The chair of New Westminster's district parent advisory council is "disappointed" that parents weren't told sooner about the district's $2.8 million deficit for the 2011/12 school year and says parents need to be brought into the financial fold.
Rob Peregoodoff said he wanted to wait to comment on the district's deficit until a formal review of financial reporting and the deficit recovery plan is released, which is expected by Oct. 23.
"I'm going to be conservative in my response, however, for me, I'm incredibly disappointed in the lack of consultation that the board and the superintendent's office continues to show to the parents of New Westminster," he said. "We had a DPAC meeting on Monday that both the board chair and the superintendent presented at, and presented reports, neither of them gave us any hint whatsoever that we were in a deficit."
Peregoodoff said he wants more parent representation on the district's finance committee.
"My understanding is prior to 2008, DPAC had a rep, was involved in the budget process and had input on the problem and the solution," he said. "We've been excluded completely from this process for the past four years, incredibly frustrating."
Peregoodoff did receive a call from superintendent John Woudzia as a courtesy to inform him of what was going to be announced on Tuesday might.
"As I said to him, 'that's too little, too late,'" Peregoodoff said. "We have been politely asking: bring us back to the table so we can help, because right now, it's just not an acceptable process at all."
Peregoodoff added that the district's deficit will have a "huge" impact on local students.
Peregoodoff told The Record that he planned to pen a blog post on his response to the situation on the district parent council's website, which can be viewed at www.nwdpac.ca.
Woudzia could not be reached for comment at press time.
