PENTICTON – More art is in the future of retiring Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen Public Works Manager Doug French.

French will be retiring from his position at the end of March, when Roger Huston joins the regional district to take over the public works reins.

French has been with the RDOS for five years. He’s been busy with water projects during his tenure, seeing the Okanagan Wastewater Treatment Plant go from design stage to commissioning, as well as taking the West Bench water system off the lake and connected to bulk water purchases from the Penticton treatment plant.

French also helped initiate the Similkameen River Watershed Plan, which is now into its third year and about to begin Phase three.

French plans to return to Squamish, where he worked prior to coming to the regional district. He plans to continue working with his art with the prospect of turning it into a second career. A number of his works currently decorate the walls of the regional district office.

French’s replacement is Roger Huston, a professional with 22 years experience in government. He will be starting on March 30.

Huston formerly held senior management positions in public works with the City of Grand Forks and the Village of Lumby.

Upcoming projects for Huston will include continuing development of the Similkameen Watershed Plan in addition to the containment of landfill gas at Campbell Mountain Landfill.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.