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Public school board to determine trustee distribution By Domini Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 11 · Wednesday, March 31, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Under new regulations from the Ontario government, the Halton District School Board will have to decide on a new determination and distribution of its trustees and one community may be left with just one representative. Though the number of trustees will remain the same at 11 board-wide, the number serving each municipality could change, which may leave Halton Hills with only one trustee. Currently, Halton Hills has two trustees and Milton has one, but because of Milton's rapid growth over the past four years, since the time the last determination was completed, it now warrants two trustees under provincial regulations. Under Ontario Regulation 412/00 of the Education Act, school boards across the province have to make their determinations by today (Wednesday). The Halton public school board has a regular board meeting on that day when its trustees will have to make the decision. The number of trustees representing each municipality depends on the number of the electoral population in that community who support the public school board. Under the provincial guidelines, Burlington, which has the highest population, is entitled to 4.12 trustees, rounded to four, Oakville with 3.91, rounded to four, Milton with 1.63, round- ed to two, and Halton Hills with 1.34, rounded to one. However, if there is one trustee in Halton Hills, they would be responsible for 15 schools and roughly 6,700 students. This would be a higher workload than most of the other trustees and it is spread over a wide rural area. "If we put another (trustee) in the north (Halton Hills and Milton) it has to come from somewhere," said Oakville Ward 3 trustee Philippa Ellis during the March 24 board meeting. "Why don't we think about representing the region as a whole? We are serving all of the students after all." Her sentiment was mirrored by Halton Hills Wards 1 and 2 trustee Gerry Ockenden, who said, "The trustees are responsible for seven or eight schools, nine schools or whatever, but we are all responsible for all 100 schools in the board." Ockenden said he would be willing to support an at-large determination for trustees. However, not all trustees agreed with an atlarge distribution. "While I agree at some level with the at-large distribution," said Oakville Ward 4 trustee Kathryn Bateman-Olmstead, "I do believe our responsibilities are to the areas we serve where we have developed relationships with the parents and the principals." When Ockenden brought a motion forward to have ward representation in Oakville and Burlington and to have three trustees at-large for Milton and Halton Hills his motion was turned down. "I can't support that," said Milton trustee Donna Danielli. "I don't think it's fair to Halton Hills and to Milton. They are very different wards and their communities would not know who their trustee is." When Ockenden made another motion to have three trustees in the two municipalities, though not at-large, which would mean there would be one trustee split between the two municipalities, again the motion was voted down. The decision was deferred to tonight's meeting. $139. Includes Delivery within zones TK3130 You call - we deliver, even if you're not home.TM Toronto's Easter Family Pet Festival April 2-4, 2010 International Centre - 6900 Airport Road (Derry Rd), Mississauga THIS WEEKEND! 2010 Feature Attractions: · Royal Canin Championship Cat Show and Household Pet Cat Show, sanctioned by the Canadian Cat Association. · Visit the Canadian Kennel Club's Dog Demonstration Ring. See Some Ruff Competition's North American Flyball Association sanctioned flyball tournament sponsored by Global Pet Foods! 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