There has been some shuffling of chairs in the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s conference room, with the Weyburn representatives to be determined in the school board election on November 9.
The stage is set not only for some shifting of regional representation, but it is also set for one election process and three more new faces for sure to be at the table when regular business resumes by the board in mid-November.
The only election that will be required will be for the selection of two representatives for the City of Weyburn. There are three candidates seeking the two seats, incumbents Melanie Sorensen and Brandon Tichkowsky who are being challenged by Norma Hewitt-Lendrum.
The two seats assigned to the City of Estevan will see Kevin Keating taking up one of them as he moves over from his previous position as representative for Subdivision 4 that includes the communities of Alameda, Lampman, Oxbow and Bienfait.
Tami Scott will replace Keating as the representative in Subdivision 4. She ran unopposed in that region. Estevan’s other seat will be claimed by newcomer Eric McCrimmon.
Since there were no other nominations for Estevan filed by the October 7 deadline, McCrimmon and Keating were elected by acclamation.
Keating, who now resides in Estevan, said it was a natural move for him to make due to his residency situation.
Jim Vermeersch, who had been an Estevan representative, shifted positions and will now represent Subdivision 2 (Arcola, Carlyle, Manor, Wawota). He has given similar reasons for this shift since he no longer resides in Estevan, but continues to live in the school district, in the Subdivision 2 area. The Subdivision 2 seat had been left vacant with the retirement of Harold Laich. Vermeersch was the only candidate to file nomination papers, so he gets the seat by acclamation.
The other Estevan representative to leave the post was Shari Sutter, who chose to retire, citing farm and work related demands for her decision.
Another new face at the table will be Jennifer Wilkinson, who will represent Subdivision 6. She is replacing Elwood White, who also chose to retire from the board after serving two terms as the representative for the Pangman, Ogema, Gladmar, Oungre, Radville and Yellow Grass communities.
Incumbents Carol Flynn in Subdivision 1 (Moosomin, Rocanville, Wapella); Jim Henderson, Subdivision 3 (Carievale, Carnduff, Redvers) and Audrey Trombley, Subdivision 5 (Fillmore, Stoughton, Midale, Macoun) were all declared re-elected by acclamation.
The newcomers will take their seats around the boardroom table on Nov. 18 when the Cornerstone board will engage in its annual organizational meeting that will be followed immediately by a regular business session.
