Rankin Inlet (Oct 22/03) - Career decisions can often be the toughest for an individual to make.

So it was for Rankin Inlet senior administrative officer (SAO) Ron Roach when he tendered his resignation to hamlet council this month.

Rankin Inlet SAO Ron Roach is leaving the hamlet to return to the challenge of retail management. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Roach has been Rankin's SAO since March 5, 2000.

He said the time was right to take over the running of a local variety store he partly owns.

"When our manager with Kativik Ltd. decided to leave, we felt, as a group of co-owners, the best way to ensure the business does good is to have one of the owners working at it," Roach said.

"Christmas is the busiest time of the year for retail, so we needed an experienced manager in there.

"I guess that manager is me."

Roach describes his time with the hamlet as challenging and busy.

He said his biggest accomplishment as SAO was getting the hamlet out of a deficit situation.

"The hamlet was running about a $650,000 deficit when I took over the reigns and, right now, is sitting at about a $400,000 surplus."

Roach hopes to see artificial ice installed at the local arena before he turns the lights out at the hamlet office for the last time on Nov. 14.

He'd also like to see two other projects he's worked hard on be completed on time this year -- the trail to Dianne River and the new municipal dump.

Roach said the three mayors he worked under as SAO -- Lorne Kusugak, Simon Okpatauyak and Jack Kabvitok -- all brought different strengths to the table.

"The majority of the councillors were elected at about the same time I took the SAO's position, and six of the eight have been with me the whole time.

"I was fortunate to have that kind of continuity during my time as SAO. That's not always the case."

The hamlet personnel committee will take its recommendation for Rankin's next SAO before council during its Dec. 1 regular meeting.

As for a bit of advice to pass onto the new SAO, Roach says hamlet decisions should be made by the elected officials, not the SAO.

"The best advice I can give whomever takes the job is to make sure council is aware of everything going on.

"That makes life a lot easier for everyone."