Shakeup at Central Okanagan regional district comes as a surprise

There will be a major shift at Central Okanagan Regional District meetings, with two members stepping down to pursue other opportunities, and a surprise shakeup for Kelowna.

Kelowna Coun. Loyal Wooldridge is stepping down as regional district board chairman, as he repositions himself to be named NDP candidate in the riding of Kelowna Centre for the provincial election later this year.

He announced the decision to voluntarily step down at the end of an April 25 meeting. It’s expected that regional board members will vote for a new chairperson at that time.

West Kelowna Coun. Stephen Johnston has been named as the BC United Party candidate for the riding of West Kelowna-Peachland, and has also announced he is walking away from his seat on the regional board.

In addition to these two voluntary changes, Kelowna’s representation has also shifted.

Previously Couns. Ron Cannan, Gord Lovegrove and Mohini Singh were the city’s representatives on the board.

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On Monday, the mayor replaced them with Couns. Luke Stack, Rick Webber and Maxine DeHart. Despite the fact Coun. Wooldridge stepped down as chairperson, the mayor appointed him back to the board.

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Appointments to a variety of committees as well as the board are ultimately up to the mayor, though according to the meeting minutes, Couns Cannan and Lovegrove voted against the shift.

Attempts to contact the mayor, Couns. Lovegrove and Cannan to learn more about the change were unsuccessful. They’re currently at the Southern Interior Local Government Association meeting in Kamloops.

Singh, however,  remained in Kelowna due to a medical issue that also stopped her from attending the meeting where the change was announced.

“I was appointed when I was elected, and I was happy to serve as chair of the Sterile Insect Release program, which I loved,” she said Thursday. “It was a privilege to serve on the regional district.”

Singh said she was “surprised” to learn she’d lost her long-standing seat at the table, but she’s happy to be an alternate.

“I am a strong voice and I am dedicated to the regional district… I bring a lot of value to the regional district,” she said. “I am passionate about the level of government it offers, and I was glad to work as a team with them and at the same time protect the interests of Kelowna.”

Singh, as well as Lovegrove and Cannan will lose a significant stipend with this assignment loss.

In 2022, the latest year board member salaries are available, their stipend was pegged at $17,300.  Wooldridge made around $55,000 as the chairperson, and his salary will also decrease for the interim.