An outburst during a break in the Orangeville Council meeting Monday night resulted in a heated argument between Settlers Creek parents and Bob Borden, Chair and Trustee of the Upper Grand District School Board.

The parents were not satisfied with council’s decision or what Mr. Borden said during the meeting.

Councillor Warren Maycock had tabled a motion at the previous council meeting asking the board to build a new school in Settlers Creek to accommodate the growing needs of the neighbourhood while eliminating the need to relocate hundreds of students within the town.

Based on events that occurred after that council meeting, including a meeting between the board and parents and feedback from the boundary review committee who decided to keep the status quo, Councillor Maycock moved to withdraw his previous motion.

His reasoning was that he thinks a win-win situation has been provided and that to proceed with the tabled motion would undo the good relationship between the Town and the school board.

Mr. Borden said community consultation has been placed on the draft capital plan, which he stressed has not been finalized nor submitted. He expects the town will be declared a community consultation zone.

“Once we get that in there and the rules of engagement you might say from the Ministry of Education relative to the community consultation, we’ll be looking back to the community to be able to prioritize where a Settlers Creek school fits in the whole grand scheme of things with the Upper Grand School Board,” said Mr. Borden.

Deputy Mayor Jim McGregor asked, “Do you, in your crystal ball, if everything lines up, see it being built in the next five years?”

Mr. Borden said the magic number projected in the old formula was between 2009 and 2011.

“But the unfortunate thing is that the rules have changed right now. It’s gone back about 20 years, back to where you now prioritize your capital needs within the whole board,” he said. “You submit that list with all the data you support relative to enrollment and empty seats and overcapacity.”

He added the Ministry of Education makes the decision on funding.

“How we managed to build Island Lake, Montgomery Village and rebuild Princess Margaret, those rules are out, gone, finished. So we’re hoping we’ll have a school in place in 2009-11,” he said.

The good news he said was that the Ministry of Environment has given the school board a larger capacity at the East Garafraxa Public School.

He said this will give them the opportunity to keep students on site together as a unit with the capacity increasing to about 420.

When a break in the meeting was called, one parent told Mr. Borden he would not be voted back in.

Mr. Borden asked the three parents present where they would like the board to move the students.

Parent Joe Mason responded that they want them in a new school.

Mr. Borden replied the board had a plan in 1999 but it changed. He also stated they are trying to build one, to which a parent responded, “Five years from now.”

Mr. Borden replied: “The rules have changed and we’re trying to do our best.”

Mayor Drew Brown stepped in and said he thought the parents misinterpreted what had happened.

Mr. Mason then said he was in shock that council had more information about the boundary review than they do.

He was referring to a letter Councillor Maycock said his son brought home from Credit Meadows Elementary School on Friday.

However, Mr. Borden said he didn’t know what letter he was talking about and when shown the letter he was skeptical of it as it did not have the school board logo. He said when anything is sent out he is informed of it.

Mayor Brown told the parents that council supports them.

Mr. Mason asked if he knew what all the moving around does to kids.

“Our children in Settlers Creek have no sense of belonging. I don’t know what they’ll do when they become active members of this community, if they choose to stay here,” he said.

Once Mr. Borden was told by a parent that she no longer wanted to talk to him he left and the argument settled down, and Mr. Mason apologized for his outburst.

Further investigation about the mysterious letter with a call Tuesday to Credit Meadows confirmed that the letter was e-mailed from the school board’s communication officer, Maggie McFadzen, to be sent out to parents.

Ms. McFadzen faxed a copy of the letter to the Citizen. It states an Open House will be held next Wednesday, December 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the foyer at Westside Secondary School (300 Alder Street) with displays and board staff on hand to provide information on the review and the originally proposed scenarios.

“The review was initiated to investigate options to balance student numbers among the six schools in the town, along with East Garafraxa and Laurelwoods public schools,” the letter says.

“A Boundary Review Committee composed of trustees and board staff have reviewed the various options, with parent and principal representatives from each of the eight schools and obtained feedback and input from the parent community. The committee has identified a single go-forward option which will be presented at a meeting following the Open House.”

The committee’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s lecture hall. Further information can be obtained from the school board’s website www.ugdsb.on.ca.