The Citizen, 2007-12-20, Page 32With potentially-controversialpublic consultation processesrecently undertaken in three
separate communities, veteran
trustee Meg Westley felt compelledto seek a return to the top spot withthe Avon Maitland District SchoolBoard. And her fellow trustees obviouslybelieve she’s the right person for
the job.
The Stratford resident defeatedone-term incumbent Jenny Versteegof RR2, Gorrie at the board’s 2007-08 inauguralmeeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11,returning to a post she held for four
consecutive years beginning in
2002-03.
Versteeg, who took over the
chair’s role a year ago, was
subsequently acclaimed vice-chair
after Stratford’s Doug Pratley and
South Huron’s Randy Wagler
declined to let their names stand for
nomination.
Addressing trustees at the
conclusion of the meeting, Westley
stressed she’s “not disappointed”
with Versteeg’s leadership over the
past 12 months. Indeed, she
credited the North Perth
representative for bringing to
fruition an examination of board
governance first initiated while
Westley was still chair.
“We should really be thanking
you for all of the work you
have done over the past year,” she
told the outgoing chair – the only
one of the board’s nine trustees
who actually faced opposition in
the 2006 municipal election. “I
think, as a board, we really do
function a lot better because of
that.”
But, in contrast to the comments
she made a year ago after declining
to let her name stand for the chair’s
position – comments about the
value of bringing new ideas to the table – Westley suggested theboard now needs an experiencedleader.In particular, pupilaccommodation reviews are under
way in Goderich and Mitchell, with
community-based committees
currently considering such
possibilities as combining two
elementary schools into one,
and relocating Grades 7 and 8
students into secondary school
settings.
In St. Marys, meanwhile, two
elementary schools have been
declared Prohibitive to Repair, and
another community-based
committee is seeking input about
where and in what form to build a
replacement facility.
“I believe this coming year is
probably going to be the most
challenging year of not only this
board, but also the previous board,”
Westley said.
The second-longest-serving Avon
Maitland trustee, she believes the
considerable experience she
has built up since 2000 –
particularly through more than
one pupil accommodation review
– leave her well-placed to lead
the board through these decis-
ions.
Westley cautioned her
counterparts that accommodation
reviews tend to inspire division at
the board level.
“We may, very well, for the firsttime disagree violently on somethings,” she said. “In the past, it hasbeen a bit rare on accommodationreviews for all trustees to see thingsthe same way.”
She pointed to plans to celebrate
10 years since the amalgamation of
the former Perth County and Huron
County boards of education,
reminding trustees that the days are
long gone when there were
whispers about this county or that
county getting preferential
treatment.
She described the Avon Maitland
board as a model across the
province for post-amalgamation
education harmony.
“Remember how well we can get
along, and don’t take it personally
if you lose the (accommodation
review) vote,” she advised.
“I have faith, because of the solid
ground we’ve been building, that
we’ll pull through.”
PAGE 32. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2007.Versteeg loses AMDSB’s top spot to Westley
At this special time of year,
we’d like to take the time to wish all our readers
a very Merry Christmas and all
the best in the coming year.
From all the staff at
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Old time Christmas
Canadian fiddle champion Scott Woods filled the pews at
Melville Presbyterian Church on Saturday with his Old time
Christmas show. Woods, left, and his band played a two-
hour show full of Christmas favourites and humour for both
the younger and older faces in the crowd. The bad weather
couldn’t keep Brussels away from the show. People stood
at the back of the church to watch as seats were hard to
come by. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
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