LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Councillors in Fort Simpson agreed to table a bylaw setting out the village's emergency service fees until it could be discussed at a committee meeting.

Village council met April 4 for its first council meeting of the month. Councillors present included Mike Rowe, Marie Lafferty, Jarret Hardisty and Muaz Hassan, as well as Mayor Darlene Sibbeston. - NNSL file photo

The bylaw sets out fees of $250 for in-town call-outs and $450 plus $2.50 per kilometre outside municipal boundaries. Motor vehicle accidents would cost $600 plus $2.50 for each kilometre; medi-vac pick-up would cost $375 and drop-off would be $425.

Patient transfers would cost $350 at the in-town airport, $3,000 to Hay River, $4,000 to Yellowknife, $1,800 to Jean Marie River and $2,500 to Wrigley.

Air transport support would cost $150 per hour.

"The village has charged these rates for the past seven or eight years," said Mayor Darlene Sibbeston. However, the current rate bylaw included old rates instead, prompting the village to bring it forward to council.

Senior administrative officer Beth Jumbo could not confirm the existence of an updated bylaw, telling council instead that there may be one out there but it could not be found.

Prior to their decision to table the bylaw, councillors heard a presentation from fire chief Roger Pilling, who expressed concern with two parts of the bylaw.

First, he said, was a section of the bylaw stipulating emergency medical services outside municipal boundaries could only be given with verbal approval from the mayor or senior administrative officer.

Changes to that would be necessary in order for emergency personnel to be able to respond if both the mayor and senior administrative officers were unavailable, he explained.

Secondly, Pilling raised the issue of the Ambulance and Emergency Equipment Reserve Fund, which council created but has never paid money into. The new bylaw states all money raised from rescue services fees should be deposited into the fund.

The bylaw will likely return to council at a later date once it has passed through committee.

Board of Revision convenes

The village's board of revision will meet on April 28 to hear two appeals under the Taxation Assessment Act.

Councillors formed the board on March 21 in order to rule on property tax appeals. The board will be comprised of Stephanie Cudmore, Liza McPherson, Larry Cambell and Dan Quevillon. Each member will be re-imbursed $150 for the meeting.

$20,000 for training

Village council agreed to put $20,000 up in order to match funds received through the Advancing Local Government Administrator Program with the territorial government.

Information presented at council by senior administrative officer Beth Jumbo showed the contribution would go toward Jumbo's training budget for one year.

The program allows Jumbo to complete courses through the School of Community Governance in order to properly acquire the skills necessary to become a certified SAO.