Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Friday, March 9, 2007

FORT SIMPSON - Coun. Bruce Thomas resigned from his position on village council on Feb 19.

During a village council meeting Thomas said he decided to resign because he can no longer commit to being available every second Monday and for committee meetings because of his job.

"That's just the way it is," said Thomas.

Mayor Duncan Canvin thanked Thomas for his service.

Council has decided to seek a new councillor by posting notices around town about the open position and are asking interested people to come forward. Council members will then choose a new councillor, said Canvin.

A wood solution

Coun. Tom Wilson is serious about wood pellet heating.

Coun. Wilson suggested that council direct the senior administrative officer to approach the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to obtain money from the Green Fund to do a feasibility study on turning the local steam plant into a hot water plant fuelled by wood pellets.

Time is running out to look at alternatives because the plant is set to be shut down in the winter of 2008-09 by the Department of Public Works and Services when it's no longer needed to heat DehCho Hall, said Wilson. He suggested that a renovated plant could heat at least the two schools and the recreation centre.

"With the cost of fuel going up and up and up just maybe the fuel pellets can do it cheaper," he said.

Coun. Candy Brown agreed that a feasibility study should be done to look at a number of different options.

New wheels

The process is underway to purchase a new by-law truck.

The current truck is approximately 14-years-old and the transmission is gone, said Mayor Duncan Canvin.

The village has $30,000 in their budget set aside for a new truck. NWT department of Justice has also said they will donate $7,100 towards the cost, said Tom Matus, the village's senior administrative officer.

Budget passed

Village council has approved their new budget for the second time.

When the budget was first passed, council rescinded it after a number of councillors disagreed with the surplus it showed, said Duncan Canvin.

The councillors returned to the budget and did a more realistic assessment of costs to reallocate the surplus, said Canvin. More money was budgeted for upcoming major projects including the fire hall. The new budget is also based on paying 46 cents per kilowatt-hour compared to the earlier number of 41 cents.

Time to celebrate

Following tradition, council has passed a by-law to make a civic holiday that will coincide with the Beavertail Jamboree.

The holiday will be on March 9 from 12 to 5 p.m.

More funds

The village has received $36,733 from the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories as part of the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund agreement.

The money, which will be matched by $18,367 from the village, will be used to purchase new chopper pumps which will make it easier for the treatment plant to process sewage, said Tom Matus, Fort Simpson's SAO.

Rates reduced

Starting in April, residents of Fort Simpson should see a drop in their water and sewer bills.

Because of increases to the water subsidy from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, the village is lowering the water and sewer rates for both residential and commercial customers, said Mayor Duncan Canvin. The changes will come into effect on April 1.

The decrease will put the rates below the level they were at last May when the most recent increase was made, said Canvin.

Residential and non-profit customers will now pay $.0033 per litre compared to $.0046. To encourage community beautification including watering lawns and flowers, the rate will be lowered again during June, July and August to $.0022 for consumption in excess of 25,500 litres per month.

Councillors passed the first and second reading of the by-law during the village council meeting on March 5. A third reading is still needed before the changes can be enacted.

Wily dogs

In an effort to deal with loose dogs around the community the days that the by-law officer works might be changed.

Coun. Dieter Cazon raised the issue of loose dogs at the council meeting. All the calls concerning loose dogs seem to come in on Mondays and Fridays and the dogs disappear again on Tuesdays to Thursdays when the by-law officer is on duty, said Tom Matus, the village's senior administrative officer.

Coun. Bob Hanna said the pattern isn't a coincidence. Some people monitor the by-law officer to see when it's safe to let their dogs loose, he said.

"It's a conspiracy, trust me," said Hanna.

A step forward

Village council has accepted a proposal from Dillon Consulting for the design, tendering and contract administration of the seasonal pool and cement slab in the arena.

Dillon is asking $165,048.20 for their services which will include supervising the construction of the two projects. The village is now entering into contract negotiations with the company.

Going green

The makeup of the village's energy planning committee has been set.

Mayor Duncan Canvin, Coun. Tom Wilson, Coun. Lynn Wharton, Wilson Dimsdale, Ann Ronald and Ivan Simons will be working towards creating an updated energy plan for the community.