SD52 not impressed with City's by-election plans and cost

It would appear that School District 52 is not quite on board with the City of Prince Rupert's plan to contract out the by-election process.

Last week SD52 outlined a number of concerns related to the city's plans and suggested that the City rethink how it plans on how to hold the by-election process, as well as the amount that they plan to charge the School District to conduct it.

The School District plans to address their concerns by way of a letter to the City, noting that the plan approved by City Council at the February 9th Council session will result in an increase in cost from the last municipal election.

According to the figures released by SD52 the amount that the City has budgeted towards the trustee-by-election is almost 33,000 dollars, compared with the cost for a city council by-election in 2013 which came to 24,000 dollars.  That by-election was required to replace then Councillor Jennifer Rice, who had moved over to the provincial political scene.

The School District also would like the City to reconsider the decision to contract out of the by-election process, asking that the City instead use regular election staff and facilities to deliver the process to replace Judy Carlick-Pearson.

At the time, the City's Corporate Administrator outlined that owing to staffing pressures with the City, they would not be able to properly staff the election process, putting the project out to tender.

As we outlined on the blog earlier this month, at the February 9th Council session, City Council approved the appointment of Joe Zelweitro as Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Zelweitro was the successful candidate in the city's December moves to contract out the by-election process.

Some of the background on the long and winding road towards a new School trustee can be found below:

Council set to approve Electoral Officers, set it motion SD52 by-election process
Plans in motion to move forward with School District 52 by-election
School District 52 to seek counsel of Ministry of Education over city's by-election delay
SD52 and City of Prince Rupert to work towards Board of Education by-election
Judy Carlick-Pearson steps down from School District 52 Board

For more items related to School District issues see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review