Western Regional Service Board and Chairperson Appointed

The Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy continues to move forward as the Provincial Government has now appointed the board of directors and chairperson for the Western Regional Service Board.
 
“This is an important milestone in the roll-out of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy, and will allow us to ramp up our activities in the western region,” said the Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “With this board and its chairperson in place, we are now ready to expand our waste management activities in another key region of the province. I look forward to working with the board in the coming months.”
 
During the fall of 2012, the Western Regional Waste Management Office conducted elections of members to the regional service board under the Regional Service Board Act, 2012. These 11 elected members who have now been appointed to their positions, represent all of the sub-regions constituting the western region.
 
The newly appointed board members are: William Bailey, Roger Barrett, Barbara Barter, Eli Bishop, Lloyd Burton, Cynthia Downey, Donna Luther, Leona Gillette, Neville Greeley, Walter Nicolle and Geraldine Porter. Don Downer has been appointed as Chairperson of the board.
 
“The appointment of the Western Regional Service Board now means that Western Regional Waste Management becomes an authority with rights under the act to handle waste management in western Newfoundland,” said Don Downer. “This includes maintaining facilities, equipment and operations for the management of waste: collection, handling, transportation, storing, processing, use and disposal of waste.”
 
The Western Regional Service Board will continue to work to implement the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy for western Newfoundland. Capital funding will be provided by government to construct transfer stations, public drop-offs and an administrative building. Operational funding for the board will come from a variety of sources, including the Multi Material Stewardship Board and from fees which will be collected from homeowners and businesses.
 
The launch of the Western Regional Service Board follows the establishment of boards in the central region, eastern region and on the Northern Peninsula.
 
Biographical information for the chairperson and board members is provided in the backgrounder below.

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BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of Chairperson and Board Members

Chairperson: Don Downer
Don Downer, former associate professor at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College and manager of the Research Office, was born at Indian Islands. His work and business experience range from inshore cod trap fishing and marine biology to land development and provision of domestic water supply. He holds a masters degree in marine biology and a doctorate in educational administration.
 
Mr. Downer has organized workshops and spoken internationally on topics that include improving teaching and schools; school administration and school effectiveness; the instructional use of computers; change; and, marine and freshwater biology. Mr. Downer currently serves as independent chair of the Humber Valley Regional Planning Advisory Authority and the Western Regional Waste Management Committee. He is a member of the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation and a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Southwest Coast:  William Bailey – Town of Channel-Port aux Basques
William Bailey is a long-time member of the southwest coast business and volunteer communities.  As a 10-year business owner in Channel-Port aux Basques, he has held various offices on the Chamber of Commerce, the Marine and Mountain Zone Board, and the Channel-Port aux Basques Town Council. These roles have granted him the ability to address area concerns from many perspectives which will serve him well as a member of the Regional Service Board.
 
Deer Lake & Area (Western Hills):  Roger Barrett – Town of Reidville
Roger Barrett is currently a councillor on the Reidville Town Council, as well as treasurer of the Western Hills Waste Management Sub-regional Committee.  He is a director (1st Vice Chair) on the Grand Lake Economic Development Board and sat on the Leadership Committee of the Humber Valley Regional Land Use Plan representing the Town of Reidville.  Mr. Barrett is retired and feels he has the time, energy and passion required to devote to the Western Regional Service Board and to do the job justice.
 
Burgeo and Area:  Barbara Barter – Town of Burgeo
Barbara Barter is a retired teacher/administrator. She has served the Burgeo Town Council for approximately five years both as councillor and as Deputy Mayor, a position which she currently holds. She also chairs two committees for the Town of Burgeo: (a) Policy and (b) Assessment for Senior Housing and is a member of the Finance Committee. She currently chairs the Waste Management Sub-committee for the Burgeo to Francois area.

White Bay South:  Eli Bishop – Local Service District of Pollard's Point
Eli Bishop has been an active participant in uniting five different towns to create a centralized waste disposal site in the White Bay Region. He currently serves as the Chair of the White Bay South Sub-Regional Waste Management Committee. Through his work as Chairperson of the LSD of Pollards Point, Mr. Bishop also has strong local knowledge of waste management in the region.
 
Corner Brook & Area (North/South Bay of Islands):  Lloyd Burton – Town of Irishtown/ Summerside
Before retiring in 1995, Lloyd Burton worked for 26 years as a Federal Government employee in the area covered by the Western Regional Service Board.  Since moving to Irishtown/ Summerside, he has been interested in municipal politics, and has served on the local council for seven years. He is currently the Deputy Mayor of Irishtown-Summerside and serves as Director on the Great Humber Joint Council.
 
Bay St. George:  Cynthia Downey – Town of Stephenville Crossing
Cynthia Downey has been a member of the Stephenville Crossing Town Council for 20 years. She has been a member of the Western Regional Waste Management Committee since June 2007 and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Bay St. George Waste Management Committee. Ms. Downey is an educator, currently working at Western College in Stephenville as an ABE instructor.
 
Corner Brook & Area (Corner Brook):  Donna Luther – City of Corner Brook
Donna Luther is a retired Psychiatric Nurse and has serviced on the City of Corner Brook council for seven years as both a councillor and currently as Deputy Mayor. She was appointed to the Western Regional Waste Management Committee in 2010.  Ms. Luther was part of the initiative to bring curbside recycling to the city which also included banning commercial cardboard at the landfill and the implementation of a four-bag garbage limit per household.  She serves on numerous city committees and has been an active community volunteer for many years.
 
Corner Brook & Area (Humber Valley):  Leona Gillette – Town of Steady Brook
Leona Gillette is currently a second term Steady Brook Town Councillor.  She is Vice President (and past President) of the Greater Humber Joint Council, sits on the Finance Committee of the Corner Brook and Area Sub-regional Waste Management Committee, and is employed by Western Memorial Regional Healthcare as an Administrative Assistant.  Ms. Gillette has serviced previously as Mayor of Steady Brook for two terms and also served as former Director of both Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador and of the Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority.
 
Corner Brook & Area (Corner Brook):  Neville Greeley – City of Corner Brook
Neville Greeley was elected Mayor of the City of Corner Brook in September 2009. Prior to being elected Mayor, Neville served for two terms as a councillor with the City of Corner Brook. Mr. Greeley is a graduate of Memorial University, a former teacher and police officer with both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. He retired in November 2010. Mr. Greeley currently serves as Chair of the Corner Brook Civic Centre Association; Vice-President of MNL; and a member of the board of directors for the Corner Brook Port Corporation, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Western Regional Hospital Foundation (formerly served as Chairperson) and with MMSB. He has also served as past National President of Kinsmen Clubs of Canada and as past Chairman of its Board of Directors.
 
Long Range:  Walter Nicolle – Town of Rocky Harbour
Walter Nicolle has been a business operator since 1986. He has served on the Rocky Harbour Town Council for approximately nine years both as councillor and as Mayor, a position which he currently holds. Mr. Nicolle was appointed to the Western Regional Waste Management Committee in 2009. He sits on several committees and has been an active community volunteer for many years.
 
Bay St. George:  Geraldine Porter – Local Service District of Bay St. George South
Geraldine Porter is a retired business operator with a goal to be part of the development of the Bay St. George South area. She is a member of volunteer/charitable groups such as Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital Foundation, and the Area Development Association. As a member of the Local Service District, Ms Porter has served as the representative on the WRWM Committee for three years ensuring communities in her area are kept abreast of the advances regarding implementation of the government’s new solid waste initiative.

2013 06 06             2:00 p.m.