Budget Committee Meeting

                                                         Non-approved Minutes

                                                            October 24, 2006

                                        Troy Elementary School, Troy, NH

Made a correction to 4. lines 7 and 8. cfm

Members present: Jane Fortson, Eric Stanley, Neil Moriarty, Normand Dion, Andy Bueckner, Jim Ells, Robert Smith, Don Arguin, Thomas Parker, Stephen Russell, George Tremblay, Richard Bauries, Robert Mitchell, John Tommila and Jonathan Kenyon.

Absent: Surry Representative.

Administrators Present: K. Dassau, Superintendent, D Hodgdon, Assistant Supt.  and K. Chambers, Business Manager. 

 

1.      Approval of the Sept. 26, 2006 Minutes: MOTION: J. Fortson MOVED to accept the Sept. 26, 2006 Minutes as presented. SECOND: A. Bueckner.  VOTE: 12.993/0/2.019/0.988. Motion passes.  

 

K. Dassau asked N. Moriarty about W. Brown, as the Surry Rep. N. Moriarty had not heard anything else about it.

 

Approval of the Oct. 14, 2006 Minutes: MOTION: G. Tremblay. MOVED to accept the Oct. 14, 2006 Minutes as presented. SECOND: R. Smith. VOTE: ???????

 

2.   Public Comments: D. Connell commented that the Board closed Surry because it was not cost effective but now there are 45 students at MC2 with a budget of $729,000.00. He commented that it is not fair to the students at MRHS. The middle class cannot afford 2 high schools.

 

3.   Budget Oversight Committee: Monthly Expenditure Account: K. Chambers passed the handout to the committee. She said that all the wages are now encumbered but not reflected on this report. The Catastrophic Aid is expected but it has not been received yet. Food Service and Grants are reflected as requested. T. Parker asked if all the towns were up to date. K. Chambers said yes. K. Chamber informed the committee that there have not been any transfers since the last meeting. R. Bauries asked about Early Retirement. K. Chambers said that it is in the figure.

 

4.   Budget: N. Moriarty asked K. Chambers to discuss the tuition situation. K. Chambers explained that they are working at the district level through discussion but have no decision. There are various School Boards looking at their own budgets within SAU #29 and SAU #38. R. Bauries commented that he attended a SAU #29 Meeting and the people were concerned that parents would be asking to tuition their child to other schools if someone might get tuition to go to MC2. J. Ells commented that K. Carter has expects 45 students from Monadnock and the rest 29 are now out of district are out of district. J. Ells commented that the sending district is not our concern. K. Dassau informed the committee that a Choice Policy was sent back to the Policy Committee by the Board. He also commented that the district has students going to other places other than MC2. K. Dassau commented that it is a very complicated issue. You can discuss this all night but these issues need to be discussed at the district level, which a conversation is going on. J. Kenyon arrives at 7:30 PM. N. Moriarty asked each Committee Member their will on how they would like to proceed with the budget process. The consensus of the committee is that they would like to go school by school. N. Dion commented that it is very important to review the warrant articles and the issue of personnel. J. Tommila congratulated the administration for a great job in the budget documents. E. Stanley asked that the principals give the committee honest answers. T. Parker commented on the 7% increase being asked for. He said that if you ask for too much you would get a default budget. He also commented on the schools failing AYP. He said that it is a School Board and an administration problem. He commented that the teachers are the most important people in the classroom and it is the responsibility of the principal. He said that if you ask for too much the default would hurt you. S. Russell said that he is concerned with the 25% increase in health, the increase in teacher’s retirement and the fact that there is an increase of 3-˝% for non-administrative employees. He said that if the teachers do not get a raise no one should. D. Arguin is concerned about private groups meeting. We need to work together and be open as a Budget Committee not by individuals. R. Mitchell commented that the AYP is an unfunded mandate by the government. It is not a reflection of the teaching in the district. D. Arguin commented that there are socioeconomic facts involved. J. Kenyon commented that if the committee agrees on each schools budget it would not be fair to come to the end and say cut the budget. E. Stanley commented that the Budget Committee makes a recommendation and the Board does not listen. T. Parker commented that there should be a measure of how we are doing educationally wise. J. Ells suggested that the committee agree on a budget and stand behind it. N. Moriarty commented that no matter what the committee says it is seldom followed. He said that the committee discussed last year budget and the School Board highjacked it and that is why we have a default budget. Despite the default he read a list of the things that had been accomplished. He said that the employee benefits are sucking the district dry. No one ever leaves because of pay. Student population goes down and staff goes up. He commented on the two nurses at the high school, the resource officer only feet away from the police station, 7 secretaries at the high school and the purchasing of uniforms for the maintenance staff.

 

K. Chambers informed the committee that at the last School Board Meeting the Board voted to go out and bid for a broker for the health insurance. N. Dion commented that is encouraging.

 

