DENINU KU'E/FORT RESOLUTION - Fort Resolution now has the ability to tax residents, as the department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) has approved a proposal for the community to be re-classified as a hamlet but the community’s mayor isn’t happy with the decision.

Robert Sayine: Resolution mayor says MACA should have done more consultation before deciding to make the community a hamlet. - NNSL file photo

Robert Sayine said there should have been more public consultation.

"Before the minister made that decision, it was their responsibility to come to the community to explain it," he said. "They should have had the courtesy to the community to come in here and say, this is what we’re planning to do."

As a settlement, the GNWT made all decisions relating to the community but hamlets are able to collect property tax and have more ownership.

"Settlements are pretty limited, they don’t have the ability to own property, borrow money, to handle large capital projects, or to make laws," said David Kravitz, MACA's manager of community governance. “Hamlets are full-fledged municipalities.”

Kravitz said the new classification entitles the community to make and enforce community laws, but also means it can be sued as an individual entity.

He said Fort Resolution will “have more jurisdiction and be able to work on more capital projects," adding "They’ll be able to make more decisions about the infrastructure in their community."

That means all municipal buildings, like the fire hall and the water treatment plant, will be turned over to Fort Resolution.

“They’ll have the ability to build the youth centre they wanted to build, before they had to convince the GNWT to do that,” Kravitz said. “They get the control over money from capital grants.”

Deninoo Community Council made a formal request to become a hamlet last year with a 25-name petition to the minister of municipal and community affairs.

As part of the request to the minister, a 90-day notification period was posted from April 1 to June 30, during which time anyone opposed to hamlet status could submit concerns to MACA.

Sayine said he was concerned the GNWT made the decision to re-classify Fort Resolution despite receiving a petition signed by members of the Deninu Ku'e First Nation (DKFN) opposing the idea.

At the time, acting chief Louis Balsillie said the DKFN was against reclassifying Fort Resolution a Hamlet fearing it would complicate Akaitcho land claims negotiations.

Kravitz said MACA received a letter from the DKFN at the beginning of June but added the department didn’t receive a petition until the end of August.

He said the decision to re-classify the community was made Aug. 21, a week before the petition arrived, adding it was signed by approximately 80 people..

When asked if the decision was reversible, Kravitz said, “We’re not sure if the minister, now that the order has been released, if it’s question of reversing it or going through a dissolution process.”

Sayine said the ability to make bylaws and collect property tax may be a positive thing for the community, but he wants to talk to people before the decision is finalized.

According to the 2007 census, Fort Resolution had a population of 510 people. Sayine estimated more than 300 residents can vote.

“We have to bring it to council, the Métis council and the community,” said Sayine, who wasn’t mayor at the time of the original application. “They haven’t gotten all the information on it.”

There will be a community meeting on Nov. 5 to discuss the situation.

Sayine expects reactions will be mixed.

“Some will say it’s a good thing. Some of the people are not going to be happy with more taxes,” he said.