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The timing seems odd for the Town of Hay River to be considering moving to a full-time mayor from a part-time one.

As governments and businesses struggle to find ways to save money in light of the economic downturn, a decision to increase staffing costs should be weighed carefully and made by the townspeople.

Hay River Mayor Jean-Marc Miltenberger suggested that his position's workload means he is putting in full-time hours with part-time pay. He also said if the mayor could concentrate solely on town business he or she could capitalize on its potential.

Councillor Ken Latour also made a good point when he reminded council that one of the reasons John Pollard resigned as mayor was due to the workload. He added that a part-time position limits the number of people who can run for mayor, because not everyone is in a financial or employment situation to fit the role.

"If we want to be in a democratic society, that position should be open to as many people as possible," he said.

However, with companies scaling back on operational expenses and postponing expansion projects, has Hay River's economic development potential also declined? Canadian National Railway has announced that it has put its proposed transportation yard - slated for Hay River - on hold. Oil and Gas development as well as some mining operations are also scaling back, waiting for better economic conditions.

Should the Town of Hay River be following suit and trying to find ways to cut costs? Or is it more important than ever to have a person -- other than town administrative staff -- working full-time to stimulate economic growth?

With a population of nearly 4,000 people, Hay River wouldn't be the smallest community to be governed by a full-time mayor. Inuvik's top job is a full-time position and the two communities have similar populations.

Delays in the pipeline, however, have prompted at least one Inuvik councillor to question whether that is still justified. While no change was made during a discussion by Inuvik council last week, it does demonstrate doubt whether communities with such a small tax base need full-time mayors.

It is a good thing Hay River council will allow the next council to make the decision. This shows Miltenberger isn't trying to be self-serving by proposing a full-time job as there is no guarantee he will run again or be re-elected mayor.

Regardless, we suggest that it's not council's decision. A plebiscite should be held in conjunction with the next municipal election and the people should decide if they want their tax dollars to pay for a full-time mayor.

On Dec. 8, Nunavut went to the polls, again, this time to elect hamlet mayors and councillors.

This came on the heels of the recent federal election, territorial election, two territorial byelections and Inuit association elections.

Voter turnout ranged from 24 per cent in Cambridge Bay to 78 per cent in Arviat. Candidates were acclaimed in Kugluktuk, Grise Fiord, Resolute, Clyde River, Pond Inlet, Qikiqtarjuaq and Sanikiluaq.

Voters usually have less interest in municipal elections. There are few election signs or mailed-out brochures, and no flashy TV ads. But decisions made by hamlet councils affect people's everyday lives, in some cases, even more than the federal and territorial governments.

The Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM) is an organization made up of Nunavut's communities that lobbies the territorial government on issues of common concern. When it was functioning at full steam, the organization was prominently making a case for construction of new housing and small craft harbours, among other items.

This past spring, Baker Lake and Cambridge Bay boycotted the association's annual general meeting in Rankin Inlet, then Baker Lake withdrew completely, on the basis that membership in NAM had not benefited the community.

Some were concerned the personal animosity that existed between previous NAM CEO Lynda Gunn and former premier Paul Okalik may have hampered the association's mandate. The defamation lawsuit Gunn filed against Okalik continues to work its way through the courts.

But a new premier, new hamlet councils and a new board for NAM heralds a fresh start for Nunavut's communities.

Those hamlets that lost confidence in the association in the past year should reconsider participating.

The Nunavut Association of Municipalities provides small communities with strength of numbers, and is a good megaphone to reach the ears of the territorial government. In addition, there is an insurance plan offered through the group that many communities find beneficial.

The new year brings many new governments. We applaud everyone who put their name forward for MP, MLA and hamlet council, and congratulate those who were elected to serve their communities.

It's now time for the leaders at each of those levels to do their level best to make life better for people in Nunavut's communities.

Last week city council reversed a key element of its 2004 General Plan, which established clear-cut guidelines for Yellowknife's growth until 2014.

Under Coun. Mark Heyck's initiative, the city has decided to re-zone the area of Tin Can Hill - all 260 acres of it - as a parks and recreation site.

Council's action on this is ill-advised. Vacancy rates are at record lows. The cost of living is hitting highs that are driving people to leave. The city has precious little land on which to build.

Tin Can Hill had been marked in the General Plan as the primary site for new residential development. Cutting this out blows a huge hole in the plan, the goal of which was to ensure the city has room to grow and develop.

Public input, according to the plan, highlighted the need for low-cost housing. This will not be possible so long as there is a housing shortage in Yellowknife. The shortage of land for real estate contributes mightily to the lack of affordable housing.

The General Plan also set the goal of assuring that 10 per cent of the total population lives downtown - a well-serviced area where further utilities and infrastructure can be added at relatively low cost. A quick look at a map indicates the obvious - that Tin Can Hill is the ideal area for construction to keep in line with these goals, not to mention reducing dependence on cars to get to work downtown.

