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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03g COW Budget Minutes 28 Mar 2000OTTAWA - CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (BUDGET) MINUTES DATE: 28 March 2000 A meeting of Committee of the Whole (Budget) was held this evening at 133 Greenbank Road, commencing at 7:15 p.m. with Trustee Pam Morse in the Chair, and the following in attendance: Trustees Cynthia Bled, Albert Chambers, Alex Getty, Lynn Graham, Andrew Lam, Jim Libbey, Sheryl MacDonald, and Lynn Scott. Trustees Patty Anne Hill, Russ Jackson, and Norm MacDonald participated via teleconference. STAFF: Director of Education and Secretary of the Board James Grieve; Superintendents Larry Archibald, Rose -Marie Batley, John Brennan, Michael Clarke; Ross Donaldson; Judith Hoye, Dan Mason, Katharine Saunders, Barbara Stollery, Judy Turriff and Bonnie Viney; Principals Margaret Dempsey; Laura McAlister, and Bob Powell Manager, Facilities and Physical Planning, Michael Carson; Manager /Comptroller of Finance, Marie- Louise Chartrand; Manager of Quality Assurance, Marjorie Clegg; Coordinator of Budget Services and Financial Systems Support, Charles D'Aoust; Chief of Psychological Services, Terry Laughlin; Assistant Secretary of the Board, Joan Melancon; Manager of Communications, Maggie Melenhorst; Management, Policy and Planning Advisor, Janice Sargent; Chief of Social Work, Dan Wiseman; A/V Technician Robert Giekes and Committee Coordinator, Bruce Fraser. Non - Voting Representatives: Ottawa - Carleton Elementary Principals' Association, Lyndi McDonald; Donald Cram; Ottawa - Carleton Elementary Vice - Principals' Association, Mary McConnell; Ottawa Carleton Secondary School Administrators' Network, Phil O'Brien; Ottawa Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation, Dave Wildman; OSSTF Teachers, Tony Pearson, Ed Filby; OSSTF/Professional Student Services Personnel, Christine DiZazzo; OSSTF/Educational Assistants, Linda Moran, OSSTF/Education Support Professionals, Helene Hume, Ottawa - Carleton Assembly of School Councils, Lamar Mason, Cynthia Pohran; Ottawa - Carleton Student Presidents' Council, Justin Millette, Janel Yu; Special Education Advisory Committee, Casey van der Grient. Note: Trustee Libbey assumed the Chair whenever Trustee Morse wished to contribute to the discussion. Trustee Morse called the meeting to order at 7:15 indicating this session was a continuation of the 27 March 2000 Committee of the Whole (Budget) meeting. It was noted that Trustee Graham's Notice of Motion re: Status Quo for Special Education (No. 14 - Additions to the Budget) should be listed as Cost Neutral and Notice of Motion re: Capital Reserves (No. 3 - Cost Neutral) should be included with the Additions to the Budget. 1. Notice of Motion - Trustee Sheryl MacDonald, Summer School Program for Students with Developmental Disabilities and/or Autism Notice having been given, Trustee Sheryl MacDonald moved in amendment to, the budget as follows: WHEREAS students with developmental disabilities and/or autism require consistency and continuity; WHEREAS for this population the Summer Learning Program provided by this Board is an essential part of the learning process and should be considered the eleventh month of the school year; WHEREAS the OCDSB decided last March to eliminate funding for this valuable program beginning in 2001 and recommended that staff, trustees, etc work together to find alternate funding to support this program; Committee of the Whole (Budget) - 1 - 28 March 2000 0 WHEREAS representatives of parents of this population and representatives of SEAC met with senior staff, including the Director, and all parties agreed to recommend to the OCDSB that the Board implement a gradual phase -out of the OCDSB's financial support of this program over three years; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the OCDSB put *$276,000 back into the 2000/2001 budget for the summer program for students with developmental disabilities and/or autism; and THAT the Board make a further commitment to allocate $140,000 in the 2001/2002 budget for the summer program, with parents and associations to assume full responsibility for the funding of this program for 2003. *(represents a reduction of $200,000 in the current cost to operate the program, this cost to be assumed by parents and by adjustments in the program) In speaking to the amendment, Trustee Sheryl MacDonald explained that it would gradually decrease the Board's financial commitment to these programs over the next three years. The associations and parent groups will assume full responsibility for the total funding in 2002 -2003 and this would provide them with the opportunity to obtain the required financial resources. Trustee Libbey, speaking in support of the amendment, congratulated the parents and associations on their efforts to assume responsibility for the funding of these programs but expressed reluctance to commit a future Board to a funding figure. He requested that a separate vote be taken on parts A and B. In response to a trustee query, Casey van der Grient, explained that a stable funding source is currently available but that a cooperative approach with the board will help to increase the potential of long term success. He noted that some programs in the province have been running for decades with alternative funding. In wrap up, Trustee Sheryl MacDonald noted that the temporary funding will allow the continuation of the program while alternative funding is sought. She pointed out that there are very few summer programs available for disabled students and that space in the existing programs is limited. Part A of the amendment carried. Part B of the amendment was defeated. Trustee Getty requested that he be provided with details of the 18 February 2000 meeting between staff, representatives from the Autism Society of Ontario, Ottawa - Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and the Chair of the Crystal Bay School Council. 2. Notice of Motion - Trustee Lynn Graham, Status Quo for Special Education Trustee Graham withdrew her amendment. Notice of Motion - Trustee Lynn Scott, Staffme of Fitzroy Schools Trustee Scott noted that, as she intended to move the cost neutral scenario identified by staff, she would bring her amendment directly to Board for consideration. 