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Jim Vermeersch the new vice-chair for South East Cornerstone; Trombley remains the chair

Cornerstone board also finalizes committee appointments.
Audrey Trombley Jim Vermeersch
Audrey Trombley, left, is back as the Cornerstone board chairperson, and Jim Vermeersch is the vice-chairperson.

WEYBURN - The South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s board has a familiar face as its chairperson and a new person serving as vice-chairperson for the upcoming year.

At the organizational meeting held on Wednesday in Weyburn in conjunction with the regular public board meeting, Audrey Trombley and Jim Vermeersch were acclaimed as chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively, to the applause of fellow board members.

Trombley thanked the board for the confidence they placed in her in providing the opportunity to serve as board chairperson for another year, and expressed gratitude for the board’s support over the past year when circumstances dictated her attendance by virtual means.

As the representative for subdivision 5 (Fillmore, Stoughton, Midale and Macoun), she begins her ninth consecutive year holding the chairperson position and 13th one-year term as chairperson since amalgamation in 2006, having also served two terms as vice-chairperson and three as a regular board member.

Trombley’s background includes serving on various boards and committees at the local, provincial and federal levels, as well as working in local government administration.

A retired certified general accountant and board member for subdivision 2 (Arcola, Carlyle, Manor, Maryfield and Wawota), Vermeersch will begin his first year in his new role, replacing the late Carol Flynn who served as vice-chairperson alongside Trombley for the past eight years and four other years. 

Prior to a career in accounting, Vermeersch earned a bachelor’s degree in education and taught for eight years. He was very pleased to accept the vice-chairperson position, remarking that he looks forward to working with board chair Trombley and the rest of the board.

He is currently serving his second term on the board of education.

Vermeersch was initially elected as a trustee for the Estevan subdivision, and became the representative for subdivision 2 after he and his wife Heather moved to the Carlyle area.

During the organizational meeting, the following appointments were approved for 2022-2023:

  • Audit committee: Jim Henderson, Jim Vermeersch and Kevin Keating;
  • Board budget managers: Audrey Trombley and Jim Vermeersch;
  • Saskatchewan School Boards Association public section: Jim Henderson;
  • Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association AGM representative: Kevin Keating with Megan Schick to be the alternate;
  • Ad hoc committee for Estevan facilities: Kevin Keating, Eric McCrimmon;
  • Ad Hoc committee for Carlyle facilities: Jim Vermeersch, Tami Scott; 
  • Governance/human resources:  Norma Hewitt-Lendrum, Tami Scott, Eric McCrimmon; and
  • Bargaining appointments (observer status): chairperson or vice-chairperson.