WATERBURY-DUXBURY SCHOOL
BOARD
“APPROVED AS CORRECTED”
MINUTES FOR AUGUST 21, 2008
Meeting Held at Thatcher Brook Primary Conference Room
IN ATTENDANCE:
BOARD: Dale Smeltzer,
Susan Flynn, Dawn Poitras and
Sherry Ziemke
ADMINISTRATORS: Michelle Baker, Kevin Hamilton, Ken
Page,
and Don Schneider
PUBLIC: Georgeanne
Baker, Michael Corcoran, and Tom Stevens
1.
Ms. Smeltzer
called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m.
2.
Ms. Smeltzer
confirmed the agenda.
3.
Comments from
the Public – Proposed wording for Matt Clancy Stage Plaque – Tom Stevens
presented the proposed wording in two layout options on the plaque for Mr.
Clancy. Mr. Stevens and Mr. Hamilton
will coordinate the payment, installation of the plaque, and a possible concert
in his memory to raise funds for the plaque.
4.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Draft Process and Timetable for FY09 Budget Development – Superintendent Moser provided an introduction highlighting the administration’s goal to have the budget ready sooner this year than in the past. Mr. Page then reviewed the process in the recent past indicating that the administration would like to have the budget nailed down a month earlier than what normally happens. The hope is to have the Strategic Plan guide the budget process from the beginning. The Board and administration discussed historical pieces and changes for a better process. Everyone agreed that the process needs to be clear, accurate, positive, and most importantly the process needs to be conducted professionally as a unified team. It is important to have long-term planning, scheduling, and possible conceptual parameters identified as soon as possible. The Board and administration reviewed a document outlining the past practices and suggested practices for the budgeting process. The administration needs to restructure the suggested topics under the first step: Setting Guidelines and Expectations, prior to the initial discussion during the first meeting in September. The Board should be thinking about these needs and be prepared to identify broad parameters. Completion of this step is planned for the second meeting in September.
B.
Policy – First Drafts – Official
warning will be considered at the next meeting.
a.
School-Attorney
Relations – Mr. Moser requested that the superintendent be added to the policy
so that he or she is fully informed throughout any given problem being
discussed.
b.
School Meals
– Ms. Flynn requested a more defined period be added to the policy. The group discussed a quarterly financial
reporting system to the Board.
C.
Fuel Bid – Confirm
Business Manager Recommendation – Ms. Baker reviewed the process thus
far. She reported that the market has
continually dropped, and that she has learned of an option to purchase through
the State at a variable rate that also varies by town due to the contracted
provider, where Duxbury’s rate is lower than Waterbury’s. She has contacted F.G. White and he informed
her that he has secured the gallons bid at the rate he quoted her and because
of this he would not be able to alter the current bid nor would he be willing
to offer another bid if the District went out for bid again. Ms. Baker
recommended that the district purchase fuel under the State contract for
Duxbury at a variable price from Irving Oil for Crossett Brook and accept the
fixed $4.59 per gallon bid from F.G. White for Thatcher Brook in Waterbury.
5. WRITTEN REPORTS – Board Feedback
A. Financial –
a. FY08 Food Service Deficit; retiring with FY08 Fund Balance – Ms. Baker provided a report dated August 18, 2008, with financials, comparative meal counts, and a SU meal price comparison. She recommended not keeping the negative balance in the program, by transferring from the General Fund FY08 fund balance. Essentially the Board would be subsidizing for FY08 beyond that intended for the free and reduced lunches. The current meal prices have been set at HUHS for $3.50. It is the highest in the supervisory union at this time. Laura Titus will be doing the free and reduced applications this year. The Board has agreed to subsidize the free and reduced meal portion only.
b. FY08 Estimated Actuals, by Function and Expenditure Type – Ms. Baker provided two formats to the Board and requested feedback from the Board regarding meeting the needs in the future. The projected fund balance appears to be $263,288 with the $28,397 food service adjustment making the bottom line $234,891. Schedule G handout of Summary of Expenditure Types helps identify where the savings/spending have occurred. Board members noted that it is important for a surplus of this size to be identified by May or June in order to appropriately manage the finances since these funds could have been utilized in the day-to-day operations of the district during the last school year, and also for better planning of spending over the long term. The Board asked about earlier notification in future years, and Ms. Baker reported that she is already working on some aspects that will allow that. The auditors’ report will be available to the Board in September.
