Solomon Awa takes helm of Nunavut municipalities association
Local leaders from across the territory gather for annual general meeting this week in Iqaluit
Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa is the new president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities after a vote Monday. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa is the new president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities.
Selecting a new board of directors was one of the local leaders’ first orders of business after they landed in Iqaluit Monday for the association’s annual general meeting.
Nunavut Association of Municipalities staff count ballots during the election of the association’s new board of directors Monday. (Photo by Livete Ataguyuk)
The association is made up of the territory’s mayors, councillors and senior administrative officers. They use the association as a collective voice to advocate for their needs on a municipal level.
Awa told Nunatsiaq News he is confident in taking on the role and he has a number of priorities over the next four years, including addressing the housing shortfall and improved waste management.
“There are a lot of metals that can be recycled,” he said.
“Also, improving garbage dumps in the communities are just some of the topics I’d like to tackle.”
In addition to Awa, Baker Lake Mayor Kevin Iksiktaaryuk is vice-president and Qikiqtarjuaq Mayor Daisy Arnaquq is secretary-treasurer.
Iksiktaaryuk said he is excited to take on the vice-president role. He said his three main priorities are collaboration, transparency and infrastructure development.
“The territory is growing in a rate that we haven’t seen before and I feel our infrastructure is not growing at the same rate,” he said.
Arnaquq also said she anticipates a lot of good collaboration and is looking forward to seeing new housing units go up across the territory.
“There is a need for housing and as a board member we will have to work together to make this a reality,” she said.
The Nunavut Association of Municipalities annual general meeting runs through Thursday at the Aqsarniit Hotel and Conference Centre.
The group of leaders is also scheduled to discuss issues like climate change and take part in professional development activities.
Awesome. Mr. Awa is the perfect choice to lead NAM. All the best to the new NAM board
The part of infrastructures that needs to be address, which certainly is not new in small Municipalities:
– Proper heavy-equipment’s (lacks)
– Screener and Crushers
– Lack of gravel
– Airline services (limited)
– Maintenance of Municipal Roads
– Match Box houses built 50s, 60s or 70s still used today (under the nose of Nunavut Housing Corp.)
– Look into partner Recycle Metals and not dumping ground of landfills with Corporates in south
– Lack of infrastructure capital funds in small Municipalities
– SPCA programs and services with structured programs (presently does NOT exist in Nunavut)
The issues that lack’s is if elected officials or CAO’s continue to water down that actually NEED’s to be address. Step-up or structure the municipal affairs operations and day-to-day services!