First, I want to thank everyone for being here tonight. It means a great deal to have so many people join us as we begin a new four-year term of Council.

Tonight is a special occasion, and I would like to recognize some of our guests.

For the first time in Barriere's history, we have a Member of Parliament attending our Council inauguration. Mr. Frank Caputo, thank you for taking the time to be here with us tonight.

We are also pleased to welcome MLA Ward Stamer, TNRD Area O Director Jill Hayward, and leadership from Simpcw First Nation, including [names and titles to be added].

Thank you all for being here.

Before going any further, it is my pleasure to introduce the people who will be serving this community for the next four years.

May I present your Council for the next four years:

• Councillor Judy Armstrong
• Councillor Stephen Boylan
• Councillor Donna Kibble
• Councillor Louise Lodge, who unfortunately cannot be with us tonight
• Councillor Colin McGinnis
• Councillor Brody Mosdell

And myself, Mayor Rob Kerslake.

I want to extend a special welcome to Councillor Stephen Boylan, our newest member of Council.

To all of you, congratulations. I look forward to working alongside each of you.

We bring different experiences, different perspectives, and different ideas to this table. We won't always agree, and we shouldn't expect to.

Good governance isn't about everyone thinking alike. It's about having respectful conversations, debating the issues, making decisions, and then working together to move our community forward.

That is the kind of Council I intend to help lead.

Our Team Extends Beyond This Council

One thing I have learned over my years in local government is that we cannot do this work alone.

Our team extends well beyond the seven people sitting around this table.

I mentioned MP Frank Caputo earlier, and I would like to take a moment to recognize some of the work he has done on behalf of Barriere.

Just a few weeks ago, Frank stood in the House of Commons and spoke about Barriere's need for funding for a new Fire Hall.

That matters to us.

We are a small municipality with a limited tax base, and replacing a major piece of infrastructure like our Fire Hall is a tremendous financial challenge.

Having our Member of Parliament bring that issue to the national stage helps ensure our community's needs are being heard.

On another matter, we have been advocating for the retention of physicians in the North Thompson Valley.

When we felt our concerns weren't receiving the attention they deserved, Frank personally hand-delivered a letter to the federal Minister of Immigration.

These are the kinds of relationships that matter to small communities.

Frank, thank you for listening, for being accessible, and for standing up for the people of Barriere.

I also want to recognize our MLA, Ward Stamer.

Ward and I speak just about every week. We talk about the issues affecting Barriere, the North Thompson Valley, and the province as a whole.

And occasionally, we even talk about his plumbing issues, although I think we finally have those under control.

All kidding aside, having that open line of communication is incredibly valuable.

Ward understands the challenges facing rural communities, and I appreciate his willingness to pick up the phone, have the conversation, and help us work toward solutions.

Stronger Together

This past September, at the Union of BC Municipalities convention, you could see something that represents the future of leadership, in the North Thompson Valley.

A First Nation’s Chief, an Electoral Area Director, Councillors from Simpcw and Barriere, and the Mayors of Clearwater and Barriere sitting shoulder to shoulder, advocating for our communities and for the valley as a whole.

Different governments, different responsibilities, but many of the same challenges and aspirations.

We were there talking about policing, infrastructure, health care, water security, and the services our residents depend on.

We weren't there competing against one another.

We were there supporting one another.

And that is something I intend to continue building on over the next four years.

We are louder when we speak together, and we are stronger when we work together.

Our Relationship with Simpcw First Nation

I want to speak specifically about our relationship with Simpcw First Nation.

Over the last several years, we have worked to strengthen that relationship. We signed a Memorandum of Understanding, but more importantly, we have continued building the trust and understanding that give that agreement meaning.

There is a great deal of political conversation happening across this province and country about Indigenous relations, reconciliation, and legislation.

But here in the North Thompson Valley, we are forging our own path.

Our relationship with Simpcw is not directed by political parties or dictated by legislation.

