Strathcona Regional District Swears In Board Chair And Vice-Chair

The Strathcona Regional District held its first meeting last week, where regional directors were sworn-in before members elected the board chair and vice-chair.

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) held its inaugural meeting yesterday where the regional district board of directors made their oaths of office and were sworn in by the Honourable Judge Flewelling. The meeting began with a welcoming First Nations blessing performed by Elder James Quatell, Wei Wai Kum First Nation. Shortly after, the Chair and Vice-Chair were elected from the members of the newly formed SRD Board who will hold those positions for the next year.

Director Mark Baker, Mayor of Sayward was elected as Board Chair. As Chair of the Board, it will be his responsibility to act as the Chief Executive Officer for the Regional District including the management of meetings of the Regional District Board.  “It is an honour to be elected by my colleagues as I appreciate the confidence that they have placed in me.  Through regional collaboration, I will do my best to move forward with our strategic vision for the region,” said Baker.

Director Ron Kerr, Campbell River City Councillor was elected as Vice-Chair.  The role of the Vice-Chair is to assist the Chair in fulfilling their duties and to exercise the powers of the Chair during the absence, illness or other disability of the Chair.  “Thank you to the Board and I look forward to working collaboratively with the Chair and our CAO to move and advance the Board’s strategic priorities,” said Kerr.

The SRD Board is made up of 14 directors including four electoral area directors who are elected directly by voters in the unincorporated electoral areas to serve four-year terms, nine municipal directors who are first elected to their councils by municipal voters and then appointed by council to the Regional District Board for up to four years, and one First Nation director appointed by the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations government.

Provincial legislation requires regional districts to annually elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair at the first meeting of the Board held after November 1st.