Surprise vote puts Innisfil councillor at NVCA helm

By Kate Harries AWARE News Network

Innisfil Councillor Doug Lougheed has defeated Shelburne Councillor Walter Benotto in an election for the 2015 chair of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.

The surprise defeat of a Conservation Authority veteran came this morning in a secret ballot of the 27 NVCA board members (representatives of the 18 municipal councils in the Nottawasaga River watershed).

Lougheed, a retired police officer, was first elected to Innisfil Council in 2010, but has only been a member of the NVCA board for a year.

Benotto, a Shelburne councillor for 15 years and a former chair and vice chair of the NVCA, as well as a former vice-chair of Conservation Ontario, was seen by many as a shoo-in when he declared his intention to seek the top spot once again after past chair Nina Bifolchi (Wasaga Beach’s deputy-mayor) recently told fellow board members she would not be seeking re-election.

Bifolchi was a controversial chairperson, particularly over the past year when there were public protests over behind-closed-door discussions of an “efficiency audit,” after AWARE Simcoe and other environmental and watchdog groups complained about initially being shut out of a consultation process that included the development industry.

Benotto wholeheartedly supported Bifolchi in her attempts to push through the efficiency audit. Lougheed was more nuanced in his contributions to the debate, but cast his ballot with Bifolchi’s majority on key NVCA board votes.

This morning, Lougheed said he hopes to move forward with the efficiency audit recommendations – “they’ve all been good” – but “not at the expense of our mandate as a Conservation Authority.”

Outgoing vice-chair Gail Ardiel of the Town of Blue Mountains was not opposed in her bid to return to the position for the coming year.

Below, a list of board members, with the 15 new appointees (some newly elected to their council, some who are returning members of council but new to the board) highlighted in bold:

2015 NVCA Board of Directors

• Chair: Councillor Doug Lougheed, Town of Innsifil*
• Vice-Chair: Deputy Mayor Gail Ardiel, Town of the Blue Mountains*
• Past-Chair: Deputy Mayor Nina Bifolchi, Town of Wasaga Beach*
• Councillor Bob Meadows, Township of Adjala-Tosorontio
• Councillor Gail Little, Township of Amaranth
• Councillor Arif Khan, City of Barrie
• Councillor Sergio Morales, City of Barrie
• Councillor Ron Orr, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury
• Mayor Chris Vanderkruys, Township of Clearview
• Councillor Connie Leishman, Township of Clearview
• Councillor Deb Doherty, Town of Collingwood
• Councillor Cam Ecclestone, Town of Collingwood
• Councillor  Keith White, Township of Essa
• Councillor Michael Smith, Township of Essa
• Councillor Terry Mokriy, Municipality of Grey Highlands
• Councillor Rob Nicol, Town of Innisfil
• Mayor Darren White, Township of Melancthon
• Councillor Fred Nix, Town of Mono
• Councillor Earl Hawkins, Township of Mulmur
• Mayor Rick Milne, Town of New Tecumseth
• Councillor Donna Jebb, Town of New Tecumseth
• Councillor Barbara Countanche, Township of Oro-Medonte
• Councillor Phil Hall, Township of Oro-Medonte
• Councillor Walter Benotto, Town of Shelburne
• Mayor Bill French, Township of Springwater
• Councillor Perry Ritchie, Township of Springwater
• Mayor Brian Smith, Town of Wasaga Beach

Other media coverage

Innisfil councillor takes top seat at Nottawasaga Conservation Authority

By Stan Howe Innisfil Journal January 13 2015

Innisfil Coun. Doug Lougheed has been elected the new chairperson of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA)

Lougheed will head a 27-member board that represents the 18 municipalities that are part of the NVCA.

“My biggest goal is to improve how the NVCA deals with the public and stakeholder groups,” Lougheed said.

Lougheed said it’s important that development has minimal to no negative impact on the natural environment.

“It’s about protecting natural features and wetlands and balancing that with economic and development needs,” he said.

The NVCA oversees 3,700-square-kilometres of habitat.

“The simple way to put it is the NVCA is defined by all areas where water drains into the Nottawasaga River,” said Heather Kepran, communications co-ordinator for the NVCA. “ The area extends all the way into Innisfil, it would surprise some people to find out that even parts of Barrie don’t drain into Lake Simcoe, but into the Notawasga River.”

The NVCA was created to protect land and important natural wetlands from flood damage and possible harm from development.

“In the sixties the Conservation act was passed, and organizations like the NVCA were created to protect lands being abused. Some hurried, poorly thought out development was causing flooding and other problems.”

Lougheed said board members will not always agree but will work together to make workable decisions.

“The board may have members with divergent opinions, but we can move forward in a balanced way to provide services.”

Lougheed said he looks forward to working with the highly qualified group of professionals that work for the NVCA.

“We’ve got a great staff at the NVCA, they’ve even won some international conservation awards.”