[NEWS] Trustees say they’re undecided about running

There are a lot of undecided school trustees in New Westminster.
Only two incumbent trustees out of seven have confirmed to The Record they will seek re-election in this fall’s civic race for a seat on the board of education.
Local residents will vote on Nov. 15 for who they believe will best represent the interests of students in the Royal City.
Trustees James Janzen and Jonina Campbell say their names will be on the ballot, while trustees Michael Ewen, Casey Cook, David Phelan and Lisa Graham said they haven’t made up their minds yet.
Trustee MaryAnn Mortensen could not be reached at press time to say whether she will seek re-election. Trustees earn an annual stipend of between approximately $21,500 to $23,800 and will serve a four-year term – a bump up from the previous three years.
Ewen, the longest serving sitting trustee in the province (35 years), wouldn’t confirm his candidacy, but said, “It’s unlikely that I won’t run, put it that way.
“There are things I want to finish off still, such as obviously the secondary school and finances,” he said.
He wants to wait to see who all of the candidates are before he makes his decision, Ewen added.
“I don’t feel the need to run forever, I just want to see who’s running. I want to make sure that we have a good, progressive group of people that are going to run,” he said.
Janzen confirmed he would seek re-election with a goal to make sure that even in tough times vulnerable students are protected with such offerings as lunch programs and alternate schools.
Graham was on the fence about her candidacy, saying, “I haven’t made up my mind entirely.
“I’m just staring to think about it,” she said.
Phelan is also undecided.
“The big thing is all of the different commitments - my job, my wife’s job,” he said.
Phelan is a faculty associate in the teacher education program at SFU and his wife is a vice-principal in the Surrey school district. They also have two boys, ages seven and nine, who are busy with sports.
Phelan noted that the school district is in better shape since superintendent John Gaiptman took the reigns earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Campbell confirmed her run for re-election to the board last month when she also announced that she would co-chair – along with Coun. Bill Harper – Coun. Jonathan Cote’s bid for the mayor’s seat.
“These have been a few challenging years, but I really feel 2014 is a year when we have begun to turn things around,” she said, citing the building of two new schools, a new board office and the efforts of board and the superintendent to work with the Ministry of Education on the district’s finances.
“But I really feel like there is still a lot to do,” Campbell added.
Cook couldn’t yet say if he would run again, and likely won’t make the decision until the Oct. 10 nomination deadline.
It’s been a “very, very trying three years,” he said, though he added that the district has benefited greatly from Gaiptman’s guidance.  
“What John Gaiptman has done in eight months is absolutely extraordinary,” he said, noting that procedures are being followed and decision-making is much more principled since the new superintendent came on.
“It’s encouraging,” he said.
Cook is currently the commissioner of the Western Lacrosse Association – a role that he said is also very demanding.
“I need to make decisions on both of those fronts,” he said, referring to the school board role and the lacrosse job.

• Voters will also have to make some decisions at the polls in November. There will likely be a new crop of trustee hopefuls announcing their candidacy in the coming weeks. To follow The Record’s coverage on social media, use the hashtag #elxnNW. And for breaking election news and special election coverage go to our website: www.royalcityrecord.com