Foothills School Division (FSD) is looking for clarification from the MLA for Highwood following comments he made during a recent town hall meeting in Diamond Valley.
During the post-Alberta budget forum on March 7 when MLA RJ Sigurdson was asked about public education funding, he said FSD put over $1 million into reserves.
“…and when I had somebody get mad at me last year to say there’s not enough money in the Foothills School Division, I go, then why did they put over a million dollars in the reserves?" Sigurdson said.
“They didn’t even spend all the money we gave them."
That response was incomplete and misleading, FSD said.
The division said on March 18 that a letter was sent to Sigurdson for "the opportunity to provide clarity and the complete story of operating reserves at Foothills School Division."
FSD said it’s run an annual deficit since 2015-16, and that operating and capital reserves have been drawn down over the last four years, "largely as a result of transferring funds to operating reserves to cover deficit budgets.”
"Foothills School Division has steadily drawn down our operating reserves by over $3,250,000 in the last four years," FSD said.
“Given that the division’s operating reserves are now at a level that cannot supplement government funding, Foothills School Division can no longer finance its own deficits through reserve funds. The 2024- 2025 budget will be balanced to actual revenues against known expenditures."
