DSBN trustee quits school board seat over ‘ethical reasons’

Susan Jovanović resigned as the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) trustee for Fort Erie and Port Colborne last week, saying in a public statement that “ethical reasons” drove her decision, but confidentiality prevents her from saying more.

The DSBN voted at its March 24 board meeting to formally declare the seat vacant and begin appointing a replacement. It is the second time in less than a year the board has had to fill a mid-term vacancy.

The seat covers two municipalities and represents thousands of students across Fort Erie and Port Colborne in Ontario’s public school system. Trustees are elected by local residents to oversee board policy, set strategic priorities and hold the director of education accountable.

Jovanović posted a statement to Facebook on Friday, March 27.

“I have stepped down as DSBN Trustee for Fort Erie and Port Colborne for ethical reasons, and confidentiality prevents me from sharing further details,” she wrote. “The trust and support of both of my communities have meant a great deal to me, and I have always taken that responsibility seriously.”

She won the seat in October 2022, defeating Owen Riel of Fort Erie and Gregg Dame of Port Colborne. At the board’s February 24 regular meeting–the last on record before her resignation–Jovanović cast the only dissenting vote when the board ratified business conducted during a closed private session.

Ontario law does not require boards to disclose what is discussed or decided behind closed doors, and the minutes contain no indication of what Jovanović objected to. Her resignation came sometime between that meeting and March 24, when the board formally declared the seat vacant.

She attended the March 10 finance committee meeting as a trustee guest.

The board has not yet publicly explained the circumstances surrounding the vacancy.

“Please know this was a difficult decision and one that reflects my commitment to integrity and responsible public service,” Jovanović wrote.

This is the second trustee vacancy the DSBN has navigated since the 2022 election. Board general counsel Jennifer Feren noted in her March 24 report that trustees were already familiar with the appointment process from a vacancy filled in 2025.

That same process now applies to the Fort Erie and Port Colborne seat. Under the Education Act and the Municipal Elections Act, staff are directed to contact Riel first–the highest-ranking unsuccessful candidate from 2022–to determine whether he is still interested and meets eligibility requirements.

He has until April 8 to confirm. If he does, the board will appoint him at its April 28 meeting.

Riel, a Fort Erie resident with a background in community and legislative affairs, ran a competitive race in 2022. Should he decline or be found ineligible, the board would contact Dame, the third-place finisher.

If neither 2022 candidate is available, the board would open a public application process and hold a special meeting no later than May 26, 2026.

Whoever is appointed will serve through November 14, 2026, when the current trustee term expires and the seat returns to voters in the municipal election.

The DSBN has not commented publicly on what confidentiality obligations Jovanović referenced in her statement, and it is not clear whether any formal board process or agreement is involved.

Fort Erie Radio reached out to Jovanović for an additional comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.

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