Lawsuit, sewage treatment plant nearing resolution -- mayor
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Simpson (Apr 13/01) - Two of the Village's legal issues may soon be resolved, according to mayor Tom Wilson.
The lien-riddled sewage treatment plant and a lawsuit by a Yellowknife's Clark Builders could both be settled before the end of the month, providing they don't wind up in court, Wilson suggested.
"We are really close," he said, adding that a resolution would come as a great relief.
"Nobody's getting more frustrated over lawyers than (deputy mayor) Bob Hanna and myself."
Clark Builders has filed a $130,000 lawsuit over a recreation centre tender awarded in 1997.
The tender went to Rowe's Construction, but Clark Builder's manager Pete Simpson said his company had the lower bid.
The Village has made two offers to Clark Builders in an effort to resolve this matter, Simpson said, but each offer was too low.
"None of us want to face a court trial because that's costly," Simpson said last month.
In the case of the sewage treatment plant, the building is still in possession of contractor Camillus Engineering Consultants Ltd, according to Wilson. However, Village employees are being trained to operate it, he added.
"Within the next couple of weeks things will come to a point where we say, 'Let's do something here,'" he said.
Over the past few months, council has continued to deal with the issues behind closed doors. Senior administrative officer Bruce Leclaire said it's standard practice to discuss legal matters in camera.
"When there's pending litigation, it's always discussed in camera, or certainly should be," Leclaire said.
Wilson admitted that he's not fond of the frequent in-camera sessions, but said council has no choice.
"In almost 13 years of council, I've never been involved in so many in-camera meetings as we've been forced to go into...I don't like it, but I understand the reason for it right now," he said.
"You get caught between a rock and a hard place. You're in so deep that you can't get out."
