Councillor wants “accountability” from $2 million department

Coun. Nancy Gillis told her fellow city councillors two weeks ago that she wants the city’s emergency services department to give councillors more information about what they do and how much money they spend.

“We have a department with $2 million budget and no accountability,” Gillis said in a statement at the June 14 council meeting.

The city’s emergency services department is responsible for firefighting, and Iqaluit’s ambulance and dispatch service.

She said that after less than half a year, the department is already over budget on overtime.

Ian Fremantle, the chief administrative officer, said, however, that the emergency services department is the hardest to budget for.

Deputy Mayor Glenn Williams suggested that the director of the department be asked to make a report to council once a month.