The Ministry of Education is covering the bill for a special adviser to help the New Westminster school district deal with its finances, including a plan to start paying back the $4.8 million the district owes the province.
Superintendent John Gaiptman said he asked the ministry to bring in consultant David Greenan, a retired secretary-treasurer from Vernon, to review the district’s books over the summer.
“He’s coming in to deal with my insecurities, my inabilities … I knocked on the doors and I asked for help that would be at no cost to the school district,” Gaiptman told The Record. “I have made commitments to staff teachers and support staff that we will make sure that we get our budget in working order. … I made the same commitment to parents.”
The superintendent took over managing the district after John Woudzia left the district in February.
Over the years, frustrated parents have called for a ministry-appointed special adviser to oversee the school district – in 2007, 2009 and in January of this year, – to address the district’s ongoing money troubles. Nothing materialized from those requests.
Previous budget shortfalls have left the district owing the province almost $5 million – the plan is for the district to start repaying the money next year and pay it off over the course of five years. By law, school districts cannot run deficits.
The school board passed a balanced budget for this school year, school board chair Jonina Campbell said in a media release.
Gaiptman wanted to work with Greenan, who has a track record of helping financially challenged school districts.
“He was the person that walked out and helped out Langley. He’s done this in Vernon, he’s done this in Mission,” Gaiptman said. “He’s acknowledged as one of the very best, and one is never too old to learn, and I want to learn and make sure we are doing everything the right way.”
Greenan will bring a fresh set of eyes to the district, said Gaiptman, who hopes to gain understanding with the consultant's help. The situation is ideal, the superintendent said, because it “comes to us without a price tag.”
The school district has a “moral imperative” to make sure it doesn’t burden families with anymore deficits, Gaiptman said.
“We have to get everything in line, and here’s somebody that turned around a district previously – he has an outstanding working record and there’s something for the ministry if there’s some way to do it better, they’re get paid back sooner. It’s good for them,” Gaiptman said. “The ideal is that he sits down and he shows me something I have not thought of before, and I learn something, and I do my job better.”
Gaiptman expects to receive an update from Greenan in September.
