Don Valley trustees re-elected

Michael Coteau and Gerri Gershon back at the school board
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Oct. 29)

Trustees Michael Coteau and Gerri Gershon were re-elected.

Re-elected Don Valley East Trustee Michael Coteau says after knocking on 10,000 doors during the election campaign, he is re-energized to tackle tough issues at the school board.
“After seven years, you don’t realize how many people you have helped in the past.
You wonder if people are paying attention and you get to the door and get this sense of energy,” said Coteau, who was first elected in 2003.
Coteau won back his school board seat handily on election day, garnering just over 63 percent of the vote.

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St. Paul’s trustee debate

Outgoing trustee Matlow hosts all-candidates’ debate
Trustee candidates square off in heated race
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier June 4.)

St. Paul's trustee candidates Shelley Laskin, Mike Wiener, Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Mark Tishman at debate. Photo by Kris Scheuer.

About 30 parents and educators peppered St. Paul’s school trustee candidates with questions at a June 3 debate hosted by outgoing trustee Josh Matlow.
Matlow’s running for a council seat and five trustee candidates have registered for the wide-open race. Candidates Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Shelley Laskin, Mark Tishman and Mike Wiener debated issues raised by parents in the audience at Maurice Cody PS. A fifth registered candidate, Maya Worsoff, wasn’t there because Matlow wasn’t able to find contact information to invite her.

Shelley Laskin trustee candidate

Laskin in most heated trustee race in Toronto
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier June 3.)

Photo courtesy of Shelley Laskin.

Former St. Paul’s school trustee Shelley Laskin wants her old job back.
Laskin, who represented the riding from 1997 to 2003, is a candidate in the hotly contested St. Paul’s trustee race.
With incumbent Josh Matlow taking a stab at a council seat, the trustee seat is wide open. Laskin is one of five vying for the spot so far.
“I think it’s an advantage that I’m an experienced trustee,” she said. “The fact I remained involved as a parent and community volunteer allows me the context and perspective.”
She’s served as school council chair at both Hodgson Senior PS and Northern SS and was a three-year representative in trustee Matlow’s ward forum.
“I’m still a known entity through my involvement in schools,” Laskin said.

Rosina Bonavota withdraws Ward 15

Bonavota no longer running against Howard Moscoe
She registers instead for Catholic trustee race
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier May 19.)

Rosina Bonavota withdrew from council race and is supporting another candidate. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Councillor Howard Moscoe has one less opponent to worry about in this fall’s election.
Rosina Bonavota has withdrawn from the Eglinton-Lawrence Ward 15 race. She’s registered instead for Catholic school board trustee in North York Ward 5.
Bonavota said she wasn’t pressured to drop out but after meeting up with candidate Ron Singer decided to support his campaign.
“I think Ron Singer has a better chance of beating out Moscoe,” she said May 19.
Both Singer and Bonavota ran against Moscoe in the 2006 election.

Davisville school redevelopment process promise

By Kris Scheuer
(See Jan. 13 UPDATE.)
I wrote a detailed story on the possible redevelopment and Accommodation Review Committee process at Davisville Public School Dec. 23.
I am working on an update that will be printed in the Town Crier newspaper on Tues. Jan 13 including some new interviews and re-interviews with key players TDSB’s Sheila Penny, trustee Josh Matlow and councillor Michael Walker.
So I have removed my original story until I write my update and it is edited.
Want the update? Click here for the story.

St. Paul’s school trustee race

Current school board rep Josh Matlow to run for council in 2010
No incumbent so at least 4 contenders consider run for seat
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Nov. 6 for Town Crier.)

Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler.

A former school trustee, a young community activist, a pet food mogul and a politically-minded parent are hoping to get a passing grade from the electorate in 2010.
The quartet is musing about running to replace Josh Matlow on the Toronto District School Board. Matlow recently announced he’d be running for city council next year.
Here’s a look at four potential candidates Shelley Laskin, Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Jim Walker and Heather Johnston.

Josh Matlow running for St. Paul’s councillor

School trustee will run for council seat in St. Paul’s ward 22
Plans to register Jan. 4 as council candidate for 2010 election
By Kris Scheuer

I just finished an interview with St. Paul’s school trustee Josh Matlow at 5 pm today and he said he will be running for a council seat in next year’s municipal election.
He had long been rumoured to be thinking of running in ward 22, which is held by veteran councillor Michael Walker. But he didn’t make it official until today via Twitter and Facebook.
For more on my sit down interview with the outspoken trusteee, visit www.mytowncrier.ca tomorrow Oct. 7.
I also spoke with councillor Walker today, before Matlow’s announcement, and he said he is contemplating a run for re-election but is also considering retiring next year. Toronto Sun reporter Sue-Ann Levy is rumoured to be running in St. Paul’s ward 22. But she has just come off a loss in a provincial byelection Sept. 17. She told me today, she doesn’t intend to run but has not ruled it out.
Local community activist, Oriole Park resident and photographer Michael Visser said in an interview this afternoon he will be a canadidate in the the ward 22 if councillor Walker doesn’t run.
Walker’s executive assistant Chris Sellors has also be rumoured as a candidate but has no intention of running if his boss is on the ballot next year.