Two candidates have stepped up for 100 Mile House-Zone 3 trustee byelection for School District #27 (SD27) happening this month.
Candidate Cameron Jenson says he has lived in 100 Mile House for three years, after retiring from self-employment as a business owner in Courtenay.
“The reason I am running is I believe as taxpayers that we demand more fiscal responsibility with our money, and I would just like to provide the correct amount of services to the correct places in the system at the right costs.”
Jensen has two children, including a son who attends Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School in Zone 3.
While he doesn’t believe cutting services to save costs is always the right way to go for a school board, he says at the same time, he also recognizes money must be spent in the right ways with the classroom resources required for children to benefit and get the best education they can, which is “very important.”
“I’ve never held a position in politics but I have held multiple board positions for private enterprise [and] societies.
“One was a men’s drug and alcohol recovery centre society – I was a treasurer and a board member with that for a number of years … and another was a competitive swim team.”
Jensen was both a board member and an assistant coach for the swim team in Courtenay, he explains.
“I’d just like to work with the existing board to further education … I believe it provides a brighter future with [a good] education behind you.”
Candidate Willow MacDonald recently moved to the 100 Mile House area and resides just outside municipal boundaries near Horse Lake, and her daughter attends Forest Grove Elementary School.
“I care about what goes on in this whole region … and our school system at large.”
MacDonald is the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Area B (Thompson Headwaters) Director, she explains, adding this role is part-time and brings her to the TNRD for meetings twice a week.
“I think that our trustees need to be engaged more with our citizens, our public, our moms and our dads.
“My experience being on the [TNRD] five years has shown me that we need to speak more with the people that we represent – that they don’t feel represented. So, I think my experience gives me a good insight into how that would work.
“We need strong people to be able to engage with who our community is.”
Her reasons for her trustee candidacy are more than just about her own opinions, but about where everyone wants their schools to go, she explains.
“I am aware the provincial government is finally starting to invest more money into our school system. I think it’s not enough … in terms of what the supreme court said, it’s not enough in terms of what our children need, and those are the reasons why I care, too.”
This byelection is being called to fill the position of former Zone 3 Trustee Chris Pettman, who submitted his resignation effective Dec. 30 to concentrate on preparing for his new role as Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre executive director.
The byelection will be held on March 25, with advance voting on March 15 – both 8 a.m.-8 p.m. – and mail-in ballots are available (after completing an application form) starting March 6 during business hours, at the District office at 385 Birch Ave. (on voting days, use the Fourth St. entrance).
More information is on the website at www.100milehouse.com/elections.
