The Kootenay East Regional Hospital District (KERHD) board this morning elected its chair and acting chair (vice chair) for the coming year.

District of Elkford Mayor Dean McKerracher has been re-elected chair for this second term. He has also served two previous terms as acting chair.

“I am grateful to be able to continue on as chair and thank my fellow directors for their confidence in me,” said McKerracher, adding, “2016 will be an exciting year, starting with the opening of the new ICU at the Kootenay East Regional Hospital, which this board has been a supporter of from day one. I’m looking forward to its official opening and to continuing to build on the strong relationships we have as a board and with Interior Health.”

District of Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft was elected as acting chair. “I thank the Board of Directors for placing its trust in me and I look forward to working with Chair McKerracher and the entire board for the coming year,” Taft said. This will be his first year as acting chair.

While McKerracher returned to office unopposed, the board had to hold an election for acting chair as Regional District of Central Kootenay Electoral Area C Director and 2015 KERHD acting chair Larry Binks was also nominated.

Nominees are usually given two minutes to make a ‘campaign’ speech but because Binks was absent from today’s meeting, Taft opted to refrain, noting, “In fairness, I’ll pass.”

Taft received 15 votes and Binks five.

The Kootenay East Regional Hospital District provides up to 40% capital funding for acute care facilities in the region for equipment and facility construction and renovation.

The hospital district extends beyond the boundaries of the RDEK to include the Towns of Golden and Creston, and the portions of the Regional Districts of Central Kootenay and Columbia Shuswap surrounding those municipalities.

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