The New Westminster school district's ongoing budget saga has taken another surprise turn after the district learned the $2.8-million deficit from last year impacts the bottom line in this year's amended budget.
This means the district still has a hefty multi-million dollar shortfall on the books.
Last week, the district passed its amended 2012/13 budget, and said the district was short $213,000, but the budget didn't account for the previous year's deficit. The new accounting means the district's overall shortfall is about $2.5 million, said assistant superintendent Al Balanuik, who is doing secretary treasurer Brian Sommerfeldt's job while he is on medical leave.
"There were some accounting procedures that I was introduced to that allowed me to more accurately report it within the framework that is set by the Education Ministry," Balanuik said about the revised budget. "I knew I needed to present that $2.8-million budget shortfall from last year into this amended annual budget. I included it but in the wrong section and in the wrong way, and once that was brought to my attention, I made the necessary corrections and moved to present the final package to the board."
The board spent months dealing with a looming $2.2 million deficit from this year's budget and faced another obstacle when Sommerfeldt went on medical leave. No one from the district will say how long he will be off, citing personal reasons. This is Balanuik's first time overseeing the district's more than $60-million budget.
The board held a special meeting on Tuesday, after press time, to pass the revised budget.
Board of education chair Michael Ewen told The Record last week the budget likely will change between now and the end of the year.
"I can't say it's going to be balanced," he said last Friday. "We are counting on a number of things to happen."
The district's overall enrolment was lower than expected. The total enrolment at this point is 6,673- 146 fewer students than anticipated; however, the school year is not yet over, and the adult education numbers will likely jump with May enrolment.
When the board learned about the "surprise" $2.8-million deficit last year, it brought in consultant Joan Axford to review the books, and she uncovered the looming deficit for this school year. As a result, the district has cut services, staff and supplies in order to offset the shortfall. The district has found $1.4 million in savings so far, Balanuik said.
"And we're still working on it," he added.
The final budget for the year must be passed by the end of June.
