This year’s North Okanagan-Shuswap School District’s budget is in a far rosier place now than when the preliminary budget was first planned last year.
A host of new contributions from the provincial government took some of the pressure off several areas initially targeted for cuts including rural schools and transportation.
At the last budget meeting, official trustee Mike McKay gave three readings and approval to the district’s amended annual budget bylaw valued at more than $73 million.
With an increase of 145 full time students in the district over the previous year, Nicole Bittante, secretary-treasurer, stated, actual revenue was just over $2 million higher than projected in the district’s preliminary budget in the spring. The increase in enrolment brought the school district out a funding protection plan, which means the school district now generates revenue on a per-pupil basis.
Bittante noted the district also received some additional funding from the ministry by the return of the administrative savings of approximately $300,000 and a transportation grant of $561,000.
Much of that new funding went to adding teachers and certified education assistant time.
McKay noted he appreciated the transparency related to the budget and around the allocation of the surplus funds, which caused controversy last year when it was revealed surplus funds were used for the construction of the new $9 million District Education Centre.
This amended annual budget bylaw completes the 2016-17 process and work has already started on the 2017-18 budget year.
He reported a budget committee has been established and in January and the committee has already developed timelines, guiding principals, and terms of reference.
“This will allow for thoughtful and robust discussion of budget priorities and planning for next year,” he said.
The public budget consultation meeting is set for April 10 at 6 p.m. at the District Education Support Centre.
It is anticipated the budget will be finalized by, and approved at, the May 15 board of education meeting.
