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Council rejects cutting two members

Accepts 16 of 18 restructuring recommendations

Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 13/02) - In a 4-3 vote Monday, city council decided against chopping two councillor positions from its roster.

The suggestion, from an independent committee appointed by council, would have reduced the body's size from eight councillors to six, plus the mayor, after the next election.

NNSL Photo

David Connelly: Upset that council chose not to cut two positions. - Nathan VanderKlippe/NNSL photo


Council voted on 18 recommendations in total. The package of recommendations was a revised version of the report produced by the independent committee. Revisions were made and passed by the council's priorities, policies and budget committee.

Council unanimously passed almost all of PP&B's recommendations. Two notable changes involved transition pay for the mayor after they leave office, and cutting the annual honorarium for the deputy mayor.

Council voted to completely drop transition pay for the mayor and voted to pay the deputy mayor $1,000 a year.

On the question of council's size, more representation is worth the $30,000 keeping two councillors costs the city, said Coun. Kevin O'Reilly.

"What price does democracy really have in our community?" he said. "I think we have a very diverse community and the sorts of people that sit around this table really represent the broad range of people."

Some members of council disagreed.

"Councillors have to sit back and have the courage and conviction to go ahead with something like this," said Coun. Dave Ramsay, who pushed the reduction. "It's instituting a great deal of change. To me that's what leadership is, and what vision would be -- to go where maybe another council wouldn't go."

He was echoed by Coun. Dave McCann.

"This was the prime recommendation that came out of the (remuneration and compensation) committee's considerations. And out of all of them, I think this is the one I would like to remain true to," he said.

Coun. Wendy Bisaro, who possessed the swing vote in the absence of Coun. Blake Lyons, sided with keeping council at its current size.

"I haven't heard anybody say anything that convinces me there's a political or legislative benefit to going to six members," she said afterwards.

Coun. Ben McDonald argued against sending the matter to a referendum, as suggested by businessman David Connelly, who sat on the independent committee that proposed the cut.

McDonald said a referendum is not in the best interest of democracy.

"The referendum for this is at election time," he said. "If you want democracy, you don't necessarily put contentious questions out to referendum. ... People often vote on these things based on prejudice or superficial arguments."

The decision evoked a furious response from Connelly.

"I think it was extremely disrespectful of the process (of creating an independent review committee), and quite illogical," he said after the motion was passed.