Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Sep 20/02) - Inuvik will not see a new mayor following the next election, but there will be some fresh blood on town council.

Incumbent Peter Clarkson was acclaimed as mayor after no other nominations were received. Three councillors will not seek re-election.

Nominations closed Monday for the positions of mayor, council and district education authorities.

Returning officer Jerry Veltman said councillors Don Craik, Richard Binder and Gary Smith will not run in the October municipal election.

Battling it out for the eight council seats are Cheryl Sharpe, Vince Sharpe, George Doolittle, Clarence Wood, Denny Rodgers, Derek Lindsay, Arlene Hansen, Jerry Lennie, Vince Brown, Brian Campbell, Desmond Loreen, Marja Van Nieuwenhuyzen and Alfred Moses.

For district education council, nominations are Shauna Mackay, Judy Harder-Robert, Deanna Marie-Jacobson, Jeff Amos and Gerri Sharpe-Staples.

There were only five nominations to fill the seven education seats, so Veltman said the nominations will be extended one week.

"Nominations will be extended until next Monday at 3 p.m.," Veltman said.

Mayor Clarkson was happy to see the turnout for candidates in the nominations.

"With 13 people running for eight seats, voters can pick and choose," he said. "It's also the first time we've had a Gwich'in candidate (Alfred Moses) running for office."

The election will take place Oct. 21, but Veltman said an advance polling station will be set-up at the library community room on Oct. 7.