Salmon Arm Observer, March 20, 2015

Page 1

Shuswap Your Classified Connection / Vol. 26 No. 12 March 20, 2015

Market News

1701 10 Ave SW, Salmon Arm • (250) 832-5333

Inside Shuswap

A3

Pondering the next move

n North Canoe student Carson Blair ponders his next move against Linden Walters of Hillcrest Elementary in the fourth heat of the School District #83 chess tournament held Wednesday, March 11 at North Canoe Elementary.

SPCA update

Cats crowd into Shuswap shelter. Plus South Shuswap A8,9 Sports

A19,20

Chase

A18

Windstorm

New hazards appear for golfers. Plus Houseboat trial A17 What’s On A18

Flyers

School board facing budget cuts

Education: Increased costs, lower enrolment add up to $1.8 million shortfall. By Tracy Hughes

MARKET NEWS STAFF

The financial picture for School District #83 prompted school board chair Bobbi Johnson to wear black – as though she were in mourning – to the school board meeting. “I thought a few years ago we had cut everything we could cut. Now we are going places trustees do not want to go,” she said. Sterling Olson, secretary-treasurer, told the board the school district is facing an operating deficit of $1.8 million from last year. This includes the projected enrolment decline of 137 students, as well as the government an-

nouncement of a reduction in funding for school district administrative costs. For school district #83 that translates into a reduction of $685,000 over the next two years. As well, no additional funding is coming from the government to cover increases in MSP payments or BC Hydro rate increases. “It is a very challenging picture and it looks like we have a number of years of financial challenges ahead of us,” said Olson, who noted enrolment is projected to continue to decline by more than 60 students each year for the next two years. This will mean continued cutbacks to the budget unless there are changes to government

policy to inject more funds into the education system. Olson suggests the board should be prepared to make similar cuts in the following two years. Johnson says the upcoming budget discussions will consider every line item in the budget, “no matter how small.” She noted last year the budget cuts impacted services like family life teaching and library services – things which directly impacted student learning. “This year, the cuts are going to have to go even deeper,” she said. The budget process will continue with the plan, coming to the table for approval on May 12, with final adoption set for June 9.

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