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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It's looking less likely that any work will be completed this year as Northland representatives and the city remain at odds over what trailer owners should pay to replace aging water and sewer infrastructure.

A plebiscite on a local improvement fee was supposed to be mailed to owners of the 258 trailers in Northland Trailer Park last month but a memorandum of understanding between Yellowknife Condominium Corporation No. 8, which represents the trailer court, and the city has yet to be signed. That has to occur before the local improvement fee - the latest figure reported is $360 a month over 25 years, which the condo board has previously said is too high - can go to a vote.

Northland trailer owners are facing about a $20-million bill to fix water and sewer lines that are 15 years past their expiry date. The goal is to transfer ownership of the privately held infrastructure to the city but homeowners must still pay for the repairs.

Wade Friesen, vice-president of the condo board, said he recognizes the window for the construction season is small but the board is still not pleased with the agreement terms being offered by the city, although he wouldn't comment on what they are right now.

Friesen said if the MOU is passed within the next month, he said it might still be possible that some construction could begin this year.

"It is still possible (to have construction begin this year), but it is closing if we don't push this through right away," said Friesen.

"We definitely won't likely see the construction season this year. It would be unfortunate if we didn't see the construction season, but I myself have been working on this for about nine years. It would be one more year pushed back, but at the same time we would have everything in place that would be required to go forward next year."

City administrator Bob Long told city council Monday that the ball is essentially in Northland's court.

"We have continuously cajoled them into trying to respond to us and make that decision," said Long.

"I think the window is quickly, rapidly disappearing in terms of doing too much in this construction period."

Coun. Amanda Mallon had asked for an update at Tuesday's municipal services committee meeting, saying she wanted to see that the project move ahead as soon as possible, particularly before the municipal election this fall. She said in hindsight, it might have been better had council set a deadline for the condo board to abide by.

"We really need them to make a decision," she said Tuesday. "Maybe when we started this process we maybe should have put in an end date to it."

Friesen says like the city, the condo board also has a lengthy process it goes through. He said this could be part of the reason why it has taken time for the condo board to agree to all terms. The process includes considering the city's responses at the steering committee level, as well as board approval before sending the agreement to the board's lawyer for review.

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