4. Notice of Motion - Trustee Lynn Scott, Transportation Notice having been given, Trustee Scott moved in amendment to the budget as follows: Whereas Board Policy P.068.TRA Student Transportation limits maximum school bus ride duration for elementary and secondary students to one hour, unless special circumstances justify an exception; Committee of the Whole (Budget) - 2 - 28 March 2000 Of Whereas the practice of double and triple bus runs, in some situations, requires that a bus arrive at a school more than 15 minutes before the school start time when there is no guarantee of supervision for students, in order to accommodate the time required to get to the beginning of the next run for that bus; Whereas some "one hour" bus runs in practice have durations in excess of one hour; Whereas the combination of crowded buses and long run times has resulted in an increased incidence of student discipline problems on some runs; Whereas parents have consistently objected to long bus rides, especially for young children, that for all practical purposes amount to a round -trip commute time in excess of two hours, equal to nearly half a school day every day; Whereas a one -way commute time in excess of 40 minutes is considered significant for adults in the Ottawa - Carleton region; Whereas the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board is currently underspending its transportation funding envelope; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, for September 2000 and subsequently, transportation routes be designed so that the first pickup on any regular route will be no more than one hour and 10 minutes prior to the school start time, with run duration no more than one hour other than in exceptional circumstances as detailed in policy P.068.TRA, and THAT the 2000 -2001 budget be adjusted accordingly. In speaking to her amendment, Trustee Scott noted that the transportation budget is being underspent and there are still some problems with the length of bus runs as well as overcrowding on buses. These issues are more common in rural areas and result in children not being ready to learn when they arrive at school. She noted that the (W actual travel times for buses are not recorded in the Transportation Department. Trustees speaking in support of the amendment agreed that lengthy bus rides and overcrowded buses do not contribute to a positive learning environment. It was noted that the transportation budget has been reduced in previous years and the results are unfair to students who must use buses to get to school. In response to a query, staff clarified that the cost impact of the amendment could be as much as $300,000 higher than the $500,000 included in the impact statement. Trustees speaking against the amendment expressed concern that the money for additional transportation funding must come from some other budget item. It was suggested that $500,000 is a significant cost to improve service for a limited number of students. Some trustees felt that changes to the transportation system must be addressed as board wide issue and pointed out that transportation funding has been cut back in order to fund other items. In wrap -up, Trustee Scott reminded Trustees that transportation funding was previously reduced by $1.5 million in 1998 and that this amendment will not address all transportation problems. She expressed concern over situations where students arrive at elementary schools earlier than teachers and secondary schools are not open before the first buses arrive. The amendment was defeated. Notice of Motion - Trustee Lynn Graham, English as a Second Language Notice having been given, Trustee Graham moved in amendment to the budget as follows: Whereas the provincial announcement of March 9, 2000 has made adjustments to the English as a Second Language grant and has increased funding in this area; Committee of the Whole (Budget) - 3 - 28 March 2000 Whereas the increase in the ESL envelope for the OCDSB is $1.4 million; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT $1.4 million be added to the amount available for ESL funding for the 2000 -2001 school year. Staff clarified that previous budget decisions has reduced the $1.4 million available to approximately $1.0 million and that $1.0 million would result in approximately 15.5 (twelve elementary and three secondary) Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions being added. Trustee Morse pointed out that the amendment, if passed, would result in a deficit budget. Trustee Graham revised the amount to $1.0 million. In speaking to the amendment, Trustee Graham noted that the proposed budget has reduced staffing for ESL programs by approximately 50 percent. She pointed out that the recent provincial funding announcement allocated an additional $1.4 million to ESL programs and suggested that the money should be targeted in this area to mitigate the reductions. Trustee Chambers moved in sub - amendment, THAT $1.4 million be added to the amount available for ESL funding and that the funding be made available as follows: $300,000 from Middle French Immersion programs, $500,000 from Instructional Supplies and Services and $600,000 from Non - Classroom Instruction. Trustee Jackson, on a point of order, noted that the Board had previously agreed that reductions to the budget must be dealt with prior to any additions. The Chair ruled that Trustee Chambers' amendment was contrary to the Board's agreed order of dealing with budget amendments and should be brought directly to Board. Trustee Chambers withdrew his sub - amendment. In response to a query, staff clarified that the additional ESL funding from the province must be offset by reductions in other areas of the budget. Trustees speaking in support of the amendment stressed the importance of the ESL program and suggested that the province has also acknowledged that by making changes to the funding model. It was suggested that the Board could lose some credibility with the province if the money is not used to support ESL programs. Trustees speaking against the amendment cautioned that the money is simply a redirection of funding and that no additional funds have been received from the province. It was noted that the budget has not changed and that the Board must think in terms of the entire system. In wrap -up Trustee Graham read an excerpt from a letter from the Glebe Collegiate School Council outlining the problems of providing instruction to a multi - linguistic student population and what effect the reductions to ESL programs may have. The amendment carried. Trustee Morse noted that the additions to the budget now equal the reductions that have been approved by the Committee. Therefore, on a motion by Trustee Getty, the following recommendation, as amended, was approved for submission to the Board: That the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board: A. Approve the budget for 2000 -01 in the amount of $510.0 million; Committee of the Whole (Budget) -4- 28 March 2000 B. Approve the use of $14.0 million of Working Fund Reserves and $0.5 million of Capital Reserves in the 2000 -01 budget; and C. Direct staff to proceed with the staffing action necessary to implement the 2000 -01 budget. (Note: The recommendation, with the addition of part D regarding a public information effort, was approved by the Board at its 29 March 2000 meeting.) The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m. Pam Morse Chair Committee of the Whole (Budget) bf/cowb280300 Committee of the Whole (Budget) - 5 - 28 March 2000