it will become law this autumn.

Meanwhile, Van Tighem says communities will be consulted for response to the proposed legislation.

"This will be the act that governs municipal-level government in the cities, towns, villages and hamlets," Van Tighem says.