The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board of Directors held its 2018 elections and has elected Michele Babchuk as Board Chair, and Brad Unger as Board Vice-Chair, effective immediately.
Babchuk was elected as a City of Campbell River Council in November 2014, and appointed to the Strathcona Regional Board in December 2014. This marks the first time as Board Chair for Babchuk who has previously served as Board Vice-Chair (2017), and as the Chair of the Strathcona Gardens Commission (2016 and 2017).
It is the Chair of the Board of Directors’ responsibility to manage the monthly meetings of the SRD Board and to act as Chief Executive Officer for the Regional District.
“I am excited to take on the role and would like to thank my colleagues for electing me to represent the Board. 2018 is going to be an exciting year as we will be moving forward with the REC-REATE Project to renovate and improve Strathcona Gardens, as well as the Board’s strategic priority to improve high-speed internet connectivity across the region.
“On top of these two large projects, we will follow our mandate of delivering effective services that promote healthy communities,” says Babchuk.
The role of the Vice-Chair is to exercise the powers of the Chair during the absence, illness or other disability of the Chair.
Vice-Chair Brad Unger was appointed to the SRD Board in December, 2014 and was the Chair of the Municipal Services Committee in 2017. Unger has been the Mayor of Gold River since 2014.
Babchuk and Unger replace outgoing Board Chair John MacDonaldand Vice-Chair Jim Abram.
The election of the Chair and Vice-Chair is conducted annually during the SRD’s inaugural meeting in November.