Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 12/99) - More than 100 representatives from 47 municipalities gathered in Cambridge Bay to bid farewell to those from Nunavut.

The Mar. 4-7 conference was the last NWT Association of Municipalities (NWTAM) annual general meeting with Eastern member communities. Nunavut will now be represented by the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM).

A new NWTAM board was elected at the conference and Yellowknife city councillor Bob Brooks was named vice-president of cities, towns and villages. He said the new NWTAM has a busy year ahead.

"We dealt with the division of the association itself, but in addition to that, we're in the position of having to review all the current municipal legislation that affects the NWT," Brooks, a seven-year NWTAM veteran, said.

"We're setting the ground rules of how the new NWT and its communities are going to operate in the future."

He said that will include looking at everything from block and formula funding issues to new fire prevention systems.

NWTAM members dealt with more than 25 resolutions, including five sponsored by Yellowknife. All five passed.

"What was stressed at the conference was relationship building, with each other in the West as well as the communities in the East," Brooks said.

Yellowknife city councillor Cheryl Best joined Brooks, Mayor Dave Lovell and four other city councillors at the conference.

She said the hospitality she enjoyed from the people of Cambridge Bay should serve as an example of what can be accomplished in Yellowknife.

"One thing I learned is Yellowknife is not doing an excellent job of public relations. We require the citizens of Yellowknife to become better ambassadors in welcoming visitors into our community," Best said.

"I think the conference is a starting point that will allow us as councillors to build mutual trust and respect with outlining communities."

Inuvik Mayor George Roach was elected mayor of the new NWTAM and Rae-Edzo Mayor Fred Behrens was named vice-president of charter communities, hamlets and settlements.

At the conference, the city of Yellowknife bid for, and was accepted by the general membership, to host the next NWTAM annual general meeting in 2002.