I am 68 years old and spent the last 39 years teaching grades four through 11. I taught Special Ed for 15 years and was head teacher at an alternate school in Castlegar. My last 12 years were at Crowe where I was the English department head for four years.
My philosophy was always “What can I do to make each child’s life better?” and I bring this same idea and philosophy to my council responsibilities.
I have been a councillor for nine years and the elected council representative on the Regional District Board for three years. My council positionsinclude: the Trail Regional Library Board, General Governance Committee, Advisory for Education Appointee and the Negotiating Committee for both the Warfield recreation and the pedestrian pipe bridge agreements.
As an RDKB director, I sit on the regional hospital board, the Policy and Executive Committee, Chairperson of the Environmental Services, Sewerage and Solid Waste Committees and serve on the Finance, East End and Liquid Waste committees. This position requires a regional view of our entire area with considerable time expended.
One of the challenges facing the new council will be continuity. Many projects implemented in the last council term need to be brought to fruition. This includes the retention and capital up-grades to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital with a second access road. We need to ensure our hospital receives the necessary capital funding and we, as a region, retain the two- site model.
New council will have to deal with a number of critical issues. The pedestrian pipe bridge needs to be tendered, managed efficiently and built as soon as possible to avoid a possible environmental disaster. The Riverfront Community Centre, if approved by the electorate, needs to be further designed and constructed. The boundary expansion proposal needs to be advanced along with the potential Teck agreement to provide economic development for the entire East End region. We need to also consider the possible amalgamation with Warfield which also allows for additional economic and land development.
Resolving these issues will take time, energy, careful consideration of the process involved, experience, skill and political will. Many of these issues will also involve complex negotiations and a clearly set direction by a progressive and unified council. My slogan “A proven record of getting things done” is more than mere words it is a promise to you. “You have my word on it.”