WEYBURN - There were no surprises and no significant changes to the composition and organization of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division governance model during the division’s annual organizational meeting on Nov. 17.
The organizational session was conducted the same day as the board’s regular open public meeting in their Weyburn head office.
Audrey Trombley and Carol Flynn were again selected by their fellow board members to lead them in the roles as chair and vice-chair for another year. Both were elected by acclamation with Estevan trustees Eric McCrimmon and Kevin Keating providing the nomination motions.
Keating and McCrimmon also assume roles on an ad hoc committee formed two years ago to pursue major facility projects in the Energy City while trustees Tami Scott and Jim Vermeersch were appointed to a similar committee that is reviewing school facility needs in Carlyle. Keating will also represent SECPSD at the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association annual meeting.
Other committee appointments included Vermeersch heading up the audit committee while Flynn will be the division’s representative on the provincial school boards association.
For a third consecutive year, the board decided not to make any change to the indemnity rates of payment with that remaining at $250 per day for meetings of four hours or more and half that amount for sessions of less than four hours. There are also exceptions for travel time and additional hours based on a pay scale of $35 per hour for special situations.
Board members are to be paid one per diem per month in recognition of meeting preparation time and the chairperson is paid an additional monthly per diem to recognize the additional duties required of that position.
The mileage payment formula remains unchanged, as well as the lodging rates and meal reimbursement schedule pegged at $10, $15 and $25 for breakfast, lunch and supper, respectively, while engaged in board business on the road.
It was noted that for Trombley and Flynn, the roles of chair and vice-chair are quite familiar to them since one or the other have been in those executive positions since 2005-06, with the exception of a two-year term as chair served by former trustee Harold Laich. During his terms in that office, Flynn and Trombley were selected to serve in the roles of vice-chair.
This is the eighth consecutive year Trombley and Flynn have held the roles. They were also in those duties from 2005-06 to 2008-09.
“Our board members are committed to serving our staff, students, parents and communities and I look forward to my ongoing work with them to ensure their voices are heard at the board table,” Trombley said. “As board chair I will continue to work with the board of education and administration to do the best we can to keep our students and staff as safe as possible.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for the education sector and as a result our board has been required to make difficult decisions.
“We are committed to following the advice of the chief medical officer of our province and our local medical health officers. I will diligently work alongside the board and our director of education, to provide the governance required to achieve the mission, vision and goals of the school division. I appreciate the support that I have received from the board and thank them for their continued confidence in my leadership.”
Trombley represents Cornerstone's Subdivision 5, which has schools in Fillmore, Stoughton, Midale and Macoun. Flynn represents Subdivision 1, which includes Moosomin, Wapella and Rocanville.
