By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
The School District 57 board voted to hold in-person budget consultations in the Robson Valley and Mackenzie next spring during their November 12th meeting.
The proposal to hold in-person consultations with rural areas was put forward by Rachael Weber, a trustee for the Mackenzie area. According to Weber, the board did not adequately consult rural communities during the budgeting process for the 2024/2025 school year.
As reported in The Goat at the time, the board had considered implementing cuts to rural schools – including the proposed elimination of the school counsellor position in Valemount, and the vice-principal in McBride – to resolve a roughly $2M deficit in the 2024/2025 budget. The deficit was ultimately corrected without the elimination of these positions.
“Community consultation was not heard in these rural communities [on] the last budget,” Weber said. “The request came in loud and clear through many letters that we received, so I’d like to bring it to the board’s attention that we need to listen to these communities.”
While the school district distributes an online survey about the budget as part of its consultation process, and allows for public comments at their board meetings in Prince George, these methods are not accessible enough to rural areas, Weber said.
“We know full well that community members cannot travel down from Mackenzie and Valemount/McBride,” she said. “I think we need to show that sign of respect and allow them the opportunity to voice their concerns within their local communities.”
Three trustees – Weber, Cory Antrim, and Robson Valley trustee Bob Thompson – voted in favour of Weber’s amendment. Two trustees, Chair Craig Brennan and Vice-Chair Erica McLean, voted in opposition of the amendment. The remaining two trustees, Shar McCrory and Sarah Holland, abstained. The motion carried.
Brennan told The Goat he supports the amendment, but initially had misgivings that the School District could execute it.
“It’s not the intention that I was against. It was just to make sure we could do what we say we’re going to do. I feel that’s very important,” Brennan said. “The trustees will be there… I like travelling to the outlying communities. As long as it can work for everybody else, we’ll be happy.”
The Goat reached out to Thompson for comment, but did not receive a response by presstime.According to the budget timeline presented to the board for approval, the board will collect public feedback on the preliminary budget from April 9th through April 22nd, 2025. Brennan said it is unclear when the in-person consultations will take place, as staff still have to schedule them, but they will take place before the May 13th board meeting, when the board is expected to approve the 2025/2026 budget.
