APPROVED
TOWN OF
BUDGET COMM= ITTEE - MEETING MINUTES
APPROVED &#=
8211;
CALL TO ORDER –
|
PRESENT: Also Present: |
Mr. Daniel Guimond, Mr.= John Lavallee, Mr. Dennis Viger, Mr. Gregory Farris, Mr. Robert Sherman, Mr.= Joe Puddister, Mr. David Cate, School Board Representative Megan Larson School Business Adminis= trator Adam Steel, Memorial School Principal Catherine Pinsonneault, Memorial Sc= hool Assistant Principal Thomas Adamakos |
|
ABSENT: |
Mr. Larry Hall, Mr. Ken= Dunne, Selectmen Representative Edmund Gleason |
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2012 BUDGET REVIEW AGENDA -
Mr. Steel came forward and
reviewed the memo dated
The Board began reviewing=
the
proposed 2012 budget for
The salary line increased= due to contractual obligations; it also reflected the changes to staff that occurr= ed over the summer. The substitu= tes had been broken out into two lines: daily substitutes and long term substitutes. They were calcul= ated by taking the (expended) average of the prior three years and increased by 5%.
There was a brief discuss= ion regarding the replacement lamps for data projectors; the costs for these we= re throughout the budget. Mr. Gu= imond asked that a summary be provided for all the replacement lamps. The Board reviewed the replacement= of fixtures line. It was reduced by $5600 because of the previous year’s purchase (one-time expense) of auditor= ium chairs.
Mr. Farris asked if the l= anguage arts books were proposed because of a replacement cycle. Mr. Steel said the line was for two purposes: the replacement of worn textbooks as well as the purchase of additional textbooks (to fill out existing sets) based on an increase in students. Mr. Sherman asked i= f they were on schedule with the book replacement. Mr. Steel said the social studies = books had been put on hold because of the retirement issue (state not funding as = much of the retirement costs). Ms. Pinsonneault stated they had been on track to get a seventh grade series, b= ut due to curriculum changes of competencies versus the standards it seemed prudent to wait for the competencies to come through. The books had arrived and were sen= t back. Mr. Viger asked if the amount had = been expended from last year’s budget.&nb= sp; Ms. Pinsonneault replied they hoped everything would be settled. She said they needed the books; the books being used were over twelve years old. The publishers have stated they wo= uld have everything in line; if they don’t, the school won’t spend = the money.
There was a decrease in mathematic supplies due to (one time) purchase of grade 8 calculators last year.
Mr. Lavallee asked how mu=
ch money
had been taken out of the budget to cover the retirement figure. Mr. Steel stated the original unfu=
nded
liability to the district was $474,000 and was reduced to $195,000 when rat=
es
were set in August. He sent a=
memo
to the Board
Mr. Puddister questioned = why no money had been spent out of the technical education supplies line in 2010.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Mr. Steel explained that the FY11 = budget was very tight and had been frozen in September, 2010. He said they were happy to end wit= h a surplus. He said a lot of sim= ilar lines had been locked down so the funds couldn’t be spent. Mr. Puddister asked why there was a quantity of 300 for technical education books (edutyping.com registration) = when there were approximately 550 students.&nbs= p; Ms. Pinsonneault replied there were 300 children that take the cours= e at any one time; it was a head count license.=
There was a question rega= rding the two-way radios contained in the special education new furniture and fixtures line. Mr. Steel told= the Board that the proposed radios would tie into the building’s radio sy= stem as well as dispatch and the Fire Department. They were expensive radios, but th= ey would work with the repeaters and the building’s systems. Mr. Farris asked if the cost would= be less if the radios were sourced through the Police Department. Mr. Steel was unsure and would seek additional information.
Mr. Puddister asked for an
explanation for the DC stipends (total of $1500). Mr. Steel stated during the Collec=
tive
Bargaining Agreement negotiations (last year) it was agreed to add stipends=
for
those teachers that attend the
The Board continued their= review of the budget. There was a qu= estion why the salaries – department heads line had increased $1500. Mr. Steel replied that the Unified= Arts department head was added to the line.&nbs= p; Mr. Guimond asked if they were in the CBA. Mr. Steel will verify.
Mr. Viger asked if gradua= tion would be held. Ms. Pinsonneau= lt answered yes.
Mr. Puddister questioned = why the custodian salary line had increased 8%.&nb= sp; Mr. Steel believed it was because in the past they had not anticipat= ed overtime in the line; he will verify.
Mr. Sherman asked if the = school had a recycling program, or if they had spoken to the Town about rubbish disposal. Ms. Pinsonneault to= ld the Board that they had a recycling club who collected all recycling paper item= s. They worked with a local company w= ho collected the bins one per week. Ms. Larson stated that the recycling program in the elementary school was being used as the pilot program to see how it went. Once they have the opportunity to = see how the program runs, they will then work it through the other schools.
Mr. Farris reviewed the c= ustodian overtime and questioned why the amount in the Memorial School budget was $20,000 for four custodians, compared to the line in the Elementary School budget showing $20,000 for six and a half custodians (in a larger building). Mr. Steel said the= y used the overtime amount for summer projects; they budget basically the same at = each school and move it around based on where there were more projects. Mr. Farris asked if the Board coul= d see how much overtime was budgeted last year and actually expended. Mr. Steel will verify.
Mr. Guimond asked why the= re was such a large increase ($66,995) in repairs and maintenance. Mr. Steel explained using the maintenance replacement schedule the items were listed in the budget. The largest item was the windows i= n the cafeteria that were pointed out during the Budget Committee site walk of the school. The windows, which we= re original to the building, will be replaced with high efficiency glass.
Mr. Sherman asked how the= new library was coming along. Mr.= Steel replied that four of five pieces of the new library had arrived earlier in = the day. The remaining piece was = on its way. They anticipated it open= ing in a couple weeks.
Mr. Viger asked if there = was a separate hot water heater in the kitchen area. Mr. Steel didn’t have an answer. If there was a separate hot water heater, Mr. Viger wanted to know if it could be set up similar to the elementary school. Mr. Steel believed the domestic hot water tank was separate from the boilers. He will verify if there is a separ= ate hot water tank in the kitchen.
Mr. Cate questioned how t= hey arrived at the unanticipated repairs number ($15,000). Mr. Steel stated that the number w= as based on past experience. It = was noted that the equipment repairs line was for items not part of the building syst= em itself.
Mr. Puddister asked if the modulars at the high school were on fuel gas, or LP gas. Mr. Steel believed all the modular= s were using LP gas; he will verify.
Mr. Sherman commented tha=
t the
price for the floor scrubbers at the Elementary School was listed as being
$2,500 and the floor scrubber at
The Board completed their= budget review.
ADJOURNMENT
|
MOTION: |
(Lavallee/Sher=
man)To
adjourn the meeting. |
|
VOTE: |
(8-0-0)
The motion carried. |
The
meeting was adjourned at approximately
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = Respectfully submitted,
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = Charity A. Landry Willis
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = Recording Secretary
BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING/Thursday,