The finance department of the School District 83 will be investing in additional help after the board approved a new hire.
At a special meeting on Monday, Feb. 3, trustees carried a resolution to add a manager of finance to the team, which is currently comprised of a secretary-treasurer, director of finance and payroll manager who are supported by other staff in daily operations.
The department has seen significant staffing fluctuations over the past decade, including the hiring of a finance manager in 2021 who then retired shortly after, leaving a personnel gap.
SD83 is revisiting the role now as changes made by the Ministry of Education and Child Care, including the increased number of special purpose funds, have significantly impacted reporting requirements at both the district and school levels.
"The growing demands of compliance reporting, the need to support school clerical staff in managing substantial school-based funds, heightened requirements in Auditing Standards, changes to asset requirement obligations and the increasing need for shared oversight within the Finance Department have placed significant strain on the current leadership structure," a media release explained.
"As a result, the Director of Finance's responsibilities have expanded beyond a sustainable level."
The department is also facing additional challenges as secretary-treasurer Dale Culler is currently on leave. As SD83 is preparing an amended budget and facing the new annual budget cycle, the current staffing structure is unable to meet legislative requirements.
"There is no conceivable way for one person to balance and manage all of these responsibilities," Supt. Donna Kriger said in the release. "So we are asking that the Board of Education approved the addition of a Manager of Finance to the District organizational structure."
Trustees supported the recommendation to add a finance manager, with the goal of having the new person in place by the end of March, which will be an additional cost in the current budget year.
