The Bluewater District School Board has appointed Wayne Peeters to fill its recent trustee vacancy for the Township of Southgate and Municipality of Grey Highlands.
Peeters replaces Janice Kaikkonen, whose seat was declared vacant this year due to absences. The board chose to fill the seat by appointment in
He was sworn in at a Special Regular Meeting of the Board on Tuesday. He will serve for the remainder of the 2022-2026 term.
After the board approached the two runner-up candidates from the most recent election, and both Shenika Reid and Bryden Jones indicated they unable to serve, it launched an extensive public recruitment campaign to solicit applications from qualified candidates.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome Wayne to the Board of Trustees and look forward to the experience and insight he will bring to our important work in serving the students and families of Bluewater," said Chair Jane Thomson. "Thank you to the many other qualified candidates who courageously stepped up to put their names forward through their applications in a competitive process. It is our sincere hope that these dedicated individuals will seriously consider running for trustee in the next municipal election in 2026."
With over 30 years in education, Peeters has lived in Southgate/Grey Highlands since 2001. He resides just outside of Markdale and said he is eager to continue serving his community.