Five candidates seek two Pitt Meadows school board seats

Candidates taking part in Pitt Meadows’ Oct. 17 municipal election were invited to provide basic profiles for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News readers. The city has two seats on the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Board of Education, and five candidates are running for the two trustee positions.

Trudi Appleton is running as an independent. The 55-year-old is a branch manager at Prospera Credit Union and has lived in Pitt Meadows’ Wildwood neighbourhood for 30 years. She said raising four children in the school district made education’s future personal to her. She wants to advocate for adequate funding, improved facilities, and social and emotional supports to help students succeed. She can be reached at trudiappletonpittmeadows@gmail.com or on Facebook at Trudi Appleton, Candidate for SD42 School Board.

Owen MacGregor is running as an independent and did not answer the questionnaire.

James Rowley is an independent candidate, a language instructor for newcomers to Canada and an actor. The 56-year-old lives in Hammond and has been in Maple Ridge for almost 20 years. He said both his children have graduated from SD42 and he now wants to give back. Children face considerable challenges today, he said, and he wants every one of them to have the best future possible. He can be reached at jamesrowleyforschooltrustee@gmail.com or on Instagram at 2bjamesrowley.

Terra Slade is an independent candidate and real estate agent. She has lived in Pitt Meadows for 20 years and lives in Wildwood. She said she wants to bring her business and community leadership experience to the board, strengthen Pitt Meadows’ voice in district decisions, and contribute a practical, collaborative approach focused on students, strong schools, responsible governance and thoughtful use of resources. She can be reached at terrasladepm@gmail.com or on Facebook at @terrasladepm.

Don Wilson is an independent candidate and 42-year-old lawyer. He lives in central Pitt Meadows and has been a resident for five years. He said he has come to love Pitt Meadows with deep gratitude and is looking for a way to give back to the community. He considers his experience and skills good qualifications to serve as a school trustee. He can be reached at Don@d-wilson.com or at facebook.com/DonWilsonPM.