City of Powell River mayor Dave Formosa and the newly elected council took the oath of office and were sworn in on Tuesday, November 6.
The event was also the first meeting for the new council with Formosa announcing the assignment of portfolios and community liaisons.
Formosa will continue his role in economic development and as council’s representative on Powell River Community Forest.
There are new portfolios, including an emphasis on sustainability, the environment and climate change.
The new sustainability and climate change adaptation/mitigation file will be shared by newly elected councillor George Doubt and second-term councillor CaroleAnn Leishman.
Doubt will also take on the city budget in the important position of finance committee chair.
A portfolio specifically for seniors has been created and will be the responsibility of Jim Palm, who, along with Maggie Hathaway, are the longest serving councillors. Both are entering their fourth terms.
Palm will continue with infrastructure, parks and recreation and will be council’s representative on the BC Ferry Advisory Committee.
Councillor Rob Southcott will keep the busy planning portfolio and a new file called legislative services and procedural governance, which will deal with many of the city’s outdated bylaws.
Leishman also has one of the new portfolios, specifically for solid waste, and she and Southcott will continue their work with Powell River Youth Council.
Joined by newly elected councillor Cindy Elliott, Hathaway will continue to champion her work on the affordable housing portfolio, as well as social action and planning. Hathaway will also handle first responder issues.
Elliott also has the arts, culture and heritage file.
Council will have its first committee of the whole meeting at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, November 13.
Meanwhile, the swearing in of seven qathet Regional District directors followed the municipal ceremony and Electoral Area A director Patrick Brabazon was re-elected unopposed as chair. New directors Andrew Fall (Area E), Clay Brander (Area C) and Mark Gisborne (Area B), joined Sandy McCormick (Area D) and municipal directors Leishman and Doubt to take the oath of office.
