INUVIK - Just when it appeared that the curling club and town council had come to an agreement to save the curling season, councillors brought the deal back to the table on Monday night, a move that has angered the club's president, Nick Saturnino.

The $55,000 reprieve that council agreed to issue the struggling club on Oct. 14 to cover the costs of its utilities for the year is at the heart of the matter. Council members including Deputy Mayor Chris Larocque, who didn't attend that meeting, were concerned the club might interpret the deal as a handout rather than a loan, which Larocque said is the true definition of reprieve.

"If it's a forgiveness, I have many issues with it," he said. "Until I know for sure, I'll bring my concerns up at that time."

Council decided to invite club president Nick Saturnino to Wednesday's meeting to clarify the agreement, but Saturnino, who didn't attend Monday's meeting, said he has no intention of attending on Wednesday.

"I'm not going to a council meeting on Wednesday night," he said. "I'm surprised that no one asked me to attend (Monday's) meeting."

Under the club's leasing agreement with the town, the club must pay for its own utilities.

But Saturnino said the four councillors who supported the motion understood it as a forgiveness and that's the way it should stay, he said.

"I'm dumbfounded," he said. "Why did they reopen the issue? I'm frustrated to say the least."

The agreement meant the club would also pay the town $30,000 and allow it to use the curling club's lounge area throughout the week as a means to help recoup the money. That is the reprieve, said Saturnino.

"The reprieve is a $30,000 flat rate, nothing else," he said. "No pay back, no nothing."

Meanwhile the club plans to start a variety of projects throughout the year to try to generate revenue.

Mayor Derek Lindsay supported bringing Saturnino back for a clarification even though in last week's edition of Inuvik Drum he was quoted saying "To give $55,000 in utilities is a blatant disregard for tax dollars."

There was no discussion at the meeting about when the money would be paid back. Lindsay said that's because the understanding was it would be returned in a year.

That sentiment was repeated by councillor Clarence Wood at Monday's meeting.

"I was voting to give the curling club a chance to get their act together ... to me a reprieve is not forgiveness."

Saturnino met with council in September after the curling club was rejected for a bingo series by the town this year, which was its lifeline, generating about $80,000 a year for the club. The curling season is already underway.