A familiar face is returning to the top position with the Sechelt Indian Band (SIB).
Garry Feschuk was appointed chief of the SIB on Saturday during elections for chief and council.
Feschuk defeated interim chief Marita Paul-Franke.
Tom Paul, Wesley Jeffries, Jordan Louie and Robert Joe were all elected to council. Paul is the only incumbent council member.
Having served 12 years as chief from 1993 to 2005, Feschuk brings a considerable amount of experience to the position. As he gets ready for the formal passing of the title of chief that will happen in a swearing in ceremony on April 1, Feschuk said, "I want to thank the chief and council for their hard work." He added that being elected chief "is an honour and a privilege that the membership has confidence in me to lead the community."
Once the new council is sworn in, Feschuk said one of the first priorities will be to sit down and strategize its goals and objectives and then go to the community to get their opinions on what chief and council should focus on. The outgoing chief and council have done a lot of work and have a number of projects in progress that the new council will follow through on, Feschuk said. Some of those works in progress include the SIB's new housing division, strategizing negotiation of the land-use plan within the Sunshine Coast forestry district and working on getting an interim protection order in the Chapman and Grey creeks watersheds while land use plans are in discussion.
Feschuk said the new council will also be working on a number of agreements due to expire and the gymnasium education building that he hopes will soon be under construction.
Feschuk said he is looking forward to his role as chief and wants to congratulate the new council members who were victorious.
