It was a tough decision to make.
So say the four Bluewater District School Board trustees who are directly affected by the move to “mothball” the tech centres in Meaford, Hepworth, Hanover and Kincardine for one year.
The board’s budget committee made the move to save over 800 thousand dollars while they try to whittle down a 4.3 million dollar deficit.
Meaford trustee Fran Morgan says she didn’t like the idea but knew it had to be done.
She says a tech centre is really important in a rural community and she will do all she can to find alternative financing after the year hiatus.
Terry Bell says the Hepworth tech centre has fallen victim to the almighty buck and he calls the move disappointing.
Hanover trustee John Chapman says the need the savings and it gives them a year to find some corporate partners to revive the centres.
Chapman says if that doesn’t happen then the dealth knell of the tech centres will be a reality.
Kincardine trustee Jan Johnstone doesn’t like the move but she understands it.
She says the program is not funded by the senior level of government so they will look for other avenues of support.
Johnstone says there wasn’t a trustee around the table who felt good about the move to cut the program for the senior grades in elementary schools.
