After banking 23 years as an Inuvik town councillor, Clarence Wood is going for the big prize.

He announced his intention to run for mayor July 19 in his Facebook group, Inuvik Council Concerns. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 maintained the forum for several years.

SA国际影视传媒淚 figured itSA国际影视传媒檚 do it now or never do it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎nd I think I have a lot to offer.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat I hope to do is bring the experience I have and put it to use for the town. ISA国际影视传媒檝e got a wide world of experience, both in politics and in life in particular.SA国际影视传媒�

Noting the volume of construction now happening in town, Wood said he felt Inuvik had a very bright future, but needed to keep pressure on funding sources to keep the momentum going.

Wood said he has a strong working relationship with much of the GNWT. He described a network of contacts heSA国际影视传媒檚 built through his non-council board positions which include chairing the Western Arctic Business Development Centre, income support and student financial assistance appeal boards and 18 years with the board of directors Northwest Territories Association of Communities, including a stint as president.

SA国际影视传媒淚 know most of the MLAs and most of the ministers,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 have constant contact with a number of mayors. So I think that interaction could certainly be helpful, but most of the people know who I am already. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not like being new at the table.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not saying I can go to them and say SA国际影视传媒楬ey, I want to do this,SA国际影视传媒� and theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to agree, but at least I have a starting point.SA国际影视传媒�

One project he has in mind is bringing back a monthly newsletter for residents to keep up on what the town is doing. Wood noted he felt people didnSA国际影视传媒檛 quite grasp the amount of work the town does to keep Inuvik going. He noted the town spends an average of $2 million a year on utilidor improvements and upkeep, adding the town had secured funding to establish a waste-heat system.

He said the long-needed fixes to the swimming pool are underway and he expressed his hope it would be open by election time. He also cited the work on Chief Jim Koe Park as an accomplishment of his current mandate, eight years after the funding for the project was promised.

High on his list of priorities are expanding opportunities for recreation, particularly for kids and churning up more public participation in town council.

Larger projects Wood said he would focus on include getting an addictions treatment centre built in Inuvik and more money for both of the townSA国际影视传媒檚 shelters.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e got to find stable funding for both the Warming Centre and the Homeless Shelter,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭o me thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a very big issue. The territorial and federal government are both falling down on their responsibilities in this area. That is their concern. The town helps as much as we can, we donated both buildings, but we can only do so much. So I plan on lobbying hard for that.

SA国际影视传媒淎 treatment centre is another thing we desperately need. Again, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 territorial and federal, so maybe they should get their act in gear. They have no problems planning to build a $6 million shelter in Yellowknife, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 time Inuvik and other major centres got something too. I realize that they have probably 50 per cent of the population, but we all have the other 50 per cent and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not being serviced properly. And thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to take someone going to Yellowknife and banging his shoe on the desk and getting us heard.SA国际影视传媒�

He said the town needed to make sure its infrastructure was up to the task when the next burst of economic activity comes North.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e in a down right now, but I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 on the way back up,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e got to get some work done on the roads here. I drive around town and see the roads just deteriorating in certain places, and we spent a lot of money upgrading those roads. That was during one of my previous times on council and we took that as a priority.

SA国际影视传媒淏ottom line is the squeaky wheel gets the grease and ISA国际影视传媒檓 prepared to be that squeaky wheel.SA国际影视传媒�

Wood praised the current mayor, Natasha Kulikowski, for her work in being open to the public and said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 done an excellent job.

With the announcement, Wood is the second person to come forward in this fallSA国际影视传媒檚 upcoming municipal elections. Nominations for the race begin in September.