Local trustees being challenged

The two incumbent trustees for Fort Frances on the local public school board will have to fight to hold onto their seats as a newcomer entered the race prior to last Friday’s nomination deadline.
Long-time trustees Gord McBride and Dan Belluz—the current chair and vice-chair of the board, respectively—are seeking re-election Nov. 10 against challenger Linda Wall.
“I thought about it for a long time. I think there’s a need for change,” said Wall, who works for the Ministry of Natural Resources here. “Your kids spend a long time in school, you should get involved. Either put up or shut up.
“I’m not running because I think something is wrong,” she continued, though noting she does have some concerns about education and the way teachers are being treated.
“I worry about the atmosphere in schools.
Wall also believes “fresh blood is important and a new perspective,” saying the other two candidates have been acclaimed for “who knows how long. It’s important that people have a choice.”
The three will be squaring off for the two seats Fort Frances is allocated on the Rainy River District School Board by population distribution.
Another battle is set for the west end of the district.
Ron McAlister, the incumbent rep for Rainy River, Morley, Dawson, Morson, and Lake of the Woods, is being challenged by local business women Crystal Lindal and Lisa Armstrong.
The other four elected seats on the board will be filled by acclamation.
Once again, Martin Darrah will represent the townships of La Vallee and Alberton as well as the Lake Despair area. In Atikokan, Judy Eluik has been acclaimed for the seat there.
But a new face has been acclaimed to represent the townships of Emo and Chapple. Margaret Heyens has put her name in, replacing Frank Sheppard, who chose not to seek re-election.
Jim Leonard is the current First Nations appointee on the board.
Meanwhile, most seats on the Northwest Catholic District School Board have been acclaimed, including the three for Fort Frances, but a battle is shaping up for the two seats in Dryden.
Current trustees Wade Petranik, who also is vice-chair of the board, and Robert Van Oort are being challenged by John Borst.
Winning the three Fort Frances seats by acclamation are Gerry Rousseau, the board’s current chair, and trustees Harold Huntley and Anne Marie Fitzgerald.
Representing Emo, Chapple, Nestor Falls, Morley, Rainy River, Lake of the Woods, and surrounding unorganized areas once again will be trustee Mark Chojko-Bolec.
The person replacing Sioux Lookout trustee Bev Kondra, who resigned from the board in August because she was moving to British Columbia, will be Cathy Bowen.
The First Nations rep on the board is Ralph Bruyere.