NPCA board gets final instalment of new members
There will be more fresh faces at Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority meetings in the coming weeks.
In May, regional council approved a resolution asking the eight municipalities that hadn’t appointed a representative do so by the end of July.
As a result, Ken Kawall of Lincoln, Mal Woodhouse of Thorold, Deborah Coon-Petersen of West Lincoln and Jack Hellinga of Port Colborne will soon join the board.
Niagara-on-the-Lake will have its temporary representative, Coun. Gary Zalepa, serve until Sept. 30 when William Rapley will replace him.
They join chair Mayor Dave Bylsma of West Lincoln; vicechair Diana Huson of Pelham; Bruce McKenzie of Grimsby; John Metcalfe and Rob Shirton of Haldimand; Brad Clark, Brenda Johnson, Brian Wright and Stewart Beattie of Hamilton; Rick Brady of Niagara Falls; Mayor Bill Steele of Port Colborne; Ed Smith of St. Catharines; Tim Whalen of Thorold; Leah Feor of Fort Erie; Donna Cridland of Wainfleet; Rob Foster of Lincoln and John Ingrao of Welland.
Steele, Bylsma and Foster were selected by a vote of regional council in July.
Council made the decision to increase Niagara’s seat total to 15 from 12 (one for each of the local municipalities) in response to a ruling by Justice James Ramsay in May.
Ramsay settled a dispute over the apportionment of seats by declaring a basic reading of the Conservation Act gave Niagara the right to name up to 27 members.
The next full board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.