Photo: Jo Kang

SD73 trustee Jo Kang says he's donated his pay back to the school district among financial pressures that have caused dozens of job cuts.

A School District 73 trustee is now working for free after agreeing to donate his pay for the rest of the budget year.

Last month, trustee Jo Kang’s put forward a motion that would have suspended trustee pay and annual technology allowance for the remainder of the 2024-25 budget year and the following year.

Board chair Heather Grieve said at a board meeting last month the motion couldn’t be tabled as it went against board policy. But Kang was told he could elect to donate his stipend for the remainder of the budget year back to the school district privately through the district’s secretary treasurer.

That’s exactly what Kang did. Trustee Cole Hickson said he would donate his pay, too.

Kang's motion came on the heels of SD73’s proposed budget, which saw dozens of jobs cuts to offset financial pressures.

When he proposed the motion, Kang said he thought the board should publicly discuss giving up their own pay given the impact of the financial pressures on district employees and community members.

Trustees receives an annual salary of $27,781, the board’s vice chair receives $29,726 and the chair receives $32,782. All board members also receive an annual $1,000 technology allowance.