By Josh Hall

optimism in the air

Chinook’s Edge School Division budget recognizes “financially rainy” times

May 29, 2020 | 9:00 AM

The superintendent for Chinook’s Edge School Division says people in the district are optimistic after the board of trustees passed its 2020-21 budget.

Totalling $129 million, the budget includes an operating deficiency of $1.7 million. Division operating reserves are expected to decline by that same amount.

“We are going to be able to move ahead and minimize the impact on the classroom. We did that in a couple ways,” says Kurt Sacher.

“First, we’re dipping into reserves because the board realizes it’s raining a little bit financially so we’re needing to spend a little more than we’re bringing in. We also found efficiencies in the neighbourhood of $1 million by making some central services reductions.”

The division also formally approved new transportation fees, which were announced in January to help the division deal with its long-running deficit in that department.

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Starting in 2020-21, the yearly fee for busing town students is increasing from $300 to $500, while the new fee for busing rural students will be $200.

“This was put in place so that we don’t have to use instructional funds to balance the deficit in transportation,” Sacher explains. “That deficit is approaching $800,000 to $1 million, which is a problem, but the fee will get us through.”

As for staffing, Sacher says the current compliment will be retained, and there are no cuts to programming.

“We recognize and appreciate that government is trying to keep funding envelopes moving forward for education and healthcare, and we’re beneficiaries of that. But we recognize that there are some fiscal realities that at some point, as the premier has said, we’re going to need to deal with,” Sacher states.

“We just really hope there’s careful thought give to education [when that happens]. We’re getting by right now, but any more significant cuts to funding would start to really impact the classroom and we hope to avoid that.”

Chinook’s Edge was also approved for a total of $4.23 million worth of projects under the Infrastructure Maintenance and Renewal program, part of a recent provincial government economic stimulus package.

Those funds will go towards roofing, boiler replacements, rooftop unit replacements, new LED lighting and new flooring in 15 schools.

Chinook’s Edge School Division is currently preparing for all three school re-entry scenarios, the superintendent adds, and when there is clarity there on what’s going to happen, the division can pass it on to parents.