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New directors for Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce

The Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce (BCRCC) held its first annual general meeting at the Christina Living Arts Centre.
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Roly Russell explaining the effects of human nature through pictures of a receding glacier.

The Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce (BCRCC) held its first annual general meeting (AGM) at the Christina Living Arts Centre.

As the first AGM, several announcements were made, including the election of directors for 2011-2012.

This year’s directors are: in the East Boundary, Wendy Darbyshire was re-elected for Zone 1 Christina Lake, while newcomer Dylan Zorn replaced Todd Benson as director in Zone 2 Grand Forks. Benson, who had the second-highest number of votes in the East Boundary, has been elected as Director at Large.

Within the West Boundary, Zone 3 Greenwood had no nominees for director. John Fair replaced Stephanie Boltz, who is stepping down, in Zone 4 Village of Midway. Cathy Martinoff was re-elected as director in Zone 5 Rock Creek, and Jennifer Brock, who also ran for directorship in Rock Creek, was elected as Director at Large for the West Boundary.

Mark Grimm, representing the Grand Forks Credit Union, and Dave Marshall, representing Community Futures, were appointed directors as per BCRCC bylaws.

This year, it was announced that the BCRCC has moved from a steering committee to board and has started writing bylaws.

Martinoff added, “We had a strategic planning session in March of this year … where we wrote the mission and values statement, set the first year goals and strategies with a timeline in order to have measurable results.”

The BCRCC works to promote the Boundary Country and encourages business, community development and works to ensure regional marketing within the Boundary Country.

After votes were cast for the new board of directors, guest speaker Roly Russell gave a presentation discussing socio-economic factors within the community and around the world.

“I would like to focus on this bucket here,” he said. “If the bucket was our community, instead of just dumping more into a bucket (full of holes), we should focus on making what’s in the bucket, better, and keep it in the bucket.”

His presentation started by pointing the finger at economists.

“(Economists) teach us to pay attention to the wrong things,” he said.

From there, Russell explained after economists, “we should blame complexity.

“The complex adaptive system needs feedback to persist,” stated Russell. “But it’s the lack of feedback that’s ruining us. We need to figure out how to tighten (our) decisions.”

The final point is to plug the leaks.

Russell mentioned how the community needs to focus on the local economy.

“Instead of shopping in Spokane or Kelowna, spend your money in town,” he clarified. “The money you spend in your town will be more likely be spent within the town again.”

Several campaigns such as Buy Local or 3/50, which involves spending $50 three times a month within the community, are some ideas that Russell pitched.

The BCRCC currently has 118 members.