Chilliwack – In the traditional board elections for the end of the year, Chilliwack School District has a new face as Board Chair. Jared Mumford. Past Chair Willow Reichelt is now Vice-Chair.
Her tenure as Chair was filled with conflict with Trustees Neufeld, Maahs and Furgason.
Mumford said in a statement to FVN: I appreciate the confidence of my colleagues in electing me Chair of the Board of Education, and I intend to fulfill my position with integrity, fairness and compassion.
Unfortunately, recent YouTube changes to their studio software and security authentication required SD#33 to update their Telestream Wirecast Software to a newer version. This update could not be completed before the start of the Special Regular Board Meeting – Elections (in person) Tuesday. As a result, SD#33 were unable to livestream the meeting.
After a complaint from Black Press media and DPAC – District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) and the fact that the public were not in the loop ( re attending live in person), the December 7 vote was re-done on Monday morning , December 13. The results were the same but not without drama.
The December 7 meeting was only attended by Trustees Mumford, Reichelt, Swankey and Bondar. The second go round Trustees Maahs, Fergason and Neufeld were in attendance. Also Fergason went on the attack on Reishelt with shots at her credibility ( You can view the video below), Maahs called the whole process “a charade”.
Hanging over all of this remains the past deadline of November 30, where the Ministry of Education review of code of conduct has yet to be released.
There remains a real chance that all this could be for not and the board fired until the Octber elections in 2022.
Congratulations to Jared Mumford for being elected SD33 Board Chair, David Swankey for being elected BCSTA rep, and Carin Bondar for being elected BCPSEA rep.
— Willow Reichelt (@WillowReichelt) December 8, 2021
Thank you to the board for electing me Vice Chair.
It has been my honour to serve as Board Chair over the past year. I nominated Jared Mumford to be Chair this year, and he has my full support as he moves into his new role.
— Willow Reichelt (@WillowReichelt) December 8, 2021