When the trustee election in the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division was held on Monday night the person who received the most votes was longtime trustee Arne Lindberg. Lindberg received 2,570 votes and found the support from the voters overwhelming.
“I was actually taken aback. It was very humbling what a huge show of support from the voters of Prince Albert for me to assume my position on the board again. And I thought that’s a huge pat on the back and I am going to my best to make sure that what we do is best for our students and staff within our school division,” Lindberg said.
“If you looked a little farther back in the other elections as well the same thing was happening. I don’t know why, I haven’t got a clue why,’ Lindberg said
Lindberg explained that he continues to run because he believes in the work that the division is doing,
“I very strongly believe in it and make sure that somebody’s at the table that is going to do what is best for our staff and for our students,” he said.
“We have got a very strong team there right now and we are going to continue the momentum and the direction that we have got.”
Placing second was former division superintendent Alan Nunn with 1,934 votes.
“Alan Nunn is coming on in place of George McHenry because George passed away and we got a provincial decree to not fill that vacancy. Al’s a lifelong educator as well and he has got a very strong feeling about education as we all do. We are all the same, we are all at the table for the same reason and Al will bring that same passion with him,” Lindberg said.
Placing third was incumbent Michelle Vickers with 1,809 votes and in fourth place was incumbent chair Barry Hollick with 1,748 votes.
Placing fifth was longtime incumbent Grant Gustafson who narrowly finished fifth with 1,584 votes. Gutafson was just three votes ahead of Brian Zabaraschuk who finished with 1,5981 votes.
Lindberg described Gustafson as a big-hearted man.
“He’s a genuine giant of a man with a massive heart and he does it all for the right reasons,” he explained.
Placing seventh was Conrad Burns with 1,432, in eighth place was Heather Carter with 1,391 votes, in ninth place was Cherise Arnesen with 947 votes, placing 10th was Crystal Clarke with 919 votes and in 11th place was Brian Umpherville with 774 votes.
Lindberg was impressed by the performance of Burns.
“I have worked with Conrad before and I have been on some boards with him. He has got a huge heart,” he said.
The work of the board requires teamwork between both the city and rural representatives.
“People don’t realize that our budget is $100 million dollar budget and it is comparable to the city’s budget. And we serve 9,000 students in 32 schools,”
In Rural Subdivision 4 of Saskatchewan Rivers, which includes communities like Shellbrook, challenger Cher Bloom defeated incumbent John McIvor with Bloom receiving 317 votes to McIvor’s 110 votes.
Re-elected by acclamation in rural subdivisions in Saskatchewan Rivers were incumbent Subdivision 1 trustee Bill Yeaman, Subdivision 2 trustee Darlene Rowden, Subdivision 3 trustee and incumbent vice-chair Jaimie Smith-Windsor and Subdivision 5 trustee Bill Gerow.
“We are all at the table and there is five city representatives and five rural representatives. But at the end of the day when the votes are cast and we are discussing what is going on we do it for the students regardless of where they live,” Lindberg said.
The organizational meeting and first regular meeting of the new board is on Nov. 16.
