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4- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, December 9, 1997 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Will we By Rik Davie Port Perry Star Will we be able to find qualified, dedicated people to serve as trustees of the Durham school system for a few thousand dollars a year? That was the question brought up Nov. 26, at a meeting at Port Perry High School on the education reform act known as Bill 160. Among the numerous changes to the publicly-fund- ed school system being introduced by the Progressive Conservative government is the capping of trustees salaries at $5,000 per year. While salaries have been a sore spot with boards across Ontario --- some trustees have been earning up to $35,000 and more --- Durham trustees with the last board received around $12,000 a year for their three year term. Craig Burch, Superintendent for the Durham Board of Education fears we will drive good people from pub- lic service by offering what amounts to a mere pittance. «] have to deal with school trustees as part of my duties, and I can tell you that some of the trustees put in more than a forty hour week," he said. rustee salaries cut 12,000 to er year _ "If the government insists on the salary cut, we run the risk of driving the kind of people we need in the job out of public service. "Only those who can afford to hold the job will seek it. That's not always a good thing." In Toronto this year, school board trustees left their positions, with few exceptions, to run for the new mega-city council at the end of their term. Many cited pay as a factor in the decision. Local trustee Bobbie Drew, just re-elected to a three-year term, says that the drop in pay will hurt her. "I may have to look at a second part-time job so I can afford to be a trustee," she said. ... or less qualified, dedicated people to serve as trustees? get more bang for the buck... in the neighborhood of $12,000 per year and expenses. The cut in trustees' pay to $5,000 a year can be put into some perspective when it is compared to a student working part-time at a major fast-food chain; he or she can expect to work about 25 hours a week, and earn about $8,000 in an average year. This can seem a little out of balance when the responsibilities of the two are compared. While local councillors handle a yearly budget with expen- ditures of around $6.5 million, Durham School Board trus- tees preside over an annual budget figure in excess of $369 million. Local councillors are expected to attend one regular meeting a week, as well as partic- ipating in sub-commit- tees and local boards. Trustees attend weekly meetings in addition to com- mittee meetings, special school events, and out-of-town conferenc- es on education, as well as visiting all the schools in their areas periodically. Like councillors, most trustees field phone calls from concerned constituents almost every evening at home. But the | trustees areas of representation are vast- ly larger in square miles and population than those of their counterparts at local council level. Early school boards in Ontario tended to consist of several local farmers who gathered periodically to collect funds for the salary of the local teacher, and to raise fund- o ing for books and supplies. These school board 4 m onstituted one of the earliest forms of local oo government, with membership on the board or as a TA trustee seen as a mark of high rank in the NY 4 % community. g : Mrs. Drew fears that we may see a return to a ™¥/ time when participation in government of this type Y/ (read: school trustees) is limited to those of independ- ent means. «I'm afraid that with the pay cuts and with the rules set down in Bill 160... that is, if I as your trustee were to refuse to vote in favor of a plan set out by the Minister of Education, I could be punished by the gov- ernment and stopped from holding public office for a period of time. "Well, where are we going to find good people with genuine concern for our children to take those kinds of risks for $5,000 a year?" «I have a larger area to cover since We reduced the number of trustees, and I do a lot of driving. The costs add up." But when the possibility of quitting if the expense gets too much was posed Ms Drew was firm: "No, I won't quit. The work we do is too important to be left to only those who can finance themselves." Ms Drew feels there is another danger looming in trustee salary cuts that has not been addressed. "If only those with the financing behind them --- let's not forget, it costs money to get NT = elected -- and those who have the finances to N 17 take a job that may cost money to hold (are trus- ; ' 7 tees), we run the risk of having only single issue can- didates. We may have people with a particular agenda in mind who don't have the over all good of the child- ren in mind." In the past, Mrs. Drew has fended off challenges by candidates whose platform centered largely around issues approached from a fundamental Christian stance. In 1994, an organized slate of Christian candidates ran for positions on the Durham board, some successfully. As in Toronto, Durham Region may have experienced an exodus of experienced trus- tees; just five incumbent school trustees out of 15 tried for re - election for the 11 = /~ chairs available on the restructured Durham board. (The reduction in trustees brought about by the Tory government's earlier education law, the Fewer School Boards Act saw Durham trustees reduced by four.) The reduction of trustees means some board members find them- selves with more area to cover, for much less money. Although mileage is paid to trustees for their travel to the hs many schools each is responsible fs for, the amount is 28 cents per mile; that's slightly less than that given for jury duty. Trustees will find themselves the poor cousins of their local township councillors, who will still receive | GEENA Plant sale replaces Auxiliary spring fair ahead for a Plant Sale in the spring, instead of our usual Spring Fair. The gift shop is beau- tifully decorated for Christmas and is well worth a visit. Friday, Dec. 5 was the date of our Bake Sale at the hospital, opening at 10:30 a.m. Many came out to buy some deli- cious goodies. Don't forget our Christmas meeting at Trillium Trails. Mary Cannon The regular meeting of the Hospital Auxiliary was held on Monday, Nov. 17, 1997 with president Joyce Taylor in the chair. There was a good attendance. Doll Draw tickets are gelling very well and the winning ticket will be drawn on Dec. 15 during our Christmas luncheon meeting. Plans will be going Goodies fora good cause The Community Hospital Auxiliary women were atitagain last Friday as they held a bake sale to lelp raise money for the hospital to pur- chase needed equip-