School board positions on the chopping block

NORTH OKANAGAN-SHUSWAP – The number of trustees in school district 83 could dwindle by the end of the summer.

The North Okanagan-Shuswap school district is considering reducing its board to seven trustees down from nine to save $23,420 and help balance the 2014/2015 budget.

A review of B.C. school districts revealed SD 83 has more trustees than 78 per cent of education boards in the province.

The board is proposing to combine some electoral areas in order to reduce the number of trustees.

As part of the process for changing the number of trustees, the board will hold a public consultation meeting June 23 at 7 p.m. at the District Education Centre to facilitate delegations and review written submissions.

If the board endorses the change, the proposal moves to the Minister of Education for approval. The deadline for the change to be adopted is August 18.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.