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Board questions funding formula

Two motions regarding extending the conversation with municipalities and questioning the Ministry of Education’s funding formula were brought to the table at Tuesday night’s School District 20 (SD20) board meeting, and were met with heated opinions.

Two motions regarding extending the conversation with municipalities and questioning the Ministry of Education’s funding formula were brought to the table at Tuesday night’s School District 20 (SD20) board meeting, and were met with heated opinions.

Trustee Vince Morelli brought both motions forward because he felt recent events — the Planning for the Future consultation and budget process — could have been handled better.

He explained the budget process would have been easier if the Planning for the Future consultation with municipalities had gone further. For example, he said a conversation date should be held with Rossland first because they’re willing to have a school closed if it means introducing a K-12 school.

However not all trustees thought bringing the municipalities into the process made sense.

“They are going to further taint what we’re trying to do,” trustee Mark Wilson said.

Morelli clarified the meetings wouldn’t be open to the public, but rather with city officials only.

“I still think what unfortunately happens is the councils are going to come back with their vested interests and you can’t blame them for that,” Wilson said.

Trustee Lorraine Manning said before the board pursues meetings to get verbal or written approval from the municipalities regarding school reconfigurations, the board should ask for information from the Ministry of Education first to see if the process would make a difference.

“Where [municipalities are] promoting community connection programs, and they go in there as a municipality, they’re probably going to get the money from the ministry,” Morelli said.

He told Manning to give her “head a shake” and to not overestimate the board’s power.

“Every ministry in the province is listening to the municipalities,” he said.

Board Chair Gordon Smith clarified the motion for confused trustees.

“He’s urging the board to consider all options and quickly proceed with the Planning for the Future configurations,” he said.

Once the discussion closed, the motion passed and Morelli continued with his second motion of the evening: asking the board to write a letter to the Ministry of Education regarding the rural versus urban funding formula.

“Beyond Hope, everything is different on the Lower Mainland,” Morelli told the board.

Manning agreed, however said urban areas such as Vancouver also have difficulties.

“Urban areas have a harder problem than we have in some respects because of English as a second language,” she said. “I have met with lots of trustees on the coast that have far more problems than we have.”

Some trustees thought writing a letter was pointless.

“I don’t think we’re going to get any more money whether we’re rural or urban,” trustee Bev Maloff said.

Trustee Mickey Kinakin agreed.

“A person could get a terminal case of carpal tunnel in the wrist writing to the ministry about funding,” he said, adding the only thing the ministry will say in response is “you don’t budget within your means.”

Morelli said it was worth a try regardless.

“If you don’t ask, they don’t have the opportunity to say no,” he said, before the motion passed.