The trustee seat in Calgary’s Wards 4 and 7 for the Catholic school board will remain vacant until the next municipal election.
On Friday, Calgary Catholic School District board chair Cathie Williams informed parents the board of trustees “unanimously voted not to have a byelection and to continue as a six-person board until the next municipal election in 2025.”
The decision came in a mid-week board meeting, following research into the costs to host a byelection – $500,000 and up to six months – and feedback from principals and school council chairs.
Williams said the existing trustees have “capacity and willingness” to take on additional schools to cover the two wards. She added the CCSD board has conducted its business as a six-member board in the past.
The board normally has seven trustees, with each one representing multiple wards as well as the communities of Chestermere, Cochrane and Airdrie.
On Sep. 26, 2022, Pamela Rath — then trustee for Ward 4 and Ward 7 — was found to be in violation of the board’s code of conduct and was censured.
At the time, she was removed from the Alberta School Boards Association and St. Mary’s University community advocacy council.
None of the public documents outline any of the allegations of the board’s deliberations other than the formal censuring.
In mid-December, Rath said she resigned her position on the CCSD board, citing “personal and family matters.”
The next municipal election, which includes the election of school board members and city council members, is scheduled for 2025.
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