Yellowknife (Oct 23/00) - There were plenty of changes at the top following municipal elections last week.

In Yellowknife, two-term incumbent Dave Lovell was defeated by Gord Van Tighem while in Fort Simpson, Norm Prevost lost out in his bid to return to the village's top job.

Van Tighem, a virtual unknown on the capital political scene led the way in all but one of the seven polls, bringing in a total of 1,555 votes.

Van Tighem defeated the Lovell, (899 votes), councillor Bob Brooks (1,355 votes) and Cheryl Best, 341.

"I'm excited and awestruck," Van Tighem said shortly after his victory.

Van Tighem has lived in Yellowknife for nine years and spent eight years as the territorial manager for the Bank of Montreal.

He plans to meet with members of the new council and senior city administrators "to determine their aspirations."

He also said he wants to hear more from the public on what can be done to develop Old Town and the extensive waterfront.

Lovell will leave council for the first time in nine years, including six as Yellowknife mayor.

"I've gone through six pretty tough years and I think the next three are going to be pretty easy," said Lovell.

"It would've been nice to be mayor in the swinging times, but it wasn't in the cards."

Brooks plans to spend more time with his family and play a stronger, more focused role as the executive director of the NWT Chamber of Commerce.

In Fort Simpson, Tom Wilson replaces Prevost after topping the polls with 229 votes. Andrew Gaule came in second with 112 votes while Prevost finished third with 74 votes.

Wilson said plans to set to work building a "new vision" for the village and the former teacher plans to reach out to the community.

That includes building a strong alliance with the Liidlii Kue First Nation and Metis Local 52 so the community can approach government and industry with one voice, he said.

"(Businesses) are not going to come here because of our good looks and charming personality. We've got to pursue them," he said.

Pending MACA funding cuts also need to be addressed.

Prevost, who has been mayor for five years, suggested voters may have renounced him as a carry over from their resounding rejection of Jupiter Power in last month's power plebiscite. Of his accomplishments, Prevost said he's proudest of the deficit reduction that he and council achieved.

Inuvik mayor-elect Peter Clarkson said his main goal is to prepare the town for the pending oil and gas boom.

Clarkson, who was the town's deputy mayor, defeated Coun. Derek Lindsay.

"The town really has to look at what they need to do to get ready for the oil and gas boom. We've started some things now, but we need to take a real serious look at that, 'cause the timing is going to be critical," the mayor-elect said.

Fort Smith councillors also want to work on economic development.

While Pete Marselos was unopposed in his bid for re-election only incumbent councillor Earl Olsen won re-election.

Olsen said with the recent government downsizing in Fort Smith, the new council has to keep a close watch on the employment rate and try to prevent further job losses.

"Like all other communities we can't really afford that any more," he said.

New counsellor Tim McDonald, recreation director at Aurora College, said he will work for better promotion of the tourism industry and development of new roads.

"I hope to work towards creating an economic base in Fort Smith that is based on tourism ... we need a strong base that we can depend on and I'm hoping we'll develop that through a strong and viable tourism industry," he said.

In Norman Wells, Kevin Diebold is back for another term as mayor.

He earned more than 50 per cent of the votes cast on Oct. 16, and will return to an office he held for three years in the early 1990's.

The 45-year-old served as mayor from 1991-1994 and was a councillor for six years before that.

A 20-year resident of Norman Wells, Diebold is the owner of Whiponic Wellputer Ltd., which has outlets in both Norman Wells and Inuvik.

He is president of the Norman Wells Chamber of Commerce and is serving his third term as president of the NWT Chamber of Commerce.

Diebold promised to encourage economic development.

"I'll take a look at the issues that are out there and the biggest thing that I would like to strive for right off the bat is to get some economic development around here and get some more business for our small businesses. I think that's the backbone of any community, getting work for the community so the people can stay there," he said.

-- with files from Jorge Barerra, Malcolm Gorrill, Tara Kearsey, Derek Neary and Dawn Ostrem.