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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Board 31 May 2011 Minutes Public MINUTES 31 May 2011 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 10:27 p.m. with Trustee Jennifer McKenzie in the chair and the following also in attendance: Trustees Donna Blackburn (electronic communication), Cathy Curry, Mark Fisher, Pam FitzGerald, Bronwyn Funiciello, Katie Holtzhauer, Theresa Kavanagh, Jennifer McKenzie, Lynn Scott, Shirley Seward and John Shea. STAFF: Barrie Hammond, Director of Education and Secretary of the Board; Jennifer Adams, Executive Superintendent; Michael Clarke, Chief Financial Officer; Dawn Paxton, Superintendent of Learning Support Services; Michael Carson, Superintendent of Facilities; Neil Yorke-Slader, Superintendent of Curriculum; Janice McCoy, Superintendent of Human Resources; Walter Piovesan and Stephen Sliwa, Superintendents of Instruction; Michèle Giroux, Executive Officer, Corporate Services; Cathy Dempsey, Assistant Treasurer; Monica Ceschia, Manager of Board Services; Diane Pernari- Hergert, Manager of Communications and Information Services; Peter Wright, Manager of Facilities; Charles D’Aoust, Coordinator of Budget Services, Financial Systems Support and Labour Relations Costing; Sharlene Hunter, Communications Coordinator; John MacKinnon, Central Audio-visual Technician; and Maureen Strittmatter, Senior Board Coordinator. 200. Call to Order Chair McKenzie called the Special Board meeting to order at 10:27 p.m. 201. Approval of Agenda Moved by Trustee Funiciello, seconded by Trustee FitzGerald, THAT the agenda be approved. - Carried - 202. Report from Budget Committee, 31 May 2011 Trustee Campbell advised that a Budget Committee meeting had been held that evening and there was a recommendation coming forward. He thanked staff for all their hard work during the budget process. Moved by Trustee Scott, seconded by Trustee Campbell, A. THAT the Board approve an unconsolidated Operating Budget of $780.9 million, as detailed in the 2011-2012 budget binder attached to Report 11-097. B. THAT the Board approve a Capital Expenditure Budget of $22.1 million, as detailed in the Capital Budget section of the 2011-2012 budget binder attached to Report 11-097. C. THAT the Board approve the use of $6.6 million of uncommitted accumulated surplus to finance the 2011-2012 budget. - 169 - MINUTES 31 May 2011 D. THAT the Board create a designated reserve fund in the amount of $600,000 for the purpose of funding the addition of 4.0 FTE teachers and 4.0 FTE Early Childhood Educators and related costs, subject to Board approval regarding revisions to the Board motion of 06 May 2010 restricting expenditures beyond funding for Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten classes. In introducing the motion, Trustee Scott noted that every year about this time, usually not quite this early, the Board is dealing with the budget. Many years there have been budgets that make dramatic reductions or changes from one way in doing things to another; however, this year the OCDSB is fortunate that, instead of reductions, the Board is dealing with additions. Board members understand that there is a risk by adding these additional positions, but by including tracking mechanisms this can be managed. This will also allow the Board to continue on a path of change in terms of looking at priorities and where funds should be applied. The budget has managed to a significant extent, to hold the line in terms of unsustainable increases to the instruction envelope, which is over budget. At the same time, allows some restoration around school and school council fundraising so that the schools can cope with the restrictions that arise from asking parents to pay for items and more specialized programs. Trustee Scott thanked staff for all the work on the budget, which in her opinion, reflects the needs of the system around improvements to education and focuses on student achievement, and urged her colleagues to support the motion. * * * The 10:30 vote received the required 2/3 majority to continue the meeting. * * * Trustee FitzGerald thanked staff for the work on the budget and noted that there was still some room for future spending during the school year and expressed the view that the Board should review upcoming reports to ensure that students’ needs are being met. She added that she looked forward to future discussions on some items, such as transportation. Trustee Seward thanked her colleagues and expressed pleasure with the overall budget and noted that she was proud to be associated with a school board that is so transparent; pleased that the previously designated reductions in 2011 for special education and ESL support were able to be restored, and, in her opinion, the budget was not irresponsible as this was a year to make investments with a new Strategic Plan and a new Director of Education. Trustee Holtzhauer thanked staff for the incredible effort put into the budget and noted that she had learned a great deal through the process. She expressed concern with spending some of the reserves on ongoing obligations but noted that she appreciated that the budget was tied to the Strategic Plan. Trustee Curry, speaking against Parts A and C of the budget, noted that when thinking about the Board’s role, the process, and how this will specifically improve student achievement, the budget should have been presented differently, with possibly the items shown under the four key priority areas, WELL (Well-being, Engagement, Leadership an Learning). She added that the Board should also expect some indication in the budget that staff is not going to do certain items and not just showing the additions. Another concern raised included the new