Mississauga trustee Bruno Iannicca was elected chair of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board for the second straight year last night.
Iannicca, the trustee for Ward 7, was first elected as a trustee in 1991. He became chair of the school board shortly after the 2006 municipal election.
His first term was overshadowed by the school board losing control of its finances for an extended period of time to a Provincially-appointed supervisor.
Esther O'Toole, who was Iannicca's vice-chair during the first year of the four-year term, said last night that this year will be a different year.
"Under supervision, we didn't have the opportunity to shine as I think we'd like to," she said.
O'Toole lost her bid to repeat as vice-chair to Ward 4 trustee Anna Abbruscato, who was vice-chair under Peter Ferreira when trustees picked their fight with the Ministry of Education.
That fight, which trustees hope is over, has strengthened the resolve of trustees, Iannicca said after beating out Wards 1 and 3 trustee Mario Pascucci for the position of Chair.
"We're a board that was forged in fire," said Iannicca. "We're strong, not because of what we are individually, but of what we are collectively ... we will always be, and always remain, a team."
cmacbride@mississauga.net
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