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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Housing and Health authorities in Yellowknife, like the education boards in the city, are unsure of what the plan of action is going to be on the board merger planned by the territorial government.

Jim White, president of the Yellowknife housing authority said he isn't opposed to the merger but has concerns about how it could affect efficiency.

"The reason they created an authority in each community was to allow it to be close to the people who are our clients," he said. "The boards are made up of those local people. It keeps it in close contact. A plan where there was a regional board would make things quite aloof."

White said merging three portfolios as big as education, housing and health could create inefficiencies and slow down progress within the three areas.

"To include all the school boards and health I'd think you'd almost have to create a department that would govern those three boards," he said. "It would be a mammoth task. Board members usually meet a day or two a month and with this amalgamation they would have to be meeting a lot more. In the long run they would be losing a lot because how could they really keep track of things? They would have to delegate more authority to the individual administrators or meeting constantly with a different hat each time.

"They seem to be creating just another form of bureaucracy or something that was less efficient than the current system."

Elizabeth Wyman, chair of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority board, said the idea of restructuring boards and authorities in the territory is not a new concept, having been discussed during the last assembly.

"There was board and agency review in the last assembly so this has been on the plate for several years," Wyman said. "The concept has been picked up by this legislature and they're just carrying out the plans in place from previous."

Wyman said Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger presented his plan to them recently and said it outlined the basic plan and the refocusing committee's commitment to having a plan in place by April 2009.

"He is wanting to involve through the consultation process the boards and agencies that will be affected by this plan," Wyman said.

"We've been told by the minister that this is not necessarily a cost-cutting exercise as far as program delivery goes. It's just trying to find efficiencies within the groups and mandates we have out there.

"We will be developing a position as soon as the government gives us their mandate."