Trustees with the Southwest Horizon School Division (SWHSD) approved a new budget this week.

The budget includes a slight increase in expenditures.

Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Zabowski calls it a status quo budget. “Obviously it was adjusted for enrollment because enrollment drive a lot of our costs. Our expenditures will increase about 2.8 per cent.”

SWHSD’s expenditures will run around $24.8 million over the next year.

“We were pleasantly surprised this year with the funding announcement that came because there was a one time funding amount that was awarded to our division. That really took some pressure off. So we actually have a balanced budget this year and we’re really thrilled about that” said board chair Cheryl Rushing.

Staff costs and other fixed costs are the reason for the increase in expenditures. “Other increases have to do with inflationary costs like bus fuel and other non controllable costs like utility costs. Natural gas has gone up, electricity and all of those we’ve had to deal with” said Zabowksi.

Division officials are projecting a slight decrease in enrollment.