Three Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board directors will be sitting back and watching with their feet up during the run up to the Nov. 19 municipal elections.

RDEK Electoral Areas B, C and F directors Heath Slee, Rob Gay and Wendy Booth (pictured above) are the lone candidates to file papers for their areas, and by acclamation return to their regional board seats. Slee was also named the new chair of the Union of B.C. Municipalities last month.

At 4:31 p.m. this afternoon, Friday, Oct. 14, Chief Election Officer for the Regional District of East Kootenay and School Districts No. 5 and 6 Lee-Ann Crane announced the closure of the nomination period and reported who was running or had won by acclamation.

Also acclaimed is School District No. 5 – Trustee Electoral Area 4 director Shaun Damstrom of Jaffray.

In addition School District No. 6 – Trustee Electoral Areas 4 and 5 will be represented by Amber Byklum, of Canal Flats, and Rosemay Oaks of Invermere.

Facing an election campaign and the tense moments of the Nov. 19 election, are RDEK Electoral Areas A, E and G. (There is no Electoral Area D any longer.)

In Area A, incumbent Mike Sosnowski, of Fernie, is being challenged by Oscar Neilsen, of Hosmer.

Area E incumbent Jane Walter of St. Mary Lake Road, who captured the seat last winter in a by-election after the death of her husband, then area director Norm Walter, will face two challenges, from Fort Steele residents Sharon Mielnichuk and Jim Westwood.

And Area G incumbent Gerry Wilkie will be challenged by fellow Edgewater resident Roberta Hall.

The lone School District No. 6 trustees’ election will be for Trustee Electoral Area 2 (Kimberley), between Betty Lou Barrett and Sandra Smaill.

No one came forward for the Kimberley/Area E trustee’s position and the nomination period for that lone position has been extended until Oct. 17.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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