Budget Committee Meeting
Approved Minutes
November 22, 2005
Roxbury
Town Hall, Roxbury, NH
Members present: Gary Bednarski, Dick
Bauries, Chair Jane Fortson, Thomas Parker, Robert Smith, Neil Moriarty, John
Tommila, Robert Mitchell, Karen Cota, Eric Stanley, Don Arguin, and Nancy
Johnson. Absent: Terry Clark,
Stephen Russell and Neal King.
Administrators Present: K. Dassau, Superintendent,
D. Hodgdon, Dir. of Curriculum and L. Biron, Business Manager.
J.
Fortson called the meeting to order at 7:06
PM.
1. Approval of the October
15, 2005 Minutes: MOTION: G. Bednarski MOVED
to accept the October
15, 2005 Minutes as presented. SECOND:
Neil Moriarty. VOTE: 6.32/0/3.73/5.95.
Motion passes.
2. Public Comments: W. Imon explained that the
Budget Committee is discussing the default budget but needs to focus on the
actual budget the voters would be voting on.
3. Budget Committee Updates:
a.
Default Budget Subcommittee
Report: J.
Fortson reported that the committee met on Nov. 17, 05 and elected T. Parker as
the chair. They reviewed the version of the default budget proposed by J.
Fortson. The committee will be meeting on Nov. 29, 05 a half an hour before the
meeting to go over the items discussed. G. Bednarski asked how it would raise
the budget. J. Fortson explained that she does not know yet because she has not
yet received all the health insurance increases.
b.
School Board Facilities
Committee Update: K. Cota reported that the Board reviewed the first draft of the warrant
articles. The Board changed the wording in Article Three. In Article Six they
would like the funds to come from taxes instead of a surplus. The Board also
would like the funding for Article Four to come from taxes not a surplus
however the Board tabled the motion until after the Facilities Committee met
with H.L. Turner. She explained that the dollar amount in the Article is not
Board approved. The Board asked K. Cota to draft a warrant on the unanticipated
maintenance expenses. G. Bednarski commented that the voters approved a
$100,000.00 for architectural work. K. Cota explained that there was no
surplus. G. Bednarski asked if the Board intends to have a warrant for a
construction project. K. Cota explained that the Facilities would be meeting
with H.L. Turner on Nov. 30, 05 and from that meeting they would be bringing a
recommendation to the full Board.
D. Arguin arrives.
K. Cota explained that she
does not remember discussing a warrant article for an expendable emergency
trust fund warrant article. K. Cota asked if that is to come from the
Facilities Committee. L. Biron said that he would track that. K. Dassau
explained that the Board would be discussing the Reverse 911 City Watch. B.
Tatro asked N. Moriarty about the system. R. Bauries commented that he
discussed the articles and feels that Article Ten needs to be put up front on
the ballot. The deficit should be at the beginning of the ballot. He said that
it is good politics to tell the people at the beginning. He said that C.
Cardine said that was true. It should be put in the front. R. Bauries said that
he would like that changed. K. Dassau explained that no one ever said that
would not be changed. K. Dassau explained that he forgot to tell L. Biron to
change it on the warrant. T. Parker said that it was his impression that a bond
issue was to be placed after the election of officers. L. Biron explained that
information items are to come after money items. K. Dassau explained that DOR
would correct the sequence of the articles. R. Bauries mentioned that C.
Cardine said it had been in the beginning and L. Biron said to review the
annual report. The information is not at the beginning. N. Moriarty asked if
they are only guidelines. L. Biron said that they are guidelines until they
tell him what to do. He would be checking it out. K. Dassau talked about the
911 proposal of the town vs. the district.
c. Budget Oversight Subcommittee Report: The committee would be
meeting on Dec. 1, 2005
at the SAU Building.
4.
Discussion of the 2006-2007
proposed budget: J. Fortson handed out her version of the budget. She explained the
columns to the committee. N. Moriarty commented that the cuts that were
suggested by the Budget Committee last year were not used to get the budget
down. T. Parker would assume that the health benefits increase would be in the
default budget. L. Biron commented that the district has used a lot of health
care. T. Parker suggested the employees share the increase. L. Biron explained
that last year there were 4 cancer cases and a lot of health care used by the
750 members in the district. He said that 2/3 of the teachers are off schedule
and a little bit older. He said that it is a lot of health care and the
utilization is very high. L. Biron spoke to Wendy Parker who would be
contacting Anthem about the increase. The District is rated as their own group.
T. Parker suggested that Monadnock be removed from the SAU. L. Biron commented
that it could be worse. T. Parker commented that they should be shopping for
better rates. He said that 26.8% is unacceptable. He said that the employees
need to pick up a piece of the plan or have fewer employees. He said that the
SAU has a long record of not getting bids. T. Parker questioned the bids for
the oil for the upcoming year. L. Biron explained that they did go out to bid
and only 2 out of 6 companies said that they would deal with the district. L.
Biron said that Health Trust is a non-profit agency. T. Parker commented that
there needed to be a break somewhere. E. Stanley
commented on the idea about an increase in pay if the employee opted out of the
health benefits. K. Dassau explained that they do offer $1000.00 to employees
who opt out of the benefit. E. Stanley asked
how many employees take the insurance package. L. Biron said that about 99.5%
of the employees do. He said that it is a great package for the Aides. R.
