WRDSB opts to appoint two new trustees though concern raised over selection process

The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is opting to decide for itself who will fill a pair of seats left vacant after the resignation of one trustee last week for health reasons and the sudden death of another.

The board was presented with two options during a meeting on Monday; return to the polls or select a successor. It was also reminded the three previous board vacancies were all filled by appointment, two via an interview process and one by appointing the first runner-up in the most-recent election in the municipality where the vacancy occurred.

The board was also told, if it chose to run a byelection instead, it would have to cover the costs itself.

“To fill the two vacancies we currently have, this would involve four municipalities; Waterloo, Wilmot, Woolwich, and Wellesley,” said Joanne Weston, WRDSB Chairperson. “We’ve received pricing on a byelection in Waterloo which would be [around] $214,000 [and] information from the townships has been requested but not yet received.”

The board, however, estimating the total cost would run more than a half-million dollars.

“I think that a byelection would be prohibitively expensive,” said Scott Piatkowski, who also noted the timing would likely require voting to take place in July or August. “Even federal and provincial governments avoid the summer months for calling elections because turnout is always low.”

“I [also] don’t think it’s a good use of board resources to have that kind of an expense at this time when our last report on our financial situation was getting a little shaky,” echoed Kathleen Woodcock.

That said, while cost concerns were unanimous, there was also concern raised over the prospect of potentially handing the positions away.

“I’m not for voting for this and then it turns out that whoever has the best speech gets the position,” said Cindy Watson. “I have a fundamental belief that democracy is better than appointing someone because they can give a really good speech and maybe it agrees with someone else’s belief system.”

“I’d rather hold a byelection because that’s democratic, or give it to the person next in line because that’s [also] democratic,” Watson continued.

Ultimately, the board decided to bypass a byelection and select a pair of replacement trustees itself.

It also voted to set-up an ad hoc committee to make recommendations as to what that process might look like. Those recommendations are expected to be presented to the board on May 29.