by Ralph Plath
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (DEC 06/96) - The Deh Cho Divisional Board of Education is heading into the next round of territorial government cutbacks with firm footing.

The board is expecting a $1.4-million surplus by the end of the fiscal year next June. That should help offset predicted major cuts in funding over the next three years, including a four- per-cent reduction this year.

"We can maintain programs for the next three to four years," board director Nolan Swartzentruber told trustees at a board meeting last month.

Some school boards heavily in debt and will feel the effects of an expected 10-per-cent reduction to all departments.

"The government is in deeper debt than anticipated," Swartzentruber said. "Each time we call it's getting worse."

This year, the board is succeeding in coming out with a small surplus of about $60,000, said board financial officer Dave McQuarrie. As of Oct. 31, the board had a $19,120 surplus.

"We're on target but we still have a long way to go," McQuarrie told trustees.

The divisional board has a total budget of $8,088,000 this year, but the board has had to deal with some small reductions to staffing and programs.

The position of supervisor of schools is gone, the Echo Dene School in Fort Liard is short one teacher from last year, and there is a $1,500 reduction in special needs funding.

"The territorial government is passing more responsibilities to the board," Fort Simpson trustee told local education authority members at a recent meeting.

And an increase in enrolment of nine per cent across the region will mean the board will get less money per student, Swartzentruber said.

"We will keep looking for other sources of income," he added.