The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority held its first meeting under the interim board yesterday.
Thorold regional representative Tim Whalen told ThoroldNews, "We started with the election of Dave Bylsma from West Lincoln as our chair and Diana Huson from Welland as our vice chair. These are to be confirmed at the AGM on Jan. 16, 9:30 a.m. at Balls Falls."
Bylsma is the mayor of West Lincoln and Huson is the regional representative from Pelham.
Whalen is a temporary member appointed by the region to relieve the beleaguered former board which has been widely criticized for its operational methods.
The new, temporary board also moved to freeze hiring and promotions.
In an earlier interview, Whalen had expressed his desire to get things moving under the interim board and to eventually form a permanent board able to move ahead with agendas in tune with public wishes.
He noted the temporary board was supposed to be in place for three months to facilitate a transition into a permanent board. Whalen was concerned that time was slipping past. A December meeting had been cancelled, but a court ruling confirmed the appointment of the temporary board put forth by the region. They met yesterday and began the restructuring process.
“We don’t want to take over. We just want to get a board that’s going to look after the best interests of the people of Niagara,” Whalen remarked after the court ruling.
