Third North Okanagan-Shuswap trustee resigns

Apr 14, 2016 | 3:29 PM

VERNON — Another trustee has resigned in the North Okanagan-Shuswap School Board.

Kelly Rowe, who represents Armstrong, tendered her resignation Tuesday night, but will remain on the board until a by-election is held.

She is the third trustee to call it quits this week.

Barry Chafe, representing Sicamous-Malakwa, and Jenn Wilchuk of Carlin-Sorrento, both resigned at Tuesday night’s Board meeting over differences with the board’s direction.

Officials with School District 83 have tentatively planned a by election for late June.

The board has been under fire for not being more transparent about 10.5 million dollars in operational surpluses that were moved into a capital fund over the last five years, with some of the funds used to build a new district office.

That practice is not illegal, but board chair Bobbi Johnson has apologized to the public for not making the process as transparent as it should have been.

The board passed a motion to apply to the Ministry of Education to have a special advisor appointed to undertake a review and provide recommendations in a report with respect to the Board’s current governance practices.