THE CORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE OF MONTROSE
SPECIAL
MEETING #8-99
A Special Meeting of the Council of the Village of Montrose held in the Council Chambers on April 13, 1999, to consider a resolution in the matter of a cooperative agreement between School District #20 and the Village of Montrose for the purpose of preserving K-5 classes at the Montrose School
Present: Mayor M. Walsh
Councillor R. Clarke
Councillor G. Parker
Councillor P. Stone
Administrator A. Carrel
Absent: Councillor D. Berriault
Call
to Order
Mayor Walsh called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM.
School
Agreement
Postpone Decision Council determined that the immediate problem was the short notice provided to the municipality by the School Board of the planned school closure, and the absence of meaningful consultation for the purpose of exploring avenues to maintain an educational presence in the community.
Moved by Councillor Clarke
Seconded by Councillor Stone
That School District #20 maintain Kindergarten to Grade 5 classes at the Montrose School for the year 1999-2000 and postpone the decision on the future of the Montrose School to April 30, 2000, and
That School District #20 and the Village of Montrose undertake to negotiate in good faith and urgency to find a way by which the operation of the Montrose School can be secured for the long-term.
CARRIED
Alternative Closure Considering the assumption that there is excess school facility capacity in the area, Council explored the feasibility of reducing the school facility capacity in the area by closing one facility and maintaining one educational facility each in Montrose and Fruitvale, rather than eliminating all school facilities in Montrose while preserving two school facilities in Fruitvale.
Moved by Councillor Clarke
Seconded by Councillor Stone
That the Beaver Valley Middle School be closed, and that Grade 6 and 7 students be schooled in their respective communities;
That the Grade 8 students from the Beaver Valley Middle School be moved to J. L. Crowe School until the new Trail Middle School is built, and
That the savings realized from the closure of the Beaver Valley Middle School be retained for the benefit of the School District #20 as a whole.
CARRIED
Mayor Walsh opposed
Financial Support Council
considered the School Board’s limited fiscal autonomy, and the possibility of a
cooperative partnership agreement with School District #20 for the purpose of
securing long-term stability for the Montrose School.
Moved by Councillor Clarke
Seconded by Councillor Stone
That the Village of Montrose and School District #20 enter into a partnership agreement in principle with the following objectives:
a) That Kindergarten to Grade 5 classes be retained in Montrose for a period not less than 5 years;
b) That School District #20 maintain the school and supply the teacher staff required to maintain the provincial teacher-student ratio;
c) That the Village of Montrose compensate School District #20 for the cost of supplying such additional teaching personnel as may be required to operate Kindergarten to Grade 5 classes in Montrose;
d) That any classrooms at the Montrose School not required for Kindergarten to grade 5 classes be made available to the Village of Montrose for revenue generating uses;
e) That a binding agreement be signed by both parties by August 1, 1999.
CARRIED
MLA Support Council noted that the area MLA, Mr. E. Conroy, had received numerous communications from Montrose citizens, and that he had extensive discussions on the subject of the Montrose school with Village representatives, and that he has offered his support to the efforts to keep the Montrose School open, and that he has offered to assist the School Board and Council to find a way to keep the Montrose School open.
Moved by Councillor Stone
Seconded by Councillor Parker
That the Board of School District #20 and the Council of the Village of Montrose request the support of area MLA Mr. E. Conroy to facilitate a solution to maintain the Montrose School.
CARRIED
Adjournment
On a motion by Councillor Stone, the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
I
hereby certify the preceding to be a true and correct account of the Special
Meeting #8-99 of Council held on April 13, 1999.
_________________________ _________________________
Mayor Clerk