Coppermine (May 17/04) - The hamlet where Peter Taptuna has spent much of his life is plagued by a $1.5 million debt, is reeling from a recent fire that destroyed their community landmark Catholic church, and continues to deal with a serious crime problem fuelled by alcohol abuse.

RCMP recently reported that a 70-year-old elder was beaten severely by his intoxicated son, and had to receive medical attention at the local health centre.

The police blame alcohol abuse for the majority of the calls they get. Taptuna isn't sure why there has been so much pain in his community. But now much of the future of the hamlet, at least until December when there is an official election, is in his hands.

"There is so much to be done," Taptuna said.

He said it is a "nightmare," then laughed about being named officially mayor last week.

Besides being mayor, Taptuna chairs the Kitikmeot Corporation, and is a director of the search and rescue society.

He was appointed mayor at a council meeting May 10.

Taptuna has served as acting-mayor since Stanley Anablak's sudden departure in March.

"We lost our mayor, our SAO and finance director in March," said Taptuna. "It's been challenging."

The body found in the burned-out Catholic church April 23 nearly shut down the community's one bright light in the springtime: Nattiq Frolics. Taptuna is glad the events went ahead.

"That was a sad thing for the community," he said. "But we went ahead with it. We didn't cancel. We talked to older folks and we decided we're going to carry on as best we can."

Taptuna says crime continues to plague Kugluktuk.

"Repeat offenders. A dozen people that bring the numbers up," is how he describes it.

The corrections centre, opening in August, will make a difference, he said.

"Our people can be used to rehabilitate the repeat offenders. It's up to the community to take charge of their own destiny." Now that the community has hired an interim SAO, Taptuna is confident they are going to get out of the deficit.

Much of the blame for Kugluktuk's debt was put on a $4 million arena that was finally completed there in 2002.

Taptuna says that blame was unfair.

"Here in Kugluktuk we're pretty proud of our arena," Taptuna said. "We use our arena 365 days a year now instead of 50 days. It was underused."

Although the mayor's job is difficult, he said without challenges life would be boring.