Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (Mar 17/03) - A deadline has been extended to work out a dispute between the town council and chamber of commerce in Fort Smith.

Council wants the chamber to stop generating revenue at its building in Conibear Park and had ordered it stopped by March 31.

The deadline is now June 1.

Since August, the chamber has been a registration and licensing agent for the Department of Transportation.

However, council argues for-profit activity in the park violates an agreement by which the Conibear family donated the land to the town in the 1950s.

Under the deal, the small park is not to be used for business purposes.

Mayor Peter Martselos is hopeful the situation is on its way to being resolved, noting the chamber asked for the extension.

"They want two months to work things out," Martselos says.

The mayor's understanding is the licensing outlet will leave the chamber building.

"I think we're moving in the right direction," Martselos adds.

However, that optimistic view could not be confirmed with the chamber.

President Fred Daniels was out of town and unavailable late last week. Vice-president Bruce Gordier declined to comment.

As for the Department of Transportation, South Slave superintendent Art Barnes says a viable, active contract still exists with the chamber of commerce.

"The chamber of commerce has not let us know of any change in that arrangement," says Barnes.

The three-year contract began last August.