Blair Porter will step down as the senior administrator of Enterprise on August 16.
Enterprise faced a wildfire that burned most of the community during his time in charge of the tiny hamlet’s day-to-day running.
The hamlet has also dealt with housing issues as a consequence of that fire and a series of challenges on council, featuring multiple resignations that appeared partly driven by clashes of personality.
In his last days on the job, Porter said he will continue to advance efforts to secure title for equity lease holders in Enterprise.
Some Enterprise residents say they have paid off their equity leases – long-term leases designed to result in ownership of the land – but still haven’t had the land title transferred to them from the GNWT, an obstacle that they say has complicated rebuilding after the wildfire.
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Porter says Enterprise recently signed some contracts and sent them to the GNWT. Once the territorial government signs, the next step is to transfer land title to the hamlet. After that, the hamlet will transfer title to individual residents.
“We’re right in the midst of it,” said Porter. “I know there’s been a lot of frustrations with the equity lease transfers, and it’s nice to see it finally come through, come to fruition.”
Porter says the transfer may not complete before he leaves the position, but he says the process is nearing its end.
He hopes the next senior administrator will be someone who can continue making progress on land title and other key issues like housing, wildfire recovery and community politics.
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His advice to that person?
“Stay true to who you are and do the best you can with what you’ve got. Take things one day at a time and go from there.”
“Remain neutral,” he added, with a view to the hamlet’s highly charged politics of late.
“That’s what it needs, is someone who can take things in stride, who can hear every side of the story and then make a wise decision based on what’s best for the community, not for one particular side,” said Porter.
“Hopefully, whoever comes in is able to do that for the community.”
