A city councillor says he was not in a conflict when he told representatives of the Yellowknife Car Share Co-op at City Hall that their proposal could help his business.

Coun. Adrian Bell, a Century 21 realtor, said during Monday's Municipal Services Committee meeting that he would be SA国际影视传媒渉appy to participate as a businessSA国际影视传媒� in a proposed car-sharing program SA国际影视传媒渋f the car-share is in a position to get a delivery van-type of vehicle.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e can talk about that afterwards,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 need one, but only for about three hours a week, so we should talk.SA国际影视传媒�

Bell said Tuesday that his comments were made on behalf of a SA国际影视传媒渃ommunity of interest,SA国际影视传媒� and were not meant to benefit his own business.

SA国际影视传媒淚'm one of about 500 businesses that might want to make use of a car share,SA国际影视传媒� he told Yellowknifer.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's uncertain what the city's role would be in supporting it, but in no way do I feel that puts me in a conflict.SA国际影视传媒�

Bell noted that when he votes for a property tax increase, that effects him as well.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are all part-time councillors,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f Coun. Konge advocates for ... a change to a building code, it benefits him, among the other 300 people it benefits.SA国际影视传媒�

Bell was one of a number of councillors who expressed enthusiasm over the possibility of car-sharing cooperative open to residents, businesses and the municipal government.

SA国际影视传媒淚'm super excited about this,SA国际影视传媒� said Coun. Julian Morse.

He said car sharing could save the city money if it were to make use of the service.

Under the co-op's current plan, members would pay a fee based on the number of kilometres driven, plus about $10 per hour that the vehicle is in their position. The organization would also charge a membership fee of around $500 that would be returned when the member leaves the co-op.

The co-op's founders believe their financing model can sustain a fleet of six electric vehicles without financial support from government.
SA国际影视传媒淲e're not asking for money,SA国际影视传媒� Craig Scott, a co-op board member, said Monday.

Instead, he asked for support in the form of designated parking spaces with power hook-ups downtown.

Councillors questioned the viability of electric in Yellowknife's cold climate

Co-op board member John Carr said the electric Chevrolet Volt could get 60 kilometres out of a fully-charged battery in summer, and about half that distance in winter.

SA国际影视传媒淭he idea is that as long as it's brought back to its spot and plugged in, it will be charged up and ready to go for the next person,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Carr noted that other electric car models have the capacity to travel about 200 kilometres in summer and around 100 kilometres in winter.

City to create MED inquiry webpage

The city will dedicate a page on its website to the inquiry into the Municipal Enforcement Division.

Council voted in favour Monday of Coun. Adrian Bell's proposal to create a webpage on the city's website that would contain inquiry information, such as the terms of reference, a timeline, public meeting minutes and any developments.

SA国际影视传媒淭he public has made it pretty clear that there's trust issues between the public and the city,SA国际影视传媒� Coun. Steve Payne said before the vote.

SA国际影视传媒淚t would go along way in building up that trust to have everything out in the open.SA国际影视传媒�

Council decided on Jan. 22 to launch an inquiry into misconduct in the bylaw department following allegations that MED manager Doug Gillard made sexual and homophobic comments about city staff, hit MED officers in the groin and used security cameras to look at women in city facilities.

Coun. Niels Konge supported the webpage, but said people hungry for new details about alleged misconduct at MED may be disappointed.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e hoping for the grocery store, National Inquirer-type headlines and weSA国际影视传媒檙e not allowed, nor should we, give those out,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

In Coun. Shauna Morgan's view, administration should be in charge of communications relating to the inquiry. She expressed SA国际影视传媒渟ome disappointmentSA国际影视传媒� over council wading into this area.

SA国际影视传媒淚 feel like we're micromanaging administration here,SA国际影视传媒� she said before voting against the webpage.

Coun. Linda Bussey also opposed Bell's proposal, saying she would prefer a communications strategy that updates the public as new information arises.

The senior administrative officer was not convinced a special webpage is the way to go.

SA国际影视传媒淢y recommendation would be a communication plan that can make sure that the public is aware of milestones through the process and that can see actual evidence of change taking place,SA国际影视传媒� said Sheila Bassi-Kellett.

Bell said the webpage would be one piece of administration's overall communications plan for the MED inquiry.

The city has retained Alberta-based law firm Brownlee LLP to develop the inquiry's terms of reference.

Council backs camera policy

The city now has a security camera policy, meaning administration can begin reactivating its closed-circuit camera system.

Security cameras at city facilities were switched off on Jan. 18, following allegations that Doug Gillard, the manager of the Municipal Enforcement Division, used them to look at women.

City administration said the cameras would stay off until a policy guiding their use is in place.

On Monday, city council voted unanimously in favour of a policy that limits camera access to SA国际影视传媒渁uthorized employees,SA国际影视传媒� the city's senior administrative officer (SAO), the city's lawyer, designated IT staff, and people whose access is SA国际影视传媒渄eemed necessary by the SAO.SA国际影视传媒�

The policy states that cameras only be used in locations where the loss of privacy is SA国际影视传媒減roportionalSA国际影视传媒� to the potential security risk, and where there are no other, less invasive, ways of addressing that risk.

Sheila Bassi-Kellett, the SAO, said last week that administration will evaluate each camera to determine if it is necessary for public safety and the protection of city staff and property before switching it back on.

Cameras at the library are likely to be the first up for assessment.