Aimee Watson will serve her fifth consecutive one-year term as chair of the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
The Area D director was elected by her fellow directors at the board’s inaugural meeting Thursday over Area A director Garry Jackman. By board policy, the vote totals are not disclosed.
“I am really inspired by working with such a diverse team, communities and building community capacity which brings me a lot of passion,” says Watson.
She says after being on the executive for the last four years, and with 11 new directors on the board, she wants to see a continuum of the relationships they have already established.
Watson says this opportunity with a “new board” will allow the executive to make sure the same processes are followed and there won’t be more change for the board to adjust to.
“I am also very particular about process, I don’t like wasting time,” he says. “The ability to do this job will ensure the process gets us to where we need to be. It is really what I love doing.”
Watson says the biggest hurdle to get over is to make sure everyone is aware of the scope of what the RDCK does.
“Being able to continue our work, while spending the time necessary for people to understand what we do is a necessity,” she says. “That complexity is where we need to have patience in the process to still achieve what we need to while giving lots of space for people to catch up.”
Watson acknowledges work needs to continue and now that the elections and inauguration are over it is time to get down to business and start focusing on some of the portfolios that were carried over from the previous board.
“Our resource recovery plan is currently with the ministry,” she says. “It includes the organic waste program, curbside composting, and some of the rule settings that are not only synonymous with resource recovery but also water system and subdivision land use.”
She says one of the biggest challenges that the district currently has to work on is how they deal with organics, and waste recovery.
Watson was first elected to the board in 2014.
Salmo mayor Diana Lockwood was elected vice-chair, defeating incumbent Walter Popoff, who represents the Slocan Valley.