Thursday May 22, 2014 (Vol. 39 No. 41)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
S U R R E Y
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Into Africa: Though his competitive running days da ays are behind him, Spencer Jackson couldn’t pass up a last-minute opportunity to visit Kenya – homee off some of the world’s fleetest afoot. i see page e 3333
‘Across-the-board’ reductions would impact Surrey programs, services and staffing, trustee says
School cuts sought for $8.5m shortfall Sheila Reynolds Black Press
The Surrey School District is facing a budget shortfall of about $8.5 million for the upcoming school year – a figure officials say could be cut in half if the province would cover the more than $4 million the district is forced to spend on portables. Trustee Terry Allen said the anticipated operating deficit means cuts will have to be made “across the board” in Surrey and could potentially impact supply budgets,
programs, services and staffing. “The instructions are to make them (cuts) as far away from the classroom as possible, but there’s nothing that we provide that isn’t classroom-driven,” said Allen. He said trustees met with local MLAs two weeks ago, but instead of “hammering away” at them over the general shortage of operating funding, which most districts are also facing, they focussed on the millions Surrey spends on portables annually. Surrey currently has about 320 portables
and must not only pay for the buildings, but for their depreciation, upkeep, utilities servicing and cleaning. Because the city is growing far more quickly than schools are being built or expanded, so-called temporary portable classrooms cost Surrey more than any other B.C. school district. “Across the province, there’s special funding for everything else,” said Allen, referring to extra grants provided to districts in colder climates to cover extra heating costs, or to rural districts for busing.
“For all of those unique functions, funding is provided. This issue around portables is completely unique to Surrey.” The concept of providing extra funding for portables is not unheard of. In 2010, thenminister of education Margaret MacDiarmid gave Surrey an extra $2.5 million to offset portable costs associated with the mandated implementation of full-day kindergarten. “A clear precedent has been set here,” Allen said. i see page 4
Homicide investigation
Caller taunts police
Wild ride A saddle bronc rider is surprised right at the gate during competition at the Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair Saturday. Organizers say unexpected sunshine helped draw a record crowd of more than 100,000 to the four-day event, including 21,000 who shoe-horned into the actual rodeo site, where some performances Sunday and Monday were sold out. See more photos on page 29.
Kevin Diakiw Black Press
A man claiming to be the suspect in last week’s homicide in Cloverdale called a TV station over the weekend and said he’s not turning himself in to police. “They have to do their job and find me,” said the man who called CTV News claiming to be Barrie McQuarrie. Police believe the caller is the real McQuarrie, 33, who’s named as a suspect after a man was shot at a home near 176 Street and 57 Avenue Surveillance image May 12. RCMP photo. A public warning was issued the next morning advising anyone who spots McQuarrie to call 911, and that he be considered armed and dangerous. i see page 4
Boaz Joseph photo
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