School trustee phones in to keep board seat
CAMBRIDGE — Veteran public school trustee Andrea Mitchell is returning to her duties after her medical leave stretched to a year, putting her elected seat at risk.
On Monday, Mitchell participated by telephone in a meeting of the Waterloo Region District School Board. By law, it’s the same as being present.
While she hopes to physically return to meetings, she remains upset about how she left. “That is where I go to work. And my workplace now is not safe for me,” she said.
Mitchell stopped attending board meetings just over a year ago. She cites a “serious heart condition” and said her cardiologist has told her she’s still not well enough to physically return. “My heart is not as good as it should be,” she said.
She said her faltering heart put her in St. Mary’s General Hospital for two weeks last year. She blames her condition on a private conversation with trustee Ted Martin that led her to accuse him of harassing her. “I found it to be most disturbing,” she said.
Martin denied her allegation. The board cleared Martin of violating its code of conduct after an investigation found disagreement on what was said when the pair spoke in the trustee boardroom in 2015. It’s one of several blow-ups among trustees over words said privately or publicly.
Mitchell, who is in her mid-70s, contends she can still represent Cambridge and North Dumfries residents while she recovers.
“When the public goes out and elects a person, they want that person to serve,” she said. “They don’t want you to step down. If you want to take a breather and get your health back, they’re fine with that.”
She’s paid $15,700 as a trustee and one-third is tax-free. This matches a taxable salary ranging from $17,000 to $21,700, depending on her other income.
The board granted Mitchell a medical leave to authorize her absence for three consecutive meetings. She needed this to keep her seat. Ontario law further requires trustees to be “physically present in the meeting room of the board” for at least three meetings within a year. Mitchell failed this requirement. The board, citing the will of voters, is OK with her resuming her seat by telephone.
“Trustee Mitchell is a valuable, long-serving member of our board and we are pleased to welcome her back to trustee duties following her absence,” chair Scott McMillan said in a statement.
“As a board of trustees we are keen to honour the will of Cambridge-area voters and look forward to trustee Mitchell resuming her work advocating for and representing the needs of Cambridge constituents.”