GORE BAY—After a 35 year career, Elva Carter will be stepping down as secretary-treasurer of the Manitoulin Planning Board (MPB) at the end of this year.

“As everyone realizes this is Elva’s (Carter) last meeting with the board (as secretary-treasurer) with her retirement at the end of 2016, after 35 years,” stated board Chair Ken Noland at a meeting last week.

Theresa Carlisle, Ms. Carter’s assistant, noted, “Elva is retiring at the end of December. I want to thank thank you for all your help-and all your hard work. Congratulations in your retirement. I hope your journey will take you back here once in a while.”

Billings Mayor Austin Hunt told the meeting, “I am the only original member (of the board) still serving on the board, and a member when Elva started with the board in 1982. Elva has persevered and stayed with us all these years. And after Art (Hinds) left she has led us for all those years since.”

“With our budget Elva has always been very frugal—she kept the allotments to municipalities and townships as low as possible. We have had very few years where there has been an increase in allotments,” stated Mayor Hunt. “She was always able to keep operations running smoothly. I have always been proud with the way she has run things.”

“If we’ve ever had a problem we have always gone to Elva,” said Mayor Hunt. “It would be redundant to say we will miss her—we will.”

Ms. Carter said, “It has been a really great career, and I’ve enjoyed working with the municipalities all these years. It  has been a pleasure to work for the board members and all the support you have provided me. And I will still be around to offer my two cents on things.”

Ms. Carter told the Recorder after the meeting, “working with the board has been extremely easy, they have been very supportive over the years. Dealing with the conflict over the past two-three years has been difficult, but overall I’ve had a very enjoyable career.”

“Overall this has been a great place to work,” said Ms. Carter. “Staff that I have worked with has been great, with Theresa’s (Carlisle) help as my assistant, and Jake (Diebolt) having come in and working on the GIS project. And all the years I worked with Art Hinds (former MPB administrator); Art trained me and if it was not for him I wouldn’t have been able to do this job.”

“Overall, it has been a very enjoyable career,” said Ms. Carter, adding, “but I am looking forward to retirement.”