positions that were being added with one time - 170 - MINUTES 31 May 2011 money even though the mid-year grants and other funding is still unknown. As indicated in Bill 177 the Board should focus on student achievement and well-being and this should have been clearly tied to the budget. Another challenge is that the Board was close to balancing the instructional envelope, but did not, and further discussions should be held in this regard. Trustee Curry noted that passing this budget may prevent the Board from advocating for funds in the future. Trustee Shea, speaking in favour of the budget motion with some reservations, noted that although the budget was not perfect, the District could work with it. He added that, in his opinion, approving the budget was one of the most important actions that trustees are required to do and expressed the view that staff need full confidence from the Board to put this motion into action. Trustee Kavanagh expressed support for the motion. She added that, as a newly elected trustee, through the process there was good dialogue, a lot of hard work was put into the process by staff. It was an example of good governance and she thanked staff and trustees. Trustee McKenzie, speaking in favour of the budget, noted that given the circumstances staff had come forward with a well thought out recommendation and agreed with Trustee Curry that the Strategic Plan should drive the budget. She added that she would like to see ways of improving the process, a different way of adding and moving special education classes across the board is addressed to meet students’ needs rather than by a budget amendment. Trustee McKenzie noted that more conversation is required on the transportation issue. Trustee McKenzie thanked Trustee Campbell for chairing the Budget Committee. Trustee Curry requested separate votes on Parts A and C, and then Part B and Part D. In wrap-up, Trustee Scott agreed with other board members that the Board need to improve their governance role in terms of monitoring what happens when investments are made in certain areas because the monitoring tools were not available. However, the District is currently putting the tools in st place and the process should commence. Regarding the Education for the 21 Century document, st Trustee Scott stated that we are currently 11 years into the 21 century and she expressed the view that the Board is not seeing a lot geared towards problem solving or higher order thinking skills and this kind of evidence is required to manage the monitoring role. Trustee Scott expressed concern with the approved amendment, noting that the Board is still using older special education methods that have now been superseded with methods that produce better results and, expressed the view that the Board should review the results to better assess program delivery. Trustee Scott recommended that colleagues support the budget. A recorded vote was held and Parts A and C of the motion were carried on the following division: FOR: Trustees Blackburn, FitzGerald, Funiciello, Kavanagh, McKenzie, Scott, Shea and Seward (8) AGAINST: Trustees Campbell, Curry, Fisher and Holtzhauer (4) ABSTENTIONS: Nil (0) - 171 - MINUTES 31 May 2011 Moved by Trustee Scott, seconded by Trustee Campbell, A. THAT the Board approve an unconsolidated Operating Budget of $780.9 million, as detailed in the 2011-2012 budget binder attached to Report 11-097. C. THAT the Board approve the use of $6.6 million of uncommitted accumulated surplus to finance the 2011-2012 budget. - Carried - A recorded vote was held and Part B of the motion was carried on the following division: FOR: Trustees Blackburn, Campbell, Curry, Fisher FitzGerald, Funiciello, Holtzhauer, Kavanagh, McKenzie, Scott, Shea and Seward (12) AGAINST: Nil (0) ABSTENTIONS: Nil (0) B. THAT the Board approve a Capital Expenditure Budget of $22.1 million, as detailed in the Capital Budget section of the 2011-2012 budget binder attached to Report 11-097. - Carried – A recorded vote was held and Part D of the motion was carried on the following division: FOR: Trustees Blackburn, Campbell, Curry, Fisher FitzGerald, Funiciello, Holtzhauer, Kavanagh, McKenzie, Scott, Shea and Seward (12) AGAINST: Nil (0) ABSTENTIONS: Nil (0) D. THAT the Board create a designated reserve fund in the amount of $600,000 for the purpose of funding the addition of 4.0 FTE teachers and 4.0 FTE Early Childhood Educators and related costs, subject to Board approval regarding revisions to the Board motion of 06 May 2010 restricting expenditures beyond funding for Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten classes. - Carried - - 172 - MINUTES 31 May 2011 In summary the following motion was carried. Moved by Trustee Scott, seconded by Trustee Campbell, A. THAT the Board approve an unconsolidated Operating Budget of $780.9 million, as detailed in the 2011-2012 budget binder attached to Report 11- 097. B. THAT the Board approve a Capital Expenditure Budget of $22.1 million, as detailed in the Capital Budget section of the 2011-2012 budget binder attached to Report 11-097. C. THAT the Board approve the use of $6.6 million of uncommitted accumulated surplus to finance the 2011-2012 budget. D. THAT the Board create a designated reserve fund in the amount of $600,000 for the purpose of funding the addition of 4.0 FTE teachers and 4.0 FTE Early Childhood Educators and related costs, subject to Board approval regarding revisions to the Board motion of 06 May 2010 restricting expenditures beyond funding for Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten classes. - Carried - 203. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10:54 p.m. Barrie Hammond Jennifer McKenzie Director of Education and Chair of the Board Secretary of the Board - 173 -