The South East Cornerstone Public School Division held their annual reorganizational meeting on Nov. 19, taking a 20-minute adjournment from their regular business meeting to conduct the required additional session.
When the process was completed, Audrey Trombley, the current chairwoman was re-elected again while trustee Carol Flynn was re-elected as vice-chairwoman, both were by acclamation.
“We have been asked by the Ministry of Education to hold the line on board expenses,” said Trombley, “so I’m recommending that we don’t add anything to our per diem pay.”
Estevan trustee Janet Foord said she agreed, while making the motion to hold the line with the current $235 per diem paid to trustees engaged in five or more hours of school division-related business with that amount cut in half for any sessions lasting four hours or less.
The travel (mileage) allowance also went unchanged, being based on a provincial government formula of 43 cents per kilometre with pump prices of gasoline being $1 per litre with an ascending or descending rate paid each month based on the pump price.
Compensation for hotel and other lodging went unchanged as well, and the trustees, according to provincial edicts, are allowed to claim one-third of their per diems as non-taxable. The trustees also receive one per diem per year to recognize the extra time they must spend preparing for board and committee meetings while the chairwoman receives an additional monthly per diem in recognition of the work that must be carried out by those who are in that office.
Overtime pay is also allowed for work-related days that extend beyond nine hours.
The reorganizational meeting also established the various committees for the next 11 months and officially appointed those who have agreed to serve on them. These committees include audit, budget management, SSBA representative, First Nations and Metis, Weyburn facililties, Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association, governance, human resources and signing authorities.
The members established their schedule of board meetings for the next 11 months, again agreeing to meet on the third Thursday of each month as they have in the past.
During the course of the additional session the board members approved a motion regarding their borrowing limits, establishing an operating line of credit for 2015-16 of up to $20 million with TD Commercial.
Next year’s reorganizational meeting will be held about one month after the next general municipal election, which will include the election of public school board trustees.
Estevan and Weyburn are given two seats each at the 10-member governance table.
