RDCK board elects new chair and vice chair
By Nelson Daily Editor
By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily
From one side of the West Kootenay to the other, the regional district has a new chair.
Texas-born John Kettle and Area B director was acclaimed as chair of the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors on Thursday at their inaugural meeting in Nelson.
He replaced Montana-born and New Denver mayor Gary Wright — who announced his retirement from politics last month — who had served as the board’s chair for the last three terms.
In an unexpected move, Kettle was nearly speechless as he took the gavel from Wright and assumed his place at the head of the table.
He was humbled following in the shadow of Wright, and leading a table that included a Federation of Canadian Municipalities president in Hans Cunningham (Area G), and an FCM board member in John Dooley (Mayor of Nelson).
“But what I bring to the table is common sense and that’s what I can offer to you,” he said.
A three-way race for vice president took place as Area H director Walter Popoff was nominated Thursday for the position, along with Slocan representative Hillary Elliott and Area E director Ramona Faust.
Faust was eliminated after the first ballot, and in the second ballot Elliott edged out Popoff for the position. She had vowed to “keep John Kettle in line” in her speech before voting began.
Backgrounder
John Kettle
After immigrating to Canada from the United States in 1986, John settled east of Kitchener at Meadow Creek Ranch with his wife Marilyn and their four children.
Together they owned and operated Hay U Ranch Lumber Sales alongside Marilyn’s antique store and John’s company, Meadow Creek Guides.
John has been president of the minor and Junior ‘A’ Hockey Associations as well as the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club, and was a long time member of the Creston Horse Club and the Wildlife Management Authority PAC.
In 1992, John officially became a proud Canadian Citizen and has been known to sing O Canada from centre ice.
John was first elected to the RDCK Board in 2002 and is currently serving his third term as director for Area B, representing approximately 1,600 square kilometres and a population of almost 5,000.
He is currently the chair of Kootenay East Regional Hospital District, chair of Arrow Creek Water Commission and vice chair of the Ktunaxa/ Kinbasket Treaty Advisory Committee.
Married for over 38 years, John and his wife Marilyn are the proud grandparents to four granddaughters and three grandsons.
Link to Director John Kettle’s Area B Website
Hillary Elliott
Born in the Niagara Region in rural southern Ontario, Hillary also lived in various areas of Alberta and British Columbia before moving permanently to the Kootenays.
After working in tourism, public relations and the service and forestry industries, as well as working in youth literacy and volunteering for adult literacy, Hillary graduated from the University of Calgary.
For the past seven years she has been teaching in School District No.8, and was elected as vice president for the Nelson District Teacher’s Association for two of those years.
Hillary was elected onto the Village of Slocan council in a by-election in February 2008 and has been re-elected for the current term.
Enjoying the outdoors and life-long learning, she also participates in local community groups.
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