Gilsum Elementary: D. Mousette explained what the two vacancies were. He said that there is no art teacher now. The kindergarten teacher is teaching her class and part time art. He can not find a part time nurse. He commented on the comment that the administration does not listen to the Budget Committee. He said that he has two schools and 7 teachers. He made cuts as per listening to the Budget Committee. The $40,000.00 for an art teacher should be smaller, that would be for a full time teacher. He is looking for a part time teacher. R. Smith commented that D. Mousette has 104 students with 7 teachers and that is 14.8 students per class. That is below state standards. D. Mousette explained that he was asked by the School Board to set up single grade classrooms with 3 grades in one school and 3 in the other school. He said that there would be no way to combine them. The School Board said single grade classrooms. E. Stanley asked about the one counselor for the 104 students, which is low compared to other schools. D. Mousette explained that they rely on the one counselor for a lot of jobs where in the other schools they have more people. N. Moriarty suggested taking a nurse from the high school and go to the Northern Schools. K. Chambers explained that the retirement increase would be across the budget. Every two years they do an actuarial study and that is why there was no increase last year. K. Craig commented on the single classrooms. She explained that you need to look at the kids and the situation. You need to look at their needs. She also commented that they did make AYP at Emerson. J. Fortson commented on 7 grant positions. K. Chambers will correct that sheet. R. Bauries commented that the district received 11 million dollars and the people do not think that we do care about the kids. J. Fortson had asked for the lane changes and the step increases. K. Chambers explained that it was in the shaded area. The shaded areas did not come out. She will get a list to J. Fortson. E. Stanley asked D. Mousette how much time he did running between the two schools. D. Mousette explained that he spends more time in Gilsum because of the older students, not a lot of time on the road. K. Dassau also commented that he objected to the remark that the Board high-jacked the proposal, which was done at the Deliberative Session. It might have been unfair but that is what the voters voted for. E. Stanley and N. Moriarty commented on the cutting of football but was never a proposal by the Board. E. Stanley said that the Keene Sentinel listed football. K. Dassau said that it was not a proposed cut last year. R. Smith asked about the art vacancy. D. Mousette explained that he does not know if it is going to be filled until the kindergarten enrollment in the fall. R. Bauries commented on the budget increase of $142,000.00. K. Chambers explained that is possibly due to lane changes. D. Mousette said that the substitute line would be sufficient. R. Mitchell asked if all the increases were due to things that you can not control. D. Mousette said yes. He said that he level funded his budget. R. Mitchell asked D. Mousette how long he can maintain quality education with a level funded budget. D. Mousette said that it is a 7 % increase over nothing. They are to keep their heads above water. D. Mousette explained that they were asked to level fund. J. Kenyon asked if any of the factors could not be controlled. N. Moriarty said that nothing is non-controllable. You can cut everything. K. Dassau commented that there is nothing you could control is true, Spec. Ed. and the teachers and contracts are contractual obligations. D. Mousette explained that he does not know the enrollment for the kindergarten in Sept. and can not come to the Board after and ask for the position.

 

Sullivan Elementary: J. Fortson asked about S. Mousettee’s position. D. Mousette explained that she works 60% in Gilsum and 40% in Sullivan. R. Smith asked if the part time music teacher could be shared in the Northern Schools. D. Mousette explained that B. Tatro would like to have more music time. K. Dassau asked the process when adjourning. We did a full day on Saturday and not knowing the process do the principals need to be present. J. Ells suggested that the principals be invited and placed on the agenda. The principals should be present to defend their budgets.

 

Troy Elementary: D. Dahl explained that the vacancy was for a tutor for the Autism Program. D. Dahl explained how many teachers he had in the 5th and 6th grades. R. Smith asked if D. Dahl could get away with one 6th grade teacher. D. Dahl said not in a 700sq. ft. room. He said that he is willing to reduce support staff and he made cuts to cover that teacher. R. Smith asked how many autism students. D. Dahl said that he has 5 students. R. Smith asked if he would use one of the autism classrooms if it was needed for a regular class. D. Dahl said that he would use the classroom if needed. He said that by the nature of the students they need to have their own cubbies and they need to be sound proof. K. Dassau said that one student is out of district. D. Dahl explained that he froze other sections of the budget to cover the math program increase. A large portion of that increase is for workbooks. E. Stanley asked if they have looked at putting Emerson and Troy together. K. Dassau commented that it is pretty late to start that conversation. We need to look at the communities. It is viable to have the two schools separate. D. Dahl commented that the two towns have strong communities. K. Craig said that it would be a step back to do that. She said that she would like to prepare and come back.

 

Superintendent’s Report: K. Dassau explained that one thing that we can all agree on is that it is not an easy task to find balance between the community’s ability and willingness to pay. With an effort to improve the quality of our programs, provide a fair compensation and treatment for all our employees and to maintain our facilities. As elected officials and administrators it is our job. He also said that the administration needs to have the opportunity to respond to the statistics.  

 

Public Comments: J. Craig commented on the AYP Testing and asked how we can improve on that and what is the measure. He said that he does not know what they are or the cost. He commented on the need for all day kindergarten.

 

T. Parker agreed with J. Craig. He said that very little goes to raise the level of education. Education is what we are all about. K. Dassau commented that AYP is the law. He said that the committee can have presentations but were told not to waste their time this year. T. Parker suggested that they shoot to be the best. K. Dassau commented that if it is the will of the committee D. Hodgdon could do a presentation on the testing. The District Report Card is on the web page. D. Arguin asked if the administration said that the 7% increase would let make AYP in all school would the Budget Committee support the increase.

 

K. Craig commented that kindergarten is huge. Others around us all have full time kindergarten.

 

N. Moriarty commented that they are preaching to the wrong group. You need to put it in writing. He suggested a better pitch and he would be happy to help.

 

J. Kenyon commented that they need to look at the value of the program, what it is going to cost now and in the long term. He is hearing do it better but cheaper. Should be more concerned with the educational experience we can provide.

 

R. Bauries commented that the district has given 11 million dollars over the past few years. Could it be that they way it is managed.

 

The next meeting will be on Nov. 14, 06 and they will be discussing MC2, HS and MS.

 

On Nov. 28, 06 they will be discussing Mt Caesar, Cutler, District and Maintenance.

 

K. Dassau would agree with R. Bauries. We need to find the balance. The principals are here to support their schools.

 

MOTION: J. Tommila MOVED to adjourn at 9:45 PM. SECOND: J. Fortson. VOTE: Unanimous for those present.

 

Respectfully submitted, 

 

 

Laura L. Aivaliotis

MRSD Recording secretary