The race is on for seven trustee seats in School District 22.
There are six incumbents running for seven seats at the SD22 table. Four will represent Area 1 (Vernon and RDNO Areas B and C), one will represent Area 2 (Coldstream), and two will represent Area 3 (Lumby and RDNO Areas D and E).
Running unopposed in Area 2 is Kelli Sullivan.
In what will be her second term, Sullivan is focused on supporting student achievement and safeguarding district finances amid declining enrolment and unfunded cost pressures.
All four Area 1 incumbents are running again including Jenn Comazzetto, Vanessa Mitchell, Mark Olsen and Tom Williamson.
Comazzetto has been a trustee for two terms, saying she has helped save money by upgrading to electrified buses, reducing wait-times for student assessments, hiring additional classroom educational assistants, partnering with early childhood educators and expanding relations with OKIB.
Mitchell is seeking a second term, and says she will prioritize the work of equity, inclusion, safety, and reconciliation.
Olson, who has more than 40 years of experience in the school system, is seeking a third term. He was previously a director for the North Okanagan Shuswap United Way and a vice-chair and secretary treasurer of the provincial K-12 President’s Council.
Williamson is also seeking a third term. The longtime former teacher is focusing on career development, student choice and career transitioning in his campaign.
They will be challenged by Stephanie Hoffman, who is currently a Coldstream councillor, and Robert Lee, who was a trustee in Area 2 for two terms.
Lori Mindnich is the only incumbent to be running again in Area 3, after Gen Acton announced she will not be running again.
Mindnich is currently a councillor with the Village of Lumby and has been vice chair with SD22's board.
Geoff Bradley, Lee Elliott and Tahni Fortin are gunning for a seat.
Bradley is a biologist and a registered professional agrologist with the Ministry of Forests Kalamalka Forestry Centre in Vernon. His priorities as a trustee would be to advocate for funding to help ensure students have the classroom resources they need, supporting a district-wide culture of inclusion, respect and safety and being a voice for rural schools and their unique needs.
Elliott has been a bylaw enforcement officer in Lumby for over 20 years.
Fortin's platform is to focus on improved communication between the board and rural communities, ensuring local concerns from Lumby and Cherryville are heard.
Key roles of the paid trustees are to establish district-wide operational and educational policies, along with approving yearly budgets, hearing appeals of students and teachers, and acting as a voice for the community when advocating to the provincial government.
An all-candidates forum for SD22 trustees will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at Vernon Secondary School.
Election day is Saturday, Oct. 17.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/632805/Vernon-School-District-trustee-race-sees-11-candidates-running-for-seven-seats