School District 43 passed a balanced budget with no surprises at a subdued public board meeting attended by a handful of teachers, support workers and administrators.
But Tuesday's quiet event passing a $352-million budget bylaw is just the appetizer to the main meal — a parallel budget required as the district puts back positions axed when the teachers' collective agreement was illegally stripped 15 years ago by the provincial government.
"All of the hiring is coming into play with those dollars and that budget. That has really been the focus. Staff is basically putting together two budgets together simultaneously," board chair Kerri Palmer Isaak said, describing the behind-the-scenes work to tally up another $16.9 million in spending to restore teachers, counsellors, learning assistants and other positions that were cut and are now being restored thanks to a ruling in favour of the BC Teachers' Federation in the Supreme Court of Canada.
"This is new territory for us, uncharted with our increase in staffing and our class size realignment," said Palmer Isaak, trustee for Anmore and Belcarra.
As well, the district has to calculate the number of portables and classroom retrofits needed to adjust to the new, smaller classroom sizes under the teachers' agreement that was restored by a court ruling.
The upheaval has resulted in seven daycares in six schools getting letters asking them to vacate classrooms needed for students.
Palmer Isaak said trustees are aware the issue is sensitive and efforts are being made to help daycares through the change.
"Our students need to be our highest priority," she said, noting that the district only leases space on a year-to-year basis because rooms may be needed at any time.
In some cases, before- and after-school care operations can use use gyms and libraries. "It's the infant toddler piece that's the most challenging," the board chair said.
Meanwhile, the larger and also important 2017/’18 budget, which includes $297 million in operating expenses, passed with little comment.
Port Moody Trustee Keith Watkins was the lone opponent, saying he wouldn't support the budget bylaw because it puts surpluses into future years.
"It shouldn't be sitting in the bank, it should be in the classroom," he said.
But he was the lone holdout.
Superintendent Patricia Gartland pointed out that using surpluses, most of the money from higher than expected international education fees, to smooth revenue bumps has been a "very successful policy."
This year's budget also includes $3.4 million more in spending for the next school year thanks, in part, to the district making its final $1.25-million debt payment from this year's anticipated surplus. As well, there will be no layoff and recall process for teachers this year — the first time in 16 years this has happened.
