Mayor Jeff Genung believes the inaugural meeting of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) was largely ceremonial but it was a positive start of growth management discussions that need to take place.

The first meeting of the mandated growth board for 10 municipalities in the Calgary Region included representatives of both Cochrane and Rocky View County, Mar. 22.

Genung says the air seemed thick and nervous when the meeting opened but he was impressed with how determined interim chair Christopher Sheard wants to get it right despite naysayers who say it's an impossible task.

"He's quite dedicated to fact that he will find a way to bring us together and so we can get our work done," says Genung.

"I really agree that we need to be looking at things from a regional perspective. I'm excited to be working with all the regional leaders. The air is positive at this point and I'm looking forward to where we go with it. There are some clear issues that we have to deal with and I'm looking forward to having those discussions."

Rocky View County has been vocally opposed to a regional growth board in the past and was not part of the previously voluntary Calgary Regional Partnership that was dissolved on Feb. 28. It's now mandated and RVC Deputy Reeve Jerry Gautreau attended the first meeting in place of Reeve Greg Boehlke, who was unavailable.

"I think there are some outstanding issues on how to move forward with this growth management board with the municipalities, but I think the chair did a very good job to have all the groups work together."

The board created three working committees to support the regional planning process: the land-use committee, the Intermunicipal Servicing Committee and a governance committee. Each of these committees is expected to play an integral role in ensuring that the board delivers on its mandate before the January 1, 2021 deadline.