SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE -Developers looking to improve existing properties for residential use in the downtown core may soon find less incentive to do so, following a discussion between city councillors and administration at a municipal services committee meeting on Monday.

Councillors considered a suggestion to amend the Development Incentive Program bylaw by capping the program at $3 million for assessed improvements on existing residential properties in the downtown core. Coun. Bob Brooks was clearly against the move, stating developers will likely choose commercial development rather than residential if the amendment is adopted.

"On numerous occasions, when I asked developers about why they were doing a commercial development rather than a residential one ... they said there's not enough incentive for them to go with residential development and it was always more profitable to go with commercial," Brooks said.

Carl Bird, director of corporate services, reiterated that the cap would only apply to existing buildings, not new development.

"The amendment we're proposing is only to existing assessments, it's not to new development, so an empty space with a new development would get full 100-per cent abasement," said Bird.

"You're not allowing the improvement of anything existing," Brooks responded. "That's why I'm not in favour of it."

The amendment was suggested because administration is concerned too much tax revenue is being lost due to the incentive program.

Police advisory committee questioned

The mandate of the Yellowknife Area Policing Advisory Committee was called into question at a council meeting on Monday.

"I would like to suggest at a later date in the new year that we could have a discussion about what the real intent and purpose of this committee is," said Coun. Shelagh Montgomery.

"It doesn't seem to me a particularly good use of staff people's time."

"I'm not sure if the city should be paying for staff people to sit at such meetings when these issues could be dealt with by those people speaking directly to the RCMP."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said a review of the committee's role was on the horizon.

"There's a new detachment commander who reported as of last Wednesday and he has ideas about how to make it more useful and interesting," he said.

Montgomery was pleased to hear about the development, adding that the RCMP should be taking the reins.

"Well I would like to see that, because it seems to me, if the committee's intended to micro-manage the RCMP, then the RCMP should be looking after the committee, not the city," she said.

Coun. David Wind echoed the need to review the committee's purpose but reminded everyone that the its role was simply to advise.

"The mandate of the committee is not to micro-manage the RCMP, but there have been discussions at committee about the mandate," said Wind. "It seems to me that this is a committee that is sponsored by the city and administrative support is provided by the city, that perhaps we could get a little bit more out of it if we extended the mandate to also include city enforcement."

Third-graders ask tough questions

Mayor Gord Van Tighem gave a rundown of his week's activities during a priorities, policies and budget committee meeting on Monday, mentioning the Grade 3 class who stopped by city hall.

"A Grade 3 class came by on Friday morning to get an overview of municipal governance," the mayor said.

"There were lots of animated questions, they all know my date of birth, how old I am – but they forgot to ask my favourite colour," he lamented.

"What is your favourite colour?" Coun. Lydia Bardak asked. "Green. Of course, look at my house, it's painted to look like Shrek," said the mayor.