CEO Al Woods is confident the shortfall can be made up.

"We have to make it up next year or take it out of accumulated surplus reserves or make it up with forced growth funding," said Woods.

This is the first projected deficit for the board in about four years, and, although it is a concern, Woods doesn't see it as a major issue.

"We don't want to make it a trend," he said, adding, "$127,000 on a budget of $31 million -- you could make that up just by not having three or four kids in care."

New trustee Gino Pin asked if the board should consider cuts to cover the deficit.

Woods was hesitant about taking such drastic measure.

"I would not want to make management decisions on a less than .01 per cent deficit," he said.

"If it was $500,000 or $600,000 we would have to sit down and make some suggestions on where we would want to cut."

However, the board will keep close tabs on travel, education and minor equipment purchases to try and regulate spending.