Tourism Sun Peaks board election sees two new members

Two new members were elected to Tourism Sun Peaks’ board of directors last week.

The new members were added to the board during TSP’s annual general meeting June 27, and two current board members were reappointed. The board is made up of ten positions, and members oversee the strategic direction of the organization, produce an annual budget plan and evaluate the performance of TSP’s president.

Rina Jeyakumar won the position of residential director. Jeyakumar is a lawyer who founded the local legal firm Araya Law. Bobbe Lyall, the founder of Ohana Market Deli, won the non-hotel lodging board representative role.

Ryan Schmalz from Mountain High Pizza was re-elected for the position of Commercial/Tenant/Independent Operator, and incumbent David Kunze from Bear Country Property Management won his seat as representative for hotel lodging by acclamation.

All property owners and licenced businesses in Sun Peaks must be a member of TSP. Members are eligible to vote for board members in their category, for example, residents vote for a residential representative.

Arlene Schieven, president of TSP, said results for non-hotel lodging included 168 votes cast, representing 30 per cent of all members who were eligible to vote in this category. Members of the non-hotel category own property that is rented for 28 days or more or have an owner’s use covenant.

Commercial/Tenant/Independent Operator voting had 36 votes cast, 59 per cent of eligible voters in this category and business owners fall under this category.

There were 205 ballots cast for the residential representative category, which represents 36.5 per cent of those eligible to vote in this category. 

“It’s the first time we’ve ever had elections in three categories and have multiple candidates in all categories,” Schieven said. “[It] was really great to see the interest and I’m glad that so many people put their name forward.”

Board members serve two-year terms and elections are staggered for positions each year.

Next year’s election will include positions for non-hotel lodging and hotel lodging.

“We had lots of people who were willing to provide their expertise and would have been great board members, so I’m hoping that they’ll put their name forward again next year,” Schieven said.

The board members will hold their first meeting on September 10.