Western Regional Service Board

Department

Authority

Remuneration

Purpose:

The Western Regional Service Board (the Board) is responsible for the provision of selected regional municipal services within the Western Region.  Established in 2013, the Board currently has the power to maintain and operate a waste management system, and provide operational oversight of water and wastewater systems owned by municipal authorities within the Western Region.  For additional information on the role of the Board, please visit http://www.wrwm.ca/about-us/western-regional-service-board/.

Structure:

The Chairperson of the Board shall be appointed by the Lieutenant -Governor in Council.

With the exception of the Chairperson, the Board members shall be appointed or elected as follows:

• Where the number of municipal authorities in a ward is equal to the number of Board members determined for that ward, each municipal authority shall appoint a person to the Board;
• Where the number of municipal authorities in a ward is greater than the number of Board members determined for that ward, each municipal authority may nominate a person to be a candidate in an election to be conducted in accordance with the regulations and those persons elected shall become members of the Board; and
• Where the number of persons appointed or elected to the Board is less than the number of Board members determined for that ward, the Minister may select a person from among those persons who reside within the boundaries of that ward to be a Board member.

With the exception of the Chairperson, only the following persons from the region may be appointed or elected to the Board:

• A councilor;
• A person serving on a local service district committee; and
• A member of a band

The Board currently consists of 12 elected municipal officials representing the nine wards in the Western Region. This includes the cities, towns, local service districts and unincorporated areas situated south and west of a line drawn from Bellburns to Jackson's Arm to the Beaches to Ramea, as well as the local service district of Grey River.

Competency Profile:

It is the role of the Chairperson to manage the operation of the Board and to lead the Board in the productive discharge of its mandate. The Chairperson of the Board should ideally possess:

• Knowledge and experience in the waste management industry
• Board governance experience
• Senior leadership experience
• Experience in working with stakeholders
• Commitment to their communities and their regions

Qualifications:

The Chairperson of the Board would be expected to exhibit the following experience and personal attributes:

• High ethical standards and integrity
• Ability to work as a team member
• An effective listener and communicator- constructively and appropriately debate other people's viewpoints and communicate effectively with a broad group of stakeholders
• Able to devote adequate time and effort to support the Western Regional Service Board
• Appreciation of the responsibilities to the public
• Fexible, responsive and willing to consider others' opinions
• Understanding of chairing meetings at a corporate level
• Understanding and ability to demonstrate leadership related to corporate governance
• Understanding of the role of public sector boards in government
• Understanding of municipal service delivery
• Understanding of long-term strategy and policy development

Time Commitments:

Board meetings generally last two to three hours and are typically held once a month (a minimum of six times per year is required under the Regional Service Boards Act). In addition, the Board has six Committees (Finance and Administration, Technical, Evaluation, Education, Shared Services, and Negotiating). The three main Committees (Finance and Administration, Technical, and Shared Services) meet about 10 times per year. The Chairperson is invited to sit on all Committees, which have their own Chairs. Board members are also expected to spend additional time to review materials and prepare for Board meetings.

On average, the Chairperson of the Board spends about four to eight days per month on Board work.

Term:

The Chairperson holds the position for a four year term and is eligible to be re-appointed. Where the term of office of a Chairperson has expired, a Chairperson shall continue to be the Chairperson until they are reappointed, replaced or dismissed.

Vacancy Profile:

The Western Regional Service Board is seeking to fill the Chairperson position. Expressions of interest are being sought from individuals residing in the Western Region who possess the background, experience and skill-set identified in the Board profile above and who can bring unique perspectives to the table. Consideration may also be given to other demographic factors.