October 11, 2000

With the many controversial issues surrounding our school system, I have decided to run for Public School Trustee for Cobourg and Hamilton
Township. As a fresh face with new ideas, I feel that I can make a large difference for the citizens of Cobourg and Hamilton Township.

As a father of two, I have seen programs reduced and eliminated that I feel are a vital part of our Schools. New ideas and more public input is
needed to bring these programs back and other improvements to the system made. We can not take away programs such as music, which is
currently endangered at Terry Fox and other schools and we must bring back programs such as Design and Technology.

The school board should be more accountable to the residence that make up the Kawartha Pine Ridge School district. Monthly meetings should
be rotated to the various areas represented by the Trustees. These should be held in a Town Hall style meeting, so the citizens can have more
input, and the Trustees more accountable, especially since they handle a budget that is more than 10 times higher than the Town of Cobourg.

As a newly appointed member of the Cobourg Safety Committee, I would like to work hand in hand between the School Board and the Town to
ensure our children get to and from school safely. We should have more traffic guards or a program where student crossing guards are used
such as in other communities.

I would like to see various safety programs brought into the schools and V.I.P. Programs, such as in Oshawa, to help teach the students right
from wrong.

We need to work on the $256,000,000 budget for the board, to make sure more is spent on in class needs of our students, such as teachers,
text books, equipment, and reduce any administration that is not vital.

I have been involved in politics since a young age, helping candidates from the Late Vic Copps as mayor in the City of Hamilton to Lincoln
Alexander. I was President of Student Council at Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton and have served on various committees. Both my
parents, who are now deceased, were City and Regional councillors in Hamilton. A park is named after my Mother, Kay Drage because of her
hard work in the City of Hamilton. I have learned what it takes to represent people.

It’s time for a change, a new voice for the people, and I feel I am that person who can speak out on behalf of the residents of Cobourg and
Hamilton Twp. That is why I am asking for there support in the upcoming municipal election.

Please feel free to call me on any issues, or interviews since I would like to make the Trustee position more open to the people. Working with the
press will allow the residents to know what is going on with there School system on a more regular basis.

Sincerely

Gerry Drage
 

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