Inuvik (Oct 20/06) - Just after of midnight on Tuesday morning, Derek Lindsay got the news he'd been waiting to hear -- he was elected as the next mayor of Inuvik.

"I want to thank all the people who came out and voted for me," said Lindsay during an interview the day after his win.

Clara Lindsay, left, is seen here with Inuvik's new mayor and her husband Derek Lindsay. He won the municipal election on Monday night and celebrated his victory with friends at the Legion. It took until after 12 a.m. Tuesday morning for the ballots to be counted and his victory declared official. - Phil Morin/NNSL photo

Lindsay's victory was made all the sweeter thanks to the stiff competition he received for top job on council courtesy of former deputy mayor Arlene Hansen and Jeff Otto.

Ballots were counted in two locations in town, one designated for the west side and another for the east.

Both Hansen and Lindsay had their camps gathered awaiting results of the election.

The official word came from returning officer Tom Lie at 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday morning after all the votes had been counted.

Derek Lindsay had won by a comfortable margin of 93 votes. He had 415 votes against Hansen's 322 and Otto's 40.

"I went home after we celebrated the victory at the Legion for a bit," said Lindsay.

The new mayor will be sworn in with the new council on Oct. 27 though the first day under their leadership comes on Nov. 6.

Lindsay said he wants to meet with council and decide where they will go from there together. The town's budget is the first item on Lindsay's long list.

"I also want to find a qualified engineer to assist with the utilidors in town," he said. "They are deteriorating faster than anyone expected."

A plan is also being made to restore the pilings that hold the water and sewage pipes above the ground.

"The town has already had to stabilize the foundations of the utilidors near Twin Lakes," said Lindsay.

Another project he wants to see immediate action on is the leak at the family centre pool.

"There is a leak in the pool that needs fixing soon. it has been costing the town money already," he said.

Preparing Inuvik for the winter season is another item that needs attention. Lindsay said he wants to comb the budget, looking for a way to ensure all roads are drivable in the snowy months ahead. "We live in a modern community," said Lindsay. "People should be able to drive to work without having any problems or taking detours."

Lindsay said he is always hearing community concerns about the state of the roads in winter.

"There is always someone complaining that there is too much snow or not enough sand," he said.

"I want to address all those problems throughout the whole winter."

Lindsay's mayoral win comes a decade after his first foray into Inuvik politics.

"1996 was the first time I had a seat on council," he said.

In 2000, he lost the election to out-going Mayor Peter Clarkson and took a hiatus from the chamber.

"I had a two-year break and have been back on council since 2002."