Members of the North Okanagan Shuswap Teachers’ Association walked out of an employee group budget meeting Tuesday night in protest and the group's president will no longer be participating in the school district’s budget process.
“Given what’s happened in this district in regard to its budget, we have lost confidence in these processes to effect change,” said Brenda O’Dell, president of NOSTA, referencing the public calls for the board to resign over the transfer of $10.5 million in the past five years from the operational budget into the capital fund.
Money in the capital fund was used to pay for the new $9 million District Education Support Centre and a $1 million building at the school district’s works complex in the industrial park.
O’Dell told the board she would be withdrawing from the budget process, although teachers could still make individual presentations to the board if they chose.
“I’ve lost confidence in the process and I do not feel I can participate in a process I no longer believe in.”
At the conclusion of O’Dell’s remarks, a large group of the teachers present also got up and walked out to show support for her position.
Board chair Bobbi Johnson called the move disappointing.
“Without their voice, they have lost an opportunity to share their concerns with us,” she said.
Before leaving the meeting, O’Dell said NOSTA made a recommendation that the school district delay the budget reductions of any student services until after the Ministry of Education’s appointed special advisor has released her findings.
“That would be a first step in restoring confidence.”
Otherwise, O’Dell suggests the school district look to its current year’s surplus as a source of funds to ensure there are no cuts to student programs.
On Wednesday, Education Minister Mike Bernier appointed Liz Watson as a special advisor to School District #83 to review board activities and make recommendations for moving forward in the wake of the recent resignation of three trustees.
But Superintendent Glenn Borthistle says NOSTA’s recommendation for a delay is not practical, as it is not known how long it will take the advisor to make her report.
“There is already a timeline in place and we have to comply with ministry timelines in the budget. To delay those plans would directly impact plans for staffing and contractual obligations. So at this time, we will be keeping this process going,” he said.
Johnson notes there are pitfalls in using a projected surplus to fund the current budget, as the final surplus amounts are not confirmed until July. The budget must be passed by the board in May.
“It is just a guesstimate, and if something were to happen and that money needed to be spent, it could leave us in a very precarious situation,” said Johnson. “We are going to continue the budget process and look at the options.”
While there are continued calls for the entire school board to resign, O’Dell says NOSTA is not taking that position.
“What we would like to do is thank the SD#83 DPAC (District Parents Advisory Council). It was due to their diligence and hard work that the transfers from operations to capital were discovered.”
Trustees Bob Fowler, Kelly Rowe and Chris Coers were not at the meeting, which angered some teachers.
“It was a concern,” said O’Dell, who noted in past years some trustees have been absent, but due to this year’s controversy, the situation was somewhat different.
Johnson says she did not know why the trustees were absent, but noted all information presented would be shared with them.
A School District #83 public budget meeting was held Thursday night at the Jackson Campus, after the Shuswap Market News press deadline.