Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 02/05) - A trip by taxi will cost a little more now that city council has approved a bylaw raising flag rates to $4 from $3.25, and meter rates to 16 cents every 100 metres from 10 cents every 70 metres.

Council approved the hike after receiving requests from local cabbies who complained that higher pump prices was cutting into their earnings.

The new fare rate takes effect immediately. The last fare hike was in 2003.

Energy plan in budget

City council has a few more numbers to think about when they hunker down to hash out next year's budget in the coming days.

They passed a recommendation Monday, putting $250,000 worth of new energy-saving plans into consideration for next year. The money includes $40,000 to create a new job under the title "energy co-ordinator."

The money isn't as good as spent yet. Council will debate the proposed expenditures during budget deliberations this month.

Honeybag pick-up stinks

Free honeybag service for the Woodyard and other Old Town shacks without running water won't last much longer, if one city councillor has his way.

Coun. Doug Witty says he was shocked when a Yellowknifer reporter told him that many shack residents get free honeybag pick-up from the city.

"I get the impression that nobody has wanted to deal with it over the years, and I guess I'm just the right kind of guy to push it forward," said Witty.

"To me it's a no-brainer. If the city is providing a service that everybody else in the city is paying for, I don't know why we would do it for free."

A recommendation stemming from Witty's inquiries to City Hall was approved by city council Monday night.

It directs administration to come up with a means to get honeybag users to pay for pick-up.

Administration said 12 residents enjoy the service, but only three have water accounts.