SD79 finds enough cash to balance budget in variety of contingency funds

The Cowichan school district has scraped together enough cash to cover an unforeseen $127,569 deficit and bring its budget back into the black.

Trustees learned about the six-figure shortfall earlier this fall. Unanticipated costs like increases in MSP premiums and changes in staffing costs had dipped the financial plan — already called “bare-bones” by some trustees in recent months — into the red.

However, district secretary-treasurer Bob Harper told trustees during Wednesday’s board meeting that savings in a handful of areas helped get the budget back on track.

For example, the district “increased activity within energy management” to reduce energy costs by $30,000.

Money was also pulled from the dollars reserved for teacher leave replacement costs, and an unforeseen $9,507 was saved from reduced summer school expenses this year.

Districts are required under the provincial School Act to submit a balanced budget to the Ministry of Education. The final, amended budget will be submitted in February.