16 — Friday, December 15, 1995 — North Shore News

schoo

WEST VANCOUVER school
board chairman Ken Huycock
culled a recent meeting on the
amalgamation process a “waste
of ime.”

District 45 board representatives
ittended the meeting Dec. 5.

It was meant to provide districts
with information on preparing sub-
missions to a steering commitice that
includes a group of B.C. school
trustees and Education Ministry rep-
resentatives.

The committee will make recom-
mendations to the — Education
Ministry on ways to save $30 million
each year, based vin the submissions
from school districts.

But the meeting, said Haycock,
was “decidedly unhelpful”

“We asked questions they had no
answers to.” he said, “It was a com-
plete waste of time.”

Board members were huping for

Lure peam

answers ta help them plan responsi-
bly, said Hiyeuck. Ivformation pre-
sented at the meeting hid already
been faxed to the school board.

ut one ding aine or 10 District
45 representatives did hear was that
school districts: should expect more
cuts at the end of January.

Answers fo questions such as
what is the budget-reduction target
and how large a funding reduction
can be expected by the end of
January are not yet known, said
Haycock.

Suid the schoul board chairman:

"if we were this poorly prepared for
such amajor project, we would not
be returned to office.

“We're a $235-million business.
‘Trying to plan when we bave none of
the information is appalling.”

The school district. which rejects
government plans for amalgamation

with the North Vancouver Schoot’

District. must present a brief to the

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WEST VANCOUVER
SCHOOL BOARD
By lan Noble

steering committee by the middle of
February. Haycock said the board
should not be presenting the material
to the steering committee, but direct-
ly to. the government.

A joint tisk force with the munic-
ipality will be set up to address amal-
gamition “as a community. issue, he
said,

a
Bs

Hayeock took the oppurtunity: to
again denounce amalgamation,
which the school board worries will
erody local autonomy,

He said the government's plan is
confusing finances with amulgamia-
tion. Savings, said Haycock, will not
come through amalgamation.

The $30-niiflion-a-year savings
projected by the province are based
on the premise bourds ure overgov-
erned, overstaffed and irresponsible,
but there is no evidence that is the
case, Haycack said.

North Vancouver District chair-

man Barbara
Maclellan
attended a simi-
Jar meeting §
the Fi

wasn't
bad” she said,
noting anytime
she . talks to
otier district
trustees and
administrators
is not a waste of
time.

unce

HAYCOCK:
Meeting on}
amalgamation

~ “unhelpful.”