Grey Highlands deputy mayor joins Schools Alliance

Grey Highlands deputy mayor Dane Nielsen is joining the board for the Community Schools Alliance.

At council’s meeting on Feb. 1, Nielsen announced he had been appointed to the board of directors for the alliance. Nielsen had run for a position on the board in August 2022, but was not successful. The board has since had a resignation and reached out to Nielsen to ask him to join.

Nielsen brought a resolution endorsing his appointment to the board and asked for counci’s support.

The deputy mayor said the alliance is dedicated to maintaining and keeping rural schools open.

He called rural schools “the soul of the community.”

“The loss of the school can have a detrimental effect,” said Nielsen.

Grey Highlands is no stranger to the rural school closure issue. The municipality has long fought to ensure Beavercrest School in Markdale remains open. A new school in Markdale is on the horizon, but the municipality is working to ensure the new facility is the right size for the community, which is expected to grow dramatically in the near future.

Members of council enthusiastically supported Nielsen’s new position and offered their congratulations.

“I’m wishing you much success,” said Coun. Nadia Dubyk.

Coun. Tom Allwood said the deputy mayor’s presence on the alliance board would be a benefit for the municipality.

“Hopefully we can count on (the alliance) to rally around the right-sizing of Beavercrest,” he said.

Nielsen said he has updated alliance chair Doug Reycraft about the Beavercrest situation.

“He is up-to-date and is supportive of the actions we’ve taken,” he said.

Mayor Paul McQueen praised Reycraft for his support of Grey Highlands on the Beavercrest school issue in the past and noted that Reycraft had travelled to Chesley to speak in support of the efforts to keep the school open at a board meeting several years ago.

“Doug has been very dedicated, please remind him of how appreciative we are,” said McQueen.