It was an emotional morning in the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board room Friday, October 7.

Five of the 15 regional board members attended their final meetings, including three of the longer serving members.

District of Elkford Mayor Dean McKerracher and Electoral Area A Director Mike Sosnowski said goodbye after 17 years on the board, while Electoral Area G Director Gerry Wilkie steps aside after 14 years – in which he never missed a single meeting.

Village of Radium Hot Springs Mayor Clara Reinhardt leaves the regional board and village office after eight years in office and Village of Canal Flats Mayor Karl Sterzer leaves after four years.

RDEK administrative staff are bracing for a potential major change in faces at the regional board table.

While there will be five new directors following the Oct. 15 election, the regional board could see up to 10 of the 15 current members replaced.

Five current directors face election challenges, including City of Cranbrook Mayor Lee Pratt and Coun. Wes Graham, City of Fernie Mayor Ange Qualizza, District of Sparwood Mayor David Wilks and Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter.

Five directors return to office acclaimed, including City of Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick, District of Invermere Mayor Al Miller, Electoral Area B Director Stan Doehle, Electoral Area C Director Rob Gay and Electoral Area F Director Susan Clovechok.

At the end of Friday’s meeting, the five outgoing directors were presented gifts and given a chance to address the board and some family members and friends gathered in the boardroom.

Area A Director Sosnowski spoke first and struggled to hold back tears.

“I’ve enjoyed every… not every minute,” Sosnowski began, drawing loud laughter. “But I’d like to thank everybody. All the staff – tremendous staff,” he said, noting they’ve been “a tremendous team.

“I’m not going to stay up here and blubber away. I’d like to thank everybody – all the directors, you’ve been great, good friends. I’m out of here.”

Board Chair Gay pointed out he and directors Sosnowski and McKerracher came “from the same class,” as they were all first elected 17 years ago.

“It’s been a long road,” he said.

Next up was Area G’s Gerry Wilkie, who slowly walked to the head of the board table, eliciting laughter as he clutched a thick wad of notes.

“I know how Director Sosnowski is feeling. Just a tremendous sense of pride that he has displayed, especially his acknowledgement of how we as a board and the staff have worked together. I think that’s the most significant thing,” he said.

Wilkie pondered over 14 years working in the Area G community, reflecting on the challenges with sewer and water and achievements in the broader community, especially around conservation and community planning.

“It’s been a really interesting and rewarding time for me, the last 14 years. There’s been so many things that have been accomplished by the board,” he said, citing the RDEK agriculture plan, the Steamboat/Jubilee official community plan, the development of the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund and Lot 48 protection as examples.

Making decisions that impact peoples’ lives is difficult, Wilkie pointed out. “I had many sleepless nights.”

He also noted he’s pleased that “Qat’muk (Jumbo Valley) has found ecological peace” during his tenure as a director, though he admitted a low point for him on the board was when it handed the responsibility of planning for the Jumbo Glacier Resort Municipality to the province.

Wilkie concluded, “I have miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep.”

Elkford Mayor McKerracher, who also served as chair and vice-chair of the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District board for 10 years, sat for a last time in the chair’s seat wearing a hat that read “the Legend has retired.”

He opened, noting, “One of my favourite sayings is life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end the faster it goes.”

McKerracher leaves office after 17 years as mayor and RDEK director, and another three as district councillor.

“I want to thank my travelling companion,” he said, battling emotions, referring to his wife Joanne who was seated in the gallery.

“It’s been a great pleasure working here. Greg Deck was a great mentor to me as well as Jim Ogilvie,” he said, noting the late long-time Kimberley mayor gave his life to his community.

“I didn’t want to do that; I didn’t want to die in the chair,” McKerracher said. “There’s younger blood that will be coming into that chair in Elkford. They’ll carry on the movements that we’ve started.

“As far the staff of the regional district, I want to thank all of you for your help,” he said.

He reflected on his time on the KERHD board, first serving under Chair John Kettle and then serving as chair for seven years.

In his time on that board, the East Kootenay Regional Hospital has a new emergency room, as well as a full-time MRI unit and upcoming is a new oncology area.

While having to raise taxes was disappointing, great work has been done, he said, adding new KERHD board Chair David Wilks (Mayor of Sparwood) “will do a great job.”

In conclusion, McKerracher said he’s “learned a lot. I’ve learned when to speak and when I shouldn’t, most of the time. My wife is one of the people who tells me when I’m wrong. The other two are Clara (Reinhardt, Radium Mayor) and Susan (Clovechok, Area F Director). And I appreciate that!

“I’ll admit; I’m not the smartest guy in the world and I’ve made some bad mistakes probably but overall I think we’ve done some great work and at the end of the day I am really proud of this group, that we can go to Don Cherry’s and share a milk. It’s been fun and I’m going to miss all of you. It’s been fun for 17 years.”

Canal Flats Mayor Karl Sterzer said he originally didn’t want to sit on the regional board but Chair Gay talked him into it shortly after being elected in 2018.

“I’m super honoured to be honoured along with these champions of their community,” he said.

“It’s been amazing. All these experiences I’ve had. It has enriched my life in so many incredible ways and I’m so grateful for every single director here. I see the passion that you have for your communities. We agree sometimes. We don’t agree other times but the common bond is the passion that you have for your communities. That’s incredible to be part of. And of course, the staff here is second-to-none.

“It was good for me to see what high functioning staff looks like. Not that I’m taking anything away from my own staff but it’s just the GPS for where we want our corporate culture.”

And outgoing two-term Village of Radium Mayor Reinhardt noted “it’s good to be last, when so much experiences comes before you.”

She broke her eight years on the board down to highlights, starting with the people she’s met.

“The board, the staff, the public who invited us in to look at their property or to tell us their story.

“Another highlight was being honoured to be the chair of the Ktunaxa Treaty Advisory Committee. To actually be at a treaty table! In a million years I wouldn’t have dreamed that would be something that would come in my life.”

Reinhardt said she appreciated being the board vice-chair. “Working so closely with Chair Gay. It’s a leadership style that really worked for me and I learned a lot and thank you for that.”

She concluded that when she chose to retire, she swore she would go out with a bang.

“I believe I met my goal of working to the end,” she said, thanking fellow directors and regional staff.

Lead image: Sixty years of combined experience heads out the door. The five outgoing directors, left to right: District of Elkford Mayor Dean McKerracher, Electoral Area G Director Gerry Wilkie, Village of Canal Flats Mayor Karl Sterzer and Electoral Area A Director Mike Sosnowski.  Ian Cobb/e-KNOW photos

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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