“UNOFFICIAL” MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 21,
2006
Meeting Held at
IN ATTENDANCE
Board: Dale Smeltzer, Susan Flynn, Dawn Poitras, Michael Roche and Sherry Ziemke
Administrators: Bob McNamara, Ken Page, John Pike, Don Schneider, and Barbara Tomasi-Gay
Staff: Patti Casari, Pam Hanson-Leisenring, Kara Ramsdell, and Tom Thurston,
Public: Georgeanne Baker
1) Dale Smeltzer called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
2) Ms. Smeltzer confirmed the agenda.
3) There were no comments from the public.
4) Discussion Items:
a) TBPS Renovations Update and Financials – On behalf of the TBPS staff, Tom Thurston, teacher at TBPS, raised concerns with the Board regarding the upcoming move. All assembled agreed that the optimal plan should have the least impact on students and teachers. Ms. Casari indicated that the sooner parents are notified about the plans for the move, the better prepared they will be for having to find childcare. Ms. Ziemke suggested that PTO contacts could be used to organize volunteers for each class.
Mr. Schneider and Mr. Pike reviewed the project expenditures with the Board. Questions were noted about some additional costs listed (e.g. phone system, tractor) which Mr. Pike will check on and report back to the Board at a later meeting. They reported that a change order was filed for fixing structural masonry in the center building, for the board to consider since the amount exceeded $10,000. John Alden indicated he was comfortable with the expenditure indicating that this issue was undetectable prior to the construction phase. The Possible Change Order Log will be reviewed with the Building Committee and a report to the full Board will be made addressing the total of change orders to date.
b) Budget Planning Goal – Ms. Smeltzer provided an Ad Hoc Committee update and reviewed that the purpose of the committee as previously clarified when the “charge” was developed is that the group only looks at current programs, with strategic planning guiding any new ideas to be considered. She presented the December 20, 2006 W-D Multi-Year Budgeting – Staffing Review document.
5) FY 07-08 Budget Development and Public Comment
a) Mr. Page and Mr. Pike provided an overview of the financing of the upcoming proposed 07-08 budget. It is important to note that the tax rates are also being driven by the CLA and that the decline in the CLA equals a rise in market value. They presented the following documents dated 12/21/06 to assist in explaining the implications on the proposed budget:
WWSU Comparison of CLA’s and Estimated Market Values
Calculation of W-D Education Tax Rates
Reconciliation
of Per Pupil Spending by town (
6) Reports:
a) Superintendent’s Report – WWSU Vision – Mr. McNamara informed the Board that the Executive Committee recommendations for its budget would be delivered to the joint boards at a full WWSU Board Meeting on January 9, 2007, at HUHS, at 7:00 p.m. The WWSU mission statement will be shared at this meeting also. Mr. McNamara shared that the proposed budget represents an increase of 5.4%.
b) Action Plan: Continue Update on Plans for Goals – Ms. Tomasi-Gay gave an update on #5 and #7 of the W-D Action Plan (social skills program to address bullying and social cruelty, and addressing student wellness needs using PE fitness standards).
Mr. McNamara and Ms. Tomasi-Gay left at 7:55 p.m.
c) Financials – Mr. Pike and Mr. Page
presented a Summary Statement of Revenues and Expenses for the
Mr. Pike left at 8:12 p.m.
7) Action Steps Taken:
a) Board Minutes - Susan Flynn moved to approve the minutes from December 6, 2006 as corrected (correction in #6 a.). Dawn Poitras seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
b) Board Orders – On the recommendation of Susan Flynn, Sherry Ziemke moved to confirm Board order dated December 19, 2006 in the amount of $149,499.95 and Board order dated December 18, 2006 in the amount of $626,203.15. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
c) Change Order – Sherry Ziemke moved to approve a change order in the amount of $14,821.91 for the structural masonry support and shoring in the center building. Dawn Poitras seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
d) Contract Confirmation – Susan Flynn moved to confirm a contract for Michael Casey, 1.0 FTE, Individual Assistant at TBPS, for the remaining 105 days of the 06-07 school year. Dawn Poitras seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
8) Discussion Items Continued:
a) Budget Comments - There were further
questions about the budget, regarding the new
item included in CBMS Co-Curricular - where there were concerns about the need
to develop policy guidelines first, and the need to better coordinate
technology spending and uses including
consistency within the supervisory union and keeping the web pages up-to-date.
Michael Roche left at
9:00 p.m.
In summary, the following changes
are being requested by the Board at this time:
small reduction in the Professional Development funding (as per support
staff contract); rename the new line item in CBMS Co-Curricular to reflect more
general usage; TBPS Library/Media reflect no new net spending for non-personnel
items (AV materials, books, supplies), check on the need for purchased
counseling; provide an assessment of risks and impacts (including cost) around
the need for the proposed new classroom teacher.
8) Executive Sessions:
a) Student Issues - Susan Flynn moved to go into executive session to discuss student issues at 9:25 p.m.; Dawn Poitras seconded the motion which passed unanimously. It was agreed to leave executive session at 9:30 p.m. with no action taken.
b) Personnel Issues - Susan Flynn moved to go into executive session to discuss personnel issues at 9:31 p.m.; Dawn Poitras seconded the motion which passed unanimously. It was agreed to leave executive session at 9:40 p.m. with no action taken.
c) Contract Negotiations - Susan Flynn
moved to go into executive session to discuss contract
negotiations at 9:41 p.m. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion which passed
unanimously. It was agreed to leave executive session at 9:48 p.m. with
no action taken.
9) Action Items Continued:
a) New Hire - Susan Flynn moved to
authorize a new 1.0
to meet student needs. Sherry Ziemke seconded the motion, which passed
unanimously.
Susan Flynn moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:50 p.m. Sherry Ziemke
seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
These minutes are unofficial until approved by the Board of School Directors. They are, in my opinion, substantively correct. Georgeanne Baker