By Jenn Watt

Published May 25 2017

Haliburton Highlands Health Services is in the black this year.

Finance committee chairman David Gray gave a report to the board at its May 25 meeting in which he explained the “clean bill of health” the corporation had been given by the auditor.

“We’ve managed to move from a deficit last year of $420000 or so to a small surplus of $17004” Gray told the board.

Sick time lack of government funding and increasing hydro rates has made balancing the budget a challenge.

Gray thanked CEO Carolyn Plummer and chief financial officer Kathy Newton for their work on getting the budget back into surplus territory.

Board chairman Dave Bonham gave the finance committee a hearty thanks for their work.

“On behalf of the board this is an incredible accomplishment that you’ve managed to achieve” he said. “To be honest with you I wouldn’t have predicted that we would be able to do it this time last year but in fact it’s been done and it’s an enormous achievement. Well done.”