Budget Committee Meeting
Approved Minutes
Members present: Neil Moriarty, Dick Bauries, Normand Dion, Tom Parker, Terry Clark, Robert Mitchell, Gary Bednarski, Karen Cota, Robert Smith, Jane Fortson, Eric Stanley, Don Arguin, Nancy Johnson, and Steve Russell Absent: Neal King and John Tomilla
Administrators Present: Dr. Ken Dassau, Dr. Dave Hodgdon, Larry Biron, Sikander Rashid, David Dahl, Betty Tatro, Karen Craig, Tom Warner, Joe Smith, and Kim Carter
J. Fortson called the meeting
to order at
1. Approval of the
2. Approval of the
Nancy Johnson arrives
3. Approval of the
4. Public Comments: W. Imon of
Dan Connell of Richmond asked the budget committee to remember the low/middle class population who pay more as a percentage of their income for taxes. He asked the committee to keep the focus on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic without having a big increase for the lower and middle class taxpayers.
5. Budget
Committee Updates:
a. Default Budget Subcommittee Report: Tom Parker, chair of the subcommittee, shared the default budget subcommittee report. He stated that having a default budget as the adopted budget is not desirable. The subcommittee reviewed major increases in health care, which will be just over a million dollars, as well as increases in the costs associated with special education. These increases have been accounted for in the default budget. Tom explained that the default subcommittee has voted on items that were debated as to whether or not they should be included in the default budget. These recommendations would be brought forward to the full budget committee for a vote on whether to include or exclude the items from the default budget later in the meeting. Tom noted that fuel and energy costs have increased and questioned the need for a separate warrant article to cover the increase rather than putting the added costs in the budget(s). Tom also stated that the subcommittee has no intention of limiting textbooks and that they recommend step raises not be included in the default budget. S. Russell applauded the group for their work on the default budget but wants to keep our focus on the proposed administrative budget. S. Russell also stated that he had been at Cutler Elem. School talking to a class about alternative fuels, and that he was upset that there were no articles about the positive things happening in the schools only articles about whether or not an MC2 student tuition waiver. He felt there were far more important items that were deserving of space in the Sentinel. N. Moriarty wanted to point out to the Sentinel reporter that there were 6 members on the Default Budget Subcommittee not 3 as had been reported in the Sentinel. T. Parker pointed out that much of the subcommittees time was spent on the definition of one time expenditures as defined by RSA 40:13, IX (b) . “Default Budget”
b. School Board Liaison Report: K Cota updated the committee on the school board meetings and subcommittee meetings.
c. Budget Oversight Subcommittee Report: Budget Oversight Committee Report: J. Fortson reported that the subcommittee had met on December 1st at 9:30 am at the SAU building. The subcommittee reviewed the latest update to the expenditure overrun vs. expected revenue worksheet as prepared by the administration, noting the numbers continue to move in a positive direction. L. Biron updated the committee regarding the latest information on oil prices for the district. The next meeting is scheduled for January 11, 2006 at 9:30am in the SAU building.
6. Discussion of the ’06-’07 proposed and
default budget: K. Dassau reminded
the committee that at the November 29th meeting the administration was asked to
come back with a proposal of what the budget would look like with a 6.6%, a 5.4%, and a 4.2 % increase over the
current year’s operating budget. K. Dassau passed out Level A (6.6%) sheet detailing the proposed cuts. Items in bold are
personnel. Renovations at H.S.
and new facilities Director were included in the list and have been put in
separate warrant articles as requested by the budget committee and/or school
board. Originally the oil was calculated at $2.00 a gallon. L. Biron explained that based on more current
information he has now calculated it at $1.75 per gallon and therefore is
removing it from the proposed budget to arrive at the 6.6% amount. K. Dassau passed out Level B (5.4%)
sheet detailing the proposed cuts, noting most of the administrators reduced
some of their school accounts. Eliminate midday Kindergarten busses. Reduction of Northern School Nurse would mean
that nurses at Mt. Caesar, Troy, Cutler, and Emerson would spend time covering
up north on a rotating basis. K. Dassau
passed out Level C ( 4.2 %) sheet detailing the
administrators proposed cuts. In
addition to cuts listed previously; reduce a receptionist at
K.Cota asked the administration what it would look like in their schools with these cuts. Responses included; kids not coming to kindergarten, less planning time for teachers, increased duties, loss of technology integration, and less direct service time.
L. Biron stated the expected increase for step raises was about $65,000 and in response to a question on health insurance stated that the amount for ‘05-‘06 was about $3,924,000; and for ‘06-‘07 was $4,922,734.
D. Bauries asked where in the budget the deficit was. K. Dassau responded that as detailed in the budget oversight committee meetings, the deficit will be offset by projected revenues and is not included in the proposed budget.