Michelle Baker left at 7:35 p.m.
c.
Activity Funds
Summary – Mr. Page provided a
handout summarizing current balances in the non-taxpayer audited “Activity” accounts
that are managed on a daily basis by Ms. Premore and Ms. Barillaro. Both employees provide the necessary
paperwork to the auditors yearly. Ms.
Smeltzer requested that this summary information for the Board needs to be
total spending for the school year, sorted by category themes to allow clearer
understanding and reporting of total revenue and spending in all the activity
accounts. The administration will bring
a draft of such a document for the FY08 school year totals at the second
meeting in October.
B. Educational Leaders’ Report – Mr. Schneider reviewed the Educational Leaders’ Report provided ahead of the meeting, for Board discussion. Mr. Schneider spoke about community members’ impressions and concern that tax dollars were used for the playground. He is working on getting the word out that the playground at TBPS was made possible only through volunteer efforts, grants, and personal contributions.
C. Hiring Recommendations and/or Confirmation – Mr. Schneider, Mr. Page, and Mr. Hamilton brought forth names for employment confirmation:
6.
WWSU,
Superintendent Report – Mr. Moser provided an overview about the WWSU
administrative retreat and he reviewed the W-D Strategic Plan using a Power
Point presentation focused on student learning, curriculum, assessment, and
instruction. He recommended that the District
annually revisit the plan, narrow the focus for intentional work, and within
the next 6-8 weeks get back with an update to the original group of volunteers
who drafted the plan details. The
discussion will continue at the September 18th meeting.
7. ACTION ITEMS
A. Board Minutes – Ms. Susan Flynn moved to accept Board minutes dated July 17, 2008 as corrected. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
B. Board Orders – On the recommendation of Scott Rathke and Susan Flynn, Sherry Ziemke moved to confirm the Board orders dated August 19, 2008 in the amount of $362,192.59, July 22, 2008 in the amount of $63,849.71, and August 2, 2008 in the amount of $73,778.91. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
C. Food Service Deficit – Susan Flynn moved to transfer FY08 funds to cover the food service deficit as recommended by the business manager. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
D. Matt Clancy Plaque – Susan Flynn moved to approve the proposed wording of Mr. Clancy’s plaque. Sherry Ziemke seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
E. Modified Fuel Bids – On the recommendation of Michelle Baker, Susan Flynn moved to approve the district purchasing fuel under the State contract at a variable price from Irving Oil for Crossett Brook and accept the fixed $4.59 per gallon bid from F.G. White for Thatcher Brook. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
F. Memorandum of Understanding – Susan Flynn moved to authorize the chair to sign a memorandum of understanding making CBMS a mass distribution site for Red Cross during an emergency. Sherry Ziemke seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
G. Employment Contract – Susan Flynn moved to approve an employment contract for Celeste Emler, for AYP work, at .31 classroom teacher, at TBPS. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
H. Confirm Support Staff - Susan Flynn moved to confirm the following support staff agreements:
· Rosey Lea Metcalfe, IA, 1 FTE, TBPS instead of CBMS
· Susan Finnefrock, IA, .60, TBPS
· Celeste Emler, AYP work, .31 classroom teacher, TBPS
· Meghan Dukette, IA, 1FTE, TBPS
· James Hamel, IA, 1FTE, CBMS
· Paul Dayton, IA, 1FTE, CBMS
· Jennifer Gray, IA, 1FTE, CBMS
· Lisa Fische, IA, 1FTE, CBMS
· Kristin Wood, IA, 1FTE, CBMS
· Keith Puffer, Information Technology Assistant, 1FTE, W-D
Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
8. EXECTUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL ISSUES – Susan Flynn moved to go into executive session to discuss personnel at 8:35 p.m. Dawn Poitras seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. It was agreed to come out of executive session at 8:47 p.m. and the following action was taken.
Susan Flynn moved to offer an employment contract to Mohamadou Ndione for up to 1.0 FTE Foreign Language Teacher at CBMS and to ask attorney Chris Leopold to draft a letter on behalf of the school district to the Washington West Education Association reiterating our right to the choice of making this a one-year non-renewable contract according to provision 13.3 in the Master Contract should we have so chosen. Sherry Ziemke seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Susan Flynn moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:49 p.m. Dawn Poitras 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. Minutes completed by: Georgeanne Baker