Yellowknife (Oct 24/03) - It's unlikely even after voters turfed out the block of four trustees from their seats Monday night that calm and order will come to the public school board any time soon.

A special meeting looms tonight to decide the fate of Yellowknife Education District No.1 superintendent Judith Knapp, amid accusations of intimidation and harassment between current trustees.

The saga of the old board will continue for trustee Terry Brookes until Nov. 12 when he and the other new trustees take over.

Trustees Roy Desjarlais, Rob Meckling, Maureen Miller and Dan Schofield ran as a block in Monday's vote but lost, with chair Desjarlais coming in dead last out of 17 candidates.

Even so, Brookes says Desjarlais is trying to shut him out by suspending him for the remainder of their term together.

He received a letter of reprimand from Desjarlais Monday afternoon stating that he would be discussing Brookes' conduct with Jake Ootes, minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and would seek his removal.

"Your actions continue to disregard my letters of reprimand, and seem to show a contempt towards your fellow trustees," the letter reads.

"I respectfully request that ALL your comments on confidential board issues cease and desist immediately."

Brookes, who placed third in Monday's vote with 1,340 votes, is taking it all in stride for the time being.

"The significance, the authority, the power that possibly exists (for my removal). That's up to other people to look at," he said.

Adding to the controversy, Brookes's wife, Diane, filed a complaint with RCMP Monday accusing board chair Roy Desjarlais of harassing them in the days leading up to the election.

According to the trustee's wife, Desjarlais showed up at their house three times Friday night, pounding at the door, and then leaving a phone message accusing her of violent and threatening behaviour.

"I just sat in the living room and shook," she said.

Desjarlais, however, said he was just trying to serve a notice to Brooke's informing him of tonight's meeting.

The board's bylaw states that notices to trustees can be signed by a member of the household, Desjarlais explained.

"She slammed the door in my face," he said. "That was unprofessional of her to do that."

Desjarlais said he has been in contact with a RCMP Const. Bent and the matter has been resolved.

Meanwhile, Desjarlais vowed that tonight's special meeting will go on.

He is also still upset with comments made by trustee Terry Brookes in Yellowknifer last week, the only incumbent to be re-elected.

Brookes blew the whistle on secret motions made by the board at a public meeting less than a week before the election, seeking Knapp's dismissal.

"That guy never learns to keep his mouth shut," said Desjarlais.

Despite the seemingly endless barrage of bad press for Yellowknife No.1, trustee-elect Dale Thomson is optimistic the new board can cut through the controversy and refocus the district's focus on education.

"We've got to refocus. We've got to get back on track," said Thomson. Reanna Erasmus, who came second in the vote, said she will not support the current board's attempt to fire the superintendent.

"I wouldn't support that a this point," she said.

New trustee Duff Spence said he feels some trepidation inheriting a strife-ridden board.

"We'll see how Wednesday goes and see if we can get some resolution," he said of the special meeting.

Brookes, on the other hand, looks forward to working with the new board.

"I'll have to be the one who will have to unlearn and relearn with this new group," he said.