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Catholic board must chop $2.2 million deficitBy Tim Whitnellexpenditures than government funding for during a school year, shouldnt be relied on programs in light of the ministrys more METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUPthe Halton Catholic boards expanding full-to fix the budget woes.restrictive guidelines for charging students day kindergarten program.He noted the boards student enrolment fees for learning materials and activities, as The Halton Catholic District School The board only receives money for a set has essentially flatlined, with only 30-50 well as in the area of school fundraising.Board has passed a deficit budget.number of its youngest students to be in more pupils expected for the 2011-12 The majority of the $1.8 million in total Despite finding a net of $1 million in school all day, but parental demand is far school year, so additional pupil funding budget savings identified by the board for expenditure savings, the board still has a outstripping the available government grants from the ministry likely will be 2011-12, $1.2 million, is coming in the looming $2.24 million budget deficit, which funding, particularly in the residential minimal.form of delays to some repair and mainte-it says it can legally carry over to the 2011-boom area of north Halton.McMahon suggested the board might nance work at various board schools and 12 school year.Miltons growth is exponential, said have to look at reducing staffing and/or sites.Trustees accepted the deficit budget by a retiring education superintendent Rick school programming in the future to Savings is not the right word, a deferral 7-1 vote at Tuesdays public board meeting; MacDonald.reduce spending.is more accurate, the boards facilities only Oakville trustee Paul Marai voted Do you want to tell the families in those In order to achieve this compliant bud-superintendent, Giacomo Corbacio, told against it.communities the first 100 (kindergarten get, and to include some new initiatives to trustees on Tuesday.The board approved an estimated budget children) can come in (to the program) but support our students, $1.85 million of bud-The areas where we have more discre-of $311,060,405, a 2.65 per cent increase the next 100 cant? I dont think so, added get reductions have been identified, said tion, like painting and repairs, we can do compared to the 2010-11 budget.MacDonald.Pautler.this for one year, maybe 18 months, but The 2011-12 budget will be filed with the Education director Michael Pautler told However, $850,000 in new program-beyond that it (delayed spending) is not Ministry of Education by the June 30 dead-trustees the board could choose not to ming for 2011-12 was added to the budget, sustainable. There will be some catch up in line.expand certain programs to save money, but making the gain in savings just $1 mil-future years, said Corbacio.In order for a school boards budget to be that it has been a practice of the board in lion.Oakville trustee Anthony Danko told compliant with Ministry of Educations recent years to expand programs when The initiatives for 2011-12 include two trustees they need to identify the boards guidelines, the in-year budget deficit must needed as a matter of equity in providing new social workers to support an increased priorities when it comes to spending.be less than one per cent of the total operat-learning opportunities.focus on student mental health, an increase Next year, the budget process will begin ing grants revenue that a board receives That does come at a cost, he said.in spending on technology programs, a much earlier than usual in order to iden-from the provincial government, which is Aside from full-day kindergarten cost full-day early learning kindergarten super-tify potential savings. It will involve public the case for the Halton Catholic board.overruns, the other $1.2 million of the defi-visor to support the expansion of the pro-consultation to ensure our board budget How the board will eliminate its $2.2 cit is in anticipated lost revenue related to gram to more elementary schools, and an decisions reflect the priorities of stakehold-million deficit during the 2011-12 fiscal more stringent provincial rules surround-increase to school budgets to maintain ers, Pautler added.year is not clear.ing school-generated funds, guidelines Business superintendent and treasurer introduced in March.Paul McMahon told trustees the deficit is McMahon said provincial government partly attributable to $1 million more in grants, which sometimes are topped up Ontario Court of JusticeProvincial Offences Offi ceHalton Court ServicesNOTICEClosing of Oakville POA Court Service Offi ceEffective July 1, 2011, the POA Court Service Offi ce currently located at 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, will be closing.Counter services including: paying fi nes, fi ling requests for court hearings and general inquiries will no longer be available.All members of the public are directed to attend the following POA court locations in Halton for any provincial offences matters: Milton Provincial OffencesCourtUnit 2, 100 Nipissing Road, MiltonOffice:905-876-2025Fax: 905-876-0586 Burlington Provincial OffencesCourt2051 Plains Road East, BurlingtonOffi ce: 905-637-1274Fax: 905-637-5919www.haltoncourtservices.ca15 Friday, June 24, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com