Rural residents want elected official at regional board helm

By Jason Luciw - Kelowna Capital News Published: July 26, 2008

There’s a call for change at the head of the regional district board table. It’s been suggested that the Central Okanagan Regional District’s chairperson be chosen during civic elections every three years, according to Central Okanagan East electoral area Dir. Patty Hanson. “I’ve had constituents ask if, on the ballot, the board chair could be on there,” mentioned Hanson. “For the chairman to be elected by the constituents, not the board.” Currently, regional district chairpersons across B.C. are elected by fellow directors. The procedure is set out in provincial law, said Central Okanagan chairman Robert Hobson. “If it were like a general election that would be a change in the legislation and would have to be changed in the Local Government Act.” The suggestion that constituents directly elect their regional chairperson has been made before, however, noted Hobson. “The idea of a publicly elected chairman has been discussed around the Union of B.C. Municipalities table in the past.” And it may come up again in the not too distant future.

“There will be an opportunity within the next government term for UBCM to have further consultation on this,” noted Hobson. He sits on the UBCM executive as vice-president. “It is on our radar screen to consult with our members.” While regional board chairs are not directly elected by the people here in B.C. there are jurisdictions where it does happen, mentioned Hobson. “In Portland, I believe, the chair of the regional council is elected at large.” Although in B.C., there could be lots of debate amongst municipalities on the issue, said Hobson. Debate would boil down to whether regional boards were organizations representing municipal stake holders or independent bodies that oversee local governments. At present, the Local Government Act states that board directors are to choose their chair and vice chair each year, at the first meeting held after Dec. 1. Hobson is a Kelowna city councillor. Fellow directors have appointed him Central Okanagan regional chairman for 14 consecutive years. The position comes with an annual salary of $41,540.