HAY RIVER - After three years without a chief and council, West Point First Nation in Hay River will be voting for new leadership this month.

An election for a chief and four councillors has been called for March 31.

In April 2007, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) put the band under third-party management and dismissed the leadership.

The band had been through years of political instability and financial difficulties before INAC stepped in.

Since 2007, band members have developed and ratified a new election code.

"The band has worked really hard to address their governance issues," said Nicole Huppe, INAC's manager of field services for the NWT.

It is unclear how long third-party management will remain after the election.

"We would support them in the transition period," Huppe said. "We just want to make sure the new chief and council have the capacity and support they require."

She said ultimately INAC would like to see West Point assume control of its own affairs.

West Point is a small band with close to 80 members.

The department placed the band under the third-party management of the Yellowknife accounting firm MacKay LLP on April 5, 2007. At the time, an election code and a new election were listed among the conditions for coming out of third-party management.

"We're confident this election code has the support of the whole community," Huppe said.

Along with governance issues, she noted band members have worked hard on community healing.

A leadership dispute - including two competing chiefs - and financial problems led to the imposition of third-party management. Huppe said the band's financial affairs are confidential and declined to discuss them.

Karen Felker, the chief who had been ousted by council before third-party management was imposed, said she welcomes the election and hopes it will help end the band's troubles. "I hope it's behind us now," she said. However, Felker said the new chief and council will have a lot of work to do.

The former chief has no plans to run in the election, as she said her time as leader was very stressful. Felker hopes others will seek to assume leadership in the band.

"There has to be," she said. "Someone will have to step up and do the work."

Felker, who had called for third-party management, also hopes the process has been a learning experience for everyone involved.

"I just hope it doesn't happen again," she said. Felker added she didn't think it would take so long for a new election to be held.

Huppe said the process took as long as the First Nation felt was needed to address the issues it faced. The band's office building was boarded up near the end of October 2007. Huppe said it will be up to the new chief and council to decide about reopening the band office.

Nominations for chief and council opened on March 14 and are to close March 21 at 5 p.m.