With Michele Babchuck moving on to the provincial legislature, the Strathcona Regional District Board needed a new Chair. Gold River Mayor Brad Unger, who had been her Vice Chair, was chosen by acclamation. The only real election, during the Board’s Nov 4th, 2020 Board meeting, was for Vice Chair.

There were two candidates. 

Jim Abram for Vice Chair

Regional Director Jim Abram was nominated by Gerald Whalley, one of his colleagues on the Electoral Areas Services Committee. 

“I think I worked very well with our present Chair, Director Unger, and our previous Chair, Director Babchuk,” said Abram. 

“ … I’ve had a number of years experience, as you all know, on the AVICC (Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities) and fourteen years on the AVCM, right up to being President and then past President for a year. I’d love to have the opportunity to add my voice to your issues, locally and provincially, and at our association meetings, which I do attend. It was kind of a strange year this year, but I was there. It would be nice to have an electoral areas voice on our executives since this is our only government body that we can go to and it would be nice to be on that executive …” 

Claire Moglove for Vice Chair 

Director Michele Babchuk put forward fellow Campbell River Director Claire Moglove’s name for Vice Chair.  

“I think you all know me. I’ve been on the board for a number of years, mind you with a four year lapse …” she began. 

“If elected as the Vice Chair, I see my role as obviously not just filling in for Director Unger, who is our Chair for meetings and stuff, but hopefully also as a sounding board for him if issues arise and to work collaboratively with him and our CAO on issues and trying to advance the strategic priorities of this board. I’m really a big proponent/advocate of good governance. That has been my mantra for many years.” 

“ … It is really important that even though we have our disagreements – and we have many disagreements on this board – that once a decision is made, we move forward as a board. I think I can help in that regard.” 

Moglove elected as Vice Chair

For the sake of anonymity, the board emailed their votes in.

Claire Moglove was chosen.    

Campbell River’s fifth Director

Babchuk will continue to serve on the SRD board, as a Director, until she is sworn in as an MLA. 

After that, the city of Campbell River will need to choose which of its’ Councillors will take her place as its fifth representative on the SRD Board. Traditionally, it is the Councillor who obtained the most votes in the 2018 election. Thus it is probable that Colleen Evans, rather than Kermit Dahl, will be the next SRD Director. 

The Strathcona Regional District is a federation governed a 13-member Board. Five of these also serve on Campbell River’s city council. There are also four Regional Directors and representatives from Gold River, Sayward, Tahsis and Zeballos.

Top photo credits: Brad Unger (l) was chosen Chair by acclamation. Claire Moglove and Jim Abram ran for Vice Chair – photos from SRD website