Meet the Mayor and Council
2018 - 2022
Mayor Keith Bertrand
Keith Bertrand grew up in Devon, Alberta and completed five years of post-secondary schooling with two completed
diplomas (Management and Accounting) from NAIT business school. Keith moved to his wife Cristal’s hometown of
Tumbler Ridge 15 years ago and currently works for NCSG Crane and Heavy Haul. Keith and his wife have two
daughters ages14 and 11.
Mayor Bertrand sits on the Peace River Regional District Board of Directors, NDIT’s Northeast Regional
Advisory Committee,TR Health Needs Committee and a number of Council boards and committees.
His passions include hunting and fishing as well as hockey and baseball.
Contact: kbertrand@dtr.ca Oath of Office Mayor Bertrand Inaugural Address
Councillor Will Howe
Will Howe was first elected to Council in 2014 and is serving a second term after being re-elected in 2018.
Councillor Howe sits on the TR Health Needs Task Force and is the Tumbler Ridge Chamber of Commerce liaison.
Contact: whowe@dtr.ca Oath of Office
Councillor Joanne Kirby
Joanne Kirby was first elected to Council in 2014 and is serving a second term after being re-elected in 2018. Joanne’s
portfolios include Tourism Action Committee, NDIT Northeast Regional Advisory Committee, Museum Development
Committee, Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark liaison and Alternate Director for the Peace River Regional District.
Joanne moved to Tumbler Ridge in 1997 from Whitehorse, Yukon to run a business with her husband Pernell. In the early
years Joanne was busy raising her family and soon learned how to juggle things so she could be involved
in her community.
Before entering politics Joanne coached school sports such as basketball and volleyball, was President of the
Tumbler Ridge Child Care Society, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, sat on both the Golf Club and Curling Club Executive
and took an active role in the development of Tumbler Ridge’s on going Tourism Action Plans.
Joanne has served 16 years as a board member or volunteer with the TR Days Society, which puts on Grizfest, one of the most popular northern outdoor music events in the Peace. Through this group Joanne started the Pumpkin Patch, which is still one of Tumbler’s most attended family events.
The things Joanne most loves about Tumbler Ridge is the outdoors. She learned to fish with her Dad back in Saskatchewan and spent summers at the lake. Then she moved to the Yukon, hiking, fishing, slow pitch and husband….could it get any better….yes it did. The move to Tumbler Ridge BC and it was supposed to be five years. Now it has become home. This place hidden in the foothills has given them everything. They have had two successful businesses and will have raised two of their four children in Tumbler Ridge from K-12, almost, with the youngest in Grade 11.
Councillor Kirby is thankful for family and for being chosen once again to serve her community.
Contact: jkirby@dtr.ca Oath of Office
Councillor Darryl Krakowka
Darryl Krakowka was first elected to Council in 2014 and is serving a second term after being re-elected in 2018.
Darryl was appointed as the Deputy Mayor. Councillor Krakowka sits on the TR Health Needs Task Force
and as an alternate on the Tourism Action Committee.
Darryl moved to Tumbler Ridge in 2007 when he bought a business and continues to be an active member of the
community. He retired from BC Ambulance in April 2017 and was a referee for Minor Hockey. Darryl is a member
of the Tumbler Ridge Lions Club and enjoys outdoor activities that the area has to offer such as quadding,
hunting and fishing.
Contact: dkrakowka@dtr.ca Oath of Office
Councillor Bernie Lehmann
Councillor Lehmann has been serving the District of Tumbler Ridge since November 2018. Bernie’s portfolio
includes the Tumbler Ridge Health Needs Committee and the Building Healthy Communities Committee.
Bernie was born in Switzerland and moved to Ontario, Canada at the age of ten. He decided to hitch-hike out
West after high school and ended up in Elsa, Yukon where he spent 21 years in the mining and then construction
industry. Bernie moved to Tumbler Ridge in 1994. During his time in Tumbler Ridge Bernie has sat on the
Tumbler Ridge Chamber of Commerce Board and the TR Golf and Country Club Society Board and the Curling Club.
Bernie is married to Theresa and they have one daughter. Bernie enjoys spending free time golfing in summer
and curling in the winter.
In Bernie’s own words, “Tumbler Ridge is not hard to fall in love with having beautiful scenery, plenty of wildlife and that
small town bonus where you can talk to almost anyone if you are so inclined - all in all not a bad place to live.”
Contact: blehmann@dtr.ca Oath of Office
Councillor Curtis Miedzinksi
Councillor Miedzinski has been serving the District of Tumbler Ridge since November 2018 and his portfolio
includes a seat on the Library Board and Alternate liaison Northeast Regional Advisory Committee.
Curtis grew up in Dawson Creek and his professional career took him to the Bow Valley after graduation
where his passion for outdoor recreation grew. He decided to take a leap and change careers and
communities and looked all around BC to find the perfect town. Curtis looked for a community
that he could open a home business and a place where he could help develop recreation to provide the
work-lifestyle balance he was striving for. Tumbler Ridge was the place for him!
Curtis has lived in Tumbler Ridge since 2016 and is enthusiastic and passionate about the
opportunities and possibilities for the future. Curtis is dedicated to ensuring Tumbler Ridge is a strong and thriving
community for years to come.
Contact:cmiedzinski@dtr.ca Oath of Office
Councillor Chris Norbury
Councillor Norbury has been serving the District of Tumbler Ridge since November 2018 and his portfolio
includes a seat on the Tumbler Ridge Community Forest Board and Building Healthy Communities Committee.
Contact: cnorbury@dtr.ca Oath of Office