Mayor Bev Buckway, who doubles as the Association of Yukon Communities' (AYC's) president, says she's ready to serve another term in the latter role.

Buckway's current two-year term as head of the association is set to end this weekend as the group holds its annual conference and general meeting in Dawson City.

"I'm willing to stay on,” she said in an interview Wednesday morning. "I do enjoy the job.”

She will have to wait until Sunday, when the organization deals with its business matters, to find out if anyone else is seeking the position.

She said she'd like to continue taking municipal issues throughout the territory to the national level, through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Over the two years of her term as president, she's been pleased with the improved relationship that's developed between the association and the Yukon government.

"It's a much more congenial atmosphere,” she said of municipal/territorial discussions in general, adding that it seems parties in both levels of government have made an effort to improve their relationship.

"We all stepped up to the plate.”

There continues to be work that needs to be done, she said, including a review of the Municipal Act and the ongoing issues around the comprehensive municipal grant that comes down from the territory to each community each year.

"It's money always,” Buckway said, adding every order of government is struggling with the cash needed to fund their growing regions.

She noted she's also been fortunate to be in a job where she can do all the travelling to other communities that's required of the AYC president.

Some of her predecessors have had to take time off their day-jobs to travel in their role with AYC. Whitehorse is the only municipality in the territory with a full-time mayor.

Along with the election on Sunday, the delegates there will debate four resolutions on issues that could be taken to the territory.

The council from the host community of Dawson is bringing forward two, including one that has already raised considerable debate on staking claims within municipal boundaries.

Just yesterday, the issue was the subject of debate in the legislature when Steve Cardiff, the Mount Lorne NDP MLA, brought forward a motion calling on the government to introduce amendments to the Quartz Mining Act and the Placer Mining Act.

The changes would bring them "into harmony with the values of today's society” concerning issues like "conflicts inherent in surface rights versus mining rights within the mineral tenure system and security of investment, or free-entry staking, particular within municipal boundaries,” Cardiff said.

Members of the legislative assembly, especially Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Patrick Rouble, spent the afternoon debating the motion, though it never reached a vote before MLAs had to recess for the day at 5:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the other resolution coming from the Klondike capital would encourage the AYC to work on commonalities for the financial systems used by municipalities.

The council of Watson Lake is producing a resolution on poverty reduction, while Haines Junction has a proposal on the comprehensive municipal grant.

The number of resolutions submitted represents a significant decline from previous years.

That's something both Buckway and AYC executive director John Pattimore attribute to the fact many of the councils throughout the territory are made up of new members who were elected just last October. For many, this will mark their first time at the annual AYC conference.

A memorandum between the AYC and the territory may also play a role in the slim number of resolutions since issues don't seem to grow to the point that they come to a resolution at the annual conference, Buckway suggested.

She made that observation when it was pointed out the territory's capital city, which had only two new councillors after October's election, isn't bringing forward any resolutions either.

With Sunday devoted to the more formal business of the AYC, the preceding three days are set to include both informal events, workshops and discussions for municipal officials.

More than 100 delegates are set to attend, representing all municipalities in the territory, a couple of local advisory committees, as well as sponsors and speakers.

"The (conference) is always a chance to get together (for municipalities),” Buckway said, stressing it is the only time all municipalities gather together in a given year.

The annual community update lunch on Friday is a prime opportunity for representatives from each community to let others know what's been happening in their part of the territory.

Another annual event at the conference is the ministers' round table scheduled for late Friday, where municipal representatives have a chance to question the Minister of Community Services, currently Archie Lang.

This year, no prepared questions have come in to put to the minister, which means territorial leaders could be put on the spot by mayors and councillors from across the territory.

Delegates will also hear what's happening on the municipal front nationally when Karen Leibovici, the FCM's third vice-president, addresses delegates.

"There's also the national picture,” Buckway said.

The session should give new council members a better idea of how talks at the federal level impact local governments through initiatives like federal gas tax programs, which provides funding to municipalities for capital works.

Also on the list of speakers over the course of the four-day event are Yukon MP Larry Bagnell, territorial opposition leaders Arthur Mitchell of the Liberals and Elizabeth Hanson of the NDP, motivational speaker Kevin Burns and workshop leader Gord McIntosh, who will host a number of sessions.

"We're jam-packed,” Pattimore said of the weekend's schedule.

While Buckway will attend as the AYC president, representing the capital city will be Councillors Dave Austin, Dave Stockdale and Ranj Pillai.

Council voted Monday evening to authorize travel and per diem costs for the three councillors to attend the conference.