Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Mayor Gord Van Tighem is leaving after 12 years on the job, which means there will be some pretty big shoes for voters to fill in this fall's municipal election.

Most residents are likely aware of the public role of the mayor's position as the city's spokesperson and public face but other aspects of the job may seem a little less tangible.

It seems timely that Yellowknifer sit down with Van Tighem to explain exactly what it is he does as people ponder who might replace him.

"The city is a big ship and headed in a certain direction," he said.

"It needs a lot of influence and nudging to move them off that direction. The direction that the next mayor will be inheriting has been developed over the last many years."

Van Tighem points out that city council approves a yearly budget and every several years, a general plan, which lays out the direction he refers to, and said it is the responsibility of the new mayor to be familiar with each document.

Much of the mayor's role is laid out in the City, Towns and Villages Act.

As far as specific powers are concerned, the mayor does set the agenda for council meetings, which he chairs.

He can solely waive or agree to items that are placed on meeting agendas.

Typically these items start within an individual department before going through review by a committee of directors. Suggestions from city councillors are added through this process.

The mayor has the power then to remove agenda items, defer them or change things as is needed.

"It comes to me for final approval before going to the public," he said.

The mayor must then ensures decisions made by council is carried out.

Van Tighem is currently involved with about 28 city committees, which gives him a full schedule.

He likens the job to being a chief executive officer of a company, where a board of directors is represented by city council who provide overall direction.

It is council, then, who hires - and if need be, fires - the city's senior administrative officer, who leads city staff and oversees recommendations to council for bylaws and approval for items like contracts with private contractors for garbage or bus services.

At the same time, the mayor's role also involves being a go-between between administration and council.

"The main thing is to ensure that councillors are provided with adequate information to make decisions," Van Tighem said. "Once the decision is made, it is part of my job to make sure that it happens."

In this role, however, the mayor both leads and takes direction from council, he said.

"You have a lead role but once council makes a decision, you are following the direction of council. So it is very important to work together with council."

In some council votes, there is the possibility of a tie. It is the mayor's job to break it if there is one. Thus, it is important for the person in the position to be well-informed on many subjects and to have a great memory.

After 12 years on the job, Van Tighem said it is much easier to stay briefed and thereby have a position to offer council.

He said he was lucky to initially come into the position having solid contacts in the community and being very active, so that he could be accessible to residents while doing the job.

What makes the leadership role different from other areas of government is this contact with people, he said.

"It is a very open level of government because we are working directly with the people, so it is not hard to get the information and not hard to form a serious position or perception on issues," he said. "And the more information you have, the better the consideration that will be."

Perhaps a more challenging aspect of the job is being able to deal with conflicting points of view in the community.

The Citizens for Northlands meeting last week may be a good example of how he must work closely with the community by educating people on the goings-on of the city, but at the same time needing to perceive and absorb some of the different interests and reactions from different people.

"One of the key things that is required in the position is patience," he said.

"You're dealing with a whole spectrum. A lot of things that you are doing is providing information and educating people. Everyone has the ability to make an opinion and it is better they make it an informed one. So you have to make sure the information is available to people and that they don't make erroneous assumptions and take a lot of energy that could be creative and turn it the other way. "

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.