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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05e Board Special 22 Aug 2006 Minutes Public• [�17 � OTTAWA-CAUETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES 22 August 2006 A special meeting of the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board was held this evening in the Board Room, 133 Greenbank Road, Ottawa, Ontario, commencing at 6:05 p.m. with Trustee Lynn Graham in the Chair and the following in attendance: Trustees Riley Brockington, Bronwyn Funiciello, Alex Getty, Margaret Lange, Greg Laws, Jim Libbey, Norm MacDonald, David Moen, David Primeau, Lynn Scott and Joan Spice (by phone). STAFF: Director of Education and Secretary of the Board, Lorne Rachlis; Executive Superintendent Diane Jeudy -Hugo; Chief Financial Officer, Michael Clarke, Superintendents Jennifer Adams, Mike Carson, and Janice McCoy, Executive Officer, Michele Giroux, Manager of Board Services, Monica Ceschia; Manager of Communications, Maggie Melenhorst; Assistant Treasurer, Cathy Dempsey, Coordinator of Budget Services, Financial Systems Support & Labour Relations Costing, Charles D'Aoust, AV Technician Robert Giekes; and Committee Coordinator, Bruce Fraser. ALSO PRESENT: Paul Webber, Bell Baker. 295. Call to Order Chair Graham called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. 296. Approval of Agenda Trustee Brockington, seconded by Trustee Getty, moved THAT the agenda be approved. Trustee Moen, seconded by Trustee Funiciello, moved in amendment THAT an in camera session to receive legal advice be added to follow item 2) Approval of the Agenda. The agenda, as amended, was approved. The Board resolved into Committee of the Whole (in camera) at 6:07 p.m. Trustee Scott assumed the chair in Committee and later presented the Committee's report in public session. The public session resumed at 6:30 p.m. with Trustee Lynn Graham in the chair. 297. Report from Committee of the Whole (in camera) Trustee Scott reported that there were no recommendations from the Committee of the Whole (in camera) session. 298. Interim Financing to Balance 2006 -2007 Budget The Board had before it staff report No. 06 -180 seeking Board approval in principle to use interim financing to balance the 2006 -2007 budget in accordance with the Ministry of Education's offer, subject to Ministry agreement to an amended timeframe for implementation of expenditure reductions. 254 • [�17 � OTTAWA-CAUETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES 22 August 2006 In response to a query regarding the impact of defeating the recommendation on Committee of the Whole (Budget) motion currently on the floor, Superintendent Clarke advised that staff would recommend a new motion based on Model B which would pre -empt the current committee recommendation. Trustee Getty, seconded by Trustee Lange, moved THAT the Board approve in principle the Ministry of Education's offer of interim financing subject to negotiating an extended timeline for the restructuring of special education expenditures. Trustees speaking in support of the motion expressed the view that, while it is difficult to consider using capital funds to cover operating expenditures, the conditions outlined in the August 15, 2006 letter from the Assistant Deputy Minister, Nancy Naylor, are reasonable and would provide additional time to develop strategies to address significant funding issues and minimize staffing reductions at this time. Trustees speaking against the motion expressed the view that the Ministry's conditions would be difficult to achieve and accepting them would only delay decisions for one year. It would force the Board to borrow money for the construction of schools in the future and paying back the fund would require further staffing and program reductions. Some trustees expressed the view that the Board's financial challenges have been perpetuated by the government's unwillingness to address the issues detailed in the Rozanski Report. In response to a query regarding potential negotiations with the Ministry, Director Rachlis advised that Ministry staff is monitoring the situation closely and that contact would be made tomorrow. An amendment by Trustee Spice to add at the end of the motion "and negotiating the addressing of the transportation funding gap." failed for lack of a seconder. At the request of Trustee Getty, a recorded vote was held and the motion was defeated on the following division: FOR: Trustees Getty, Lange, Scott and Spice (4) AGAINST: Trustees Brockington, Funiciello, Graham, Laws, Libbey, Moen and Primeau (7) ABSTENTIONS: Nil (0) 299. Partial Report No. 5, Committee of the Whole (Budget), 15 August 2006 On a motion by Trustee Brockington, seconded by Trustee Moen, Partial Report No. 5, Committee of the Whole (Budget), 15 August 2006 was received. Trustee Brockington presented and seconded the following recommendation: 255 • [�17 � OTTAWA-CAUETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD 300 BAF/ a) Suspension of By -laws and Standing Rules re Voting in Committee MINUTES 22 August 2006 Trustee Moen expressed the view that, as the motion was moved as a recommendation to the Committee, the minutes should reflect that it was only an internal committee motion and not a recommendation to the Board. (Motion by Trustee Funiciello, seconded by Trustee Brockington) A. THAT Annex 5, Section 7.1 c) of the Board's by -laws be suspended for the duration of Committee of the Whole (Budget) 2006 -2007 budget deliberations. B. THAT all Committee of the Whole (Budget) votes for the duration of the 2006- 2007 budget deliberations be recorded. Chair Graham noted that two weeks notice was not provided and the unanimous consent of all Board members, in lieu of notice, to discuss the issue was not obtained. Therefore, to effect a change to the By -laws the committee recommendation would have to be dealt with by the Board at a meeting where proper notice had been given. Trustee Moen reiterated the view that the recommendation should not have come to the Board as it was an internal committee recommendation. In response to a query, Paul Webber noted that the recommendation sought to revise the Board's By -law which precludes recorded votes in committee and such revisions can only be made by the Board. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m. Lorne M. Rachlis, Director of Education/Secretary of the Board 256 Lynn Graham, Chair of the Board