Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Trustees approve budget, ask runners-up to fill vacant seats
Trustees of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) met on Monday, July 21, to discuss and approve the 2025-2026 school year budget, as well as how to fill two trustee vacancies.
The Board approved the compliant 2025-2026 budget, which was presented by Finance Committee Chair Shane Hall for consideration by the trustees. The budget contained an operating deficit of ($1,274,822) and a deficit for compliance purposes of ($730,233), with revenue of $195 million and expenses of $196.3 million. The Ministry calculates the deficit for compliance purposes by removing specific items from revenues and expenses, such as amounts related to school-generated funds and asset retirement obligations. The Board also approved the 2025-26 in-year deficit elimination plan as presented, which will be submitted to the Ministry along with the 2025-26 estimates.
Of note in the budget are a projected enrolment decrease of 3.59 per cent from 2024-2025 estimates; budgeted revenues have increased approximately 3.29 per cent and expenses have increased approximately four per cent from 2024-2025 estimates; 71.4 per cent of the budget is composed of salaries and benefits; and projected staffing full-time equivalent (FTE) has decreased by 38.7 in response to the projected enrolment decrease.
The special education budget reflects a deficit of approximately $390,000, while the transportation deficit is projected to be $1.99 million, a slight improvement from the $2.14 million transportation deficit projected in 2024-25 as a result of a funding formula change, but still a significant deficit. This transportation deficit cannot be eliminated without further funding from the Ministry of Education.
In addition to the budget, trustees discussed filling two vacancies on the Board. A report in the agenda package outlined the options available to Boards to fill trustee vacancies. Trustees approved a motion to ask the election runners-up to fill the vacancies left by the resignations of Trustees Chantal Phillips (Zone 1) and Jeanie Fuscaldo (Zone 3). The approved motion also allowed for an application and appointment process if either of the runners-up declined the offer to join the Board.
The report noted that filling the vacancies with the 2022 election runners-up demonstrates fiscal responsibility by not incurring the cost of a by-election. It embraces a transparent democratic process and supports local decision-making by endorsing the voters’ second choice of candidate.
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