XXXXDaniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Repulse Bay (June 01/05) - With more than three years of experience under her belt Imelda Angootealuk has jumped right into her duties as the new senior administrative officer (SAO) in Repulse Bay.

She started in March after leaving her position as SAO in Whale Cove, a community about half the size of Repulse Bay.

"I can foresee a lot less challenges here because everything seems to be a little more settled," Angootealuk said.

Having just moved into a new hamlet office the community now has extra buildings available for community use.

"I faced that challenge in Whale Cove, where there's no buildings," the native of Coral Harbour said.

The shortage of buildings was the main obstruction in her attempts to get an Arctic College Learning Centre in Whale.

Hiring staff was also a problem. Some of the teachers in Whale Cove have to share housing, said Angootealuk.

The lack of housing hit her close to home as well. She and her family moved out of the hamlet's one staff house so the community's new mechanic, an elder, could use it.

With the lease on her new place running out in August she was receptive to her husband's suggestion she apply for the SAO position in Repulse after he saw an ad in the newspaper.

An immediate concern of Angootealuk's is to get Repulse Bay's council more involved in decision making.

"Final decisions have to come from city council," she said.

Addressing a lack of licenced drivers for water and sewage trucks is also on the agenda.

She runs into problems when her drivers want time off to go out on the land, a common occurrence in Repulse Bay which she says is a little more traditional than Whale Cove.

Angootealuk herself has recently returned from the land where she was participating in the town's fishing derby.

She enjoys participating in community events.

"It's definitely, definitely helpful because you get to know the people," she said. "I'm a community person."