A by-election on Nov. 4 for School District 91 elected Richard Gratz as a school district trustee for Electoral Area 6.
Electoral Area 6 includes Fort St. James, Manson Creek, Germansen and Takla Landings.
Gratz is a retired teacher who taught and lived in Lake Cowichan, Duncan, Takla Landing, Portage (Yekooche), Tachie and Fort St. James. He taught for 30 years within School District 91.
There were 440 valid votes cast in the election. With 187 valid votes cast in his favour, Gratz won the election over three other candidates for the position. Angie (Sonjit) Dhaliwal received 151 votes, Janina Vanden Bos received 100 votes, and Auroara Leigh had two.
Gratz is a resident of Fort St. James, as were the rest of the final candidates except Vanden Bos, who lives in Vanderhoof.
Jacqueline Reed from Vanderhoof, who was announced as a candidate on Sept. 29, had dropped out of the race.
SD 91 board of education consists of seven members which currently includes chairperson Dave Christie (Fraser Lake), vice-chair Nyree Hazelton (Burns Lake/ Southside) and trustees Steve Davis (Burns Lake/ Decker Lake/ Granisle), Daniel Albertson (Vanderhoof) and Rick Pooley( Burns Lake).
With files from Binny Paul.
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