Fort Simpson (Nov 05/04) - Fire chief Pat Rowe warned council Monday that the village's volunteer fire department is not properly equipped to combat fires. He said a fire hall extension, which he requested three years ago, a new fire truck and a new tanker are required.

"It's at the critical stage," Rowe said. "It's going to take a death to wake you up and that's the sad part."

The fire chief added that volunteer firefighters have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the village through ambulance work orders, but council has not reinvested that money in the department.

Mayor Raymond Michaud acknowledged the urgency but said he wants to see the outcome of a hamlet versus village study before committing to upgrading the equipment. The extension to the fire hall will be discussed at budget time, Michaud added.

Status symbols

Andrew Gaule, who will carry out a village versus hamlet analysis for the municipality, sought council's input on his objectives Monday. Gaule, owner of North of 60 Training and Consulting, informed council that he planned to provide comparisons of finance and governance between a village and a hamlet.

In addition, he said he would look at the impact of aboriginal self-government and, using population forecast scenarios, project where Fort Simpson may be in the years ahead.

Coun. Owen Rowe told Gaule that the study's first draft, expected in the first week of December, should come to the village first, not the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Rowe said he wasn't elected as a councillor to "get shafted by MACA for another 35 years."

Gaule said he had no problem allowing the village to make revisions first, but said he's obliged to let MACA identify any information gaps as well.

"My role isn't being a referee. It's to write a true blue, right-down-the-middle report," he said.

Banish dogs?

In addressing the on-going concern over the threat posed by loose dogs, Coun. Bob Hanna suggested the village should outlaw all canines. Other councillors recommended amending the bylaw so that any dog at large and unlicenced dogs may be destroyed immediately, rather than after a three-day grace period.

"We're not enforcing anything," Hanna said of the existing bylaw.

In whom we trust

A Fort Simpson Metis board recommendation to appoint Barb Ellis as the community's health board trustee was not endorsed by village council.

While no councillors objected to incumbent Sandra Rowe's performance as trustee, Mayor Raymond Michaud said he would like to see all candidates submit applications to be reviewed by tri-council, which comprises the village, the Metis and the Liidlii Kue First Nation. He also wanted a letter sent to the Department of Health and Social Services asking why Fort Simpson only has one trustee instead of the three it used to have.

Crew camp approved

Council is permitting Nogha Enterprises to establish a 20-person crew camp on a light-industrial lot.

Lyall Gill, general manager of Nogha Enterprises, said his company is aiming to have the camp and its associated kitchen operational this winter.

The plan is to offer meals and accommodations to overflow traffic travelling on the winter road beyond Wrigley, according to Gill. The venture will also result in related training and jobs, he added.