In discussing the resolution last week, some councillors drew comparisons to the Niven Lake development, claiming that Tin Can Hill development would draw the same failed results.

This argument holds no water. Niven Lake failed because the city, despite past failures, was lured into the development business again. Despite that, the remaining lots will sell very quickly when the economy returns to robust levels, and the city will again be frantically looking for land to expand.

Removing Tin Can's entire 260 acres from development will oblige the city to allow development at the fringes of the city, which goes against the well-thought out goals of the general plan.

That's why city council must reconsider its short-sighted resolution on Tin Can Hill. The area's value as a recreational site need not be lost, nor should its potential as prime real estate. While a good part of it can be reserved for recreation, there is no indication Yellowknifers at large want to reserve the entire swath of land parks, sacrificing the long-term needs of the city.

Residents are now distracted with economic turmoil. In the near future they will be demanding low-cost housing, and the city will need more land to build houses on. Hopefully it won't be left to future councils to rectify the mistakes of the present one.

The John Tsetso Memorial Library is one of Fort Simpson's assets.

On any given weekday a variety of people can be found in the library making the most of its services.

The library is an asset because it provides all these people with a safe place to build their literacy skills, learn new information and exercise their imaginations.

The people of Fort Simpson are in danger of losing this resource.

The library is currently located in Dehcho Hall and, as everyone knows, the hall is very close to permanent closure. The Village of Fort Simpson is responsible for finding a new location for the library.

To their credit, village councillors have been working on this problem for quite a while, but so far to no avail. Although they haven't verbally admitted defeat, at the council meeting on Dec. 15 it was confirmed the best and only option for housing the library won't work.

The village is now pushing for an intervention on the part of the territorial government and, failing that, the library will close as soon as Dehcho Hall does.

The problem is the territorial government isn't responsible for finding a location for the library. According to a spokesperson for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment there's no specific legislation to dictate who this responsibility falls on in any community in the territory.

In most places the municipality looks after its library. In some communities a library society takes on this role and in other cases a society works with the local school to host a library.

This means the government, which has a lot of bigger issues to worry about, isn't likely to willingly devote a lot of time to the problem of where Fort Simpson's library should go.

The village is lucky to have a public library at all. Fort Providence, the second largest community in the Deh Cho, didn't have one until November 2007 when the library in the Deh Gah school was transformed into the Zhahti Koe Public Library. According to the NWT Public Library Services website only two other communities in the Deh Cho have any type of public library service. Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte apparently have virtual libraries, which consist of two public access Internet workstations.

The reality of what's available in the rest of the Deh Cho should be enough to make residents of Fort Simpson realize their library is something they should fight to keep. If it closes there's a fair chance it won't open again, at least not in anything close to its current form.

It's up to the residents of Fort Simpson to show both the village and the territorial government the library is something that's important to them. If no one protests, the final chapter will be read and the book will be closed on the John Tsetso Memorial Library.

I was reunited with my long-lost Xbox 360 last week.

My console was stolen on Dec. 28, 2007, along with a collection of games and a controller.

I had the RCMP investigating and all my friends on the lookout for my lost property.

Instead of replacing my machine and starting over, I strayed from the Xbox and ran to my new love, the PlayStation 3.

The biggest problem with switching consoles was that the Xbox live community in Inuvik was starting to grow.

When I finally got set up on the PlayStation network, it became apparent that Xbox was the video gaming system of choice in town.

For the last year, I've been living my online life, playing games with strangers and occasionally finding a friend I knew.

Then last week I got a call from a friend who had just bought a used Xbox 360 from a shady character.

It turned out the console my friend just bought was the same one I lost a year ago.

The funniest part was that my gamer profile and saved game information was still intact, waiting for me to finish off those last few levels of Halo 3.

Needless to say, I was stunned. I couldn't believe my old Xbox 360 was coming full circle.

I had held off from buying another one, out of bitter hatred for the person who had robbed me of my pastime.

Now I know who that person is. The thing I can't understand is why he would do such a thing. We grew up in the same neighbourhood, played in the same playground, yet he didn't think twice about taking my property.

It's sick and unforgivable, how people with bad intentions think and act.

Well, it took me less than two days to get back in the thick of it all in the Xbox online world of gaming.

I added a few friends who were active in a popular shooting game and pretty soon I was simulating battles, trying to climb the ranks.

Now I'm connected with many people in the community through my old Xbox 360.

A lot of young students in town are spending their time on these games and I think it's great.

I mean, sure it's important to stay physically active, but it's undeniably fun to spend hours talking with friends, laughing at dumb stuff online.

When we're online working as a team, age, gender or social status doesn't matter.

You talk, learn and enjoy the company of others, while taking part in group activities.

Team games teach leadership and good communication skills.

Ask anyone who plays video games. They'll attest to the positive rewards of playing online.

Last year, I helped organize a Guitar Hero tournament at the high school, which raised more than $200 for the food bank.

