School District No. 57 will be holding a byelection on Saturday, June 17 to fill two vacant City of Prince George spots on the board of education.
The byelections are necessary to fill the vacancies which were created last month when trustees Gillian Burnett and Betty Bekkering resigned. Both resigned shortly after the board removed Superintendent Cindy Heitman from her position after serving just over two years at the helm of School District 57. Heitman was named to the acting role in early 2021 when the-superintendent Anita Richardson went on leave and was named superintendent in January 2022, when Richardson officially left the employ of the district. Richardson, who was in the position for one year, is now suing the district.
The district has, in the past few years, had a hard time keeping superintendents. . Prior to Richardson taking on the role in 2020, Rod Allen served as interim superintendent from May 2019 after Marilyn Marquis-Forster resigned less than three years after she was hired in 2016 to replace long-time superintendent Brian Pepper
Nominations will be received by the Chief Election Officer or Deputy Chief Election Officer,
by appointment, from 9 a.m.Tuesday, May 2, 2023 to 4 p.m. Friday, May 12, 2023:
By hand, mail or other delivery service to:
- School District No. 57 Board Office, 2100 Ferry Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 4R5
Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - By Fax: 250-561-6820
- By Email: byelection@sd57.bc.ca
A person is qualified to be nominated, elected, and to hold office as a School Trustee if they meet the following criteria:
- Canadian Citizen;
- 18 years of age or older on general voting day Saturday, June 17, 2023;
- resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed; and
- not disqualified under the School Act or any other enactment from being nominated for, being elected to or holding the office, or be otherwise disqualified by law.