School board trustees approved a $126.9-million operating budget during their monthly meeting Tuesday night, down roughly $700,000 from the budget for this school year nearing its end but also minus the fireworks prior to setting last year's budget when schools were closed to make ends meet.
The figure is based on the full-time equivalent of 13,482 students, down 334 students from last year's total. The final total remains subject to revised enrollment figures once the 2011-12 school year starts
Trustee Sharel Warrington, who chairs the management and finance committee, noted the budget was balanced without dipping into prior years surplus.
"And that is a good news story," she said. "We did a huge amount of work last year to bring our expenditures and revenues in line and I believe this budget that we're tabling today reflects that work as well,"
However, trustee Lois Boone said that while the budget is balanced, the school district is not out of the woods yet and noted the grant from the Ministry of Education for special education is down significantly, by nearly $2.6 million.
"We're not hearing the huge outcry that we heard last year because we're not closing schools but we will be seeing in the classrooms the results of this budget," Boone said. "It's a budget that I will be voting for but it's not one that I'm particularly proud of."
The school district did receive supplemental funding to account for declining enrollment, The trend is forecast to continue for a few years yet before leveling out.
The school district will also see its annual facility grant reinstated to the tune of $3.1 million after it was held back by the Ministry of Education last year when the provincial government faced a budget crunch.
However, trustee Roxanne Roxanne Ricard said it's not enough to maintain the school district's aging buildings and noted Lower Mainland schools have received extensive funding for earthquake-related upgrades.
Secretary-treasurer Brian Mix said $98,000 the school district was to pay out in downloaded property damage insurance will be covered by the Ministry of Education through the release of holdback funds, allowing the budget to remain balanced.
