The School Community Council (SCC) at Kamsack is asking residents to join it in a fight against the minister of education who has decided to spend Kamsack school tax money for another purpose.
“The taxpayers of the Kamsack area are now being called upon for support, so that the Ministry of Education, including the minister himself, understand that they have absolutely no right to the money that was collected as school taxes by the Kamsack School Division prior to 2003,” said a release from the SCC.
“That money lawfully belongs to the students and the taxpayers of the Kamsack area, and can only be applied to projects that directly benefit the students within the area previously known as the Kamsack School Division,” the release said, adding that the Ministry of Education is re-allocating Good Spirit School Division funds for a new school in Langenburg.
“These funds are protected through a long line of restrictions through two amalgamations, and designated to the two Kamsack schools: Victoria School and Kamsack Comprehensive Institute,” the release said.
“At the end of 2003 and prior to the voluntary amalgamation of the Kamsack School Division and the Crystal Lakes School Division that took place on January 1, 2004, the KSD board of education established a number of reserves to restrict the use of a large amount of financial resources that had been developed over the preceding years to ensure they would be in place to benefit the ratepayers and students of the area that was the Kamsack School Division.
“Over the years between 2003 and April 2009, a large amount of the restricted reserves were drawn down and applied to projects for Kamsack students. When the Ministry of Education applied changes in 2009 regarding mill rates and allocation of division monies, all remaining funds were then considered ‘pre-2009 capital reserves’ and once again protected from ministry rule.
“The remaining amount at the end of August 2014 was $120,000,” it said. “These funds are not spent as of yet, but are earmarked for three main projects in the Kamsack area. The amounts are broken down as such: $50,000, natural gas bus reserve; $50,000, KCI track upgrades, and $20,000, Victoria School playground.”
The SCC release said that the money has not yet been spent because in 2014 the Ministry of Education mandated the Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) to re-allocate this money to cover the cost of the new school, currently close to completion, in Langenburg.
“Administration at the Good Spirit School Division has, on numerous occasions, attempted to have the Ministry recognize these reserves as restricted and to leave them for the projects designated in the communities to no avail, it said.
“The Board of Education for the Good Spirit School Division, as a last attempt, had the board chair express the wishes on behalf of the board.”
“The capital funding agreement for the Langenburg project was approved by the Good Spirit School Division and the Ministry of Education,” Don Morgan, education minister, said in a letter to Lois Smandych, chair of the GSSD. “We have also sent a payment of $2.238 million to the division under the executed agreement.
“In order for you to retain the reserves for a different project, the existing agreement for the Langenburg project would need to be terminated and a new agreement drafted and approved,” Morgan’s letter said. “This would result in significant delays in the reimbursement for costs incurred on the project.
“Therefore I cannot consider approving your request to retain your Section 286 pre-April 2009 capital reserves for potential Kamsack projects at this time.”
The Kamsack School Community Council is asking residents to sign a petition which says that the capital reserves belonging to the Kamsack projects are being wrongfully reallocated for the new Langenburg School. Copies of the petition are at the town office, both schools and at several Kamsack businesses.
“A very serious conversation about our next move will take place at our next SCC meeting, which is on November 17 at the Victoria School,” said information from the SCC.
