District of Clearwater held its first ever inaugural meeting in its own townhall last Tuesday evening.
Previous inaugural meetings since incorporation in 2007 were held in the Legion hall as the former town hall on the Flats does not have wheelchair access.
Judge Chris Cleaveley did the swearing in for the mayor and town council members. Originally from Roundtop, the provincial court judge has administered the oath of office for the municipality at all four inaugural meetings since incorporation.
In his comments following his swearing in, Mayor John Harwood praised Cleaveley for continuing to support this community by sponsoring a $1,000 scholarship at Clearwater Secondary School each year.
Also sworn in were returning council members Barry Banford, Merlin Blackwell, Gord Heisterman, Ken Kjenstad and Shelley Sim. Absent due to previously scheduled business training in Edmonton was newly elected council member Dennis Greffard.
The ceremony began with piper Paul Petchnick of Kamloops leading the retinue into the council chambers.
They were escorted by an honor guard consisting of RCMP Cst. Tyson Bruns and members of Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department.
Dan Saul, an elder from Simpcw First Nation, gave a blessing, while Rev. Lloyd Strickland gave an invocation.
Clearwater Secondary School student Emily Hewlett sang O' Canada. Dan Daase acted as master of ceremonies.
First order of business after the swearing in was the election of Mayor Harwood to be the municipality's representative on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board of directors. Councillor Ken Kjenstad will be his alternate.
Major committee chairs for the coming year are: finance and audit, Ken Kjenstad; parks and recreation, Barry Banford; infrastructure, Merlin Blackwell; and economic development, Gord Heisterman.
Additional committee representation for 2015 will be: age friendly, John Harwood; chamber of commerce, Ken Kjenstad; connectivity (broadband/cell), Merlin Blackwell; environmental assessment (Barry Banford); forestry, Barry Banford; interagency, Shelley Sim; joint services advisory, Dennis Greffard; junior council, Merlin Blackwell; trails, Merlin Blackwell; Tourism Wells Gray, Gord Heisterman; and Wells Gray Community Forest, Ken Kjenstad.
Council approved a new meeting schedule. Instead of being held in the late afternoons and evenings, committee-of-the-whole meetings will begin at 1 p.m. and council meetings will begin at 2 p.m. Both will continue to be held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month (except during summer).