Lorette Residents Support Multiplex, Oppose Municipal April’s Contested Trustee By-Election Office Plans By Marianne Curtis Voters in two wards within the Seine River School Division are being called to the polls after the recent resignation of two School Board Trustees. Four perspective candidates have stepped forward with hopes of filling the vacancies. While school board elections seem to receive less attention than municipal elections, the role of a trustee is very important. School Board Trustees determine where a great portion of our tax dollars goes. Their decisions affect the thousands of students that receive their education beginning in kindergarten and ending with graduation. Wendy Bloomfield, Chairperson for the Seine River School Division, points out that having good candidates is critical because, “School Board Trustees decide how education is delivered locally.” “Annually we manage millions of dollars in public funds, employ hundreds of teachers, support staff and local contractors,” stated Bloomfield. “We play a key role in the care and education of local school aged children. It is important work that makes a difference in the development of our children and the lives of local residents, whether they have children in school or not.” Four candidates have stepped forward, two for each ward. In Ward 2, Denise Rocan and Jennifer Stefansson are running against each other and in Ward 3, Rose-Anne Weiss and Wes Keating are going head to head. Candidates have already been hitting the streets and the biggest
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Meet the Candidates
On April 10, the Seine River School Division is hosting a school board trustee by-election for Ward 2 and Ward 3. Four firsttime candidates, two in each ward, have stepped forward to run for the vacant seats.
Ward 2 - Jennifer Stefansson Jennifer Stefansson is a chartered accountant who holds a treasury position for a major international company. “Having young kids who are in and will be entering the school system I feel that I have a long-term vested interest,” Stefansson said. She believes her vast financial background would be an asset to the board. “What I am hoping to achieve would be to ensure the financial aspect set by the board is met in terms of meeting the needs of the community,” Stefansson continued. “I will question variances in the budget from year to year and confirm that any increases, which ultimately mean increases to all our tax dollars, are accounted for.” Stefansson has volunteered for several committees and is the acting treasurer of the Lorette Family Fun Group.
Ward 2 - Denise Rocan Denise Rocan is a long time resident of Lorette who owns and operates a government licensed home daycare. Rocan has two children who attend schools in the Seine River School Division, one in high school and the other in elementary. She is actively involved with both of these schools’ Parent Advisory Committees on an executive level and as a member for 12 years. Previously she sat on the Frere Jacques Nursery School Board and is currently a Lorette Busy Bee 4H Club head leader.
Ward 3 - Rose-Ann Weiss Ste. Anne resident Rose-Anne Weiss has a background in administration at a post secondary institution with additional training in working with individuals with special needs. “As a concerned community member I want to see our education system thrive. I believe every child should have equal opportunity to gain the best tools for their future that we can provide,” said Weiss. “Having had the opportunity to work in an administrative role with educators and students of all types, I see the need for a holistic approach. Each of our students should have the opportunity to learn in an environment that supports their unique learning styles and abilities, as well as their social and physical needs.” Weiss is married and the mother of three boys aged 9, 7 and 5 who currently attend school in the division.
Ward 3 - Wes Keating Wes Keating has lived in the RM of La Broquerie for several decades and is well known throughout the region after spending many years as a local journalist. “I’m running for trustee because I have always had an interest in school board affairs, and while at The Carillon it was not possible for me to cover the meetings and run for trustee,” explained Keating. “Today, in retirement, my health has improved greatly and I look forward to becoming more active in the community again.” With his previous experience as a reporter, Keating is confident that he is a good choice for school board trustee. “I don’t have experience as a trustee as this is my first try (but) as an observer at almost every meeting for more than a decade I have a pretty good idea of what to expect,” added Keating. Keating is married and the father of two adult children who attended Seine River School Division schools.
By Marianne Curtis On March 19, the RM of Tache council chambers overflowed when over a hundred residents attended a regular meeting in opposition of the municipality’s plan to construct a $3.75 million municipal office and library. While the project is still at the discussion stage, the $3.75 million project was clearly listed within the municipality’s 2013 budget proposal. This raised red flags with residents, especially those involved with the community’s recreation programs. “Residents would rather see the municipality building a multiplex instead,” voiced Lorette resident Colleen Jolicoeur in opposition. “We know that in order to receive provincial and federal funding for a multiplex there has to be municipal funding first. There are fears that once this money is spent on a new office there will be no further money available to use to build a multiplex.” With $2.9 million of the project to be borrowed, residents want the municipality to look at constructing a new municipal office as part of a community multiplex. They want the building to contain ice surfaces for hockey and curling, an indoor walking/running track and meeting rooms for local groups such as Girl Guides and Cadets, not just an office and library complex. “We want a multi-use recreation centre, not just a hockey rink,” stressed Laurie Burbine, Vice President of the Lorette Community Complex (CCLCC) Board. “We want the municipality to conduct a feasibility study on a new recreation centre that incorporates the municipal office with a community complex.” The CCLCC board said that the Lorette arena is very old and operating at full capacity for ice sports, forcing some teams to have to travel to Ile Des Chênes and St. Pierre-Jolys for practice ice. There is not a lot of additional space for other recreational activities in the current building and the space available is not easily accessible for the mobility impaired. At the meeting, council heard all the concerns of the residents then voted to keep the municipal office in their budget before a feasibility study can be done. However, that decision did change a week later, according to Councillor Steve Stein. “Council has taken the municipal building off this year’s budget, which means that money that was allocated towards the project ($800,000 in gas tax) will remain in
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