HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-04-16, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16,1997
HCBE has made effort to reduce costs, says Carroll
Continued from page 1
43.3 per cent.
Over that same period, the rev
enues earned by the board through
sources such as tuitions, continuing
education fees, and equipment sales
have declined from 9.2 per cent to
7.6 per cent.
This funding, for municipal tax
payers, increasing their share from
35.1 per cent in 1992 to 49.1 per
cent for 1997.
The actual dollar value munici
palities will be asked to pay this
year is $29,155,571, a 3.4 per cent
rise.
Expenditures
On the expenditure side of the
budget, the board has made a sig
nificant effort to reduce costs with
out adversely affecting the
classroom.
“The impact of the changes is a
function of ongoing planning and
long-term thinking,” said Director
of Education Paul Carroll. “We are
going into 1997 in a positive finan
cial state because trustees and
employee groups saw expenditure
constraints they had to work within
begun by previous government and
continued by (Minister of Educa
tion John) Snobelen.”
The key spending cut was in
staffing, said Carroll, particularly in
the elementary sector.
Dollars spent on teachers will
drop almost $1 million while more
money will be shifted to the general
services and supplies section, cov
ering such items as day school and
special education services.
“I believe this is the shift Snobe
len was looking for when he want
ed more money in the classrooms,”
said Carroll.
Money has also been removed
from the staff travel and improve
ment budget, falling to $105,000
from $130,357.
“Unfortunately, spending is also
down for plant operations and
maintenance,” he said, “but there is
a scarcity of funds to support this
area.”
Overall spending for the elemen
tary schools declined from
$29,266,232 to $28,528,009.
The biggest change in the sec
ondary panel was the cost for resi
dent external tuition fees. This is
the amount spent by the board for
public sector students to attend
facilities in other areas. The most
significant impact was a loss of stu
dents to St. Anne’s Catholic School
in Clinton, largely due to students
continuing in the French immersion
program, said Carroll.
There was a $600,000 increase in
spending at this level.
For the Education and Learning
Resources Centre (ELRC), admin
istration costs were cut by approxi
mately $160,000. Total expendi
tures decreased slightly from
$4,225,847 to $4,056,477.
Mark Book Day
on the calendar
Continued from page 27
him her.
And there are other kinds of gift
books, too - gifts of money that
will allow libraries to offer more
books to the public. Many schools
and day-care centres would also
welcome gifts of books.
I've got Canada Book Day
marked on my calendar and I think
I'll try to take all three pieces of
advice from its organizers.
♦♦♦
In keeping with the "Get one,
Give one, Read one", theme, the
Huron County Library is marking
Canada Book Day by launching its
1997 book fundraising campaign.
Library staff invites everyone to
"Get one" and "Read one" at the
library. If you would also like to
"Give one", special donation forms
will be available at your local
' library branch during April. Tax
receipts will be issued for cash
donations and, if the donor wishes,
an attractive book plate will be
placed in all purchased titles to
Reduction options
Before asking trustees to consid
er passing the budget, Carroll out
lined areas where further cuts could
be made, though he did not recom
mend the moves, believing the stu
dents would be affected.
“I don’t see any way to further
reduce staffing without seriously
jeopardizing the students. Staffing
at the ELRC is already lower than
the level suggested by the Sweeney
Report,” he said.
The board also agreed to not
renew the bus fleet though it had
been suggested at early talks that at
least two buses should be replaced,
in keeping with board standards.
Approximately $200,000 was cut
from transportation cost*
recognize this gift of reading.
Canada Book Day is supported
by Canada Publishers, authors and
booksellers under the leadership of
The Writers' Development Trust, a
national charitable organization
supporting and promoting
Canadian writers and literature.
April 23 is also International Book
Day and Copywright Day.
Organizers wish to establish the
giving of books on Book Day as a
Canadian tradition.____________
CRIME
^rOPPI-RS
1-800-222-TIPS
Give Someone
a Second Chance.
Discuss organ donation with your
family and sign a donor card today.
the Kidney Foundation
of Canada
Carroll said maintenance pro
jects, such as roofing work at
Stephen and Hensall Public
Schools could be deferred as could
the emergency exit work at F.E.
Madill Secondary School, resulting
in a savings of $465,000.
“I don’t recommend this deferral
and the longer we wait the more it
will cost,” said Carroll.
The second option was to reduce
expenditures on the replacement of
items such as chairs, desks and
classroom furniture. This could
save $40,000.
The final area would be to defer
additional library resource
upgrades at F.E. Madill, South
Huron District High School, Clin
ton Public School and Exeter Pub
lic School, and transfer money
from working funds previously
dedicated to renovations, said Car
roll. The total amount would be
about $645,000.
Carroll said it was his duty to
bring options to the board. It was
their challenge to look at the over
all picture.
“It is our responsibility to pro
vide the best schools, in the best
condition, prior to amalgamation,”
said Joan Van den Broeck, trustee
Homecoming
Kick-off
Dance
Sat. April 26th
9 p.m. - 1 a.m.
at the BM&G Community Centre
for Goderich and Colbome Twps.
“We must go ahead with the school
projects.”
“It is not too much to ask for the
$25.98,” added Bea Dawson,
trustee for Hay and Usbome Twps.
and Zurich.
Responding to comments from
Doug Gamiss, trustee for Morris
and Turn berry Twps., who felt the
budget should be cut very fine,
Norm Picked, trustee for Goderich,
said the board should not underesti
mate its expenses for 1997. “If we
find there is a surplus of $50,000 in
September, there are several places
we could find to spend it.”
Several trustees stated their wish
to spend Huron County money on
Huron County schools before amal
gamation with the Perth board in
1998.
Not knowing the condition of
schools in Perth County, Pickell
said it could be some time before
money is spent in Huron County
again as there may be other priori
ties.
Carroll reminded members to
continue the fight for a new finance
model for the education system.
Trustees passed the budget with
little further discussion.
\ J
~ PreSe/lts r
Spring (trade fair
The Wingham & Area
Chamber of Commerce
“A chance to show our stuff’
A business, home & garden show.
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION
Admission by donation
proceeds to fire dept, fireworks
April 16 & 17,1997
Wed. & Thurs. 5 pm to 10 pm
357-4990
Si" Full Moon
$15 per couple $S per person
Lunch Provided
Auditions will be
held for the position of Town Crier
for details contact Murray Cardiff