BSD doles out surplus cash
BSD doles out surplus cash
0 Comments | Brandon Sun, The, Jun 10, 2008 | by Austin, Jillian
Fitness equipment for the city’s three high schools is just one way the Brandon School Division will spend their half- million-dollar surplus before the end of the month.
A total of $48,000 has been allocated for treadmills, elliptical machines, upright bikes and other exercise equipment for the high schools.
Provincial regulations demand that the division’s surplus of roughly $570,000 be spent by the end of June.
“The provincial rule is you can’t have a surplus … an overall bank account, that’s greater than four per cent of your operating expenses,” trustee Brian Mayes said. “We’re at the limit … so we have to use it or risk losing it to the province.”
Trustees decided to allocate $235,100 to the school bus reserve fund, in case they are forced by the province to purchase new smaller buses to replace passenger vans.
For facilities and maintenance costs, $53,600 was allotted, while $225,000 was set aside for salary accruals.
Two trustee recommendations were also approved: $5,400 for Brandon Schools Instrumental Music Association, with a recommendation to make upgrades to the East Side Band equipment.
For instructional programming, $5,600 was approved, with a recommendation to increase funding for the AlphaSmarts program at Betty Gibson school.
“I think that trustees made some very sensible decisions tonight,” chairman Jim Murray said
upright exercise bikes