MONADNOCK REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board Meeting Minutes

��������������������������������������������� January 31, 2006

������������������������ Monadnock Regional Middle/High School, Swanzey NH

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Present: Colline Dreyfuss, Jonathan Kenyon, Gene White, Karen Cota, Robin Marra, Alan Gross, Kenneth Colby, Jason Hill, Bruce McCulley and James Carnie. Absent: Tim Aho, Richard Thackston, Bruce Tatro, Charles Johnson and Jeff Friedman.��

Also present: K. Dassau, Superintendent, D. Hodgdon, Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum, T. Warner, Dir. of Technology and L. Biron, Business Manager.� Principals: J. Smith and S. Rashid.

 

J. Carnie called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM. He announced that the Board had voted on this meeting, which would replace the Feb. 7, 2006 Board Meeting.

 

1��������� CONSENT AGENDA:

Minutes of January 17, 2006 Board Meeting Minutes and Non-Public Minutes. MOTION: K. Cota MOVED to approve the January 17, 2006 Board Meeting Minutes. SECOND: J. Kenyon. VOTE: 8.377/0/0/6.623. Motion passes.

 

2.                CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: K. Dassau informed the Board that there was a small fire at Troy Elementary. The cause was a toaster oven in the Teacher�s Room. There was no damage. The fire chief gave some recommendations to follow up on.

 

J. Hill arrives.

 

K. Dassau commented on the 3 delayed openings and made the Board aware that there were two minor bus accidents on the days of snow delays. R. Marra commented that he heard from a parent that Monadnock is calling the 2-hour delay too late. K. Dassau explained the process that takes place.

 

J. Smith reported to the Board that there would be a public meeting tomorrow in Swanzey about the sidewalks, which would be placed from the Town Hall to Neighbors. The project should be completed by August.���

 

3.������ STUDENT GOVERNMENT REPORT: J. Smith reported that there is no report and suggested that the Board take this off the agenda until the Student Government is more comfortable. The Board discussed it and decided to leave this item on for now.

4.����� Public Comments: J. Fortson commented that she did not feel that the Board should speak about Article One at the Deliberative Session. She read the RSA to support her comments and asked that the Board allow the Budget Committee to speak on their budget. She also asked that the Board leave the duty of filling the Budget Committee vacancy to the Budget Committee. J. Carnie said that the Board would discuss the requests under “Old Business”.

 

5.      Old Business: MOTION: R. Marra MOVED that the Budget Committee move Article One at the Deliberative Session. SECOND: C. Dreyfuss. DISCUSSION: R. Marra commented that he finds it appropriate that the Budget Committee move to approve the budget. J. Carnie said that he would agree that the budget is the Budget Committee’s and that the other articles are the Board’s. VOTE: 9.491/0/0/5.509. Motion passes.

 

MOTION: K. Cota MOVED to affirm the Budget Committee’s responsibility to fill the vacancy on the Budget Committee. SECOND: J. Kenyon. DISCUSSION: J. Carnie said that he would question if a motion is needed. C. Dreyfuss commented that the Board tabled this issue to this meeting. VOTE: 9.491/0/0/5.509. Motion passes.

 

R. Marra asked if the Board would be meeting prior to the Deliberative Session like they had done in the past. K. Dassau explained that the moderator would be at the meeting at 9:00 AM and he could invite the attorney to do the same.

 

6.                    SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS:

             Board Committee Reports:

1.      Community Relations Committee-Mr. Gross: A. Gross reported that the committee met last Thursday and compiled information from a survey that the committee had given the principals. A. Gross passed it out to the Board. He reported that there are wide discrepancies. He also distributed a sheet with a list of things that demonstrate excellence done by the individual schools. The committee would like to have a meeting with the selectmen of all the eight towns. The committee felt that it would be helpful to do this prior to the vote. K. Cota thought it was a good idea. She suggested that the Board meet even though there are no huge projects.

 

B. McCulley arrives.

 

K. Cota asked to have this item on the agenda prior to the March vote. She suggested inviting all the selectmen. G. White said that it would not require the whole Board to be present. He suggested maybe the committee heads. K. Cota commented that she thought it was important to have connections. A. Gross said that the committee would look for a good time and get back to the administration. It was suggested that they meet at the beginning of the meeting in February. 

 

2.      Facilities Committee: Mrs. Dreyfuss: C. Dreyfuss reported that the committee met last Wednesday. The committee discussed the CIP. They also discussed the F. Marinace invoices.  They were making progress in resolving outstanding issues. The next meeting is on February 15, 2006 at 7:00 PM. 

 

3.      Finance Committee-Mr. McCulley: B. McCulley reported that the committee had not met. The next meeting will be held on February 21, 2006 at 6:00 PM before the Board Meeting.

 

4.  Policy Committee- Mr. White: G. White reported that the committee met and discussed policies that were required by the State Board. The next meeting will be held on February 28, 2006 at 5:30 PM. 

