Pubdate: Wed, 07 Dec 2011
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Walter Cordery

ALLEN'S NO-SHOW WILL COST $100K

Holdout School Trustee Skipped Swearing-In

Jamie Brennan, the newly elected chairman of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith 
school district board of trustees, believes personal feelings 
concerning incoming trustee Bill Bard are behind a high-profile 
incumbent's refusal to be sworn in.

Donna Allen received 7,405 votes to finish in the middle of the pack 
of trustees during the Nov. 19 civic election but she did not show up 
to be sworn in Monday at the district's administrative office on 
Wakesiah Avenue.

Last week, Allen sent a letter to the school district saying she 
would refuse to be sworn in as a trustee. She wants the School Act 
changed so that anyone with a criminal record must disclose that fact 
when they run for elected office. Bard was convicted in 2006 of 
cultivation of a prohibited substance (marijuana). He pleaded guilty 
to the charge and served a one-year conditional sentence.

Brennan said Allen and Bard often argued at previous board meetings, 
especially regarding the previous school board's decision to scrap a 
facilities renewal plan, that would have pumped more than $86 million 
into the district.

Phil Turin, the district's secretary-treasurer and chief electoral 
officer, said the district has no choice under the School Act but to 
hold a byelection if Allen refuses to get sworn in by Jan. 5.

Brennan wants to see if he can find another way to deal with the 
situation rather than spending $100,000 on what he calls an 
"unnecessary" byelection. "I am going to be asking the Ministry (of 
Education) if there are other ways we can deal with this."

Two weeks ago, in his capacity as secretary-treasurer, Turin warned 
trustees this school district faced shortfalls of more than $5.3 
million during the next two years.

A $100,000 byelection won't help.

"That's my estimate right now, it could end up costing more," said Turin.

If Allen isn't sworn in by Jan. 5, she would be disqualified under 
the School Act to run in the byelection and would not be eligible to 
run as a candidate until the next general election in 2014.

In October, Allen and other trustees were angry about comments Bard 
made to the Gabriola Sounder newspaper.

Bard is quoted as saying, "The closer one looks at the record of this 
board, the more I see the crimes being committed are against 
children, staff, the taxpayer and public education."

Some members of the board had the Vancouver law firm Harris and 
Company LLP send a letter to Bard demanding a clarification of what 
they deemed "false and defamatory comments."

Brennan refused to participate in the meeting at which it was decided 
to hire a "lawyer at who knows what cost."

Despite repeated telephone calls to her home and cellphone, as well 
as a visit to her residence, Allen has remained unavailable for 
comment to the Daily News.
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