Local mayors take on new regional committees

As the new Waterloo Region council met for the first time last week, councillors divvied up duties for the various committees and boards an which they’ll serve for the next four years. That includes some new roles for Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz and her Wellesley counterpart, Joe Nowak, both of whom are their township’s sole representative on the upper-tier council.

Shantz will serve on the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board (WRPSB) in the coming term. The WRPSB lends oversight and civilian governance to the region’s police force. Shantz will also serve on the Kissing Bridge Trailway Advisory Committee, providing advice to the region’s councillors on decisions affecting the trail.

Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak is set to serve on the 26-member Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), which draws its membership from across the watershed and manages the water and other services in 39 municipalities. Nowak will also hold a position on the region’s Ecological and Environmental Advisory Committee (EEAC), which offers guidance on environmental issues.