Rainbow district school board gives one month deadline for applications for trustee vacancy

The Rainbow District School Board is giving interested candidates one month to send in applications to fill a vacancy among its trustees.

Tyler Campbell announced his resignation in December, citing family and work demands.

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At the time, the board voted to use an appointment process, rather than hold a byelection — a process some feared would be too costly.

That cost has been estimated at $25,000.

The school board began advertising for the vacancy on Monday. All applications must be submitted to the board by 4 p.m. Monday, February 13.

The trustees will consider all applications said board chair Doreen Dewar.

She said this is not a job posting, so candidates will not be interviewed.

"It's almost like a byelection, but the voters consist of the eight remaining trustees. But in an election for example, you wouldn't limit the number of candidates," says Dewar.

She said the trustees will narrow the field down during an in camera session March 21. They will use secret ballot voting.

The appointment will be announced during the board's regular meeting that same night.

Trustee Larry Killens has questioned why the board was not appointing the runner up from the last school board election in 2014.

That runner up was Anita Gibson.

She and her husband have been banned from entering the board office or any high schools in the board since 2012.

• Sudbury couple still fighting school board ban four years later

The ban was issued following a heated discussion the couple had with now former board trustee Tyler Campbell. No one from the board will discuss the events, nor will Campbell.

When the school board voted on the appointment process in December, chair Doreen Dewar told CBC News the runner up would be welcome to apply for the vacant trustees spot along with anyone else interested.

Dewar said qualifications for the position include being a supporter of the public school system and residing in the area covered by the Rainbow board.

Under the Ontario Education Act, the board has 90 days from the date of a trustee's resignation to appoint their replacement.

Campbell's resignation was effective January 9, 2017.

Dewar said the new trustee will be sworn in no later than March 29. That is seven weeks after the board's important accommodation review vote.

The vote could close as many as eight schools in Greater Sudbury and Webbwood.