Yellowknife (May 10/04) - Two possible solutions to the dispute over business licences at the Fisherman's Wharf outdoor market have been suggested to Hay River Town Council.

At the council's committee of the whole meeting on May 3, the Tourism Advisory Committee recommended the business licence bylaw be amended to allow vendors to participate once a week at Fisherman's Wharf without a business licence.

However, Mayor Diana Ehman said there might be an alternative to amending the bylaw.

Town manager John Pollard explained a service club might be interested in co-ordinating the market.

"The Town of Hay River would license the service group and it would be up to the group to deal with the vendors," Pollard explained.

The town manager noted the mayor is confident a group will step forward.

Not all members of council were excited about that idea.

"It seems like we're ducking our obligations," said Assistant Deputy Mayor Vern Tordoff. "We're trying to hand the problems off to another group."

No final decision was taken on the issue, which will again be discussed at next week's regular council meeting.

Vendors recently balked at the suggestion they might have to buy business licences to sell items at Fisherman's Wharf, which operates during the summer months.

In a related matter, Tordoff suggested it might be time to look at revamping the whole business licence system.