This year, with the popularity of video games gaining more momentum, I think it's time to plan for the new year.

To all the parents out there who are encouraging their children to play collaboratively online, good for you.

With a new way to connect with each other through Xbox live, I think this winter just got a bit easier to bear.

Hal Logsdon, rental officer for the NWT, says he's surprised more people haven't filed complaints about the lack of heat at Ptarmigan Apartments.

His comments last week came after officials with the Stanton Territorial Health Authority visited the building and found the majority of boilers used to heat the building were either turned off or set very low.

A health officer recorded a frigid reading of 0 C in the hallway. The temperature in individual apartments was 14 C - about six degrees below room temperature.

But by the end of the week only one family living at Ptarmigan Apartments had filed an application for compensation with the NWT Rental Office. Yellowknifer spoke to several tenants who were clearly afraid to make a fuss out of fear of being evicted.

It certainly doesn't seem like a complainers' market these days. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation recently reported rental vacancy rates in Yellowknife are at a six-year low at less than one per cent. With so few choices, it's easy to understand many renters may be reluctant to complain.

The fact is, however, tenants do have rights. For one, it is an offence to bully a tenant into vacating a residence. A corporate property owner can be fined up to $25,000 if convicted. A tenant, in most cases, also has a right to a hearing with a rental officer before the landlord can evict them.

As for vital services, such as heat, a tenant can seek compensation for the days spent without it, particularly if the tenant had to pay extra on their electricity bill if they were forced to use electric heaters or an open stove to heat their apartment.

Tenants are well protected in the NWT. There's no reason to be afraid to exercise your rights.

One of the city's most popular annual events, Caribou Carnival, has been on the verge of non-existence for the past few years.

Organizational troubles as well as competition from other events - many volunteers were drained following the Arctic Winter Games last March - have reduced the carnival to a fraction of what it once was.

But there is hope yet for the ailing carnival. At the association's annual general meeting earlier this month, the event got a breath of fresh air as Jolene Hughes stepped up and became the group's new president. Hughes' friend Catherine McManus filled the position of treasurer.

A few days later, the new organizers had already rallied up a group of enthusiastic volunteers to meet and talk about fresh ideas for the next carnival.

With everything from an ice-fishing derby to an all-ages hockey game in the works, Hughes said she wants the carnival "to take over the city" this spring.

Caribou Carnival should be a lively and exciting event that showcases the city's artistic and athletic talent and gets families and friends out together for fun and games. The carnival is well on its way to a successful return thanks to Hughes, McManus and others, but let's all be ready to do our part.

Well it's time, valued readers - time for the Kivalliq News Christmas gift list.

And, there's no better place to start than at the top.

To Premier Eva Aariak we steal a page of tradition from the book of finance ministers and send a pair of glass slippers.

We also send a special Nunavut clock that's rigged to never strike 12 and a permanently blooming rose.

May the slippers fit and the clock and rose always work as intended.

To Health Minister Keith Peterson we send the world's longest lasting reusable Band-Aid.

We hope the minister keeps it handy for any time the media gets on his nerves.

To Education Minister Hunter Tootoo we send a this-way-up sticker personally autographed by Ed Picco.

We've also included instructions so Tootoo knows which side sticks best and which bar it's meant to raise.

There are a number of former, would-be and lower-ranking politicians (and you know who you are) who earned rather large lumps of coal this year for their lack of grace in accepting defeat.

But, rather than add to climate woes by putting more coal in circulation, we came up with a better idea.

To these Grinches we send a copy of the Eagles' song, Get Over It. Listen and learn!

To former minister David Simailak of Baker Lake we send a slice of Christmas humble pie, and our sincere hopes for a lesson well-learned and a future return to a leadership role he is so capable of excelling in.

To new Rankin Inlet South-Whale Cove MLA Lorne Kusugak we send a special compass that always points to the Kivalliq, just in case he gets a little too comfortable in the Baffin.

To the Iqaluit senior men's hockey team we send a marvellous pink ballet tutu that's softer and more snugly than the rock-hard Tootoos that come from the Kivalliq.

We have another special compass to send out to Nanulik MLA Johnny Ningeongan.

This compass points to Coral Harbour until noon and then swings to Chesterfield Inlet until midnight.

It comes in its own special carrying case that reminds Ningeongan of his campaign promise by displaying the former addresses of his predecessors.

To Barney Tootoo of Rankin Inlet we send 12 coupons worth one hour of access to a Public Works vehicle every month.

The coupons can be used any time Barney thinks there may be a problem with the roads in Rankin.

To the Nunavut Association of Municipalities we send a special how-to guide on better interviewing and hiring skills for management and executive positions.

May they learn to use it!

To Arviat hamlet council we send a gold record of Bad Company's song, I Can't Live Without You.

We couldn't get the band members to autograph the disk, so we thought having the GN's director of community development, Darren Flynn, sign it was a nice touch.

May these gifts be received in the spirit in which they were intended.

Merry Christmas to all.