The Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) Board of Trustees unanimously elected Bryan Cottenie as the new chair at a special organizational meeting November 8. Cottenie represents the Kamsack, Norquay, Pelly and area subdivision for GSSD.

Cottenie takes the place of Ray Sass who held the chair position for 10 years. Cottenie graciously accepted the position, but suggested the board should do a better job in the future of rotating executive positions and committee appointments in order to ensure continuity after elections and allow all board members to get experience in different aspects of school board administration.

Board members agreed it would be a good idea to revisit appointments periodically.

Lois Smandych, who represents the Saltcoats, Churchbridge and Langenburg subdivision, was elected to the vice-chair position. Board members voted for Richard Haacke to round out the executive. Haacke is a new member elected on October 24 in a six-way race for three Yorkton-at-large seats.

The board also appointed representatives to its standing committees and outside agencies.

Smandych and DJ Cairns (Esterhazy, Stockholm and area) will represent the board on the Local Implementation Negotiation Committee (LINC). This is the committee that negotiates with the division teachers.

Support staff has its own set of negotiators who interact with the Support Staff Committee. Bob Simpson (Melville Grayson and area) and Florence Stachura (Springside and area) will negotiate with support staff on behalf of the board.

Gilda Dukuchie (Key First Nation), Chris Balyski (Preeceville, Sturgis, Endeavour and area) and Bonnie Rushowick (Yorkton city) were named to the First Nation Education Services Committee.

Bob Simpson will sit on the Melville Comprehensive School Governance Committee.

Cottenie will fill the GSSD’s seat on the Public Section Committee of the Saskatchewan School Board Association (SSBA).

Gordon Gendur, also newly elected in Yorkton-at-large, will represent the board on the Yorkton City Planning Committee.

Finally, Simpson and Haacke will sit on the East Central District Athletic Association board.

Also at the special meeting, the board took care of the rest of its housekeeping issues.

Compensation to trustees will remain the same as last year with the chair earning $280 per meeting, the vice-chair $245 and trustees $225. Each member also receives a monthly stipend of $125 for meeting preparation. When travelling on board business the rate is $225 per day for all members.

Members also voted to keep expense reimbursement static. The division currently pays $0.40 per kilometre mileage, $0.25 per kilometre travel time and $9, $15 and $22 for breakfast, lunch and supper respectively.

Yesterday and today the trustees are all at the annual SSBA meeting in Saskatoon. The first regular meeting of the board is tomorrow at 1 p.m.