It was a somber team of trustees who gathered in the conference room at the South East Cornerstone Public School Division last Thursday. It was only a little over a week since the untimely passing of their fellow director Garry Hammett in a highway accident.
Chairman Harold Laich opened the public portion of the meeting by asking for a moment of silence to commemorate the passing "of a long time school board member and community leader."
Following the silent tribute, Laich added that Hammett's life had been one of service to his family and the community and that included more than 24 years of dedication to the educational governance family in which he was an integral member.
"We want to give Margo (Hammett's wife) and her family our support for the difficult weeks and months ahead."
The trustees said they had also spent time during their morning in-camera session with some quiet reflection concerning Hammett's contribution to public education and the suddenness of his passing.
Trustees Kevin Keating and Janet Foord took a moment to note how his funeral service also portrayed the kind of man he was, even down to the Saskatchewan Roughrider cheer.
"The music, the service, the cheer, if you knew Garry, you knew it was very appropriate," said Foord.
During the midway portion of the afternoon's agenda, there was a note to call for a byelection to fill the seat that had been filled by Hammett, in Subdivision 4.
Shelley Toth, vice-president of administration and finance, and Foord said that although the election call may seem to be too soon, there was a need to be in compliance with the Education Act and therefore nominations would have to close by June 5 and a byelection would take place July 10 if more than one candidate surfaced to assume the representative's duties for the Alameda, Oxbow, Lampman and Bienfait areas.
The board also set a date for a special board meeting on May 30 to accommodate any final resignations or contract terminations that might surface at the last minute. Following that date, the new human resources contracts go into effect.
