The new Strathcona Regional District board of directors was officially sworn in last Thursday.
The first order of business at the board’s inaugural meeting was to have each director swear an oath of office.
The oaths were administered by barrister and solicitor Susan Sinnott in the board room of the Strathcona Regional District offices.
Each director was called up one at a time to take their Oath of Office.
Following that pledge, each director was asked whether they would take the Oath of Allegiance to the Queen.
Regional district directors, with the exception of Area A Director Gerald Whalley and Area B (Cortes Island) Director Noba Anderson, recited the Oath of Allegiance.
The oath to the Queen and the British monarch is not a requirement but is typically recited by elected officials during swearing in ceremonies.
In Victoria, that city’s new mayor Lisa Helps caused a stir when she declined to take the Oath of Allegiance, reportedly out of respect for First Nations.
Following the swearing in of directors, the board meeting got underway with some housekeeping items at the top of the agenda.
Directors approved a board meeting schedule for 2015 which will see two board meetings a month, with the first meeting of the month taking place on Wednesday and the second on Thursday. Meetings are slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. on both days.
Directors who will sit on the Strathcona Regional District board in 2015 are:
- Jim Abram-Area C (Discovery Islands-Mainland Inlets)
- Andy Adams-Campbell River
- Noba Anderson-Area B (Cortes Island)
- Michele Babchuk-Campbell River
- Julie Colborne-Zeballos
- Charlie Cornfield-Campbell River
- Ron Kerr-Campbell River
- Brenda Leigh-Area D (Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake)
- John MacDonald-Sayward
- Larry Samson-Campbell River
- Jude Schooner-Tahsis
- Brad Unger-Gold River
- Gerald Whalley-Area A (Kyuquot/Nootka-Sayward)