Rob Davis appointed new trustee
Toronto Star May 09, 2008 Dan Robson
Rob Davis, a former city councillor and TTC vice-chair, was elected late last night as a trustee for Ward 6 (York) by fellow Toronto Catholic District School Board members.
Davis replaces embattled trustee Christine Nunziata, who resigned earlier this year after missing three consecutive board meetings.
Davis said he hopes to restore confidence as the Catholic board faces criticism for its trustees' expense accounts after a report released this week. The report said that Catholic board's trustee expenses are among the highest in the province.
But Davis said he is primarily focused on supporting local families who face language barriers and struggle in his community.
"I'm hoping to be an advocate for children and parents in a community that is facing a lot of challenges, " he said in an interview late last night.
Davis is a former stock broker who was first elected to council in 1991 – the first black councillor in the history of the former City of York. "It's a great honour and a privilege to be asked to represent a community that I've lived in for my entire life," he said.
Davis was a councillor for the cities of York and Toronto, serving three years as TTC vice-chair, before losing the 2000 election. He lost again in 2003.
He was voted in by six out of 10 trustees last night.
Nunziata, who represented the ward for 11 years, is the niece of well-known Toronto politicians Frances and John Nunziata.
She was expelled from the board in February. That followed media reports about her alleged spending abuses, including a 2004 trip to the Dominican Republic charged to taxpayers.
Trustees voted in March to appoint a trustee to replace Nunziata, and save the $180,000 cost of a by-election.
As a councillor, Davis spearheaded a gun buy-back program that got 1,700 guns off the street.
While on council, he often feuded with other councillors, including former TTC chair Howard Moscoe, and Joe Mihevc, who defeated Davis in the 2000 city election.
