Fort Simpson (Oct 24/03) - Mayor-elect Raymond Michaud said the recent doubling of water rates helped him regain the mayor's seat in Monday's municipal election.

Michaud, Fort Simpson's mayor from 1992-95, said "it was a bad time of year to raise the water bill. Naturally that would have a major thing to do with it."

He also suggested his opponents, incumbent Tom Wilson and fellow former mayor Ron McCagg, split the votes.

Otherwise, he offered words of praise for the job Wilson did over the past three years.

"He used to be my deputy mayor. He was a good asset," Michaud said of Wilson. "He knew what he was doing and he did it for the love of the community."

Wilson said he knew people were upset over water rates and he expected some backlash. Although it may not be popular, he said he still feels the office of mayor should be a half-time paid position to adequately address development issues. He also still argues that the village should not return to hamlet status to ensure it remains in control of its own destiny.

"But the people have spoken and that's life of politics," Wilson said, adding that he'll have to find something else to do with his Monday nights. "Maybe after 15 years (as mayor and councillor) they've had enough of me in there."

McCagg was on duty travel Tuesday and couldn't be reached for comment.

Michaud's platform included creating an alternate access route for Fort Simpson, which he says will facilitate development. He also proposed to have cement laid on the arena floor and to upgrade the pool. As well, he's in favour of having the village return to hamlet status unless the territorial government is willing to renegotiate Fort Simpson's current funding arrangement.

He disagreed with Wilson that a half-time mayor's position will be necessary. Between lobbying governments in his spare time and delegating work to Village staff, Michaud said he's confident he can handle things.

At the same time, he noted that as mayor he has to take direction from council. Voters elected a "good mixture" of councillors with youth and experience, aboriginal and non-aboriginal, he said.

He added that Yellowknife is getting the lion's share of economic growth and it's time to give smaller communities a chance.

"We've got to get rid of this (attitude that) it's got to be built in Yellowknife because it's the 'capital,'" he said, noting that Fort Simpson offers a lower cost of living than Yellowknife.

Voter turnout was about 41 per cent in Fort Simpson with 324 people casting ballots out of an eligible 790.

The new mayor and council will be sworn in on Nov. 3.

The people's choice:

Mayor

*Raymond Michaud 148
Ron McCagg 96
Tom Wilson 80

Council

*Dennis Nelner 197
*Barb Moreau-Betsaka 183
*Betty Hardisty 175
*Bob Hanna 171
*Darlene Sibbeston 165
*Norm Prevost 159
*Kim Squires 152
*David Wright 144
Sean Whelly 135
Kirby Groat 124
Gerard Fradsham 115
Andrew Gaule 104

District Education Authority

*Connie Villeneuve 224
*Barb Moreau-Betsaka 186
*Cindy Browning 183
*Martina Norwegian 174
*Kim Squires 164
*Kevin Allen 154
Shane Thompson 152
Lisa Lafferty 151
Pearl Norwegian 142
* denotes elected