Mayor Roland Stanke
Mayor Stanke immigrated with his family from Moers, Germany in his preteen years. He moved to Jasper, Alberta where he spent his teen years learning the Canadian way. He moved to North Vancouver in the early seventies where he became employed with the Liquor Distribution Branch.
Then in 1982, he moved to Clinton to become the manager of the local liquor store. Through the years he became more and more involved in the community. The first impression was to use Clinton as a stepping stone to move into senior management positions in larger centres. He quickly adopted to the small community lifestyle, raised a family of 5 children, joined many groups in Clinton, and sorted out what was the best fit. In 1999 he was elected as councillor for the village, then in 2002 elected as Mayor for 3 terms. In 2022 he was once again elected as Mayor for the Village of Clinton. He also held director positions on the TNRD and Film Commission for 9 years. During his term as former Mayor, he was elected to the UBCM board as the small community representative for the Province, a position he held for 2 years. One of his main passions is Photography and he has over 40 years of experience in commercial photography, fine art, film location scouting, and equine portraiture. 10 years ago, his interest sided to horse ownership. Currently, he owns three spoiled horses and enjoys weekend trail riding.
Councillor Sandi Burrage
Originally from Burnaby and the Fraser Valley, Councillor Burrage grew up on the family farm. She is not a stranger to hard work and is a “salt of the earth” kind of woman. Councillor Burrage worked hard to save and put herself through post-secondary education at BCIT where she achieved her Structural Drafting certification. She was hired by Wright Engineers later known as Fluor Daniel Wright where she had many opportunities to learn and grow. Some of the projects she worked on include Brenda Mines, Afton Mines (now New Gold) and Highland Valley Copper.
Today, Councillor Burrage is an Early Learning Educator, certified in early learning programs including Parent-Child Mother Goose. Initially the Pre School …. READ MORE >teacher in Clinton, she is now responsible for Pre-School, Mother Goose, Strong Start and is involved in the After-School Program. Her love of kids and their educational success has led her to be the Grad sponsor at David Stoddart School for many years.
When Councillor Burrage and her husband Richard, were expecting their first child, they made the decision to move out of the lower mainland. Richard, a Journeyman Millwright, is dispatched from a Union Hall and works all over BC and Alberta. This afforded them the luxury of living anywhere in BC. Clinton, having such an affordable housing market and diverse recreational opportunities was the perfect community to make their new home. Rich and Sandi have lived in Clinton for 26 years and consider this their forever home.
Councillor Burrage has strong family and community values and was named Clinton’s 2011 Citizen of the Year. Councillor Burrage is a consummate volunteer; her passion towards her community has led her to join many non-profit groups where she volunteers endless hours and strives to make Clinton a vibrant and welcoming community. When asked why she wanted to run for Council, Councillor Burrage states “she is passionate about Clinton, and wants to honor Clinton’s heritage and history while working to attract tourism, new business and residents to enhance Clinton’s services and ensure sustainability.” Councillor Burrage believes in open communication and transparency and looks forward to the challenge of representing the interests of Clinton for the next 4 years as she serves as Councillor.
Councillor Darrell Schapansky
Councillor Schapansky and his wife Lee have owned property and lived in Clinton for 31 years, since 1992. They are originally from the lower mainland area and relocated to Clinton to escape the hustle and bustle of the “cities”. Upon arriving in Clinton, they built Clinton Pines Campground and operated it for 15 years.
They have since sold it and now live in their present home in town. Councillor Schapansky has been involved with the building supply and construction industry for most of his working life in one way or another. He and Lee have operated their business of D&L Reman LTD. in Clinton for at least 23 years, and now they are semi-retired (what ever that is supposed to mean). Councillor Schapansky enjoys serving the community as a councillor for Clinton and is looking forward to the coming years.
Councillor David Park
Born and raised in Clinton, Councillor Park attended school from kindergarten through to graduation here. Councillor Park’s family roots run deep in Clinton and he is proud to call Clinton home. After graduation work caused Councillor Park to move to Vancouver and later Europe, however when it was time to start a family Councillor Park and his partner Jennifer chose to settle in their home town of Clinton to raise their family consisting of three young children. Councillor Park truly believes that “Clinton is the best place on earth to live and raise a family because you can afford a mortgage and the outdoors are only minutes from your doorstep.”
Initially elected to Council in 2011, and acclaimed to Council in 2014, Councillor Park brings …. READ MORE >7 years experience to the Council table for his third term in office. Councillor Park chose to run for Council as he feels that his demographic should be represented at the Council table, he wants to continue to be involved in the decision making that will define Clinton’s future.
Councillor Park is most passionate about “being part of the process” at the Council table, he states that “there are a lot of challenges and a huge learning curve when first elected,” but once you understand the process and realize its significance the opportunities are limitless.
Councillor Park feels that the biggest challenge facing small communities is a lack of funds resulting in budget restraints. Small communities all over BC struggle to maintain staffing, infrastructure, and services while upper levels of government continue to offload more responsibilities to the municipal level. Councillor Park hopes that with the direction given by the community in the 2014 Sustainability Plan, Clinton will become the thriving sustainable community that residents want it to be.
Councillor Nicholas Kosovic
Originally hailing from Richmond, Councillor Nicholas Kosovic was raised in a mixed-heritage household, born to a Mexican Mother and Slavic-Canadian Father. Working from a young age for his antique collector father as a translator and writing editor, Kosovic developed a passion for history and all things vintage. After graduating from the French Immersion program, he sought to pursue a degree in History at the University of British Columbia, focusing on 19th and 20th Century geopolitics and culture. During his degree, he attained a certificate in ELL teaching and began tutoring, continuing his exposure to advanced education through teaching a diverse set of topics such as Human Geography, Law Studies, and most other Liberal Arts. Shortly after becoming the head of the English department at a tutoring center, Kosovic started his own tutoring business shortly after the beginning of the pandemic.
Upon graduating from UBC in 2020, Kosovic spent much of his time travelling British Columbia with his wife while teaching remotely. Camping in their car on backcountry forest service roads provided relief during the isolation of lockdowns and broadened their perspectives on what the province had to offer. After several visits to Clinton, Kosovic and his wife decided that it is the best town in the province. Together, they simultaneously planned a wedding and relocation, proving to be the most incredible adventure upon which they have ever embarked. …. READ MORE >Kosovic was incredibly fortunate to manage the Clinton Museum shortly after arriving, affording him the opportunity to immerse himself in Clinton’s rich history and represent the village to visiting guests. Planning community events alongside the phenomenal Clinton youth and the Historical Museum Society, he was able to meet many of the village’s longtime residents and gather insight into what makes Clinton unique and resilient. Kosovic holds a strong commitment to Clinton’s community, seeking to become involved where he can. He is currently learning the ropes (and hoses) as a member of the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department. He’s certain that raising children in Clinton is the best choice he will ever make. He and his wife have found profound fulfillment as newcomers to the community. Kosovic is passionate about employing out-of-the-box thinking to tackle challenges, seeking emerging ideas as well as inspiration from the past. Always inviting feedback and suggestions, he looks forward to working with the community to build back Clinton while preserving the unique character of the village.
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