The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 18, 2002 - A 7 Education director 'cautiously optimistic' after meeting with education minister By Tim W hitnell SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER $fcOAKVILLE C O U N C IL & STANDING CO M M ITTEE M EETIN G S M onday, S e p t. 23, 2 0 0 2 Tuesday, S e p t. 2 4 , 2 0 0 2 "This minister understands there is a problem with the funding formula. I think she has a very strong commitment to education." · Halton District School The director o f education for the H alton D istrict School Board is feeling a little better about the future of education in Ontario after meeting with the provincial minister in charge of that portfolio. Dusty Papke said he is "cautiously optim istic" about the funding situation for O ntario's 68 school boards after attending a 60m inute session w ith Elizabeth Witmer. Papke and other execu tive members o f the Council o f O ntario D irectors of Education (CO D E) met with W itmer last Friday at Queen's Park. The private gathering in Toronto has put Papke somewhat at ease about the fiscal crisis that boards saythey have been enduring for several years, since the C onservative governm ent took away boards' right to tax the public directly and invoked a funding formula in 1998. "The general tone was extremely positive," Papke said o f the meeting with the minister, declining to elabo- Board Director o f Education Dusty Papke rate on the specifics dis cussed. "It was an open discus sion and she is a very engag ing person," he said, noting W itmer is a former teacher and school board chair. "T his m inister under stands there is a problem with the funding formula. I think she has a very strong com mitment to education." Papke indicated Witmer's attitude and that o f the cur rent com m ission studying the funding formula, being chaired by U niversity o f Guelph president Mordechai R ozanski, could produce some sought after results by school boards. "I don't expect to see any changes until after the Rozanski report" findings are released, likely in November, but Papke said it's also a good sign that Rozanski himself has a rep utation ais a good listener. The Halton public board applied for and has received standing at the Rozanski hearings currently traveling across Ontario. Papke will get about 1215 m inutes to address Rozanski and his commis sion members in Toronto. It will take place on one of three days still to be determined between Sept. 18-20. Many boards in Ontario have been stating for sever al years that the funding model has left them severe ly underfunded and resulted in the reduction o f in-class and out-of-class services and programs. The Halton public and Catholic boards said this summer that they needed at least $4 m illion more to achieve a budget that meets their basic needs. They each ended Up slashing that amount to achieve balanced books. Planning & Development Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. M onday, Oct. 7, 2 0 0 2 Community Services Committee 7:30 p.m. - Oakville Room Administrative Services Committee 7:30 p.m. - Trafalgar Room Tuesday, O ct. 2 3 , 2 0 0 2 Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Planning & Development Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. P R O P O SA L FOR A STATIONERY AND RELATED SUPPLIES/SERVICES SYSTEMS CONTRACT BEING CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE HALTON COOPERATIVE PURCHASING GROUP (HCPG) PROPOSAL NUMBER PROP-17-2002 SEALED PROPOSALS on form s provided will be received by the Town Clerk, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A6, until 12:00 Noon, Local tim e on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2002 Specifications, proposal form s and proposal envelopes may be obtained from the Town of Oakville Purchasing Department, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5A6; Telephone (905) 338-4197. 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