Familiar faces returning to Okanagan library

Some familiar faces will be running the Okanagan Regional Library system again this year.

All of last year’s executives have been returned for another term after board elections. The board is made up of politicians from towns and cities throughout the Valley, except Penticton, which has its own library system.

Catherine Lord of Vernon is again the chairwoman of the board.

Also on the board are vice-chair Karla Kozakevich of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen; finance chair Bryden Winsby from West Kelowna; personnel chair Sherry Philpott-Adhikary of Keremeos; and policy and planning chair Karla Kozakevich from the RDOS.

New members to the board are David Mattes from Oliver and Pat Cochrane from Coldstream.

Outgoing chief executive officer Stephanie Hall gave an overview of 2017 accomplishments. These included a major renovation of the downtown Kelowna branch, relocation of the Armstrong branch, and refurbishment of the Peachland library after a car plowed into it.

The board thanked Hall for her five years of service. She has left the library system to pursue a lifelong goal of sailing around the world.

Hall was praised by board members for labour relations accomplishments, her vision and leadership skills, as well as her substantial efforts to make the Okanagan Regional Library a more efficient organization.

Board members welcomed a new director of public services, Christine McPhee.