BARRHEAD - The County of Barrhead has come to terms with the Pembina Hills Public School Division (PHSD) to handle the details of its upcoming school board trustee election in October.
On April 15, councillors approved a request from the school division to conduct the election to deal with the trustee elections within the municipality's jurisdiction if the county needs to hold a trustee election.
County of Barrhead returning election officer Pamela Dodds said the school division asked the municipality to partner with them to its trustee election.
In Alberta, the election of school board trustees happens at the same time as the municipal elections this year, coming Oct. 20.
Dodds noted that under the province's Local Authority Election Act (LAEA), municipalities and school divisions can hold separate elections or partner with one or more elected authorities in the same area to conduct an election.
"The agreement will impact any of our divisions that have a [school division trustee] running in them," she said. "We will be the unit of authority and conduct the election on behalf of Pembina Hills and will split accordingly."
PHSD West Ward 2 encompasses a portion of Division 6 as well as a large portion of Woodlands County, with the trustee representing the schools in Fort Assiniboine and Swan Hills, while PHSD West Ward 1 incorporates, at least in part, Divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 and the trustee represents Neerlandia Public Christian and Dunstable schools.
In the 2021 municipal/trustee election, a similar agreement between Pembina Hills and the municipality was in place; no election was required for PHSD West Ward 1 as the trustee, Victoria Kane was acclaimed, but they did run an election in Division 6 for the West Ward 2 trustee, which Melissa Hanna won. The seat is now vacant as Hanna has left the area.
The school division signed similar agreements with other municipalities, including the Town of Barrhead, on April 8.
The PHSD West Ward 3 trustee represents the Town of Barrhead, including Barrhead Elementary and Barrhead Composite High schools.
At the same meeting, councillors also approved conducting an institutional vote with ballots conducted at Shepherd's Care, Barrhead Continuing Care, Hillcrest Lodge, Jubilee Manor, Golden Crest, Klondike Place and the Barrhead Healthcare Centre, advanced polling and offering special ballots for those unable to vote at a polling station or through the advanced polls.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