 

5.      Budget Committee- Ms. Cota: J. Fortson reported that the committee met to rescind the motion on the budget. Then, a motion was made to support a budget with at 5.1% increase and bring it before the voters. 

 

6.      The Cheshire Career Center-Mr. Gross: A. Gross reported that W. Cotton announced his retirement. A search committee will be formed to find a new director. A. Gross commented on the modular that the Construction Class is doing, to be donated to a family in Alstead. A. Gross commented on the problem with Fall Mt. students being on the buses for such a long time in order to get to the CCC. He said that W. Cotton was happily surprised about the Regional Agreement with the Board. J. Carnie asked about the search committee and if a Board Member from any other town would be on the committee. A. Gross said that there are no School Board Members invited - only principals. A. Gross will find out about the Board Members on the committee and get back to the Board.

 

R. Marra reported that the Search Committee for the Business Manager and the Special Ed. Director would begin its work on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 at 7:00 PM.  R. Marra informed the Board of the members included on the committee. He said that the meeting is to set up a timeline and an initial review of candidates. He would like to bring a recommendation to the SAU Board before the March vote. E. Stanley would replace T. Parker on the committee. 

 

7.            New Business: Revolving Account: K. Dassau reported that he and L. Biron have not had the opportunity to gather enough information and would like to postpone the discussion on the Revolving Account until February 21, 2006, when it would be referred to the Finance Committee first.

 

Request from Recording Secretary: K. Dassau would recommend that the Finance Committee review this request for the next meeting on February 21, 2006. K. Cota asked if it needed to go through Finance. K. Dassau explained that if an adjustment is approved it could be retroactive.

 

8.     Curriculum Report: No report tonight. 

 

9.     Action on the Manifest: Voted on at a later time on the agenda.

 

10.      SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT: K. Dassau explained that letters were sent out on behalf of the Board to the recipients of the Art Awards.

 

L. Biron handed out the financial summary to the Board. He reported that the end of January cash position is in good shape. He reported that there are two interest payments on the bond. That will take care of the long-term debt. He reported that the district is about $500,000 to the good. J. Carnie asked about the payments from the towns. L. Biron reported that Roxbury would be paying 6 months to get caught up. K. Cota asked what happens when an account is at 0%. L. Biron explained that he provides monthly updates to the principals. They know their bottom line and can make adjustments. 

 

11.        BOARD CHAIR REPORT: No report.

 

12.    SETTING NEXT MEETINGS AGENDA:

1.      Revolving Account

2.      Request from recording secretary

3.      Officer Kassotis (second meeting in March)

4.      Committees

 

    13.    SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS: P. Bauries asked if the non-voting individuals would be allowed to sit in the gym. She would like to see the gym used for voters only and to have the non-voters in the auditorium. MOTION: B. McCulley MOVED to admit the registered voters into the gymnasium at the start of the meeting and the non-voters after the meeting starts. SECOND: J. Kenyon DISCUSSION: A. Gross said that there is value in the presence of the non-voters and emphasized that they should be welcome, even though the voters should have preference. He said that the teachers and the principals are valuable and should be allowed to be present. VOTE: 10.265/0/.247/4.488. Motion passes.

 

R. Bauries commented that the recording secretary should receive whatever she wants and he would like 10 %. He also asked if the amount would be the same if she were to take the minutes for the Budget Committee.

 

J. Fortson commented that being on the Budget Committee and taking the minutes is not easy. She would ask that the Budget Committee be allowed to have a paid recording secretary for all of their meetings.

 

Action on the manifest: MOTION: R. Marra MOVED the manifest in the amount of $807,501.36. SECOND: A. Gross. DISCUSSION: C. Dreyfuss asked about Sonic Wall Inc. L. Biron explained that was a filtering system. She asked about Skyline Engineering and SVE Association. L. Biron said that it was a final payment to Rob Hitchcock. B. McCulley asked about Platinum Plus. L. Biron explained that the teacher took a trip with the kids. The grant will reimburse the district. C. Dreyfuss asked about Stromgren. L. Biron said it was for the boiler at Emerson. She asked about Melanson. L. Biron said it was for a ceiling at Mt. Caesar. She asked about Honeywell. L. Biron said that it was a standard lease. She asked about Cajun Control. L. Biron said that it is for the thermostats. She asked about Family Glass. L. Biron said that it was for Troy. L. Biron reviewed the questions C. Dreyfuss had at the last meeting. He said that he was unsure about the Amer Electric work. J. Carnie suggested that D. Gurian be notified and invited to the meeting in March. VOTE: 9.491/0/1.021/4.488. Motion passes.

 

    14. ADJOURNMENT: MOTION: K. Cota MOVED to adjourn at 8:15 PM. SECOND: J. Hill. VOTE: Unanimous for those present. Motion passes. 

 

  Respectfully submitted,

 

  Laura L. Aivaliotis

  MRSD Secretary