It is guided by respectful dialogue, mutual understanding, trust, and a shared vision for prosperity and fairness for all.

We recognize that we are distinct governments with our own responsibilities, challenges, and priorities.

But we are also neighbours. Our communities share this valley, and our futures are connected in many ways.

We don't need to agree on every issue to respect one another. What matters is our willingness to sit down, listen, understand each other's perspectives, and find opportunities to move forward together.

I believe there are tremendous opportunities ahead for Simpcw, Barriere, and the entire North Thompson Valley.

And I believe the relationships we are building today will benefit generations to come.

That is something I am particularly proud of, and something I am committed to continuing.

The Work Ahead

As we begin this new term, it is important to recognize both how far we have come and how much work remains.

Over the last four years, we have accomplished a great deal.

We broke ground on a new wastewater treatment system, a project that has been discussed for many years and will serve our community well into the future.

We have supported economic development, welcomed new businesses and employers, and seen our Business Centre become an active part of our local economy.

We have advocated for better health care, ambulance services, policing, and highway safety.

We have also spent considerable time working within our own organization, reviewing policies and procedures, improving efficiencies, and building a strong municipal staff team.

Much of that work happens behind the scenes, but it is important.

And yet, some of our biggest challenges remain.

We still need a new Fire Hall.

We have aging water lines that have served well beyond their intended lifespan.

Leonie Creek Dam needs a long-term solution.

We need additional policing resources, more housing opportunities, and continued economic development.

And we need to find ways to grow our tax base without continually placing more financial pressure on the same property owners.

One issue I intend to keep pushing is how we fund municipal infrastructure.

Our Council brought forward a resolution calling for a share of provincial and federal Sales tax revenues to provide municipalities with a more predictable and sustainable source of infrastructure funding.

That resolution received support at both SILGA and UBCM.

But passing a resolution is only the beginning.

Now comes the work of convincing senior governments that the way we fund local infrastructure needs to change.

And I can assure you, I will continue having that conversation with anyone willing to listen.

Looking Forward

As I’ve said before, municipal government is a marathon, not a sprint.

Sometimes success is completing a project.

Sometimes it is getting a project to the starting line.

And sometimes it is simply moving an issue far enough forward that the next Council can pick it up and keep going.

The next four years will bring challenges.

But they will also bring opportunities.

There is significant economic activity on the horizon throughout the North Thompson Valley. With potential developments in energy, mining, housing, and industry, we need to be prepared.

We need to make sure our infrastructure, services, and planning are ready to support the opportunities that may come.

And we need to make sure the people who already call this community home benefit from that growth.

That will take cooperation, careful planning, and a willingness to look beyond the immediate challenges in front of us.

A Word of Thanks

Before closing, I want to recognize our municipal staff.

Council sets direction, but it is our staff who carry out much of the work.

From administration and finance to public works and every other part of our organization, there are dedicated people working every day to keep this municipality moving.

Thank you for your professionalism, your commitment, and the work that so often goes unseen.

To our returning Councillors, thank you for your continued willingness to serve.

To our newest Councillor, welcome. You are joining a team with important work ahead.

And to the people of Barriere, thank you for the trust you have placed in us.

It is a tremendous privilege to serve this community.

I have lived here for many years. I have raised my family here. I have worked here, volunteered here, and watched this community grow and change.

Barriere is more than a municipality to me.

It is home.

And I know that feeling is shared by the people sitting around this Council table.

As Mayor, I made one promise when I was acclaimed to another term, and it is the same promise I make tonight.

I will work hard for all of you.

We won't accomplish everything overnight. But with a clear direction, a strong team, and a willingness to work together, we can keep moving this community forward.

My hope is that four years from now, when we look back on this Council's term, we can say that we left Barriere stronger, better prepared, and better positioned for the future.

I believe we can.

Thank you, everyone, and welcome to the next four years."