Iqaluit Mayor Kenny Bell is stepping into the role of president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM), taking the torch from his predecessor Madeleine Redfern.
That was one of the developments at NAM's annual general meeting in Rankin Inlet last week, where 22 of 25 Nunavut municipalities were represented despite some weather challenges that temporarily grounded flights during the week.
However, the minister of Community and Government Services (CGS), deputy minister and the assistant deputy minister were not present.
Bob Leonard, who's entering his fifth term as mayor of Arviat, stated that “the lack of officials in the meeting from CGS is very disappointing."
A NAM press release issued Wednesday afternoon acknowledged that weather may have been a factor in the absence of the top brass from CGS. The press release also noted that the hamlets' elected officials all arrived on Monday, the day before the meeting started.
“In the future we expect senior (CGS) management should be available for the entire meeting to hear all the concerns, issues, and questions expressed by members," Kenny Bell stated.
Nunavut News has invited a response from CGS.