Tri-City voters wanted change in their School District 43 board of education and change is what they got, electing five newcomers in Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.
The villages of Anmore/Belcarra also wanted change and elected a newcomer to the board, too, for a total of six of nine trustees. The only incumbents re-elected were Diane Sowden in Coquitlam, Judy Shirra in Port Coquitlam and Keith Watkins in Port Moody.
One of the key changes in School District 43 will be the loss of current board chair and Port Moody school trustee Melissa Hyndes who did not get re-elected, after serving 12 years on the board.
Hyndes was an able board chair but in her role as spokesperson took the brunt of criticism for the district's financial difficulties, and though she was unavailable to speak to The News Saturday night, will likely be missed for her knowledge of school district issues and representation as director on the BC School Trustees Association.
Keith Watkins, who did get reelected and is an able campaigner, having been reelected in Port Moody now six times, spoke briefly, saying he was pleased with the results of the vote.
However, the real story is the number of new trustees who will be facing a huge learning curve in the beginning of their four-year term as they step into the shoes of trustees who have been on the board for many years.
Carol Cahoon, Coquitlam
Carol Cahoon, newly elected trustee for Coquitlam, said she is ready to get down to work immediately and looks forward to the challenge. "If there was a board meeting called tomorrow, I would be ready for it," she said, acknowledging that she has a lot to learn but also wants to work on establishing lines of communication with the community, including families and teachers, and ensure the board gets its finances in order.
"I'm looking forward to being part of a great team," Cahoon said.
Michael Thomas, who topped the polls in Port Coquitlam, said he too was eager to get to the work of school trustee.
Thomas said his experience as a volunteer stood him in good stead during the run-up to the Nov. 15 election and added that he plans to "git the ground running" in his work for the school board.
"Obviously we need to get the funding situation stabilized and ensure that student resources are restored," Thomas said.
Representing the villages will be Kerri Palmer Isaak, a current village councillor who opted to run for school trustee, ousting Holly Butterfield, a long-time trustee.
Other incumbents who did not get re-elected were Gerri Wallis, a long-time Coquitlam trustee and Gail Alty, also a Coquitlam school trustee who currently lives in Sooke.
Brian Robinson chose not to run again in Coquitlam and John Keryluk, another long-serving trustee, did not run this time in Port Coquitlam.
Michael Thomas, Port Coquitlam
The preliminary results for election [at approximately 9:30 p.m. Saturday] to the SD43 board of election are as follows:
Coquitlam
Diane Sowden - 8594 (Incumbent)
Carol Cahoon - 8057
Chuck Denison - 7796
Barb Hobson - 7547
Port Moody
Keith Watkins 3,231 (Incumbent)
Lisa Park 2,786
Port Coquitlam
Michael Thomas 4,858
Judy Shirra 4,703 (Incumbent)
Anmore/Belcarra
Kerri Palmer Isaak 430