D. Arguin made the motion to have an increase of 7% over last year’s budgeted amount. N. Johnson seconded. Discussion: D. Arguin commented that 6.6% is too deep and 4.2% won’t solve the problem.
J. Fortson stated that the default budget is currently approximately 5.7% over last year. G. Bednarski stated that a decision shouldn’t be made tonight. D. Bauries stated that a decision can’t be made tonight; there were some things from the materials presented by K. Dassau that could get cut. T. Clark stated that we need to make sure that we can be prudent and provide principals and teachers with what they need to do the job. We have been cutting the fat for years. N. Johnson asked if the cuts were in priority order. K. Dassau stated that essentially they are. N. Moriarty stated that we are moving to quickly and Moved to table. Seconded by D. Bauries.
Vote on Motion: 7.22/6.88/0.00/1.91
Motion is tabled.
J. Fortson asked the committee when they would like to discuss this, with limited time and the holidays ahead. Further stating that we’ve spent all year reviewing and learning the information the budget information, also realizing that a large part of the information (the teacher and support staff agreements) is yet to be provided. K. Carter stated we should look at what different places in the state to see what other school districts are doing. She welcomes the opportunity to think beyond the way we’ve been thinking. K.Cota states that she voted in the affirmative on the motion to table and would like to make the motion to reconsider. T. Parker seconded.
N. Moriarty made the motion to amend to 4% increase over last year’s budget. G. Bednarski seconded.
K.Cota called to vote. Vote on Motion: 4.66/9.19/0.00/1.91 Motion fails.
R. Smith made a motion to amend to 6.7% over last year’s budget. K. Cota seconded.
7. Default budget discussion- Item 1-T.
Parker states that energy increases are excluded from the 5.7% default budget,
stating that the default budget subcommittee voted 3 to 1 to keep it at the
prior year’s amount for budget purposes.
D. Bauries motions to agree
to leave the increased energy costs out of the default budget. N. Moriarty seconds. Discussion: L. Biron reserves the right to talk to the
state auditor about this topic. T. Parker states that a default budget is last
year’s budget. A yes vote keeps the
increases out of the default budget, a no vote puts it
in. Vote on motion: 3.48/ 9.19/0.00/1.91 Motion
Fails. The energy/oil amounts will be at the proposed amount.
Item 2 -$14,000 for a replacement truck
is currently not included in the default budget. The default subcommittee
recommended by a vote of 3 to 1 to keep it out. N. Johnson made the motion to put it back in. T.
Clark seconded. Discussion: L. Biron explained that 2 trucks have rotted
out beds and needed replacing. One is
being replaced in the current years budget and the
second is this replacement truck in question.
A yes vote puts the replacement truck in the default budget,
a no vote takes it out. Vote on
Motion: 9.76/4.34/0.00/1.91 Motion passes.
Item 3- Step increases
are currently in the default budget estimated at about $72,000. The subcommittee recommended on a vote of 4
votes to 0 to not include them in the default budget. G. Bednarski made the motion to keep them in. N.
Dion seconded. A Yes keeps them
in and a no vote
takes them out. Vote on Motion: 6.12/5.67/2.3/1.91 Motion passes.
Item 4- teacher
reduction from Surry school closing (a drop of one person) was kept out of the
default budget The
default committee recommends on a vote of 4 votes to 0 to not include this
salaried person. N. Moriarty made the motion to keep it out. D. Bauries seconded. Discussion:
K Dassau commented that the increase of a teacher for the autism
program makes this a wash, because a teacher has been added. Vote on Motion: 14.09/0.00/0.00/1.91 Motion passes.
Item 5- Computers. The subcommittee recommends by unanimous vote
to separate replacement from new when bringing forth to the budget
committee. N. Moriarty motions to leave new ones out. D. Bauries seconds. D. Arguin amends the motion to say
that the dollar amount stay the same as appropriated as last year. R. Smith seconds. Vote on Amendment: 10.44/1.18/2.48/1.91 Amended Motion passes.
Item 6- Travel,
books& printed material. Vote of the
subcommittee was 1 for, 1 against, 1 abstention and the tie broken by the
subcommittee chair to keep these items in the budget. G. Bednarski made the motion to leave them in the default budget. T. Clark and D. Arguin
second. Vote on Motion: 14.09/0.00/0.00/1.91 Motion passes.
8. Warrant Article Review- E. Stanley motions to vote if it is a good idea. B. Smith seconds.
Vote taken: yes: 9.29/0.00/4.9/1.91
Karen Cota will provide Larry Biron with the correct wording for the Warrant Articles.
G. Bednarski- motions to adjourn. A second was received. Unanimous for all present.