TERRACE city councillors have received a reworked list of committee appointments for the year after one councillor said the original list gave more work to the male councillor and less to female ones.
Councillors usually approve the changes to committee, community, and departmental liaisons at the last city council meeting of each year for the next year, but the schedule was redone after councillor Carol Leclerc indicated she and Lynne Christiansen had the least amount of appointments.
Mayor Dave Pernarowski has since changed the list, and most councillors now have between seven and nine appointments and alternate positions.
Councillor Bruce Martindale has the most on his plate, taking on the health task force committee, the Kermodei Tourism Society, Terrace Athletic Commission, the Greater Terrace Beautification Society, and the city’s development services committee.
He’s also the alternate for educational services, the regional district, the Terrace Public Library and the seniors committee.
Councillor Brad Pollard will be joining Martindale on the health task force committee, and is the liaison for the Terrace Economic Development Authority, the regional district, the downtown merchants’ association, and the RCMP. He’s the alternate for Kermodei Tourism, the Northwest Corridor Development Corporation, and the Riverboat Days committee.
Brian Downie is another councillor covering eight areas – the housing committee, educational services, the Northwest Corridor Development Corporation, Riverboat Days committee, and the city’s finance department. He’s an alternate with the regional district, airport society, and downtown merchants.
Leclerc will continue on as the council liaison for the Measuring Up Terrace Committee and the regional district, with new responsibilities being Heritage Park, the airport society, the Terrace food council, and the city’s fire department. She’s an alternate with the Chamber of Commerce and the Yellowhead Highway association.
Councillor Lynne Christiansen is also on the Measuring Up committee, and takes on the Terrace Public Library, the Skeena Diversity Society and the city’s leisure services department. She’s an alternate for Heritage Park, the beautification society, and the Terrace food council.
Councillor Bruce Bidgood stays on the housing committee, and is the new liaison for the Chamber of Commerce, the seniors committee, and the city’s public works department.
He’s also an alternate for the Terrace athletic commission, the Terrace Economic Development Authority, Skeena Diversity and the regional district.
Mayor Dave Pernarowski keeps the two of the same portfolios he had last year: the youth advisory committee and the administration liaison position, and adds the Yellowhead Highway Association to the list.
He’s refrained from taking too many positions as he said this will give him more time to drop into a variety of committee meetings throughout the year.
Pernarowski also mentioned that he’s responsible for dealing with provincial, federal, and First Nations governments, and is the chair of the Northwest Regional Advisory Committee for Northern Development Initiative Trust, a director with the trust and is chair of the Northwest Powerline Coalition.
Councillors also share the role of acting mayor should Pernarowski be absent.