The Town of Hay River is examining whether it can lawfully regulate what can be sold within the town limits.

Hay River Mayor Kelly Schofield said the Town’s lawyers were contacted earlier this month to examine the matter. The Town’s current business license bylaw regulates the licensing of businesses in Hay River, but not the type of business or the merchandise sold by the business. Schofield said he is taking direct aim at vendors who sell knives, marijuana flags and pipes, and other drug paraphernalia. Schofield said he knows there are potential human rights issues with the plan.
“I know it’s going to be a tough one,” he said Feb. 10. “But I think it’s worth fighting for.”
“Who’s more important? Our kids or some guy who comes into town trying to sell his wares. In my opinion I think … we have to look out for the kids.”
Schofield said many of the vendors often set up at various locations downtown – in close proximity to a number of local schools.
“(The students are) coming out at lunchtime, or their break, and running over to these guys, buying their stuff and then heading back to school,” he said. “This stuff is getting into the schools and I don’t think that’s right.”
Local youth can sometimes face challenges making the right decisions, Schofield continued. The bylaw review would give town administration a better understanding of what can and can’t be done to protect youth.
Taking the items out of the “line-of-sight” of youth will make it less attractive to them, Schofield predicted.
“When I was young I remember that when those guys came to town we flocked to them, to see what we had for marijuana paraphernalia cause it was cool,” Schofield recalled. “It was the ‘in’ thing to do.”
The challenge, Schofield admitted, would be to ensure other vendors selling items like food, handicrafts and clothing would be exempt from the changes.
“We don’t want to stop the fruit truck vendors from coming in,” he said. “We don’t want to touch them – they’re fine. It is the people who are targeting our young market with stuff that will sway their influence to tobacco and drugs.”
Schofield said he hopes to receive an answer from the town’s lawyers in the coming weeks.
“It’s definitely going to be a tough fight.”

Town Council passes first increase since 2006 Budget

Hay River residents will pay a little more for water next year after Hay River Town Council approved a plan Monday to increase water rates for all residents next year – the first increase since 2006.

Piped water users will see their water rate increase from $16.74 per 1,000 gallons to $20,24 per 1,000 gallons.
Vale Island residents will see their water rates increase from $25,28 per 1,000 gallons to $38,77 – an increase of $13,49 per 1,000 gallons.
Corridor residents will now pay $45,74 per 1,000 gallons, up from the current $23,35 – an increase of $22,39 per 1,000 gallons.
The increase will cover a deficit of $347,998,00 in the town’s utility operating fund.
Councillor Ken Latour asked council to consider other options.
Councillor Andrew Cassidy, a Corridor resident, raised issues with the plan, which would increase those rates by 96 per cent.
“We’re a little bit concerned about that”, he said during a lively debate.
Mayor Kelly Schofield said he was not willing to have residents on piped water subsidize those whose water was trucked in.
“I’m a firm believer that you pay for what you use,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Mike Maher agreed.
“We have to be realistic – there’s a cost to delivering services”, he reminded council.
Town administration had originally provided three options for recovering the deficit in the utility operating fund. These included increasing the Access Fee by $15 per month for all users plus an increase in the cost of delivery for trucked water users; an Access Fee increase of $10 per month for all users, plus a water rate increase of $1.10 per 1,000 gallons plus a delivery cost increase for those on trucked water; and the approved option, which increases the water rate by $3.50 for all suers while increasing the cost of delivery for water truck users.
Councillors Bernie Langille, Reiss Kruger, Mike Maher and Bernard Duek voted in favour of the proposed water hike, while councillors Andrew Cassidy, Kevin Wallington and Ken Latour voted against it.
Councillor Dawna O’Brien was absent from Monday’s meeting.