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Council wants funding answers

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Apr 20/05) - Rankin Inlet hamlet council wants the local fishing derby committee to show where its funds were spent during the past year.

Committee member Catherine Tudlik made a passionate plea to council earlier this month to have the committee's right to a bingo licence reinstated.

Council turned down the committee's request for a bingo licence this past month.

Tudlik said she only had one day's notice before the bingo draw that the application was denied.

She said she was just as surprised as council to find out how little money the derby committee had left.

"I thought we should have at least $4,000 in our account, but, when I checked, we only had about $1,000," said Tudlik.

"I've never been told how the money was used. I would never spend money and not tell people on what. I'm not that kind of person."

Deputy mayor Hamish Tatty said he tried to help the committee get its finances straightened out for the past three years.

He said his efforts have been unsuccessful and he's too busy to try again this year.

"They (fishing derby committee) held a bingo this past September and there hasn't been any fishing derbies since then, but there's still no money in their account," said Tatty.

"We had no choice, under the circumstances, but to deny them another bingo."

Tatty said he likes some of the changes he's seen the current committee make.

He said the recreation committee may take another look if the members prove themselves over the year.

"They're moving in the right direction and, if they do a good job all this year, maybe we could look at giving them a bingo again next year."

Coun. Justin Merritt said he'd like a clear picture of where the committee's money was spent.

He said council should check if a financial statement was ever filed.

"If there was never a statement of account filed, maybe council should make the decision to turn that file over to the RCMP to see how that money was spent," said Merritt.

"We're not accusing anyone, at this point, but we have to find out how that money was spent."