Fort Resolution 'broke,' 6 people laid off, says mayor

The community government in Fort Resolution, N.W.T., is "so broke" that six people have been laid off, according to the hamlet's mayor.

The troubles were recently written about in a post on Mayor Louis Balsillie's Facebook page.

"We don't even have enough to make payday and [it's] pretty stressful because as a chief I try to find jobs for people but at this level here we lay them off, and the youth centre is not open because of this and with spring break our kids are out in the streets," the March 14 post reads.

Balsillie was recently re-elected chief of the Deninu K'ue First Nation (DKFN) in an election, the results of which are being appealed. He said in a phone call last week that he wasn't able to speak about the financial problems.

A further interview request with Balsillie, or anyone else available to speak for the hamlet, was not returned by publication time.

Eleanor Young, deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), said the hamlet's government has conveyed in the media and to the department "challenges with staffing, challenges with operating some of their facilities, things of that nature."

She said it's not up to her to speak on the state of the hamlet's finances — that's the hamlet's role.

MACA working with hamlet

The hamlet provides a financial audit to MACA each year; this year's is expected to arrive in July. It also provides quarterly financial statements.

Young said she knows that the hamlet "parted ways with a long-term senior administrative officer last year." She said that process may have revealed the hamlet's "financial position was not what they thought it was."

Fort Resolution identified support needed from MACA after an operational review of the hamlet last year.

That support will probably include guidance in the hiring process for a new permanent senior administrative officer, Young said. The hamlet will also want MACA to help review financial bylaws and statements. If there is a deficit, the department can also help the hamlet produce a recovery plan.

"We've been in co-management with the community before, going back quite a number of years," Young said.

"We really do not step in and take over financially unless the situation is so dire that they cannot work themselves out of it and, from the information that I've been given, we're not at that state yet."

She said she believes MACA staff are in the hamlet this week helping the hamlet figure out if there are any issues and their causes, and come up with a plan.

According to the NWT Bureau of Statistics, the hamlet had a population of 561 last year.