Iqaluit (Oct 23/06) - All they had to do was not finish last.

Nine candidates vied for eight seats as voters in Iqaluit went to the polls Oct 16.

Incumbents Simon Nattaq, Claude Martel and Glenn Williams are back at city hall for another term. Newcomers David Alexander, Mark Boudreau, Al Hayward, and Jim Little also made the cut, and ex-mayor Jimmy Kilabuk is back on council.

Newly elected city councillor Jim Little and Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik await the results of the city election in Iqaluit on Oct. 16. Voters chose eight councillors, while taxpayers shot down two big-ticket infrastructure projects. - Chris Windeyer/NNSL photo

Grant Hipfner, another political rookie seeking a seat at the municipal table, was in Arizona for his wedding and wasn't on hand to learn he finished last.

Little, a first-time candidate, waited nervously in the lobby of the cadet hall for results to come in.

"I'm just going to have to sit back and pay attention to things, get my feet on the ground, because it's a new experience," he said. "There are all kinds of things that I want to do, but realistically how much can I do?"

More suspense came from two ballot questions as the city sought approval to borrow $6 million for a new city hall and $12 million for a new recreation centre and swimming pool. The city hall question was defeated in a landslide with 65 per cent against. The pool proposal lost in a much closer race, with 53 per cent against, much to the chagrin of Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik.

"It's unfortunate because these two facilities are needed in the community," she said.

Council will have to go back to the community to draw up a new proposal for the two initiatives, the mayor said. There are federal funds available for such projects, she noted.

New councillor Al Hayward said the city should have lined up those sources of funding before putting it to a vote.

"The city did that ass backwards," he said. "It's totally inequitable" to ask property owners to foot the entire bill for the projects.

Sheutiapik was acclaimed in her bid for a second term as mayor. Members of the Iqaluit and Apex district education authorities were also acclaimed.

French-speaking voters chose members for the Conseil Scolaire Francophone d'Iqaluit, with Carolyn Mallory, Jacinthe Giroux and Marco Dussault beating out five other candidates for three seats.

New city councillors will attend their first meeting tomorrow.