A tense meeting of the Near North District School Board saw trustees pass a motion requesting an immediate provincial investigation into the board’s oversight of the severely delayed “Parry Sound build JK-12” school project. The virtual meeting, attended by more than 100 community members, was marked by the notable absence of the board’s director of education and senior staff, a point of significant contention for those in attendance. Leadership absence fuels distrust and questions Vice-chair Howard Wesley opened the discussion by highlighting the director’s absence as a critical failure. “The fact that the director is not here present with staff to be able to acknowledge and share with us the plan, the contingency plan that’s been shared to the public has questions,” he said. Board Chair Ashley St. Pierre revealed she learned of the confirmed delay not from her own staff but from the Minister of Education, receiving a letter on July 25. “That made me furious because I’m hearing from the minister and not the director of education of Near North District School Board. That is something that trustees should have known, and at least me as chair should have known,” she said, underscoring a profound breakdown in internal communication. Trustees demand accountability, pass investigation motion A motion put forward by trustee Julie Bertram formally called for the Ministry of Education to conduct an investigation into the board, its oversight, and systemic limitations. The motion passed in a narrow 4-3 vote. The board is scheduled to meet again next week to formalize the letter to the ministry. Bertram framed the vote as a matter of principle over politics. “Now here we are. So, I don’t really care if I lose my trustee seat. This is really important. This is not about people sitting around going, well, let’s keep our seats. This is about the school and the students,” she said. Ministry awaits formal request, points finger at board mismanagement In a statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Education placed the blame for the delays squarely on the board’s leadership. The ministry confirmed it is aware of the trustees’ resolution but is awaiting the official letter before it can step in and comment officially. Parents left with unanswered questions Members of the community group Parents for Parry Sound, which applied pressure with a rally last Friday, were in attendance. One of the group’s organizers, Amy Black, left the meeting dissatisfied, citing a lack of clarity and the continued absence of key officials. “The meeting was very confusing at best. It still left all of our questions unanswered. The director of education, Craig Myles, was noticeably absent. Along with project capital manager Marianne Speirs and Superintendent of Education Gay Smylie,” she said. Black added, “(though) there was some pushback from the trustees…” Those affected by the situation told CTV News that the board’s next meeting will be closely watched as trustees prepare to formally request the ministry’s intervention.
