Two familiar faces are hoping to return to their work as trustees in the Vernon School District.
Steve Connor spent 12 years as a trustee, while Perry Wainwright served three years, and both are hoping to claim two of the four Vernon/BX spots up for grabs Nov. 15.
A father of two grown children, Connor has been a letter carrier with Canada Post for 40 years.
“I have decided to run again because I believe I have the skills and experience to be an effective member of the board,” he said.
“Having served for 12 years as a trustee, my background and work ethic will be a benefit to the community. I have always supported the employees of the district and would like the opportunity to once again do so.”
For Connor, underfunding of education continues to be the big issue facing the district, but at the same time he wants to find a way to keep busing for those students who need it, at little or no cost to parents.
“I also think it is important to retain our district-based bus drivers and buses,” he said.
“Although the teachers and support staff have settled their respective collective agreements, pressure still needs to be put on this government to adequately fund education in this province.”
Connor added that the board is the conduit between the community and the provincial government, and that the majority of the board’s budget is consumed by wages and maintenance.
“The small amount remaining is what the trustees have left to decide how to use it most effectively to further the education of our kids,” he said.
Wainwright and his wife, Lydia, have one son now in his fourth year at university.
While running a landscaping/pruning business, Wainwright has always found time to give back to the community, from his work as a trustee to volunteering with the safe arrival program at Harwood Elementary School and serving on the board of the District Parent Advisory Council.
“What I always enjoyed as a trustee was the interaction with the students and the teachers and administrators and going into the schools, where they are always so proud to show you what they’ve done,” he said.
“If I’m elected, I look forward to representing the people of this district as I did before — I enjoyed my time on the board and I’m eager to go back to it.”
Wainwright sees class size and composition as one of the most crucial issues in public education today, along with lack of funding for school districts.
“We’re up 100 students, so hopefully declining enrolment is past us,” he said.
Busing is also a concern, and Wainwright said if elected he’d like to meet with parents and learn about their concerns.
“The 2.4 kilometre limit doesn’t seem like a lot, but on an icy road in the middle of winter, the darkness coming in earlier and earlier, then that makes a difference.”
Also seeking a seat as Vernon/BX trustee are incumbents John Armstrong, Mollie Bono and Kelly Smith and newcomers Lisa de Boer and Brenda Giffin.
Elsewhere in the district, Coldstream, incumbent trustee Bill Turanski is going up against Robert Lee Nov. 15.
Incumbents Mitiz Fortin and Doris Square have been acclaimed to another term as the Lumby/Cherryville trustees.
