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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Northland property owners are set to vote on a local improvement tax next month that would require monthly payments of around $360 to pay for badly needed water and sewer line replacements.

Leonard Kwong was one of the Northland directors re-elected to the YK condo board Tuesday night. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

Wade Friesen, vice-president of the Yk Condominium Corporation No. 8 board, which represents 258 properties in Northland Trailer Park, called for unity among members Tuesday night after a previous attempt at an annual general meeting the week before failed to produced the required number of members needed to form a quorum.

"In March we are hoping to have the petition out in order for us to move forward, so be prepared that all of the negotiations will be out in the next two to four weeks," he said.

"We will have 30 days to collect all of the petitions and proxies that we need to make this happen. If you see some neighbours or notice that they aren't here tonight, please make a notice that this is going to be coming up fast."

The city initially proposed a local improvement tax of $455 per month at a five per cent interest rate over the next 25 years. This would cover a $20 million loan from the city to repair the failing water and sewer lines underground which are more than 15 years past their expiry date. This tax is expected to replace the $220 condo fee trailer owners currently pay. The condo board is also expected to dissolve after the city takes ownership of Northland's infrastructure.

Friesen said the board and the city have negotiated the improvement tax down to $360 per month and that he is hoping to bring that figure down even further before the petition goes out. Final figures will have to be approved by city council and be upported by two-thirds of Northland owners in the plebiscite. Residents with a 50 per cent or more ownership stake in a Northland property are eligible to vote.

Even though the size of the improvement tax appears to be shrinking some Northland residents at the meeting said $360 is still too much.

"I think it's fair to aim for a ceiling payment on behalf of owners and I am thinking in the neighbourhood of $220 to $250," said Murray Jones.

"The onus would be then on the city to recover the balance of the money owing. If that comes as a $5 tax to all the other city (residents), I think that is fair."

Friesen said there remains many issues to be discussed with the city that could bring the cost down further but could not promise that it will be $220.

"We want to see it under $300 ideally, but $250 would be way better clearly," he said.

He added that if an agreement can be made to lower the tax to $220, a $1.50 or $2 increase per month borne by the rest of Yellowknife could cover outstanding costs. Mayor Gord Van Tighem and city council have previously stated, however, that the city is prevented by the territorial government's Cities, Towns and Villages Act from providing funds to a private venture.

"We aren't even able to ask (citizens) if they can contribute to the fund because it is a matter of using public monies for private venture," said Coun. Bob Brooks at the meeting.

"This is considered a private venture. Once the infrastructure is taken over by the city, it then will become public and the city will basically take care of it like every other street in town. Until it is turned over to the city, it can't be perceived as a public property and can't be turned over until the infrastructure is fixed."

Brooks said the city can help reduce costs to the project overall by taking over roadwork in the park and repaving with chipseal. Savings can also be made if the city's in-house engineers do as much of the required work to fix the pipes as possible, he said.

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