New RDOS board promoting regionalism

PENTICTON – The regional district's new chair and vice chair are both taking a regional view to the table as the new board held its inaugural meeting on December 11.

Several new faces joined the Regional District Okanagan -SiImilkameen board following the November 15 municipal elections.

New members of the board include Terry Schafer (Area “C”), Bob Coyne (Area “H”), Peter Waterman (Summerland), Toni Boot (Summerland), Susan McKortoff (Osoyoos), and Elef Christensen (Area “G”). Christensen previously served on the board from 2008 to 2011.

Osoyoos Rural Director Mark Pendergraft was elected chair for a third term. Andrew Jakubeit was elected vice-chair for a first term.

Chair Pendergraft thanked the board for their support.

“I look forward to the year ahead.  I plan to maintain a regional perspective while ensuring local concerns are recognized and handled in a fair manner,” Pendergraft said, comments that were echoed by Vice-Chair Jakubeit.

“We have to be regionally minded as we move forward,” he said, “we talk about it a lot but parochialism creeps in,” Jakubeit said.  

Jakubeit also said economic development, airport promotion and First Nation relations were part of the regionally oriented mindset he intended to focus on at the regional district.

West Bench Director Michael Brydon was elected to chair the regional hospital board for a first term and Penticton Director Judy Sentes took on the vice-chair position.
The regional board consists of eight elected rural area directors and appointed members from six member municipalities in the regional district.

To contact a reporter for this story, email sarstad@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065. To contact the managing editor, email Marshall Jones at mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.