Residents with issues or input pertaining to, say, highway transportation, tourism, seniors or health care now have a point person on district council.
Last week, District of Sicamous council approved the assignment of “research portfolios,” that will see each councillor take a lead on different focus areas.
Coun. Malcolm Makayev is the lead for the portfolio of transportation and infrastructure, with a focus on highways. Alternatives on this folio are Mayor Terry Rysz and Coun. Gord Bushell.
Makayev is also lead on a seniors folio with Coun. Jeff Mallmes and Rysz as alternates, as well as a health care folio, with Coun. Janna Simons and Rysz as alternates.
Mallmes is the lead on a public works/water treatment/waste water folio (Couns. Todd Kyllo and Gord Bushell alternates), and a waterfront folio (Bushell/Kyllo alternates).
Kyllo is the lead on an economic development folio (Coun. Colleen Anderson alternate). Anderson is the lead on a tourism folio. The folio of parks and recreation campground was assigned to Bushell (Kyllo/Mallmes alternates), while Simons was assigned school/education (Anderson/Mallmes alternates).
Along with the assigned portfolios, council also approved a related research protocol system.
This document states the system provides no formal authority to councillors assigned a portfolio. What it does, however, is provide the councillor “an opportunity to develop and maintain a heightened level of knowledge and leadership in a special field.”