DAWSON CITY – When no one else wanted to take on the role of mayor in a town that was coming out of a Yukon government-run trusteeship and facing significant financial woes and low morale, John Steins was there.

And last Friday, the former Dawson mayor was honoured in his community by all of the territory's communities when he was presented with the annual Hanseatic Award by

the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC).

"John put a stamp on how council was run,” then-AYC first vice-president George Nassiopoulos told 100 delegates gathered at the AYC's annual general meeting. He spoke during the dinner and awards presentation at the Palace Grande.

Presented at the AYC general meeting each year since 1997, the Hanseatic Award goes to "a person who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of Yukon municipal government and furthered the goals of the Association of Yukon Communities.”

As Nassiopoulos said in reading the nomination that came in for the ex-mayor, when Steins was acclaimed to the mayoralty in 2006, there were a lot of unknowns for the Dawson community. Uncertainty prevailed over the court order to develop a new sewage treatment system and the town's finances.

Steins was the only person to step forward and take on the mayoralty following the town's 2004-06 time under trusteeship. He began the ground work that would lead Dawson to the more stable place it is now.

Steins worked hard to partner with the territory on problems that faced the town. Eventually, plans were put in place for the new sewage treatment plant and issues facing the recreation centre put on the right track. The low morale of the community was lifted.

Steins was always one to voice his opinion and loved a good debate, Nassiopoulos noted.

While Dawson voters chose current Mayor Peter Jenkins over Steins in the October 2009 election, it was Steins who had set the stage for the new council to do its work.

As Steins took the stage at the Palace Grand, receiving the award to a standing ovation of municipal officials in the room including Jenkins, he was quick to offer his own

praise to the group, first stating loudly: "AYC rocks!

"I'm a firm believer in grassroots movements like AYC,” he said.

He then thanked the association for the award after stating he is always indebted to the group for coming to Dawson's defence when it was "going through hard times.”

Also honoured during the annual dinner was Faro's director of operations, Mark Vainio, who received the AYC's Municipal Employee Award of Excellence.

Established in 2007, the award is designed to "recognize the contribution of an employee of a community in the territory who has shown exceptional professionalism,

leadership and innovation in their job.

Reading the nomination form that was submitted by Vainio's counterparts in Faro, Nassiopoulos described Vainio as one of the most professional people, working in the extreme weather of a Faro winter to ensure residents of the community have municipal services.

Vainio is also behind many innovative measures in the community, including a partnership with the Yukon government for a water delivery system replacement project that would cut down on operating costs, which won Faro the Yukon Sustainable Community Award from the AYC and Yukon Energy at the AYC's 2009 annual meeting.

While the AYC heaped its praise on Vainio, who also received a standing ovation with the award, Vainio was quick to push that praise onto his co-workers in Faro.

"Nothing happens without the team,” he said. "You got to have support.”

Meanwhile, the City of Whitehorse took the sustainable community award this year for its planning efforts on the sustainability front.

The award is designed to recognize leadership in sustainable community development for "initiatives that demonstrate practical, innovative solutions that enhance the environmental sustainability of Yukon's communities.”

As Yukon Energy noted, the city started the review of its Official Community Plan last year. The new blueprint will follow sustainability principles and incorporate the views of citizens who went to meetings or expressed their opinions during the extensive public input process, it was noted.

While it was Mayor Bev Buckway, also to a standing ovation, who accepted the award, like Vainio, she was quick to offer her praise to those who were behind the work,

specifically mentioning city manager Dennis Shewfelt.

It's Shewfelt's staff who does the hands-on work, she said as the manager and Councillors Dave Stockdale and Dave Austin stood on the stage.

"We're just so pleased to accept this,” she said.

Austin, meanwhile, was quick to report to the crowd that the city's next major development of Whistle Bend is next-door to a golf course.

It didn't take long after that for a voice in the room to pipe up that that's probably why lots there could go for $150,000 each.