FORT FRANCES—Most school board seats—both public and separate—already have been filled by acclamation, but there will be elections in three areas in November.
Incumbent Dan Belluz and Donna Dittaro, who served as a trustee about 10 years ago, were acclaimed to the two Fort Frances seats on the Rainy River District School Board.
Also acclaimed were current board chair Ron McAlister (Rainy River), current vice-chair Margaret Heyens (Emo), and incumbent Judy Eluik (Atikokan).
There will, however, be an election for the seat on the board representing La Vallee, where Glenda Belluz and Barbara Everett have filed their papers to run.
Incumbent Martin Darrah declined to seek re-election.
McAlister said the upcoming year will be a challenging one for the board.
“Funding, straight and simple,” he said when asked what the board’s biggest hurdle will be.
“Our fate hangs on the ministry [of education.] When they cut that million dollars, they hit us right in the gut,” he added.
In June, the ministry announced funding cuts to certain grants, including those for remote, rural, and distant schools, as well as declining enrolment.
The public board made up the shortfall by transferring funds from reserves, but McAlister noted that is only a temporary measure and cannot be done every year.
“Basically, we’re going to have to tighten our belt. We’ve managed not to hit the classroom, but that’s for now,” he warned.
“It is going to be a difficult and a trying year,” McAlister added.
Still, McAlister said he was happy with how the board is shaping up for the next four years given the mix of old and new trustees.
“There’s never anything wrong with positive change,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Northwest Catholic District School Board will need elections in two areas.
The first is here in Fort Frances, where incumbents Gerry Rousseau, Harold Huntley, and Anne Marie Fitzgerald, along with newcomer Paul Cousineau, are vying for the three seats.
Rousseau currently is the board chair.
And in Morley, incumbent Mark Chojko-Bolec is running against Don Marquis and Kim Desserre for the one seat there.
The board also has two seats in Dryden, where incumbents John Borst and Robert vanOort (the current vice-chair) have been acclaimed, and one in Sioux Lookout, where incumbent Cathy Bowen also has been acclaimed.
Mary Ellen Kennedy also has been acclaimed for the Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales—the region’s French-language separate school board.
(Fort Frances Times)
Correction
It was reported in yesterday’s Times (above article) that Mary Ellen Kennedy was acclaimed as a trustee to Le Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales—the region’s French-language separate school board.
In fact, Lina Mayer of Kenora also has filed for the seat, which covers the Kenora and Rainy River districts, therefore there will be an election for it.
The Times regrets any inconvenience or confusion this error may have caused.
