Lougheed elected new Near North Board chair

The nine trustees of the new Near North District School Board (NNDSB) were sworn in at its inaugural meeting last night.

After declaring their oaths of office, trustees elected newcomers Erika Lougheed (Zone 2) as their Chair and Howard Wesley(Zone 4) as their Vice-Chair for the first year of the term. 

Lougheed takes over for past Chair Jay Aspin, who was not at the meeting,

Aspin sent remarks that were delivered by Director of Education Craig Myles at Tuesday's meeting. 

Aspin congratulated the trustees on their election wins and encouraged them to continue the work accomplished in the past term. 

Aspin, a longtime school trustee, came up short in his bid to mark 50 years as an elected representative in 2026. Half of those years have been as a public school trustee. Aspin also served on North Bay city council and also a term as the riding's MP.

Lougheed has had a busy 2022, as she most recently ran in the provincial election.  

She ran as an NDP candidate during the provincial election where she fell to incumbent Vic Fedeli. Despite losing, she felt her campaign was a huge success.

"Elections are no joke that's for sure," Lougheed told BayToday Wednesday afternoon. 

"They take a lot out of you."

Lougheed - who was also an East Ferris town councillor - will serve as chair for her one-year term. She does not look at the position as a chair.   

"I don't look at this as about me, I feel I am representing this group as a whole but I was happy to accept the nomination," she said. 

"I do feel that I have experience with my time on municipal council."  

The Board is comprised of elected trustees Julie Ann Bertram, Chantal Phillips, Louise Sargent and Bill Steer for Zone 1, Erika Lougheed for Zone 2, Jeanie Fuscaldo for Zone 3, Howard Wesley for Zone 4 and Shane Hall for Zone 5.

The Indigenous Trustee, appointed by the First Nations with which NNDSB has formal education service agreements (ESA), is Ashley St. Pierre of Moose Deer Point First Nation.

This Board will remain in office until 2026.

See related: Chairs of two school boards lose seats 

See related: Outvoted but not defeated, Lougheed gave it all

Membership of trustees to the Board’s various committees was also determined and approved at last night’s meeting. 

The next regular meeting of the Board takes place on Dec. 13, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.