Sunshine Coast Regional District directors took their oath of office Dec. 4 before returning Halfmoon Bay area director Garry Nohr to the chair’s position for another term.
Nohr will lead directors Mark Lebbell (Roberts Creek), Lorne Lewis (Elphinstone), Ian Winn (West Howe Sound), Chris August (Sechelt Indian Government District), Frank Mauro (Pender Harbour/Egmont), Bruce Milne (Sechelt) and Silas White (Gibsons) for the next four years.
“I’d like to say that one of the first things I think is very important starting off this four years is that we have a team-building effort between not only the board, but the alternates on getting in the right direction and being successful for 2015,” Nohr said.
He then listed off a number of priorities for the coming year including: building a stronger relationship with the Sechelt First Nation, signing a protocol agreement with the Squamish Nation, protecting the watershed and working on regional economic development.
Nohr also said he wants the board to investigate ways to make Hillside Industrial Park a “viable economic driver for jobs,” to continue lobbying the government for improvements to transportation and to “have the board study the need for improvements for recreational facilities and move forward on the possibility of a new pool in Gibsons.”
“I am looking forward to working with this new team,” Nohr added. “I am sure with the help of the staff led by the CAO we’ll have a great year.”
Following the inaugural meeting was a meet and greet with the public that was well attended, and then the new board got down to business with their first infrastructure services committee meeting later in the day.