Six candidates have filed nomination papers for a vacant spot on the School District 71 board of education.
The deadline to file was Friday afternoon after which chief election officer Clyde Woolman and the school district released the names of the people hoping to become a trustee. The person will represent the school community in Area C of the Comox Valley Regional District.
Even though only one person challenged incumbent Ian Hargreaves in 2018, the race features two people who ran last time. Once again, Terence Purden is running in Area C, as is Randi Baldwin, who actually ran to represent the Town of Comox two years ago. The four other candidates in the running are Kandice Bielert, Monica Parkin, Cristi May Sacht and Robert Thompson.
The winner will fill the vacant seat for the remaining two years until the next local government elections in 2022. Former trustee and board chair Ian Hargreaves stepped down in early September.
“On behalf of School District 71, we wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mr. Ian Hargreaves for his many years of service to the families and students of the Comox Valley,” interim chair Tonia Frawley said in a news release following his departure. “Ian devoted a valuable and extended service to education as a long-time teacher, trustee and, finally, chairperson of the board of education. We wish Ian the best in his future endeavours and thank him for all he has done for students.”
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The board later picked trustee Sheila McDonnell to serve as the new chair.
General voting for the Area C trustee position will take place on Saturday, Dec. 12.
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