Polling station at School District office (Kevin Rothwell/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Pete McIntyre

Byelection

UPDATE: New Vernon school trustee wins by slimmest of margins

May 29, 2021 | 9:10 PM

The race for a vacant seat on the Vernon School District 22 Board of Education could not have been closer.

Jenelle Brewer won the trustee position by one vote over Philipp Gruner, 151-150.

That is according to the preliminary election results posted by chief election officer Lynn Jameson Saturday evening (May 29).

Julie Melanson was third with 57 votes and Christie Tujik was fourth with 25.

No turnout was given, but it was very low, considering residents of Vernon and RDNO Areas B and C were eligible to vote.

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The position will run until the end of the current term in October 2022.

The trustee seat has been vacant since the death of Mollie Bono in February.

Brewer, a mother of two, is a business consultant and two-term former council member of the Okanagan Indian Band. She was a representative on the district aboriginal education committee. Her community involvement has included O’Keefe Historic Ranch, the United Way and 2022 B.C. Winter Games.

“Over the years, what I have learned is the most important thing about being a board member is knowing the difference between roles of governance and management, and letting the people you hire do their jobs,” Brewer said at a online forum earlier this month.

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New Vernon school trustee to be decided today May 29, 2021 | 8:00 AM

A vacancy on the Vernon Board of Education will be filled Saturday (May 29) in a byelection.

Residents of Vernon and RDNO Areas B and C are eligible to vote at the School District office on 15th Street from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with four candidates running.

(Submitted image/School District 22)

The candidates took part in an online forum earlier this month.

The trustee position has been vacant since Mollie Bono passed away in February.

School District 22 returning officer Lynn Jameson says less than 100 people voted in the first advance poll (May 19) and more than 100 cast ballots at the second one (May 26).

“We are hoping for a high turnout Saturday,” Jameson told Vernon Matters.

Click here for more information from SD#22 on the vote.

(Submitted image/SD22)