NEW SCHOOL GETS A NAME
page
3
SCHOOLS TO GET TWO WEEK BREAK
page
5
BEING LED DOWN THE GARDEN PATH
page
6
FRIDAY
MARCH 29 2013 www.newwestnewsleader.com
New poll shows that most people are willing to give more money to TransLink. See Page A10
City may put off projects Council wants public input on delaying nearly 50 items Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER
Sunshine brings out the flowers and the walkers along the promenade at New Westminster Quay on Wednesday. There should be plenty of opportunity to enjoy both this week with more sunshine and warm temperatures in the weather forecast.
School district deficit balloons Needs to find $1 million for this year and $5.5 million overall Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
The New Westminster school district’s deficit situation has grown to the point where layoffs of teachers and support staff are inevitable for the next school year, according to trustees. The board of education was told Tuesday it is looking at a $3.55 million deficit for 2012-13 instead of
SAPPERTON Rocky Mountain Return Centre
• Full Refund • TV’s, Electronics & Small Appliances • BC Light Recycle Program • Residential & Commercial Lights and Fixtures
the $2.2 million expected shortfall it was dealing with in January. Between cuts and savings already made by the board and staff, board chair Michael Ewen said about $2.46 million in reductions have already been found but now they’ll have to come up with another $1 million. A report to the board by acting secretary-treasurer Al Balanuik, the district’s assistant superintendent who has taken over from departed secretary-treasurer Brian Sommerfeldt, said a closer look at
DEPOT Unit 21 - 63 Braid Street, New Westminster 604-523-9699 | return-it.ca Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am - 5pm
the books revealed the year’s deficit will be more like $3.5 million. That’s on top of the accumulated $2.8 million deficit the district discovered it would be carrying over from 2011-12 last September giving New Westminster a total shortfall of $5.5 million. “It ends up we’re going to be much further in the glue than we thought. Where we exactly end up or what it means I don’t know,” said Ewen on Wednesday. Balanuik’s budgeting, however, does not include Ministry of
Education contingency holdback payments to all districts in B.C. it usually announces in February and May, in which the district anticipates its portion will be at least $500,000. “Certainly it’s not going to be enough (to cover the difference),” said Ewen. Since the provincial government has frozen its per student funding to districts in the next three years, New West will be looking at similar $3.5 million deficits in the future, he added. Please see THIS IS GOING TO, A3
City council wants public input and more details on nearly 50 proposed project deferrals that could save New Westminster more than $5.1 million before deciding whether or not to postpone them. Although the projects are included in the city’s five-year financial plan, staff made the suggestions as a way to help reduce the city’s debt load this year caused by taking out loans for large projects like the new Anvil Centre and office complex, and to reduce interest charges. Some of the largest deferrals include $700,000 for protection of the Gas Works Building on 12th Street, $350,000 for a playground renovation at Sapperton Park, $335,000 for a washroom at Old Schoolhouse Park, and $300,000 apiece for a washroom/ concession at Queen’s Park, a refurbished spray pool at Sapperton Park and a refurbished playground at Connaught Heights.
Please see MUCH, A8