Village of Granisle mayor Frederick Clarke said unincorporating the village isn't going to be an option.

According to mayor Clarke, the suggestion to unincorporate the village and become part of the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako was recently brought to council by a group of community members. He said there has been some community interest expressed about the issue.

"They thought that if the Village of Granisle was to join the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, the community might be better off," he said.

If the village was to unincorporate it would result in the disbanding of the municipality and the community being administered solely by the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, similar to Endako and Topley.

"When you look at unincorporated communities along Hwy. 16, like Topley, Endako and Fort Fraser you really have to question if we would be better off," he said.

Mayor Clarke said he did further investigate the issue as the request had come from approximately 25 community members.

"I contacted the provincial government about the issue and asked about the process of unincorporating, but the province would not even entertain the idea," he said, adding that the Village of Granisle is fiscally sound.

"I was told that unincorporating the Village of Granisle just isn't going to be an option," he said.

Gail Chapman, RDBN's chief administrative officer confirmed that the Village of Granisle would have to approach the provincial government if they decide to unincorporate in the future. "The benefits [of unincorporating] would be an analysis that the Village of Granisle would have to undertake," she said.

Generally, only when small towns become fiscally insolvent they dis incorporate and are taken under the wings of a larger entity like the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako.

Mayor Clarke said the suggestion did not 'rankle his feathers'. "Small communities like Granisle are difficult and expensive to operate," he added.