Newly-elected directors for the Cariboo Regional District said they are ready for the challenge in anticipation of being officially sworn in on Dec. 12.
Saturday’s election named Steve Forseth for Area D, Byron Kemp for Area E and Betty Anderson for Area K.
“I am eternally grateful to the people in Area D for electing me and intend to work on their behalf for the next four years,” said Forseth, who garnered 138 votes in a close race against Blaine Wiggins with 121 votes and Pennie Daffurn who received 96 votes.
Forseth said one of the main concerns he heard from people in the area was about the Wildwood transfer station.
Now that it is staffed, it has specific open hours.
“It may have to go back to the board, but it isn’t a priority,” Forseth said of the changes, adding because tipping fees are now in place at the Wildwood transfer station people are no longer using Wildwood to avoid paying tipping fees.
Kemp, who was very pleased with the results, returns for a second consecutive term.
He received 324 votes while his opponent Phyllis Webstad garnered 141.
“I was pleased, particularly to finish up some of the projects for our area,” Kemp said.
The two main issues have been water and sewer for Mountview and a new access road to the Esler sports fields.
“The Hodgson Road approach isn’t that safe and you get an awful lot of traffic in the spring, summer and fall,” he said.
With Area K being so spread out, the voter turnout wasn’t very high, said Anderson, who received 38 votes, while Geraldine Charleyboy received 11 and Melynda Neufeld received five.
Nevertheless, Anderson said she felt humbled and honoured to be elected.
When she made some phone calls before the election, she heard concerns about the Big Creek watershed, wolf problems for ranchers, the need for more emergency signage on rural roads, the need to get timber to mills in the Chilcotin, and the state of tourism and employment in the region.
Anderson has lived in the Chilcotin most of her life.
Incumbents Area F director Joan Sorley and Area J director Roger William were acclaimed.