Trustees selected in close race

By MorinvilleNews.com Staff

Morinville / Legal – Given three options for two school trustees on the ballot, Morinville voters elected Lauri-Ann Turnbull and Noreen Radford to the Greater St. Albert Catholic Region Division 29 school board with 930 and 906 votes, respectively, leaving candidate Heather Thiessen with 850 votes to try again in another three years.

Thiessen and Radford were separated by a mere 56 votes for the second spot on the board’s Morinville representation.

Each of the three candidates expressed similar views during their campaign with respect to questions asked about the inclusiveness of Morinville’s schools, all of which are part of Canada’s only Catholic public school system. The Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional School Division No. 29 includes schools in Morinville, Legal and St. Albert and although those schools are obligated to follow a Catholic mandate with a Christ-centred philosophy, all candidates argued that Morinville schools were welcoming of children of all faiths or no faith at all.

Similarly, all three candidates advocated the continuation of the 40 developmental assets philosophy espoused in the school system with a desire to carry the theme into the community. The developmental asset philosophy is geared to developing youth into positive, contributing adults.

But while the candidates shared many common views, they also expressed individuality. Turnbull campaigned on her experience and record during her first term on the school board. Radford campaigned on a variety of items, including a desire to address the need for children to be going door to door fundraising for their education. Thiessen campaigned that she had no agenda to bring to the board room. Rather, the candidate campaigned on the strength of her participation in her children’s schooling and how they had been a product of the Grater St. Albert catholic School system.

Turnbull and Radford will join four trustees from St. Albert and Cathy Proulx of Legal, the latter of whom was acclaimed to another term on Nomination Day Sept. 20.

Editor’s Note: election results are not official until four days after the election.

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