Mayor Sue McKortoff. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff says she is “cautiously happy” with a decision by trustees of School District 53 to apply for provincial funding to keep Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS) open.
“I’m smiling,” she said when met by reporters outside the school district office after the vote.
“I don’t think they had any choice quite frankly but to apply,” the mayor said. “Considering the last six months and what they’ve been through, to me this was their only option, to apply.”
Trustees voted 5-2 to apply for provincial funds under the Rural Education Enhancement Fund announced by the provincial government last week, which will provide funding to offset any money the district might have saved by closing OSS. Only the two Oliver trustees Rob Zandee and Rachel Allenbrand voted against applying.
The board will seek $490,000 for the coming year in provincial funding. The school district has been told it qualifies for and will receive $387,000 in operating funding savings, but there are no guarantees it will receive an additional $103,000 in deferred maintenance, which trustees say they also need.
Only after they hear whether the money is approved on June 30 will the trustees decide whether to rescind a bylaw passed in April to close OSS.
McKortoff said many people, including the government, worked hard to come up with a solution.
“Did they do this at the last minute? Yes they did. But you have to say OK, we’ll try it,” she said. “We’ll apply and see if they give it to us. If they don’t, then they’ve at least done the right thing by applying.”
Asked if her cautious happiness meant she wasn’t breaking out the champagne yet, McKortoff smiled and said: “Well, I might.”
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
