Treasurer needed to make budget for Seine River SD

One trustee calls not having a treasurer by the New Year to help with Seine River School Division’s (SRSD) budget an emergency.

Outgoing chief financial officer and secretary treasurer Amanda Senkowski is leaving Jan. 17. She was the person who discovered multi-million-dollar errors from previous administration that put the division in a deficit position and has resulted in staff freezes, cuts to busing and the elimination of the Kids at Play program for kindergarten students.

Senkowski was a major part of developing a three-year plan to get out of deficit. Now the division needs someone else to finish the 2025-26 budget and the deficit reduction plan.

Ward 2 (St. Adolphe, Iles des Chenes, Lorette) trustee Marinus Van Osch asked at the Dec. 10 meeting that interim superintendent Reg Klassen and newly appointed superintendent Colin Campbell keep the board apprised of the hiring situation during the Christmas break. The next full board meeting is not until Jan. 14.

Klassen said he hopes the first interviews for the permanent position would happen in the first weeks of January.

“If we don’t have somebody in place by Christmas, which at best means Jan. 1, it’s too late,” said Van Osch.

“To me if we don’t have somebody in place by Jan. 1, it is an emergency. With all due respect to our staff, I don’t believe we have anybody capable here to do our budget.”

Klassen, who is helping new superintendent Campbell with the transition to SRSD after his coming over from Hanover School Division as an assistant superintendent, said there were applications already in and that they were reaching out to more qualified potential candidates who might apply.

“I would agree with you, we would need to have an interim secretary treasurer if we are a month away from hiring a permanent secretary treasurer,” said Klassen.

The board unanimously passed that the finance and operations committee sit in on interviews once administration chose their final candidates.

The board also unanimously passed officially appointing Campbell as superintendent. He was at the meeting while Klassen headed it for the last time.

Campbell had an interesting first day on the job Monday before the board appointment, with his first day a cancelled school day due to weather and very treacherous roads. He met the full board last weekend at their retreat meeting.

Campbell sent a letter to parents introducing himself. It is available on the srsd.ca website and highlights his 20 years of experience in the education sector.

He wrote about the division’s continuing financial recovery:

“While progressing through our three-year financial recovery plan, I want to assure you that our commitment to providing the highest quality education for our students remains unwavering. We are making significant strides in our recovery efforts, and I am confident that, together, we will emerge stronger and more resilient. Our dedicated staff, supportive community, and the unwavering commitment of our families are the cornerstones of our success.”