Bauries said that in other companies the insurance has increased around 7%. He
said that this would kill the teacher’s contract. R. Bauries said that it was a
million-dollar increase last year and would like to know what it would be this
year. L. Biron said that with a 20% increase it was at $585,000.00 but he is
not sure with the 26.8% increase. R. Bauries said that there should be a motion
to get three bids. N. Johnson asked if it is a 20% increase on the budget or an
increase on the health benefits. L. Biron explained that he would have to
calculate the budget. He has to price out every member individually. J. Fortson
would propose that a report be done on the health and dental only. L. Biron
said that once he has the numbers he could separate health care only. G.
Bednarski asked if the contract allows the district to shop around. L. Biron
said that you might have a grievance. J. Tommila told L. Biron that a health
care provider told him that he was not allowed in to the SAU to give a bid. L.
Biron asked if it was Hamel. J. Tommila would not say. L. Biron said that Hamel
wanted to quote life insurance and disability. L. Biron said that he did not
know whom J. Tommila was referring to. J. Tommila asked if L. Biron tried Roy
Brothers. L. Biron said that there were 6 companies and Roy Brothers was one.
K. Cota commented that the comments about health care are good but our hands
are tied. There is not a lot that we can do. She suggested taking the comments
to Congress and the local representatives. She said that everyone is upset and
there is negative talk. She would like to talk about the budget and the benefit
to the children. K. Cota explained that they are in negotiations and that the
only thing that if they choose to is to turn down the teacher’s contracts in
March. L. Biron explained that if the teachers agree to a benefit agreement the
budget could be adjusted up to Jan. L. Biron said that if you leave the Health
Trust you might not be able to return. They do not want the ping-pong effect.
It is really disruptive. R. Bauries commented on the 2 and ½ million-dollar
increase in 36 months and said that you could do a lot for the children with
that money. He said that the Budget Committee Members are the money people. He
said that the Board took 5 minutes at the last meeting to review the budget. He
said that K. Cota is out of line suggesting moving on. K. Cota said that you
could not change it. T. Parker said that the problem is the administration of
the district’s failure to look at everything we spend. K. Dassau should find an
insurance consultant to come in, take a look and come back with ideas. J.
Fortson commented that the latest insurance numbers are not in there. What is
in there is the administration’s salary increases and could we move on to
those. K. Dassau explained that the principals would have to defend the
increase. An information sheet was passed out to the members from the NHSBA. K.
Dassau explained that the principals had discussed an increase in their
salaries. They looked at the per diem rate of the teachers, dept. heads and
principals. The principals work 260 days, the v. principals work 205 days and
the teachers 188 days. In order to achieve equity the increase would have to be
18%. The principals knew that they could not ask for that increase so they are
asking for a 6% increase. They would take the pool of money and divide it
equally but not everyone would receive 6%. R. Bauries said that he thought that
6% was too much plus the health care increases. He commented on the SAU Board
saying not more that 3½ % of an increase. K. Dassau said that the SAU Board
wanted a budget increase of fewer than 5%. R. Bauries said that raises should
be based on performance. R. Bauries said that there are some that should
receive a raise. J. Fortson commented that it is a $4,681.00 raise per person.
L. Biron said that figure was in the ballpark. K. Cota asked the role of the
dept. head. J. Smith explained the role
of the dept. head to the Budget Committee. K. Cota asked if the dept. chair was
part of the contract. L. Biron said that it is determined separately. K. Dassau
explained that it is part of their contract but not the bargaining unit. L.
Biron explained that the stipends are on another line from the salary. K.
Dassau explained that it is like the coach’s salaries. K. Dassau explained that
dept. heads are in the bargaining unit and would not evaluate the teachers.
Betty Tatro explained that she has 25 teachers and there are not enough hours
in the day. T. Parker asked how many hours a day the teachers work. K. Dassau
said that they work 7 and ½ to 8 hours a day. He said that you need to
understand that a teacher’s day is not the same as a student’s day. N. Moriarty
asked the hours in a day at the elementary school. The average day for the
children is about 6 and ½ hours. R. Bauries asked if the step raises are given
only if the budget passes. G. Bednarski asked if you fall back on the previous
contract. K. Dassau said that the step increases are included in the default
budget. It would be in the evergreen clause. He said that the district has
always given them the step increases. It is stated that all the terms and
conditions apply. If the Budget Committee were to say no then there would be a
court case and the teachers would prevail. R. Bauries said that is a double dip
with the step and the raises. K. Dassau said that he calls it that. R. Bauries
said that the step with the contract in place. He said that there is no
contract if there is no vote. K. Dassau commented that they would take you to
court. N. Moriarty asked if the step raises listed end this year. K. Dassau
stated that all the terms and conditions apply. N. Moriarty said no. K. Dassau
commented on the evergreen clause and said that it is an issue for litigation.
