Two newcomers on health board

BY ANDY BLATCHFORD



Two incumbents and two newcomers will sit as population representatives on the local health board, following Monday’s election.

From the crowded race of 18 candidates, voters chose current board members Georges Nydam and Gerald Robertson. Electors also decided to change the guard by selecting health-board rookies Sally Brown and Joan Kouri. It was the first election since the West Island’s four major health institutions merged to form the West Island Health and Social Services Centre in January 2005. Returning officer Louis-Pascal Cyr said 837 ballots were cast.

Nineteen members will make up the West Island HSSC’s board. This week’s election was open to hopefuls vying for four seats available for individuals from the general population.

Before the West Island health merger, the Lakeshore General Hospital’s Auxiliary was represented on the institution’s board, according to Brown. As the 250-member volunteer organization’s current president, she is pleased the group will have a voice.

“I’m very interested in the chronic-care aspects of the hospital and I’m very interested in bringing resources to the West Island community,� said the Pointe Claire resident, who has been associated with the LGH since 1968.

Nydam, who will retire as West Island Business Development commissioner at the end of October, has been on the hospital’s board since 1995. The network must work for greater community involvement, he said. Nydam was disappointed that this year’s voter turnout for the entire network was lower than the LGH’s last election, where more than 1,000 ballots were cast.

Robertson is currently Pierrefonds/Roxboro’s recreation and leisure director. He was a member of CLSC Pierrefonds’ board.

Kouri was awarded the Golden Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 in recognition of her 50 years of work in the community. She ran for the federal Liberal Party in Brome-Missisquoi in the 1993 general election and was narrowly defeated.