By Scott Roblin

School division candidates react to election results

Oct 17, 2017 | 4:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Voters making their voices heard on Monday, as two new school boards are set to take shape in the city.

Ten combined spots were up for grabs, with issues of inclusion and infrastructure dominating the last few weeks.

Back on the board for SD76 is current chair Rick Massini, who led all candidates with over 5,500 votes.

He said nerves were present in the early evening, but were eased after the first few polls reported strong results.

“I was a little on edge,” said Massini. “But as the numbers started to come in, I saw that the support base that I thought I had came through for me.”

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Joining Massini at the SD76 board office will be incumbents Deborah Forbes, Catherine Wilson Fraser, and Carolyn Freeman.

Celina Symmonds also joined the board with 5,036 votes, after spending the last four years on Medicine Hat Council.

According to Massini, his key priorities this term will include communication with families and student health.

“The other thing that’s really near and dear to me is student wellness and mental health,” he said. “I think that’s come to a point where we need to do something about that.”

With Symmonds joining the board, that left 15-year trustee and former chair Terry Riley the lone incumbent not to earn back his seat.

He said he’s proud of the work that’s been done during his tenure with the public school board.

“My main purpose was to try to modernize our infrastructure and I believe I accomplished that goal,” said Riley. “So, I can move on with my head up high and proud of the district.”

While disappointed by the loss, Riley said he’s not ready to fade away just yet.

“I’ll lay down and bleed a while, and then I’ll rise and fight again I guess.”

A tight race in the Medicine Hat Catholic Division as well, with David Leahy leading the pack at almost 2,000 votes cast.

Three incumbents were re-elected on Monday, with Robert Risling, Peter Grad, and chair Dick Mastel landing in the top five and maintaining their position on the board.

Leahy, a former superintendent, said it’s a strong group set to lead the Catholic Division.

“We had a very powerful slate of nine, obviously five have been elected,” said Leahy. “We have three returning trustees, Kathy Glasgo is very active in the Catholic community and a former teacher.”

It’s a change of pace for Glasgo, who said she now wants to make an impact within the division.

“I’ve been a teacher all my life, I’ve been involved in education all my life, and I’m very excited to be on this side of the seat because it’s different eyes than what a teacher looks at.”

Election results will be made official on Friday, while both public and Catholic board members will be officially sworn in as trustees in meetings next week.