Okanagan Falls Trustee Sam Hancheroff blamed provincial funding, but he argued that the school closure issue came up in 2010 and not enough was done by the community since to address the original problems, which have worsened. He voted against the motion to delay the decision for a year and for the motion to close Osoyoos Secondary School. Chair Marieze Tarr said parents didn't want the uncertainly of a delay, so she voted against it. After speaking on both sides of the issue, in the end she voted against the school closure. (Richard McGuire photo)

Okanagan Falls Trustee Sam Hancheroff blamed provincial funding, but he argued that the school closure issue came up in 2010 and not enough was done by the community since to address the original problems, which have worsened. He voted against the motion to delay the decision for a year and for the motion to close Osoyoos Secondary School. Chair Marieze Tarr said parents didn’t want the uncertainly of a delay, so she voted against it. After speaking on both sides of the issue, in the end she voted against the school closure. (Richard McGuire photo)

At an emotional meeting that brought many people to tears, including a few trustees, the board of School District 53 voted 4-3 to close Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS).

In the end, Chair Marieze Tarr, from Osoyoos, voted against the motion, but only after making remarks on both sides of the issue and hearing how other trustees would vote.

Also voting against the motion was the other Osoyoos trustee, June Harrington, who has been solidly against closure all along, and Keremeos trustee Myrna Coates.

Coates caught the rest of the board by surprise when she introduced a motion at the beginning to delay the decision for one year in order to seek solutions. She gave an emotional speech that brought the packed Osoyoos Community Theatre audience to its feet. Her motion failed when only Harrington supported it.

Supporting the main motion to close OSS were Oliver trustees Rob Zandee and Rachel Allenbrand, Okanagan Falls trustee Sam Hancheroff and Keremeos trustee Debbie Marten.

This story will be updated with more information.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

Trustee Myrna Coates, of Keremeos, tried to pass a motion to delay the school closure for a year, but when it came to vote, only Trustee June Harrington, of Osoyoos, supported it. She then voted with the two Osoyoos trustees against closure, but the remaining four MPs voted to close Osoyoos Secondary School. (Richard McGuire photo)

Trustee Myrna Coates, of Keremeos, tried to pass a motion to delay the school closure for a year, but when it came to vote, only Trustee June Harrington, of Osoyoos, supported it. She then voted with the two Osoyoos trustees against closure, but the remaining four trustees voted to close Osoyoos Secondary School. (Richard McGuire photo)