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New council takes office in style
The City of Cranbrook’s newest council was sworn in last night with pomp and style.
Newly elected Mayor Wayne Stetski and his six member council were sworn in by chief electoral officer Leanne Jensen before about 120 people gathered in the Royal Alexandra Hall at the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel.
The proceedings were opened with a Ktunaxa prayer, featuring St. Mary’s Indian Band Chief Cheryl Casimer with ?aqamnik Elementary School students David Walker and Nevada Joseph, followed by an invocation by Dr. Ron Foubister of the Knox Presbyterian Church.
Once sworn in, council took their seats beside the new mayor and the 2011-2014 City of Cranbrook council, with re-elected councilors Denise Pallesen, Diana J. Scott, Bob Whetham and Angus Davis being joined by first-time councilors Sharon Cross and Gerry Warner, proceeded into their first meeting.
Prior to opening the meeting, Stetski lightly commented, “I’m going to need a bigger gavel with this council,” and produced a Bronze Age-sized gavel and thumped it on the table. He explained the gavel was made a few years ago in woodshop by his son Adrian.
The meeting was fairly light, with the receiving of a few letters and appointments to committees, as well as a couple of bylaw readings. (See separate stories for other matters covered by council.)
It closed with each council member outlining three priorities for the upcoming year and an inaugural address by Stetski (which e-KNOW will publish separately in its entirety).
Newly elected Councillor Sharon Cross led off by noting her first priority is to create a region-wide marketing strategy. She also cited making stronger links with social services organizations and finding a way to involve more youth in city affairs as her other key priorities.
Angus Davis opted to veer away from stating priorities and instead thanked a wide range of people, from those who were elected, past and present, to his nominators to friends, family and the electorate.
“This is a good opportunity for a fresh start,” he said.
Coun. Denise Pallesen opened by pointing out the crowd was the largest she had ever seen attend a city council meeting. She, too, opted to thank a number of people, including city staff.
“I am amazed and honoured we have such great staff,” she said, after noting she wants residents to keep letting council know in which direction they want the city to head and noted the economy, roads and snow clearing among the items she heard the most about during the election campaign.
Coun. Diana J Scott began by talking about last week’s Memorandum of Understanding signed between the city and St. Mary’s Indian Band, which she attended along with outgoing Mayor Scott Manjak, noting the positives in the improved relationship between the two organizations.
“The sky is the limit” if the band and city continue to work together, she said, before noting her key priority for the upcoming year “as a small, tangible thing” and that is to try and find more money for the library.
Secondly, she wants to continue to work on relationship building with other communities, including continued efforts with the City of Kimberley. “There is more bang for your buck when you are working together,” she told the crowd, many dressed in fine, formal attire.
Finally, Scott said economic development remains vital for the city. “That’s going to come up in several guises,” she said. “But I think we are on the right track.”
Newly elected Coun. Gerry Warner opened his three-year tenure with a bang, extracting the biggest cheers from the crowd with an impassioned delivery.
He noted his “major priority is to see the completion of the Spray Irrigation System” and once-and-for-all halt the introduction of sewage into the Kootenay River, causing a loud ovation.
His second priority is “something that should have been done 50 years ago” and that is to make the steps necessary to get an overpass built over the CPR tracks – again receiving a loud ovation.
And his third priority is to “work really well as a team” and engage the public in the city political system. He also noted he’d like to boost the recovery of Joseph Creek, again earning applause, prompting Stetski to crack, “Stop being so popular, would ya!”
Second-term Coun. Bob Whetham said he believes the next three years “are going to be an exciting term.”
He said there are many priorities for the city, but first off he’d like to change the way council makes decisions to avoid “polarized votes.” A review of the approval processes should be undertaken, he said. He also said he’d like to see council get advance notice before things are brought forward at meetings, with less mayor or staff-introduced items at the last minute so “council can be better prepared.”
Whetham also noted he’d like to see council make better use of the many committees that are in place. “They can come up with some really good ideas,” he said, adding he’s also looking forward to the upcoming Official Community Plan review.
Finally, Whetham said he’d like to “fulfill the vision of the Rails-to-Trails (NorthStar Trail) and make it a part of the Trans-Canada Trail, by continuing to work with Kimberley.
Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
