Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Mar 10/06) - Fort Simpson's new mayor Duncan Canvin said his previous experience on village council helped him win the election on March 6.

Duncan said the public understood some of the past council achievements and would like to see similar successes.

"I was happy to see a significant number of people in Fort Simpson have put their trust in me," said Canvin.

The results from the election are not yet official. Unofficially, Canvin received 249 votes, compared to 173 votes for Dennis Nelner.

One of the council positions remains undecided. On March 10, a recount will be held for Owen Rowe and David Wright, who were originally tallied as having 194 and 193 votes respectively.

When the council is sworn in, Canvin said hiring a new senior administrative officer (SAO) will be the first task.

He said he will then be asking council members to volunteer to act as liaisons with different village agencies. While the volunteer fire department has spoken loudly, other organizations also need attention, said Canvin.

Fort Simpson's next council will be composed of three incumbents and five residents who were not on the previous council.

For Ann McKee, the manager of the Fort Simpson Housing Authority, this is her first time.

"I think it's time to give a little back to the community," said McKee, a 20-year resident.

McKee said there is a lot of work ahead for the council, but it's not insurmountable. She agrees that the first step is to hire a new SAO so the operations of the village can continue.

A new SAO is also on the top of the list for Carl Lafferty, who received 279 votes - the most in the election.

This is Lafferty's second term as a councillor. He served briefly in 1997 before resigning for personal reasons.

Establishing a strong working relationship between the mayor and the council will be important, said Lafferty, who is a renewable resources officer.

The relationship with the volunteer fire department also has to be rebuilt, he said.

"They are the backbone of the community. They keep everyone safe," said Lafferty, who was formerly with the department.

Lafferty would welcome having fire chief Pat Rowe make a presentation on both the immediate and long-term needs of the department.

The mayor and council will be sworn in on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. in village council chambers.