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The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, October 23, 2001-4- 1No wvrong-doi bg h pu"blic boirdf foln;trse 1 who made accusations resigns from his position By ROBB SWVYBROUS Special ta The Champion Mike Ellis is resignmng fromn his posi- tion as Burlington trustee for the Halton District School Board. Mr. Ellis' decision to quit cornes ini the wake of board Chair Ethel Gardiner asking for his resig- nation during Wednesday night's board meeting. However, Mr. Ellis mnsisted the decision is his alone. "They can ask for my resignation until the cows corne horne. 1 ar nfot going to quit just hecause she wants rne to quit," Mr. Ells said. "But 1 wiil he resigning, flot because they asked me to, but 1 have said ai along that tome- body needed to go (and) obviously, it needs to he me.", Mr. Ells added he feels he can no longer be an effective trustee and bas no other choice but to quit. "That's why 1 got into the trustee thing four years ago," he said. "I've heen pretty outspoken. I've probably bent a number of miles and I've got people action where thse board wouldn't respond. And, if 1 arn flot in a position to continue on like that, if 1 arn just going to get blackballed by the rest of the trustees and administration, then it wouldn't be fair to thse cornrunity (for me) to continue on." Chair asked for trustee's resignation Ms Gardiner asked for Mr. Ellis' resignation alter delivering a report clearing board members of any wrongdoing. Mr. Ells' ailegations prompted an internai audit conducted by risk consulting cornpany Kroil, Lindquiss, Avey. Ms Gardiner addressed tise issue by reading frorn a statement prepared by tise board's legal counsel. "It is quite clear frorn the report that there is no evidence of any fmnancial wrongdoing, miscon- duet or impropriety on the part of any trustee, ernployee or other representative of the board," Ms Gardiner read. Following tise meeting Ms Gardiner added, "I think it's very sad the board bas had to go through this, but when allegations of that partic- ular nature are made, it's incumbent upon the board to assure the public that funds are flot being misallocated." Specifically, M. Ellis contended the boztrd presented incomplete information to tise public regarding school closures. He alto said he believed the board irnproperly approved an extension to the personal service contract of Director of Education Dusty Papke. M. Ells said M. Papke's new deal wiIl ulti- rnately cost taxpayers too rnuch rnoney and that the minutes approving the deal frorn a meetingin May somehow disappeared frorn the official board records. "There are 20 minutes missing in the final approved minutes. If she (Gardiner) is saying there is no wrongdoing I'd love to tee how they've got away with there being nothing wrong with that," Me. Elfs said. "Where did those 20 minutes go from that pri- vate session meeting that they knowingly approved on the director's contract? They've gos it (the May meeting) fmshing at 11:30 p.m. when I didn't even leave the meeting until 11:45 p.m." The chair, however, stands by the audit report and dismisses Me. Ellis'cdaims. Me. Ellis didn't attend Wednesday's board meeting. He bas received special medical per- mnission to participate front home via telephone. When tise board called Mr. Ellis Wednesday at about 8 p.rn. no one answered. Tise trustee said he was out of town, desling with bis medical condition. "That's specifically why t did ask for a medical leave," he said. Trustee flot done with his concerna Me. Ells didn't say when he'l make bis res- ignation officiai, but indicated tise issue of alleged improprieties isn't over as far as he's concerned. He said he plans to take the matter to local MPP Ted McMeekin with the hope of get- tmng thse provincial govemment mnvolved. Use Your G"M Points! . '* Trade-ins $1000 needed - wilI pay top dollar