Pembina Hills’ Co-op Pool Operating Reserve will soon be cut in half, with funds being used towards school improvement and technology upgrades.
At the Wednesday, Jan. 25 board meeting at Clyde’s Eleanor Hall School, trustees voted unanimously to keep $452,466 in reserves, while spending $575,788.
The decision, however, didn’t come without debate.
Tracy Meunier, division secretary treasurer, proposed the recommendation to the board, adding that after the November 2011 audit, the school division had a $1.6-million surplus.
“Of that $1.6-million surplus, the co-op pool, which is the collective surplus pool where all community schools pay into and then they collectively have common services that get paid out, experienced just over a $1-million surplus,” she said.
The surplus for the co-op pool was a result of increased enrolment, kids completing more high school credits and a one-time cash injection from the government.
Acting Supt. Colleen Symyrozum-Watt said the surplus amount isn’t “huge” when one looks at the context of how many students are served by Pembina Hills.
The proposal allocated $75 per full-time equivalent student to community schools, totaling $285,788 division wide, which Symyrozum-Watt said would be used for things like purchasing additional supplies or computers.
There was $250,000 allocated for school improvement aimed at increasing student achievement and $40,000 directed towards upgrading technology. The remaining $452,466 would remain in reserves.
Trustee Dale Schaffrick said he was in favour of the proposal, with the exception of the $75-per student allocation. He made a motion to remove this from the proposal.
“I’ve had a real concern over the past few years. Last year we had a deficit of $500,000. This year we have a surplus of $500,000,” he said. “I understand the principal of not wanting to get too much percentage in reserves, however, I think this is an opportunity for us to let the government know that we don’t trust them.”
He suggested by leaving additional funds in reserves, it would allow the division to have a fiscal cushion should the government decide to claw back once again.
“We can’t just simply run surpluses and run those into reserves. The intent for that money is to be spent on children and the education of those children,” Symyrozum-Watt said, adding this portion of the disbursement would not necessarily mean there would be no cutbacks in the future.
“It might reduce where you’re at in terms of staffing and cutbacks,” she said. “There’s no school that’s rolling in the dough, so to speak, so I don’t think they’d be looking at using that money for nice-to-do. They’d be looking at it for need.”
Trustee Sherry Allen said she was at first in favour of putting more cash in reserves, but said that could pose a problem come budget time.
“Spend the money and show them an empty basket, so you get what you need,” she said. “If you’re responsible, they’re going to take it away. They’re going to say you don’t need it.”
The division aims to keep reserves between seven and nine per cent of the total budget. After this disbursement, the reserves sit at 13 per cent.
