Village of Canal Flats Mayor Ute Juras stunned fellow Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board members this morning when she announced the meeting may be her last.

‘Today is not a good day for me,” an emotional Juras said. “This could potentially be my last meeting at this board.”

She thanked fellow board members and RDEK staff for 12 years of support and hard work.

She briefly explained to the board that she expects a notice of motion at the Nov. 13 village council meeting, which can only be voted upon at the Nov. 27 meeting, seeking to have her removed as RDEK director.

“A municipal director is appointed by council to be director (of the regional district) and it is also the privilege of council to unappoint them and re-appoint someone else,” she said.

When asked later by e-KNOW who was leading the charge against her, Juras said she’d “rather not say at this point because it is just at the beginning stages” but would comment soon.

Juras has been the village RDEK director for 12 years. Her first two terms were as a village councillor and the past two have been as mayor.

“I’ve done a lot of hard work with the board and developed a lot of great relationships. It feels – to have this change made at the 11^th hour of your term (there is less than a year to go in this electoral term before the next election) makes me feel like I don’t get to finish what I started. I hope that council realizes that and at least lets me finish this term,” she said.

Juras said she is proud of the work she has done with fellow Columbia Valley directors over the years.

“We’ve got a lot accomplished in the Columbia Valley. We worked hard to collaborate together,” she said

“I really hope you are back next month,” said Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter.

“Hopefully we see Director Juras back in December,” added District of Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft.

Board Chair Rob Gay agreed and thanked Juras for a dozen years of hard work.

– Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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