OLDS — Former Olds Institute (OI) executive director Mitch Thomson has thanked OI board members for their leadership during a difficult year last year as the organization dealt with COVID-19 and a demand by the Town of Olds to repay a $14 million loan, among other changes.
Thomson made the statement during the organization’s annual general meeting May 11, held via Zoom.
On May 22 last year, town council called on the OI to repay a $14 million loan as part of a larger call for that entity’s loan refinancing to be “reorganized” and "additional process thereafter."
“I’d just like to say thank you to the board of directors for providing leadership and integrity through very difficult times,” Thomson said, adding he was sure he spoke for many meeting participants.
Thomson’s position was eliminated by the organization last year.
He was not the only one to hand out kudos.
OI chair Brett Muzychka read out a list of people who served all or part of a term during the past year.
They are public member and former OI chair Bill Hall; public member, vice-president and former Mountain View Power representative Greg MacIntyre; Mountain View County representative Bruce Beattie; former Olds & District Chamber of Commerce president Mark Johnson; as well as public members Bob Braithwaite, Carmel Maloney, and Tasha Bieber.
Outgoing board member Mary Turner thanked Muzychka for his contributions as OI chair.
“I know that you and I are both ending our terms so it’s been a slice and thank you all for your encouragement, dedication and support through the last number of years that we’ve been involved,” she said.
Muzychka thanked Thomson and Turner for their kind words.
