Catholic board adds two items to budget expenses totalling $89,482
By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on June 23, 2023.
reporter@medicinehatnews.com Since the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education approved the 2023-24 budget, two items have arisen that will increase the deficit from $165,868 to $255,356 due to a $89,482 increase in expenditures. Secretary treasurer Greg MacPherson announced the Southland Transportation contract has been renegotiated. The original budget was created with a 10% increase to rates and Southland had originally been asking for a 25% increase. In the end, a one-year 15% increase was negotiated, increasing expenses by $72,000. St. John Paul II School continues to grow and requires a librarian on site for more hours each week. Currently the librarian is at 0.5 full-time equivalent, which will increase to 0.86 for the 2023-24 school year, adding $17,000 to expenditures. The extra expenditures can be absorbed with the accumulated operating surplus, MacPherson told the board. Chair Kathy Glasgo was recently at an ASBA event and says transportation issues are occurring province-wide. Even though the board was surprised by Southland’s request for a 25% increase, similar asks by transportation companies are being made of all school districts due to rising costs and lack of bus drivers. “Neat to go to provincial meetings, we sit here in our little bubble, but we are doing a great job,” stated Glasgo. 8-7
