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MLA Jordan Sturdy to step down as Pemberton's mayor

His last council meeting is set for Feb. 4
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Mayor Steps down Pemberton's Jordan Sturdy will concentrate on his role as MLA. File Photo by Bonny Makarewicz

Pemberton's mayor Jordan Sturdy is stepping down from the job.

Sturdy's last council meeting with the Village of Pemberton (VOP) council is on Feb. 4. He was elected as the MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky in May 2013 and had hoped to hold both positions until the scheduled municipal elections of November 2014, but felt unable to continue.

He made the announcement at the regular council meeting of Jan.7. Sturdy has been mayor since 2005.

"I'm loathe to go because there are so many initiatives going on now... it's a pretty exciting time and I will miss it," he told his fellow council members. "We're at a stage where you can carry on without me."

Projects Pemberton council is currently considering include the Friendship trail and bridge, the Community Barn project, the recreation field house, the Hill Academy Pacific independent school and other land developments.

He said the current VOP staff and council were "the best group of people" he'd worked with since taking the mayor's chair.

Sturdy will be in Victoria five days a week while the provincial legislature is in session from mid-February to mid-May.

"It was too hard to participate," he said, when asked why he decided to resign.

Asked how the council will function until the election, Sturdy said that each councillor would be able to take a three-month stint as acting mayor until the election.

"We have not yet discussed the best approach; maybe it ought to be on the agenda at the next council meeting," Sturdy said.

He said he would have more to add about his departure and coverage of the Pemberton mayor's job at the Feb. 4 meeting.

VOP adds views for upcoming boundary meeting

Pemberton council discussed future village expansion as they worked out their position for the upcoming meeting on the boundaries between the village and Electoral Area C of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD).

The boundaries between the two jurisdictions are due to be discussed at a public governance meeting at the SLRD boardroom on Jan. 13 at 3 p.m.

"As most of you know, governance and boundaries is something near and dear to me," said Sturdy, adding that the system needed simplifying

The council passed two motions to be added to the governance meeting agenda.

The first is that the Village of Pemberton "include properties within the fire service areas in support of boundaries that best serve the future functional communities of Pemberton."

The second, put forward by Councillor Mike Richman, states: "Will (SLRD) Area C participate in the 2014 multisport facility referendum?"

The motions were passed on to the SLRD on Wednesday, Jan. 8.