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New chief for Colville Lake Alvin Orlias says he will step down if residents aren't happy with his work
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 23, 2013
KAHBAMIUE/COLVILLE LAKE
Colville Lake's newly-elected chief says if the community isn't pleased with his work a year from now, he will resign.
Alvin Orlias won the election on Sept. 18 with 37 votes. Former chief
Richard Kochon received 29 and Sharon Tutcho received 24.
Orlias said he plans to ask the community if they want him to stay on as chief after serving the first year of his three-year term.
"In one year's time, we're going to review my position as chief," Orlias said. "If the community is not happy with the way things are going or the way I'm doing the job, I told them I would resign right then."
Orlias said he has been involved in politics for about 18 years. He started as a band councillor in the mid-1990s and served as president of the co-op board. He also served as a director of the Colville Lake Land Corporation, the economic development committee and a member of the Sahtu Health and Social Services Board.
Orlias works for the NWT Power Corporation, but said he has taken a leave of absence to fulfill his duties as chief. He will continue to train new employees at the corporation on a casual basis, he added.
Orlias said one of his first actions as chief will be to hold a meeting for residents of Colville Lake, which will help guide council moving forward.
"They have to give me and the council a mandate that we can work towards," he said.
Orlias hopes Kochon will help him in his role as chief.
"I'm also looking at getting the former chief in as an adviser," he said. "I'm going to need his advice."
Orlias said he wanted to thank the people who encouraged him to run in the election.
"They were the ones who asked me if I was willing to be nominated."
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