Jim Elford has resigned from his position as Councillor with the Town of Creston, effective September 25, 2023. Elford was elected to Town Council in 2014 and has stepped down after serving nearly nine full years.
“I hold the utmost respect for Jim Elford personally, and it has been an honour to serve alongside him on Council for the last five years. His sharp intelligence, as well as his vast array of knowledge and experience will be missed at the Council table”, said Mayor Arnold DeBoon of Elford’s resignation. “Every member of Council chooses to serve because we are passionate about the well-being and quality of life for, and of, our citizens. Councillor Elford exemplifies these values and has provided our Council with a great example of what truly serving this community looks like. Never one to talk about his accomplishments, many people are not aware of the full extent of how he has served the Creston Valley. He was named ‘Citizen of the Year’ in 1997, served as a volunteer firefighter for 21 years and has been on the boards of other volunteer organizations such as minor hockey, the Creston Valley Thundercats and the Creston Golf Club, just to name a few”.
Section 54 of British Columbia’s Local Government Act mandates that a by-election must be held to fill a vacancy in an elected local government office that occurs as a result of a resignation. “As Councillor Elford’s resignation has taken place a year into this current Council term, a by-election must be held,” said Michael Moore, Chief Administrative Officer. “Nominations for candidates will be opened up in the upcoming months once a Chief Election Officer is appointed by Council in the near future, and a by-election will likely take place in the first quarter of 2024.”