Two new faces on Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows School Board

There will be a couple of new faces on school board this term

Gabe Liosis will join a sea of incumbents after being elected on his first bid for a position, Saturday, Oct. 15.

“I want to thank everyone who I had the opportunity to meet and have a conversation with during this election,” said Liosis, who ran for a Maple Ridge position on board.

“Putting my name forward as a youth candidate was daunting, because from the very beginning, it was clear that this election cycle was going to be tough. However, the unwavering support I received from across this community has been extremely humbling.”

He added that he is ready to get to work.

“I am confident that with my experience in the public school system and as a former Student Union activist, I can effectively build connections with senior levels of government to get the funding that teachers, staff, and students deserve.”

Elaine Yamamoto, who garnered the most votes in Maple Ridge for school board, giving her a second term, said she was very pleased with the results.

“We’re back in business and we can focus on moving forward. We’ve got some new voices, two young trustees, bringing in a different perspective again, the youth perspective and the incumbents, we’ve all worked well together in the last four years,” she said.

Mike Murray, a trustee since 2011 and board chair until 2018, was re-elected Saturday night. He was delighted with the election outcome.

“We’re going to have a wonderful, wonderful board. I’m so excited to have two young guys come into our board. I think they are just going to bring a great perspective in terms of helping us to even better understand our youth,” he said.

“I’m super excited. I’m super excited about a change for Maple Ridge,” said Dumore, another incumbent who was re-elected.

“I’m very stoked about working with young people at the table to still have the experience at the table, but also to have the young voice at the table that we so desperately have needed for a long time,” she said.

Pascale Shaw, who will be serving her second term on school board, said she was really happy with who was voted in – both in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

“I’m really excited to have some new voices at the table. And, I’m super excited to have some youth voices at the table,” she added. “I think it will make our involvement with youth much more real and effective, having actual youth voices on the table.”

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Hudson Campbell, 20, is the other youth voice at the table this term. He is one the youngest to be elected across the province – beating Liosis, who is 21, by six months.

“I could not have asked for better results,” he said. “I’m super glad both Gabe and I were elected, to have two young people is fantastic.”

“I’m excited to be able to engage with people in schools, talk to students and staff more. I’m excited to keep going on the work the district has been working on these past four years. There’s been some great work. Yeah, I”m just excited to keep the ball rolling and get the momentum back up,” said Campbell who ran for a Pitt Meadows position.

Incumbent Kathleen Sullivan who received the most votes for school board in Pitt Meadow said she is feeling very positive about the results.

“Of course, I’ve worked with four of the elected trustees over the last term and I know them to be down-to-earth, respectful individuals who make thoughtful and informed decisions. I have gotten to know the two newly elected trustees during the course of the election and I believe them to be strong and capable individuals. I am looking forward to working with them and the fresh vision and perspective they will bring to the board,” she said.

For Maple Ridge, Elaine Yamamoto received the most votes, getting 7,680 votes, or 53 per cent of the votes received. Mike Murray received 6,641 votes, 46 per cent of the votes received. Kim Dumore received 5,395 votes, 37 per cent of the votes received. Pascale Shaw received 4,939 votes, 34 per cent of the votes received; and Gabe Liosis received 4,066 votes, 28 per cent of the vote. Liosis narrowly beat Brian Dominick who received 4,015 votes, and Johnnie Day who received 3,689 votes.

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Gladys Hewson received 3,522 votes, Yvonne Desabrais received 3,224 votes, and Karen Redkwich received 2,430 votes.

For Pitt Meadows Katie Sullivan received 2,374 votes, 70 per cent of the votes received, and Hudson Campbell received 1,647, 49 per cent of the votes received. David Isaac received 943 votes, 28 per cent of the votes received.

Across the province 158 new school trustees were elected, according to an analysis of preliminary election results by the B.C. School Trustees Association.

“We’re excited to welcome 158 new trustees to B.C.’s elected boards of education,” said president of the association, Carolyn Broady.

Broady noted that a majority of trustees elected in B.C. were incumbents.

But, there were some noteworthy changes, she said, including the election of B.C.’s first openly transgender school trustee and several young trustees. Overall, 252 trustees were re-elected, with 118 trustees acclaimed, and two results are pending, she said.

“It’s important to have new voices at the table,” said Broady. “Particularly voices from underrepresented communities. Part of our pre-election work was raising awareness about the importance of school trustee elections and encouraging people who might not otherwise run to consider putting their names forward as candidates.”

There are a total of 412 trustees in B.C..

New trustees in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows will officially take office on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Board Oath of Office Ceremony.