Jackie Swainson was returned to her position as trustee for Chinook’s Edge School Division during Monday night’s election, following a three year absence.
She chose not to run in the 2010 election but opted to let her name stand again this year.
Swainson received 680 votes while incumbent trustee Joe- Anne Matejka received 465 votes in Ward 1 which includes the Sylvan Lake-Benalto area.
When announcing her candidacy, Swainson said she’s “really, really concerned about the lack of profile we have in Sylvan Lake for our schools. We should be leaders, we should be out there more.”
Another reason for getting involved again is that she had two grandchildren enter the school system this fall, one in pre-Kindergarten and another in Kindergarten. “I’m back to having a vested interest in schools.”
Before stepping down in 2010, Swainson spent 12 years on the school board, six of those as vice chairman. She was chair of the negotiating committee for 10 years and served for six years on the Alberta School Boards Association representing this area, the last three as a director.
In other Chinook’s Edge elections, Holly Bilton won Ward 4 (Innisfail) with 641 votes over Derek Baird (564) and Linnea Thompson (145).
Connie Huelsman retained her seat in Ward 5 (Bowden-Spruce View) with 573 votes over Linda Possakka who received 360 votes.
Sherry Cooper (Ward 2 - Penhold/River Glen/Poplar Ridge), Colleen Butler (Ward 3 - Delburne/Elnora), Ron Fisher (Ward 6 - Sundre), Trudy James (Ward 7 (Olds/Reed Ranch), Gordon Kerr (Ward 8 - Didsbury) and Sheldon Ball (Ward 9 - Carstairs/Cremona) were all acclaimed.
Trustees will be sworn in and choose a new board chair at a meeting Oct. 30.