Yee is last man standing
So far, only one member of ousted school board running in fall election

By KRISTEN LIPSCOMBE Education Reporter

Only one ousted Halifax regional school board member is saying for sure that he wants back on the board, while two others say they’re shooting for a seat on city council instead.

Gin Yee, who represented Dartmouth Centre-Albro Lake-Harbourview before the city’s school board was disbanded, told The Chronicle Herald on Tuesday he’s hoping voters will back him for a second time when they head to the polls Oct. 18.

"I think I have some unfinished business," he said. "I enjoyed my two years on the board but it got cut short."

Mr. Yee said he wants "to serve the people again" but pointed out he’ll be serving more of them if he is voted back into board chambers.

In March, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved the school board’s request to reduce its number of electoral districts from 12 to eight, plus the African-Nova Scotian member. That means Mr. Yee would represent the larger area of Dartmouth Centre, Woodside-Eastern Passage and Albro Lake-Harbourview.

Mr. Yee was the only one to announce he’s running in the election this week, but former board chairman Wade Marshall (Middle and Upper Sackville-Lucasville-Lower Sackville) said he’s "leaning toward" stepping into the race.

Another former chairman, Gary O’Hara (Clayton Park West-Fair-view-Clayton Park-Rockingham-Wentworth), said he, too, is undecided.

"There (are) just . . . personal and private things to consider."

Grace Walker (Cole Harbour-Woodside-Eastern Passage) said she isn’t ruling out a return but added that depends on who else is reoffering.

"Never say die, but I don’t think I’m going to run for the board," she said. "I’ll just wait and see who is putting their name up."

African-Nova Scotian rep Doug Sparks, meanwhile, is keeping his intentions a secret at the moment.

"I’m keeping my cards close to me."

But Bridget Ann Boutilier (Eastern Shore-Musquodoboit Valley) and Deborah Brunt (Timberlea-Prospect-Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets) were very vocal about their goals — both plan to give municipal politics a go instead.

Ms. Boutilier said she’s retiring from her job as a public health inspector this fall in hopes of becoming the full-time city councillor for Eastern Shore-Musquodoboit Valley, while Ms. Brunt said she’s setting her sights on Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets.

"I personally think that the school board would be better off with an entirely new slate of board members," Ms. Brunt said. "I think they need a fresh start."

Education Minister Karen Casey disbanded the struggling board back in December 2006, stripping the 13 elected members of all responsibilities and replacing them with retired civil servant Howard Windsor. Ms. Boutilier, Ms. Brunt and four other former board members took the province to court in a fight to get their jobs back, but they lost their appeal last month when Chief Justice Michael MacDonald ruled that the minister’s decision to take away their duties was fair and reasonable.

Debra Barlow (East Dartmouth-The Lakes-Portland-East Woodlawn), Mr. Marshall, Mr. O’Hara and Ms. Walker also sued the province. Darren Watts (Purcells Cove-Armdale-Spryfield-Herring Cove) was named in the original lawsuit but pulled out on appeal. He had started working with the Education Department at the time.

In an e-mail, Mr. Watts confirmed he won’t be putting his name back on the ballot.

"I regret that I was unable to finish my work as the school board member representing the people of District 10," he wrote.

"I wish all the best to the candidates and to the incoming school board."

Ms. Barlow, Kim Berkers (Halifax North End-Halifax Downtown) and Beth Pye (Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank-Bedford) also said they won’t be taking another stab at school board this time around.

"I don’t really want to talk about it," Ms. Pye said.

Ms. Pye was voted onto the board during a June 2006 byelection held to fill the seat left vacant by Peggy Draper. Ms. Draper was booted off the board for missing too many meetings and is also facing 19 counts of fraud, forgery and theft.

Lynn MacGregor (Northwest Arm-South End-Connaught-Quinpool) couldn’t be reached for comment, while Bernadette Reid (Preston-Lawrencetown-Chezzetcook) did not return phone calls from The Chronicle Herald.

Halifax lawyer Richard Bureau, who represented Ms. Reid in negotiations with the province to have her banned from sitting on school board for 10 years, couldn’t provide any information either.

Two years ago, a public inquiry found Ms. Reid violated the municipal Conflict of Interest Act by selling goods from her African crafts business to schools operated by the city’s board. Ms. Reid wasn’t charged criminally, but her lawyer told The Chronicle Herald last summer that a tentative — but confidential — agreement had been reached in the civil case.

Mr. Windsor has acted as the one-man school board for more than a year and a half, at the request of the education minister, and will continue in that capacity until the new board is elected.

Candidates must make their intentions known by Sept. 9.

Source: The Herald, Thursday, August 28, 2008
http://www.herald.ca