This was no ordinary annual general meeting for Downtown Salmon Arm.
When it comes to board elections for the organization, candidates are often acclaimed because the numbers don’t necessitate an election. Not this year.
At Wednesday night’s AGM attended by about 25 people in the emptiness of the Salmar Classic Theatre, an election was required. To add to the excitement, that election initially resulted in a three-way tie.
Because the 13 directors’ two-year terms are staggered, six directors have another year in their terms.
They are: Bill Laird, Brent Moffatt, Deanna Connelly, Jacquie Gaudreau, Sebastion Hofstetter and Sheri Greeno.
Vying for the remaining seven two-year terms were eight people: Althea Mongerson, Cookie Langenfeld, Jeff Johnson, Jennifer Broadwell, Kailee Ramsell, Nicole Mundy, Ron Langridge and Steve Reid.
Each candidate was given one minute to say why those in attendance should vote for them.
Althea Mongerson explained she went through the Launch-A-Preneur program and opened Intwined Fibre Arts on Hudson Avenue four years ago. She said she cares a lot about revitalizing Salmon Arm, bringing people back here and keeping people here. With a strong arts interest, she said it’s important to connect the arts and business sectors.
Cookie Langenfeld said she was proud to operate Culinary Inspirations downtown but due to a leg break she had to shut down the business. During that time she was actively involved in the downtown and when she was hired by Shuswap Hospice on the waterfront, she was able to stay on the DSA board.
Jeff Johnson said he is a partner of BDO Salmon Arm and has been on the DSA board for 10 years.
“I’m happy to continue, plus you need my boardroom so you gotta vote for me,” he quipped.
He said he, as everyone at the meeting likely does, has a vested interest in making downtown successful.
Jennifer Broadwell explained that she and her spouse own Shuswap Orthodontics and have been in town for almost four years. She said she believes they can offer a different perspective as they are from the United States. She said she was previously in interior design and has strong opinions about aesthetics, which she’s happy to share.
Kailee Ramsell was appointed to the board the previous month. She has a financial planning office on Hudson and moved here from Calgary. She said she met general manager Lindsay Wong soon after she moved here and, while she doesn’t have much experience on a board, “I have a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm for this.”
Nicole Mundy owners Prisa Lighting, which she bought about four years ago. She was also appointed to the board a month earlier. She grew up in Salmon Arm, has been working in town for eight years and has seen it change a lot. She’s noticed quite a few females and young females operate businesses downtown and would like to stay on board to see what happens.
Ron Langridge said he ran EZ Rock radio, is now with Century 21 Executives Realty and has been on the board for five or six years. He said there’s been lots of work transforming the downtown in the last few years, the pictures on the hydro boxes being one good example. He said he is pleased to see lots of young men and women bringing energy to the downtown.
Steve Reid said he’s been with Askew’s Food for 35 years and has been on the DSA board for four-and-a-half.
“Downtown is really important to me, it’s part of my livelihood,” he said, noting that if the downtown doesn’t succeed, then neither does his livelihood proceed.
In the first round of voting, Mongerson, Johnson, Broadwell, Langridge and Reid were elected, leaving a three-way tied between Langenfeld, Ramsell and Mundy.
Ramsell and Mundy were successful.
Corryn Grayston and Kevin Flynn were also appointed to the board, Grayston as the Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce representative and Flynn representing the City of Salmon Arm.