S E R V I N G
2012
M I S S I O N
S I N C E
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LOCAL ELECTION RACE UNDERWAY Political parties present their platforms
THURSDAY, APR. 18, 2013
PAGES 9, 13-15
Dewdney may close Wetland champions Terry and Jim Taylor enjoy a leisurely stroll around Silverdale Wetlands, an environmentally sensitive property they were instrumental in protecting from development. The pair continue to work tirelessly on other wetlands projects and were recognized for their efforts by Ducks Unlimited Canada recently. SEE PAGE 12 CAROL AUN PHOTO
School district has $3.9M deficit STORIES
BY JASON
Mission Record
ROESSLE
Mission Public Schools is facing a $3.9-million deficit, and plans to retire that debt within three years. Originally, a $1.2-million deficit was reported to the board of trustees, but further investigation within the past month into the budget revealed that number to be higher. There is an operating deficit of $1.45 million, said secretary-treasurer Wayne Jefferson. Included in that figure is about $900,000 of severance for a number of admin-
istration staff who were let go late last year. An additional deficit of $639,000 for local capital (which includes items such as instructional equipment) was also listed. And through decisions made in years past, there also exists an $814,000 bank loan that must be repaid, along with $1 million in capital leases (mostly technology equipment such as photocopiers, etc.). The bank loan was taken out to fund the construction of the new Riverside College on Dewdney Trunk Road. The school district
sold the original school site on Lougheed Highway, and received some money from the provincial government to renovate the public works building and turn it into the current Riverside. After sale proceeds and capital contributions from the Ministry of Education, the outstanding amount was financed through a bank loan. “Normally, capital projects are funded by the government,” Jefferson said. “[This decision] was a local decision taken by the elected board” of the day. The secretary-treasurer said the
district will pay back $1.1 million this year. He also noted that the small $117,000 surplus created through cost-cutting across the district this year will also be put towards the debt. The figures were always in the budget, explained board chair Edie Heinrichs, but were not presented in the way the current secretarytreasurer has done. “We can only operate on what we were told. Until we brought in our new secretary-treasurer, that level of detail was not presented to us,” said Taylor.
School trustees voted Tuesday night to start the process to contemplate closing Dewdney Elementary School by the end of June. School board chair Edie Heinrichs said the timeline is short — previous school closure processes took a number of months — but it is being considered because members of the Dewdney and Deroche school community approached the board with the idea to close. However, parents and teachers in the audience refuted that statement. When queried as to who had said this, superintendent Bill Fletcher replied that it was a few members of the community, but would not elaborate further. “When the proposal came I was not happy with it, and was surprised by it,” said vice-chair Jim Taylor, adding that “my mind is not made up by any means.” A commitment had been made by trustees to the Ministry of Education that come September, a school closure process would be explored, and that not just rural schools were being examined. According to a report in the agenda, the primary reason Dewdney was chosen was “due to the continuing decline in enrolment in the eastern part of the school district.” As well, the school is underused. Dewdney has a 195-student capacity, and enrolment numbers for next year show about 80 students will attend, with further declines projected over the next decade. The report also stated that, “The closure of Dewdney Elementary will also benefit the delivery of education programs at Deroche Elementary which is also experiencing declining enrolment.” Other factors to be considered by Mission Public Schools’ administration staff include geographic location, building condition and economic savings. Dewdney was on the closure consideration list two years ago. The board of trustees at the time decided to keep it open, but close another rural school, Durieu. A timeline for further meetings with the public and partner groups has not yet been announced.
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