Sachs Harbour (Oct 30/06) - Andy Carpenter, the mayor of Sachs Harbour, is not a particularly chatty person over the telephone.

When asked about his last six years in office, he replied "we've gotten a few things done."

Andy Carpenter has been mayor of Sachs Harbour for six years. He said he's excited RCMP might soon be stationed in the island community. - photo courtesy of Raymond Kaslak

It's a modest answer for the 74-year-old mayor who has won his post three times.

"He's a good civic mayor and he's pretty knowledgeable. But he is more about actions than wasting words," said hamlet S.A.O Raymond Kaslak, with a laugh.

Indeed, in the last six years, there have been many challenges in Sachs Harbour, requiring tough decisions from council.

Kaslak said one example was the Sachs Harbour water treatment plant, which burned in 2001.

After a fire started in the insulation of an intake pipe - which runs underground - Kaslak said the government replaced the entire treatment centre.

However, he said they never replaced the pipe.

"We had all sorts of problems," he said, admitting the situation might be funny if it weren't so frustrating.

Carpenter agreed the treatment plant has ben a thorn in his side, needing constant repair.

"It's caused us trouble," he said, with typical understatement.But while there have been problems in Sachs, there have also been success stories. Carpenter said the RCMP might soon be stationed in the hamlet, after years of requests.

"There used to be an RCMP officer in 1954, and they stayed until (1992)," Carpenter said.

"We've been waiting a long time for this, because it sometimes takes a long time before police come."

When asked his philosophy of about being mayor, Carpenter offered a few words of advice.

"I work with good people," he said simply.