Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jun 12/98) - Sometimes a series of photos is enough to extract money from council.

Council still needed to pass a formal vote on the motion as of press time, but many councillors at Monday's committee of the whole meeting said a proposal to spend $28,000 to clean up Inuvik would likely pass.

Spurred by five packages of photos depicting litter-strewn town-owned properties, some councillors felt compelled to act.

"The town has a hard time issuing tickets to people or telling people to clean up when they haven't got their own house in order," said Coun. Dan Davis.

"Part of our decision is we need to do something about our messes before (preaching to others.)"

Davis said council would continue to try to identify other funds to be used because "$28,000 will not clean up all the messes we have."

The $28,000 will come from a restricted surplus reserve account and will mostly be spent on salary and equipment rental.

Though the town currently owns a grader and a loader, no one has used the equipment since the town eliminated its public works department approximately two years ago.

In a related move, the committee of the whole recommended Monday that council sell the grader for about $60,000 and the loader for about $100,000 -- both prices are below market value for functioning equipment.

Whoever buys the equipment would have to put in value-added labor before selling the equipment for a profit.