Seven-term Delta trustee Dale Saip has announced he's stepping down as Chair of the Board of Education at the next meeting on Dec. 11.
It's a position the vice president of business development for the Vancouver Giants hockey team has held for four consecutive years.
"Leadership is about succession planning," said Saip by telephone interview on Monday (Dec. 3).
"We have some very talented trustees that I think are going to carry forward and do a great job. "
Although Saip will no longer be chair, he will continue to be an active member of the board.
"I've got some other things in my life that I'm looking at doing and from a timing perspective it's time do a little breathing. I've been sitting in the chair here for four years straight and it's a lot of extra work."
Saip said he didn't anticipate stepping down when he was sworn in as chair for a sixth time last December, but felt the timing was right.
"You take every year one year at a time."
The move does not coincide with any announcements of other political pursuits, although he didn't rule out the possibility in the future.
In March of 2011, Saip was set to run for the federal Conservative Party in Delta-Richmond East to replace outgoing MP John Cummins, but the party kiboshed the idea after finding out he once filed for bankruptcy in 1993 following a failed business venture.
He said he's since moved on from the experience.
The new chair will be selected at the inaugural public school board meeting on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. in Ladner.