Fort Simpson (Oct 06/06) - Village councillors voted unanimously to have two dogs destroyed after a complaint the loose dogs killed a family's pet cat.

Devin Braun and Laurel McCowan, were the cat's owners. Braun told councillors he was deeply saddened by the loss of one of their cats at the council meeting Monday night.

"We had a loss in our family last week, we lost a pet," said Braun.

He told councillors he and McCowan were afraid the dogs were dangerous to the community and that this wasn't the first time something like this has happened.

The councillors agreed. "When a dog starts killing chicken and sheep... there's only one way to deal with them," said Coun. Robert Hanna.

"We've been dealing with this issue for quite some time now," said Coun. Carl Lafferty.

The councillors also voted to have the owner of the labrador and husky fined. No amount was disclosed.

On Sept. 27, Braun and McCowan let their two cats play in their yard on Antoine Drive, according to the account the family gave to the Fort Simpson RCMP.

At just after 3:30 p.m., McCowan heard barking and went to look and saw the two dogs on her property having jumped a four-foot fence.

One of the dogs' owners was trying to call the animals back, but Braun said she was unsuccessful. One cat was chased up a pole while the other disappeared.

Later a neighbour told the family one of the dogs had been spotted with a multicoloured cat in its mouth, the same markings the family's cat, Cleo, had.

Braun said he feared the dogs could be a threat to other small pets and even children.

Roads and alternate energy

MLA Kevin Menicoche made a brief presentation to councillors to get their feedback on what issues are important for Fort Simpson residents to take back to the legislative assembly sitting, this month.

Deputy mayor Tom Wilson said Menicoche should push assembly members to look more closely at using wood for energy and creating strategies to replenish forests.

"Our biggest hold-up is your government," said Wilson, telling Menicoche to push for a forest inventory study.

Menicoche said he is also looking at promoting district heating - using large boilers to heat several household or buildings in order to reduce costs.

Wilson asked that Menicoche talk to the government about raising water and sewage subsidies to be on par with other communities in the NWT.

"It's costing us an arm and a leg," he said, adding up to one-third of the population of Fort Simpson now live off the island and it costs much more to provide for those residents when it comes to water and sewage.

Menicoche said he is lobbying for more money to continue to fix the many highways in the Deh Cho that are not chipsealed and need repair.

Quick notes

° Councillors voted unanimously that they will not give a third scholarship to a Fort Simpson student, as they have already given out two in this fiscal year.

° Mayor Duncan Canvin will attend an energy conference in Yellowknife Nov. 22 to 24.

° Councillors decided to uphold a decision to charge bed and breakfast operations commercial rates for water use and garbage pick-up. One of the bed and breakfasts lodged a complaint and sent a letter to be considered at the meeting. The decision came into effect Sept. 1.

° Councillor Bruce Thomas volunteered to sit on the Fort Simpson Housing Board Authority nominating committee next Wednesday.