The Cariboo Chilcotin school district has set the date for a by-election to replace former Board of Education trustee Ciel Patenaude.
Patenaude, who sat as chair of the board and who represented the district's Zone 4 which covers Horsefly, Big Lake, 150 Mile House and Likely, resigned as of Nov. 30.
In an interview with simplymastery, Patenaude said the reason she left the board was because she felt completely overwhelmed in both her personal and professional life. A mother of two whose youngest just started kindergarten, Patenaude said she didn't want to miss anytime with her young ones. With board meetings requiring multiple evenings away from her home in Horsefly, it was becoming too much.
The former board of education trustee has also been balancing her studies with the job, having just last week graduated from a clinical counselling program.
At the board’s Dec. 16 regular public meeting, the district’s secretary-treasurer Brenda Hooker reviewed the by-election process with the board and proposed March 8, 2025, as a by-election date.
All three readings of the district’s bylaw No. B2707-1 were read, and meeting the required unanimous approval from the board, the bylaw was passed to kick off the by-election. The board appointed Judy Felker, who has experience running elections both provincially and locally, as Chief Election Officer. Jodi Symmes was appointed as Deputy Election Officer.
The last day to declare candidates for the position of board trustee for Zone 4 is Jan. 31, 2025, and the campaign period will begin on Feb. 1 with a general voting day set for March 8, 2025. Those wanting to cast their vote will need to apply nearer to the voting period by giving their name and address to the chief election officer or to an appointed person.
Patenaude served on the board for six years and ended her time there as chair. She praised new chair Angie Delainey for her excellent work taking on the role, and said the trustees should be able to get on fine without her.
"People on the board are exceptionally enthusiastic and committed to what they're doing," she said. Meeting attendance is normally high so there shouldn't be concern for a failure to meet quorum, she said, and families in the area she represented should be able to reach out to any other board member while they await for Patenaude's replacement.
For those interested in taking on the remaining two years of her position, Patenaude said you do not have to live in the electoral area to run for the position, however she said it is probably preferred.
The role can at times be very busy and other times quiet, but it does require attendance at multiple meetings each month.
"You do have to be passionate about public education...but I really would encourage people to apply," Patenaude said.
Hooker told the Tribune anyone can run as a candidate as long as they are a resident of B.C, and an information session will be hosted in January for those interested.
Financial updates
During the meeting Hooker also presented the district’s draft Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) for the year ending on June 30, 2024, for the board’s approval. The SOFI goes through detailed statements of district assets, liabilities and schedules of operating revenues and expenses.
The SOFI also lists each board member’s remuneration, as well as each district employee who is paid over $75,000. Former Supt. Chris Van de Mark, who retired at the end of the previous school year, had the highest remuneration of $242,157 followed by new Supt. Cheryl Lenardon, whose amounted to $237,028 while serving as deputy superintendent for the district.
In preparation for budget updates coming in the new year, Hooker also reviewed a forecast of the district’s revenue and expenses to the end of December. She noted the district's quarterly financial report sent to the Ministry of Education and Child Care indicated the district is in a deficit position, and she told simplymastery the trend suggests operating expenses will exceed operating revenue for the 2024-2025 school year.
The district is given funding twice a year from the ministry, the second normally received in December. This year's "revised operation grants," the second portion of funding from the province which is based on student enrolment, will only be received in January.
"This will delay our amended budget process by a month or so and the concern is that we will be almost three quarters of the way through 2024-2025 before we have certainty over our revenues," Hooker said.
"This is why the district is being cautious around our spending."
District considers audio tune-ups for board meetings
In her presentation to the board, Lenardon requested approval to circulate draft calendars for the following two years.
“We’re going over and above the normal communication processes,” Lenardon said, explaining they wanted to get ahead of the calendar so families and staff could plan. The recommendation was approved, and the calendars will be made available for the public and staff to view and submit feedback.
The superintendent also told the board it was brought to the district’s attention members of the public were struggling to hear staff during board meetings, and they were responding by looking into updating the board meetings’ audio system.
Sure enough, one parent spoke up during the Dec. 16 meeting saying they could not hear Hooker as she began to introduce the by-election process to the board.
Students decorate for the holidays, parents continue to air concerns over bullying
Before adjourning Chair Angie Delainey, while highlighting reports from committee of the board meetings over the past month, said she was grateful for the students from the Skyline Alternate School who handcrafted beautiful Christmas decorations for the district office.
Trustee Anne Kohut said it was excellent to hear from Skyline students who spoke about the decorations they made as well as how much they enjoyed bringing snacks and hot drinks to people in Boitanio Park.
Eleven members of the public attended the meeting, and one parent addressed the board claiming students are afraid to attend school, parents are afraid to send their children to school and recent bus stop changes are complicating students’ means of getting to school.
“If you look at this hall, you see all the parents that are interested to listen about bullying and violence, that would like to listen to what's going on...we haven’t heard anything yet, from none of you...why?” said George Hobi.
Hobi is one of several parents banded together under the name Concerned Parents and Caregivers of Williams Lake. His statement was met with applause by members of the public seated in the gallery.
The Cariboo Chilcotin School District serves just over 4,500 students within 24 schools, stretching across central interior British Columbia from 100 Mile House to Likely to Anahim Lake.
