Recently, the Department of Finance's deputy minister had said that there are no rules currently on the books to govern a plebescite on liquor sales in Fort Simpson.

As part of the structure, Prevost said that residents should expect at least one -- and possibly two -- public meetings to be held in coming months where the issue will be discussed before a vote.

And, he said that representatives from other Deh Cho communities will be on hand to discuss how the possible lifting of rationing -- should a vote go that way -- affect their communities.

Prevost said that he didn't expect a vote before fall, saying that it would be wrong to have a vote in the summer when so many residents are out of the community.

The mayor also said he would still like the GNWT to approve the question before it is submitted to local voters.

Earlier this year, Fort Simpson tri-council asked the GNWT how the community should conduct a vote on rationing, a system governing sales of liquor that was imposed by then NWT commissioner John Parker in the early 1980s.