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Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • T U E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 1
Krahn and Neufeld join school board Katie Bartel The Progress The newest trustees to form Chilliwack’s board of education topped the polls Saturday evening. Walt Krahn garnered 3,923 votes, nearly 1,500 more than the seventh seat, and fellow newcomer Barry Neufeld brought in 3,505 votes. Incumbents Silvia Dyck, Martha Wiens, Louise Piper, Heather Maahs, and Doug McKay followed respectfully. The only incumbent not to be re-elected was Darlene Wahlstrom. Krahn, who has lived in Chilliwack his whole life and who worked as a principal in the district for several years before retiring in 2007, was already removing signs in the snow with his wife and son when the results started coming through. He was thrilled to top the polls. “I believe there is a very, very strong appetite in the community for [trustees] to work together,” said Krahn, who doesn’t think major changes need to be made at the board level, “just a quick little check in.” “It is my dream to work together collaboratively with the entire board and our senior administration,” he said. “But we also need to go well beyond our board, and become highly inclusive with all our stakeholders – particularly our parents.” Barry Neufeld, who served as school trustee for 15 years prior to the last election where he didn’t run, listened to the results on the radio with mixed emotions. “On the one hand I was happy, but I also know it’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “There’s some controversy on the board right now, and there’s just two of us new people.” Neufeld hopes he and Krahn can help Chilliwack’s board of education become more unified. He suggested trustees agree on a code of ethics where once a decision has been made, all trustees stand by that decision – whether they agreed with it or not. “I have no problem with debate and even dissent prior to a decision being made; you can put Continued: SCHOOL/ p5
Ron Browne (left) congratulates councillor Stewart McLean on election night at the Best Western. It was a tight race between the two as McLean got only 117 more votes than Browne. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Chilliwack returns four incumbents Lum, Popove join city hall team, page 3 Jennifer Feinberg The Progress The number one vote-getter in the Chilliwack council election wasn’t even sure he was going to run this time around. Coun. Chuck Stam was reelected Saturday night with a resounding 5,386 votes. He’ll be joining incumbents Sue Attrill, Ken Huttema, and Stewart McLean in a triumphant return to city hall next month. “It’s a good feeling,” Stam told The Progress at the candidates’ reception he helped organize on election night at the Best Western Rainbow
Country Inn. “It’s really about the whole team. “With the addition of Jason Lum and Ken Popove to council, we’ll benefit from the depth of their knowledge and experience and be an even stronger team moving forward.” Was he pleased with his own numbers? Last election he earned substantially more with 8,769 people voting for him in 2008. “I would have been happy with any finish in the top six,” Stam said candidly. “This term I really took the proverbial walk in the snow before deciding to run.
It came down to the crunch before I said ‘Yes, I’ll do it.’” He highlighted re-growth, jobs and public safety during the election campaign, as well as improved local transit. “I put out some new ideas and I think the first place finish was reflective of that,” said Stam. Mayor Sharon Gaetz said she couldn’t be more pleased with the team chosen by the electorate. “It was fun to watch the results come in and now I’m excited to get going,” she said. It wasn’t “nerve-wracking” this time since Gaetz won by acclamation. “I do think we have a bright
future ahead of us.” Coun. Ken Huttema was re-elected to council in fourth position with 4,136 votes. “I’m feeling really good. I’m very grateful to the community,” he said at the candidates’ reception. With newcomers Popove and Lum, Huttema predicted council will be “well-served” by their efforts. Coun. Sue Attrill said she looks forward to getting back to work now that the election is over. “There are several projects I want to see finished, while being anxious to get started on some others that are in the works,” she said. Continued: COUNCIL/ p4
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