The South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s (SECPSD) governance team will be under the leadership of Audrey Trombley and Carol Flynn for a sixth consecutive year. The two veteran members of the division’s board of trustees received the support of their fellow members during the annual organization meeting held in the division’s head office in Weyburn on Nov. 26.
The organizational meeting was held in conjunction with the board’s regular open business session that same afternoon with the board members declaring a recess from their regular agenda at 1:30 p.m. so they could engage in the organizational meeting that took about a half-hour to complete.
A minor twist was injected into what has become a traditional process when Flynn’s vice-chair position was challenged with a second nomination while the nomination of Trombley for the chair’s position went unchallenged. Weyburn trustee Brandon Tichkowsky submitted the name of trustee Elwood White for the vice-chair position following Flynn’s nomination.
The potential for an election for the position had been signalled earlier since Shelley Toth, the division’s chief financial officer, who is also the official returning officer, was prepared to accept secret ballots in an official ballot box.
All ten trustees were present with Harold Laich, representing Subdivision 2, joining the session through a conference call. He cast his ballot by emailing his choice to Director of Education Lynn Little who then cast the physical ballot in the box on his behalf. Flynn was declared the winner of the vice-chair position by a margin of 6-4.
When asked to make their pre-vote plea for support, White, who represents Subdivision 6 (Pangman, Ogema, Yellow Grass, Radville, Gladmar et al), said his low key campaign was not launched in protest since he knew Flynn had performed well in all instances and he had no doubts about her leadership qualities.
“There is no clash or protest here. I just felt it might be a good opportunity to open it up, an opportunity for others to learn and gain some experience in those roles. I think it could be a healthy move,” White said.
Flynn noted she was passionate about bringing educational items and issues to the boardroom and her enthusiasm for the job had not faltered and now that she had grandchildren in the system, that enthusiasm had been renewed and bolstered.
Following the vote, the board members moved into the selection process, deciding who was going to serve on various sub-committees such as representation on the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (Flynn, who also holds an executive position on that board), the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (Laich), Estevan facilities, ad hoc committee (Estevan trustees Shari Sutter, Jim Vermeersch and Subdivision 4 trustee Kevin Keating along with chairwoman Trombley).
Governance, human resources, bargaining appointments and audit committee appointments were also filled. The governance committee positions went to Laich, White, Keating and Tichkowsky while the bargaining appointees are Trombley and Flynn. The audit committee is comprised of Jim Henderson (Subdivision 3), Melanie Sorenson (Weyburn) and Vermeersch (Estevan) plus one external member from an accountancy firm.
When it came to board indemnity rates and monthly allowances the board members approved a rate of $250 per day indemnity for board member time that is devoted to school division business or, $125 for less than four hours in any given day while engaged in division business. The $200 for trustee benefit plan remained status quo.
Reimbursement for hotel rates remained intact at previous levels and rulings with meal allowances determined on types of meal (breakfast, lunch, supper being $10, $15 and$25 respectively) increased slightly.
Travel (mileage) allowances were also kept to an established formula that is re-evaluated on a monthly basis beginning with a .43 cent per kilometre payment for $1 charged at the gas pump, ascending or declining accordingly based on pump prices noted at the Weyburn Co-op Service Station.
The board then approved a motion to support an operating line of credit, if required, up to $8.3 million. They also approved the establishment of signing authorities for the upcoming year and the scheduling of regular business sessions on a monthly basis excluding July and August.
Once the organizational business agenda had been cleared the members voted for adjournment before reconvening to resume their regular business agenda.
