We have added the Declaration to the website publications area as requested by a condo member.

Please note that there will be snow removal on Anson Drive and Bellanca Ave starting Monday February 20th.

Please ensure that you vehicles are off the street to avoid being ticketed and towed. Signs will also be posted on the streets.

Thanks!

Please note that we have added the infrastructure committee report given at the AGM to the publications section of the website.
Or get it here:
Infrastructure report - AGM 2012

Yesterday evening YK Condo #8 AGM was very positive.  We elected new board members, received the latest information on the progress of the infrastructure replacement, took questions and listened to responses from the membership.

Your Board now consists of:

Wanda Anderson
Wade Friesen
Aldin Jansen
Leonard Kwong
Lorraine Hewlett
Cheryl Fountain
Tamlin Gilbert
Kevin Laframboise
Jenni Bruce
Pearl Benyk

Special thanks to outgoing board members Gary Sibbald and Ralph Creed for your contributions over the last few years.

A meeting to select the executive will be held on February 21, 2012.

The Infrastructure Committee, which is now   negotiating the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) consists of Wade Friesen, Pearl Benyk, Aldin Jansen and Trevor Kasteel.  The MOU will set out the terms and conditions for proceeding with the replacement of the water and sewer infrastructure and how much it will cost. Condo members will be asked to vote on whether or not they approve the MOU. They will also have to sign a petition agreeing that they will pay a Local Improvement Tax to cover the costs of the replacement of the infrastructure.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON NORTHLANDS TRAILER PARK
WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT

MS. BISARO: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m compelled to use my first statement of this session to speak to an ongoing issue affecting my riding. Only a few weeks ago this government refused a request from the City of Yellowknife for a no-interest loan, a loan that would have been used to assist the residents of Northlands Mobile Home Park – some 1,100 Frame Lake constituents – to assist them with the replacement of the water and sewer infrastructure in their neighbourhood.

I have spoken many times about this predicament that these Northerners are in, and I really thought that a no- or low-interest loan from the GNWT to the city was a viable solution to this problem. But the government’s response to this suggested solution was an unconditional no.

To say that I was disappointed would be a major understatement, but what was even more disappointing was that our executive simply said no without trying to find other potential solutions. Admittedly, the letter to the city did provide an answer to the direct question, but there was no indication of a willingness on the part of the GNWT to help out at all. There was no attempt to offer a different kind of help or to look for other ways to solve this difficult problem.

One of the reasons given for the refusal was that no policy currently exists to cover the request. That may be so, but if Cabinet had really wanted to help my constituents, they would have considered how to develop a policy that could help them.

We, as MLAs, whether in Cabinet or not, are elected to develop policy and to make laws. That we don’t have a policy for a particular situation has seldom been a problem before now. As long as the government wants to do something, it will happen. The necessary policy to cover the action will be put into place. Stated differently: If the political will is there, a policy can be developed to fix the problem.

My battle with the government to help my constituents is not yet over. I truly believe that there is something that this government can do to help the residents of Northlands. It may not be, nor does it have to be, a loan. It can be program assistance. It can be a policy or a regulation change. It can be a “yes we can” attitude instead of a “no we can’t” attitude.

I am committed to pursuing this issue on behalf of Northlands residents, who are a significant portion of my riding. I only hope that my colleagues across the floor, now that the city’s request had been answered, do not now wash their hands of this problem. That they actively look for something the GNWT can do to help, and that they remain open to considering different solutions when they are presented.

I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley. 

We received a letter from Mayor Gord regarding a response from Michael Miltenberger. The GNWT has denied us access to an interest free loan. It is posted under top links on the homepage. You can also get it here. We are seeking more information regarding this response. We are not totally in the dark as we wait to see what kind of loan the City of Yellowknife can secure on our behalf.

Well,  It's official.  We just received word that the Federal government will NOT be providing any additional funding to assist the Northlands.  This is the 9 million that we had applied for two years ago.  At this point, Northlands members will be responsible for the full cost of the infrastructure replacement. Please don't mistake this for the loan we are presently trying to secure through the City for the full cost of replacing the infrastructure..  This is still in the works at this point as we have not had a response regarding this loan.  Here is the letter if you are interested in reading the response from Mayor Vantighem.

Please note that we will be doing some snow clearing on Norseman Drive on January 11, 2012.  Please ensure that your vehicles are off the road to ensure we can do the best job possible.

We have updated the publications area of the website to include information pertinent to the up-and-coming AGM on:
 February 7 at 7:00pm at NUP.  
This includes the agenda, minutes of the January 31, 2011 AGM, and the minutes of the Aug 23 Budget approval meeting.

Please note that condo fees are being raised to $220 as was discussed and approved by the members that attended the August 23 Budget AGM. If Accounting Plus has your most recent credit card/account information you can simply email Lynette at lself@accountingplus.nt.ca requesting a condo fee increase. Please include in your email your Northlands address, name, and that you will be increasing your condo fee to $220.  If you need to go into Accounting Plus to increase your condo fee their office has moved to the 3rd floor of the Goga Cho Building (same building as the eye clinic).