Fort Resolution (May 05/03) - Lorne Antle describes himself as someone who gets involved in the community.

"That's part of my personality," he explains.

And his interest in the community perfectly fits his job as senior administrative officer with Deninoo Community Council in Fort Resolution.

Lorne Antle is senior administrative officer with the Deninoo Community Council in Fort Resolution. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Antle says he participates in community events, everything from bingos to Christmas fairs, and watches for ways to help people. "If I see elders walking with groceries, I stop and give them a lift."

Antle, who has been SAO for seven months, has an extensive background in business. Prior to arriving in Fort Resolution, he was finance and operations manager with Piruqsaijit Ltd., an Inuit-owned property holding company in Rankin Inlet. The Montreal native also has a degree in business and management experience with an electronics company, a truck manufacturer and communications firm, working from Toronto to British Columbia.

Before taking a contract in Fort Resolution, he says he was at home in Kelowna, B.C., for five months.

As an extremely active person, he needed to work, he says. "I painted everything there was to paint in the house."

Antle has taken that go-getter attitude with him to Fort Resolution. Recently, he presented council with a list of 31 initiatives he has completed or begun since his arrival.

Among the accomplishments he is most proud of are helping the council prepare a balanced budget, encouraging employee and councillor training, and expanding the use of the local arena.

"Residents have told me it's been several years since they found themselves in the arena cheering for a team," he notes, adding that the rebirth of hockey in Fort Resolution was greatly assisted by the local RCMP detachment.

Antle says he has also initiated a community clean-up. "I want pride in the community to be an important issue."

Antle says he has found Fort Resolution a very nice community to live. "This is the friendliest town I've lived in, and I've lived in a lot of places in Canada."

The SAO has a two-year contract with the community council, with another year's option. Under the contract, he is to hire a person from the community as an assistant SAO and provide training.s.