Council Briefs
Operation Nanuk may come to Rankin
SAO says there's a 75 per cent chance annual military exercise will take place in hamlet in 2017
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
RANKIN INLET
There is now a 75 per cent chance that Operation Nanuk will be coming to Rankin Inlet next summer, according to the hamlet's SAO, Justin Merritt.
Merritt said the chances of the operation happening in the hamlet had previously been closer to 50 per cent but that discussions were now underway about potential disaster scenarios that could be played out.
"It's not finally approved but that's where they're at now," he said.
Merritt told councillors that the hamlet had been asked to discuss possible scenarios for a disaster in the event. The original plan was to have the military pick out a scenario, however he said they were now asking for council's input into what would be most relevant for the community.
Possible scenarios include a plane crash hitting water tanks and contaminating the local water supply or power generators blowing up and the power supply going out.
"They want to confirm what disaster council wants to proceed with," he said.
Councillor Martha Hickes said something to do with an airplane would be most fitting.
"We have no emergency equipment in case there'e an airline scenario," she said.
Merritt said he would confer with the military before a final decision is made.
Clean-up effort planned
It may only be the middle of July but the hamlet is already planning for its fall clean-up. There are currently 10 summer students employed to clean up the public areas in town and they have been making good progress according to SAO Justin Merritt.
"They're doing a really good job," he said.
The next step is to get ready for yard inspections, which will start taking place at the beginning of August, a month earlier than the previous summer. As it does every year, the hamlet will be going around and informing people that have excessive junk that it needs to be removed.
"We'll go around to yards where they're is junk is piling up and we'll issue a notice to people that their yard needs to be cleaned," he said. "We will have heavy equipment ready to haul away shacks and to haul away vehicles."
Tents proposed
Council discussed the possibility of purchasing an outdoor tent for community events in the wake of the extreme heat at the Nunavut Day celebrations earlier this month.
"I'm just throwing that out there," said Coun. Selma Eccles, who raised the issue. "It was so hot on Nunavut Day."
SAO Justin Merritt said the hamlet used to have a tent but that after three years "the wind got at it and it was no good."
Coun. Kathleen Ivaluarjuk Merritt pointed out that the Alianait festival owns a very durable circus tent but that it costs $50,000 just to set it up every year.
"It's a pretty big cost," she said. "If Rankin had a festival that went on then it might be worth it."
The discussion concluded without a motion.
New phones for hamlet
Council voted unanimously in favour of spending $12,000 to update the hamlet's phone systems. Ahead of the vote SAO Justin Merritt told councillors the current system is "antiquated and outdated."
"We're having problems with voice mails and getting old messages," he said
The money will go toward getting three new phones at the garage, 10 for the hamlet, four at the arena as well as all the necessary technology that goes with it.
The airport will also spend $5,000 to install four phones as part of the deal with Northwestel.