R. Bauries said that the School Board gave the step increase not the contract.
K. Dassau said that was his interpretation. G. Bednarski asked if the step
increase were in the budget passed out. L. Biron said yes. G. Bednarski said
that two years ago it was $95,000.00. L. Biron said it could be $100,000.00
with the hire of 6 new teachers at the high school. T. Parker felt that the
7.72% increase in the budget needed to be reduced. K. Dassau said that they
would look at reducing the 7.72% increase depending on what is needed to run
the schools. The figures need to be run past the School Board and come back
with a number. He asked if the Budget Committee had a sense of what they think
the number should be. He asked that the Budget Committee explain to the
administration what they think is important and then the administration would
tell the Budget Committee what they think is important to the schools. J.
Fortson commented on the increase in Spec. Ed. R. Bauries commented on the
number of secretaries at the high school and said that it was overkill. He said
that the number has to be reduced on the labor side and the stuff that is not
essential. K. Dassau commented on the reduction of a teacher and aide at the
middle school. N. Moriarty commented that you want suggestions where to cut but
last year nothing suggested was done, absolutely nothing. K. Dassau said that
he is asking for parameters. He would like to hear suggestions. He would like
his side heard and then the Budget Committee’s side. This conversation needs to
happen. N. Moriarty asked what
difference it makes. The Board is going to do what they want. K. Dassau
commented on the obligation of the Budget Committee and N. Moriarty said it’s
within the 7 lines. K. Dassau commented that the public needs to know where you
disagree. N. Moriarty said that he was disappointed because zero happened last
year. J. Tommila commented that the increases are in the salaries, benefits and
the Spec. Ed. He said that the
elementary schools run pretty tight. He commented that the reality is that the
principals are no better than the teachers or support staff. D. Arguin said
that he was sad to hear the talk about health care. He commented that at some
point you need to stop hammering the administration. He would like the
administration to come back with columns A, B and C. He would like the
administration to take the lead on the cuts and the Budget Committee to figure
out how deep it should go. He said that this method worked well in the past. G.
Bednarski said that the talk should be around staff reduction. That is the only
way to get it done. He commented that the nickel and dime approach has been
done. D. Arguin stated that the Spec. Ed. is going up and the Regular Ed. is
not. This is a disservice cutting the Regular Ed The Committee needs to take a look at the
increase in Spec. Ed. L. Biron commented that the Spec. Ed. costs stated in the
Annual Report last year were over 7 million-dollars. K. Cota asked what the
options are and commented that our hands are tied. G. Bednarski said that you
could do nothing about Spec. Ed. K. Cota said that the health care and the
teachers you could do nothing. G. Bednarski commented on the highest health
care. K. Cota said that you could stop the contract. N. Moriarty said bodies.
T. Parker commented that the Board has control of what would fly or not fly on
the ballot in March. He asked K. Cota if they were looking at 21 new
classrooms. K. Cota said that they have not decided. T. Parker said that if you
want the health care and the teacher’s contracts the rest would not fly. He said
to eliminate what you least need and push what you really need. R. Bauries
commented that if the budget were high the rest would go down and that the
budget would drive the rest of the warrants. N. Moriarty said to save time and
asked who would be preparing the new spreadsheet. J. Fortson suggested that the
administration come back or put ideas into a hat. K. Dassau commented that the
administration would go back to the School Board and look at the parameters. J.
Fortson said that the administration would be coming back with A, B and C cuts.
G. Bednarski asked about the joint meeting with the School Board. He commented
that we do not know what we are doing. The meeting is tentatively set for Dec.
13, 2005. K. Dassau commented that the administrative team would not be back
until Tuesday that does not give much time to prepare for next Tuesday’s
meeting.
5.
Public Comment Period: J. Tommila asked about the legal opinion on
last year’s Article Ten. J. Fortson stated that she forwarded the opinion to J.
Tommila. He said that he has not seen it. K. Dassau explained the response from
the attorney. N. Moriarty said that in his opinion the lawyer understated it.
G. Bednarski said that the language is just too general. J. Tommila commented
that he wanted to remind you gentlemen to have courtesy and decency toward the
voters. This was tucked in the budget and this is why push came to shove. K.
Dassau said that it is not his lawyer it was a recommendation from the Budget
Committee to the School Board. J. Tommila commented that the Board basically
slapped 1/3 of the voters in the face. K. Dassau said that it was a slap in the
face four years ago and to let it go. J. Tommila asked about the MC2 School and
asked why there was a separate principal. K. Dassau said that K. Carter is a
separate director of the program. J. Tommila said that there is one more year
and asked if Monadnock was going to pick it up after the grant runs out. K.
Dassau commented on the benefits of the program and the $380,000.00 in revenue
to the District. He said that there is conversation about an extension
grant.
8. Setting the Agenda:
1. Default budget
2. 2006-2007 Budget
3. Article to reduce Board size
with time permitting
J. Fortson explained that the Article to
reduce Board size would be under Public Comments.
MOTION: R. Smith MOVED to adjourn at 9:40 PM by unanimous consent. SECOND: J. Tommila VOTE: Unanimous for those present. . Motion passes.
Respectfully submitted,
Laura L. Aivaliotis
MRSD Recording secretary