Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 31/98) - The line of skeletons marching from city hall's newly opened closets shows no sign of slowing.

During recent in camera sessions, council has been informed of two looming legal actions, both rooted in complaints that date back years.

Brand loyalty Northern Communications and Satellite Systems' dispute with the city centres on a vague policy requiring radio service contractors to have access to Motorola equipment. Jim Pook said the policy virtually assures city business will go to the one firm in town that has exclusive rights to sell Motorola equipment. That brand of loyalty, and the detrimental effect it has on competition for city contracts, costs taxpayers money. He also said the policy makes no sense from a technical point of view, noting the city's communications system already incorporates other brands of equipment. National standards require various brands to be compatible, explained Pook. "(Councillors) are lay people," said Pook. "They think if you change part of the system it becomes less of a system. That's just not true." As an example, Pook noted the municipal enforcement uses General Electric radios.

One of the prospective legal battles would be a rematch with the man who spearheaded the lawsuit that brought secret meetings to an end.

"It's turned into a mess," said Ken Pook during an interview earlier this week. "If the city does not respond, we're taking them to court. It's as simple at that."

Pook was referring to the city's sudden and unexplained cancellation last year of a radio-servicing contract with Northern Communication and Navigation Systems Ltd., a company operated by Pook and his son, Jim.

The two-year contract, worth approximately $30,000, was slated to be approved as part of a group of 10 service contracts in February of last year.

But the week before council was to give its stamp of approval, the radio services contract was singled out for special attention.

"The senior administrative officer (Doug Lagore) advised committee (that) administration required additional time to clarify points pertaining to the awarding of the contract," noted the minutes of a committee meeting held the week before.

Lagore's concerns, says Jim Pook, were prompted by a letter the administrator had received from a local rival of NCNS.

The concern was that the NCNS would not be able to provide or service Motorola brand equipment.

Co-incidentally, NCNS was also the only bidder owned by someone suing the city to stop secret meetings.

The Pooks provided written assurance that they have the expertise and experience to service Motorola products and could get Motorola products through an out-of-town supplier. A month after it was to be awarded, NCNS got the contract.

Two months later, with no forewarning, the contract was suddenly cancelled.

"How can administration make a decision based on what they had heard or hearsay without getting my side of the story?" asked Pook.

Since then, both father and son have been asking, now demanding, an explanation. Because they have not received an explanation, they are about to sue.

"We want a formal apology, details of how and why the contract was terminated, and compensation for 10 years of not being able to bid on this contract," said Clark.

Dairy spectre rising again

Though the city is trying to get rid of the Tuaro dairy property, the administrative and financial nightmare continues.

Eugene Wasserman, is demanding $448,000 from the city for losses he and a family member suffered as a result of the city propping up the failed dairy.

In a July 10 letter to council and Max Hall, Wasserman details the city's continued support of the dairy. Wasserman says that support came because the city finance director at the time, Joe Kronstal, was also the main investor in the diary.

"By condoning such a serious conflict of interest, the city of Yellowknife, the mayor, the former city administrator and some councillors have been accomplices, co-conspirators, in perpetrating the Tuaro fiasco and bringing hardship to investors and creditors, all without the approval of the Yellowknife taxpayer," wrote Wasserman.

Wasserman wrote the letter on behalf of Heartland Farms, a company owned by his daughter, Theresa. Heartland was one of a host of businesses that suffered losses in its dealings with Tuaro, which declared bankruptcy earlier this year.