HomeMy WebLinkAbout17.2.b. Receipt of Committee of the Whole, Budget Report, 31 May 2023
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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, BUDGET REPORT
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
7:00 pm
Board Room
Administration Building
133 Greenbank Road
Ottawa, Ontario
Trustees Present: Alysha Aziz (electronic communication), Justine Bell (electronic
communication), Donna Blackburn, Donna Dickson (electronic
communication), Lyra Evans, Jennifer Jennekens, Nili Kaplan -
Myrth, Matthew Lee, Cathryne Milburn (electronic
communication), Suzanne Nash, Amanda Presley, Lynn Scott,
Antong Hou (Student Trustee)
Staff Present: Michele Giroux (Director of Education), Brett Reynolds
(Associate Director), Randy Gerrior (Associate Director,
Business Operations), James Proulx (Executive Officer,
Information Technology and Digital Transformation), Mary Jane
Farrish (Superintendent of Instruction), Paula Hall
(Superintendent of People, Culture and Leadership), Reg
Lavergne (Superintendent of Instruction), Peter Symmonds
(Superintendent of Learning Support Services), Teri
Adamthwaite (General Manager, Finance), Stacey Kay (General
Manager of Learning Support Services), Sandy Owens (General
Manager, Business & Learning Technologies), Diane Pernari
(General Manager of Communications & Information Services),
Roxanne Sun (Team Manager, Financial Reporting), Nicole
Guthrie (General Manager of Board Services), Mellissa
Applewaithe
Non-Voting
Representatives
Present:
Andrew Horwood (OSSTF-PSSU), Natasha Baines (OSSTF-
SSP), Corrine Lassaline (OSTF-PECCS), Terry Warner (SEAC)
1. Call to Order - Chair of Committee of the Whole, Budget
Chair Blackburn called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
2. Acknowledgement of Territorial Lands
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Chair Blackburn acknowledged that the meeting is taking place on unceded
Algonquin Homelands and thanked the Algonquin Nations for hosting the
meeting on their land.
3. Approval of Agenda
Moved by Trustee Nash,
THAT the agenda be approved.
Carried
4. Declarations of Interest
No declarations of interest were filed.
5. Matters for Action
5.1 Report 23-047, 2023-2024 Staff-Recommended Budget (R. Gerrior)
Your committee had before it Report 23-047, 2023-2024 Staff-
Recommended Budget, presenting the staff recommended operating
budget for the 2023-2024 school year.
During the discussion the following requests were noted:
That the comparative details on the difference in the Grants for
Student Needs (GSN) allocations for early learning and childcare in
the 2022-2023 school year and the upcoming 2023-2024 school
year be provided (not including the amount that has been allocated
and supplied to the province by the federal government). Director
Giroux noted that this information would be provided at the
Committee of the Whole (COW) Budget meeting on 6 June 2023;
That staff provide clarification on the flow and reduction of
Indigenous Education funding;
That staff provide clarification on funding and support for mental
health;
That a breakdown of the $1.8 million reduction to departmental
budgets and the expected impact of reductions be provided;
That clarification on the costing for the recycling program be
provided;
That clarification on the loss of any specific program or supports
provided directly to students be provided;
That additional details behind the projected Average Daily
Enrolment (ADE) figure be provided;
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That details on the impact of the proposed changes to summer
programming for students with autism and learning disabilities be
provided and whether implementing specifically targeted supports
in this area would mitigate the changes;
That clarification on whether the proposed increase of educational
assistants would be sufficient to support the number of students
with special education needs;
That the District review the materials available to school libraries in
low-income areas to ensure equity when selecting schools for
funding reductions;
That clarification on the assumed interest rate used for the interest
income of $1.4 million be provided. Staff noted that the District
receives a favourable interest rate from its banking institution and
that further details will be provided;
That clarification on the gain or loss to the District concerning
funding from the City of Ottawa for community school rentals be
provided;
That clarification be provided on how the human resources element
of the budget affects staff and students;
That details on the proposed $1.8 million reductions and how these
proposals will impact students be provided; and
That clarification on the District’s approach to mental health for
racialized, marginalized and underserved students be provided.
In response to a suggestion that all additional expenses such as floor
replacement and cleaning, snow removal and fire drills be factored into the
estimate for community use of schools, it was noted that staff would revisit
the rental figure calculation.
It was noted that further questions should be sent to
budgetinfo@ocdsb.ca.
6. New Business - Information and Inquiries
There was no new business.
7. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
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Donna Blackburn, Chair