Monadnock Regional School District

School Board Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

May 23, 2008

Monad. Regional High School

Approved

Committee members present: Doug Lyman, Jane Fortson, Gene White, Sue Oerman, and Jim Carnie. Administrators Present: Katie Chambers, Business Manager, Chris Boyle, Director of Technology and Dr. Kenneth Dassau, Superintendent. Public: R. Bauries, C. Kahn

Called the meeting to order at 8:32 am.

1. Surplus: D. Lyman stated that he could support the heating oil and textbooks being funded from the surplus, but feels most of the remainder needs to go back to the taxpayers.

Heating Oil: S. Oerman made the motion to fund up to $105,000 for heating oil from the surplus. Seconded by J. Fortson. Discussion: G. White asked if we were obligated to use the same heating oil company that we’ve been using or would we be going out to bid? K. Chambers stated that she feels we have an obligation to go with them. G. White wondered if we could get a better price. K. Chambers stated that we don’t have a fixed price. Motion Passes: vote was unanimous for all present.

Textbooks: S. Oerman made the motion to fund the textbooks at the high school for $32,500. Seconded by J. Fortson. No discussion. Motion Passes: vote was unanimous for all present.

Health Office Refrigerator: S. Oerman made the motion to fund the health office refrigerator, seconded by J. Fortson for discussion. D. Lyman questions the need for such a high cost refrigerator as he had just been pricing some. K. Chambers stated this was a locking refrigerator. J. Fortson made the motion to table until we had more information. Second Sue Oerman. Motion to table passes.

Student Desks: (HS) J. Fortson made the motion to recommend to the full board that we fund the desks for $47,600. Seconded by S. Oerman. Discussion: D. Lyman would like to see them (the old desks) go up for auction. K. Dassau said the board has a disposal policy. J. Carnie questions the need for 10 classrooms worth of desks. D. Lyman stated that the voters feel that there is too much money in the budget. They won’t like what we’re spending the surplus on. J. Carnie asked about the MC2 furniture. G. White amends to 5 rooms, seconded by J. Carnie. Amendment passes: Unanimous for all present. Motion passes as amended: unanimous for all present.

Portable Computer Lab at Mt. Caesar: G. White made the motion to fund $21,260 for the portable computer lab at Mt. Caesar. Seconded by S. Oerman for discussion. Discussion: J. Fortson asked about the money remaining in the tech. account for 07/08 and the default amount for 8/09, and whether the amount could be funded in part from each of the two years. She questioned whether there were other expenditures in the 1114 account that were being planned for 08/09 that would keep us from doing this. Motion was tabled until we could speak with Chris Boyle, Technology Director. C. Boyle didn’t know of any planned expenditures. J. Fortson makes the motion to use $9,000 of next years 1114 account funds with the remainder (12,260) to be funded from this year’s surplus. Seconded by G. White. Amendment passes: Unanimous for all present. Motion as amended passes unanimously for all present.

Risers at Troy: G. White made the motion to approve the expenditure for $1504 for risers for the Troy school. Seconded by J. Fortson. No discussion: Motion passes; 4 yes, 1 abstention (D. Lyman).

Cutler Refrigerator: S. Oerman made the motion for funding the Cutler refrigerator for the health office at $400. Seconded by G. White. Motion passes: 4 yes, 1 no (D. Lyman)

Lunchroom tables: Motion by S. Oerman to do 8 lunchroom each table at Cutler for $12,777. 8 at 1682.88 each. Motion passes: 2 yes (S. Oerman and J. Fortson), 3 abstentions.

Gas Cans storage and Chemical Storage: J. Fortson made the motion to fund the gas cans/storage and chemical storage for approx. $9,000. Seconded by G. White. Discussion: J. Carnie spoke about safety for science labs. And the fact that the doors open out instead of in, as they should. He would like to spend the $80.00 that J. Fortson rounded the above amount to on fixing the doors so that they open the way they should. J. Fortson had no problem with that if that was a friendly amendment to the motion. Motion Passes. Unanimous for all present.

J. Fortson asked K. Chambers what else she would draw our attention to that she would consider being of high priority. K. Chambers the health office refrigerators and a lift for maintenance.

Health Office Refrigerator: J. Carnie made the motion to fund the HS health office refrigerator for $400. Seconded by G. White. Motion passes: All in favor.

Vehicle Lift: J. Fortson made the motion to approve the funding of the vehicle lift in the maintenance garage. Seconded by S. Oerman. Discussion: J. Carnie asked about repair of the old lift. K. Chambers stated that it couldn’t be repaired to meet OSHA requirements. D. Lyman was familiar with the outlawing of the old lifts. Motion passes: All in favor.

2. Default:

D. Lyman made the Motion to rescind the prior vote to take the Vision mobility expenses out of the Sped reserve account. (So that we can fund it out of the operating budget instead) Seconded by J. Carnie. Motion passes: Unanimous for all present. Note: J. Carnie and D. Lyman were both members that voted with the majority when this action was taken previously)

J. Fortson made the motion to hire a vision mobility specialist and aide for 100,000. We will be seeking to share the costs with other districts. Motion Passes: 4 yes, 1 abstention (J. Carnie)

(5) Motion to spend 126414 for the tech support specialists by G. White. Seconded by J. Fortson for discussion. Discussion: J. Carnie questioned whether we were funding new positions? K. Chambers stated that one position was partially new (some tech. specialist charges previously at MC2) and the other position used to be spread between Troy, Emerson and Mt. Caesar. D. Lyman stated that we have been over utilizing an SAU employee. J. Carnie is upset that this is the creation of a new position in a default budget. J. Carnie stated that the budget was defeated and these were in the proposed budget that was defeated. D. Lyman stated that with all the new and old computers they need support, without it classes can’t be run efficiently. S. Oerman stated that her daughter has stated many times that they can’t do what’s required because the computers are down. D. Bauries read the default budget definition. J. Fortson stated that she believed that RSA was for the building of the default budget not the spending. K. Chambers agreed stating that it s the board’s discretion to build the budget. J. Carnie stated that if this is an SAU agreement, then put it under the SAU. S. Oerman moved the question, seconded by J. Fortson. Question is moved (all in favor). Motion passes: 3 yes (G. White, S. Oerman, and J. Fortson) 1 no (J. Carnie) and 1 abstention (D. Lyman). K

Motion to adjourn made by J. Fortson at 10:50 seconded by S. Oerman. Unanimous for all present.

Respectfully submitted by Jane Fortson