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TuesdayJanuary2020153POLITICSLABOURAsfollowuptotheNovember2014interviewsregardingtheUniversalAffordableDayCarefeasibilitystudyintheNWTwehavedevelopedasurveyforparentsandguardiansofchildrenaged0-5.TobuildhighqualityearlychildhoodservicesforallfamiliesacrosstheNWTweneedyourfeedback.PleasetakethetimetofllinthisshortsurveySurveymonkey.comsNWTPARENTDeadlineJanuary302015AreyouaparentorcaregiverintheNorthwestTerritoriesTownofHayRiverfacingpossiblestrikeactionByMEAGANWOHLBERGMunicipalemployeesinHayRivercouldbeoutonpicketlinesbyFeb.6ifneitherthetownnortheunionbudgeinongoingwagetalksthatcametoanalstandstilllastweek.Ninetypercentofthetowns30employeesvotedinfavourofstrikeactionlastTuesdayafterunanimouslyrejectingtowncouncilsnalofferofa1annualwageincreaseoverthenextthreeyears.ThePublicServiceAllianceofCanadaPSACisrequestingathree-yearagreementforitsemployeesthatmorecloselymatchestherisingcostoflivingintheNWTwhichwouldseeearningsriseby2.5intherstyearand2.25inthetwoyearsfollowing.HayRiverMayorAndrewCassidysaidthetownsofferisnal.Ourbargainingteammetwithcouncilweagreedonwhatournalofferwouldbecouncilisunitedinthisandthatwastheofferthatwepresentedtotheunionsotherereallyisntanymoreroomforustonegotiateunlesswegetotherdirectionfromcouncilbutatthispointintimecouncilhassaidthat1increaseforthenextthreeyearsisashighaswerewillingtogohesaid.Ourofferisoutthereitwontchangeandwerehopingtheycanreconsideritandmaybewillingtoacceptit.ButJackBourassaregionalexecutivevice-presidentforPSACNorthsaidthetownsofferisunacceptable.TheirofferwasmoreofaninsultthananythingBourassatoldTheJournalnot-ingthatwhileheunderstandsthetownhaspennedinbudgetaryconstraintsforthenextyearhebelievestheunionsrequestedwageincreasetobeverylow.Hesaidtheunionisalwaysopentomoreconversationbutthattheoverwhelmingrejectionofthetownsofferputstheballbackintheemployerscourt.Thecollectiveagreementfortownemploy-eesexpiredinDecember2013andtalkshavebeenongoingsincelastJuly.Cassidysaidthetownhascontingencyplansinplaceincaseofjobaction.Thereareanumberofessentialser-vicesthatwouldstillbemaintainedsowerefullypreparedandwearewellawareofthepotentialconsequencesiftheuniondoesnotacceptourproposalandthereisastrikeaction.WeunderstandwhatthatwouldlooklikeandwereplanningforhowwecanaccommodateandstillmaintainsomeoftheservicesresidentsofHayRivercurrentlyreceive.Thosecoreserviceswouldincludethingslikewatertreatmentsewageandsnowclear-ingwhiletherestofnon-contractedmunici-palserviceswouldbeshutdown.Thingssuchasrecreationwouldsuf-ferCassidysaid.Werefullypreparedandwearewellawareofthepotentialconsequencesiftheuniondoesnotacceptourproposalandthereisastrikeaction.MayorAndrewCassidyRecreationisoneofthemunicipalservicesthatwillsufferifastrikeactiontakesplaceinHayRiverinFebruaryaccordingtoMayorAndrewCassidy.PhotoBobWhiteFortSmithcouncilappointsinterimSAOByDALICARMICHAELFollowingtheabruptresignationofFortSmithssenioradministrativeoffi-cerSAOinDecembertowncouncilhastemporarilyappointedanewcandidatetoholdthepositionuntilapermanentem-ployeeishired.DirectorofmunicipalservicesKeithMor-risonwasgiventhepositionuntiltheongo-ingcompetitiontoreplaceformerSAOJimHoodiscomplete.Morrisonwasselectedduetohispreviousexperienceintheposition.WheneverHoodwasoutoftownforpersonalorwork-relatedreasonsinthepastMorrisonwasselectedtotakeoverhisduties.Whenthepositionvacancybecameper-manentwithHoodsretirementthetownhadtoactquicklytostayinlinewiththeCitiesTownsandVillagesActwhichstatesthatthecommunitymustalwayshaveanappointedSAO.Councilacceptedapplicationsfortheposi-tionuntilDec.192014andthecompetitionprocesstoappointanewSAOisunderway.Untilsomeonenewisselectedthemunici-palityishopingthatnoextraneouscircum-stancesariselikethemultitudeofproblemsthatcamewiththeburstingofafrozenwaterpipeandsewagelinethistimelastyear.ThisiswherewehavetobecautiousifonlybecauseofcapacityissueswhenImtryingtoperformmyfull-timejobaswellastodothisjobMorrisonsaid.Itsamatterofmanag-ingtimejusttomakesurethatthedoorsstayopenthelightsstayon.IlldowhatIcantoadvanceprojectsbutwerenottalkingmonthsinthispositionweretalkinghopefullyweeks.Itsnodifferentthanifsomebodywentawayonvacationforacoupleweeks.Whenaskedifhehadaninterestintak-ingonthepositionpermanentlyMorrisonindicatedthedecisionwasuptocouncilandhecouldnotspeakontheirbehalf.HoodresignedinlateDecembercitingpersonalreasonssaidMayorBradBrake.ItwasanamicabledepartureandwewishhimwellBrakesaid.Currentadministra-tionwouldworkwithJimagainiftheoppor-tunitypresenteditself.POLITICSMUNICIPALFortSmithstowncouncilhasappointedcurrentdirectorofmunicipalservicesKeithMorrisonastemporarySAOuntilthepositionispermanentlyflled.PhotoDaliCarmichael