Yellowknife (Apr 15/05) - If the record wasn't broken, Monday night's city council meeting came pretty close to beating it.

The public meeting lasted a mere 16 minutes - about 80 minutes short of the average.

Council voted on three bylaws, but two of them were at third reading, which meant there was no debate.

The meeting's brevity caused some councillors to wonder whether they had set a new record, but city clerk Debbie Euchner was doubtful.

"We've had shorter meetings," said Euchner.

Bring some extra quarters

It's official. Adult bus fares are going up, May 1.

City council voted on third reading Monday, to raise the fares by 50 cents to $2.50. Adult monthly passes will increase to $62 from $55, and punch passes are going up $5 to $25.

Out of six councillors present, only Coun. Wendy Bisaro voted against the fare increase.

Gimme shelter

City council declined a request Monday from owners of Diamond Field Plaza, an Old Airport Road business to allow temporary shelter on the property for itinerant workers.

The Kam Lake industrial zone is currently the only area in the city where temporary accommodations are allowed.

At a committee meeting last week, Harvey Malo of Foothills Acoustics, wondered why residences in Diamond Plaza and the RTL building on Old Airport Road were allowed.

He was told by administration that those sites were "grandfathered" after a council motion in 2002 barred further residences on the road.

That's no Drybone

City council voted unanimously on first and second readings Monday, to change the name of Drybone Drive in the Kam Lake industrial area to Drybones Drive.

The vote came after a member of the public informed City Hall that the common Dene surname in the territory and a large bay near Yellowknife is called Drybones.

A quick reference check proved that both Drybone and Drybones are used as surnames in the territory, but roads in industrial areas within the city are named after "geologically significant locations" according to council policy.

"This just an oversight," said Coun. Bob Brooks.

"It should've been Drybones to begin with."