In his first seven months on the job as school trustee, David Perry billed Okanagan Skaha School District 67 absolutely nothing for expenses.
Perry, a retired teacher and former mayor of Penticton, said he felt money for trustee conventions could be best spent elsewhere.
It‘s very clear to me that these kind of gatherings are quasi-indoctrinations put on by the superintendents to teach trustees as to how the machine should run, Perry said in an interview with the Herald.
At the time, I had some obvious concerns with senior staff and I didn‘t want to be part of it (conventions).
Perry said he can understand one major convention per year, but that three is
excessive. He said that it has been cut back for this year.
I just don‘t see them as good value for the money. When we‘re battling a possible
$1.7 million deficit, how can I justify going to these junkets? I can see one, but three of them? Overall, it‘s very little money in the scheme of things. I just see it as the principle of the thing.
Perry said that during his time as a city councilor and later mayor, he attended very few conferences, again for the same reasons.
By comparison, Tom Siddon, who was in office the same amount of time as Perry, claimed $2,919 in expenses. Ginny Manning, who was vice-chairwoman at the time, claimed $6,142 in a 12-month period that mirrors the school calendar year.
At a recent meeting, Connie Denesiuk, president of the B.C. School Trustees Association, strongly defended conferences saying they provide exceptional value along with networking opportunities. Denesiuk said it‘s important for fellow trustees from around the province to share notes and trade ideas.
When Denesiuk attends trustee conferences, her expenses are paid by the BCSTA because she‘s currently its president.
Perry said that since the last accounting period, which ended in June 2009, he‘s attended one conference but was extremely disappointed because the Minister of Education and deputy were both absent.
I wanted to hear what they had to say, and then they‘re a no-show, said Perry.
On his reasons for finally breaking his self-imposed boycott, Perry replied: We have a new superintendent (Wendy Hyer) who I‘m on the same page with, and I‘m aligning myself with trustee groups, like Vancouver, that is along the same lines of thinking as I am.
Trustee expenses for June 2008 - June 2009
Ginny Manning $6,142
Linda Van Alphen $3,149
Tom Siddon $2,919
Shelley Clarke $2,693
Walter Huebert $2,089
Larry Little $1,248
Connie Denesiuk $1,208
Kevin Andrews $292
David Perry zero.
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