Adobe Acrobat Exchange 6.0Minutes Joint Meeting of the Board of Selectmen & Finance Advisory Committee February 7th 2008
Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Hall
Members Present: Warren Doty, Frank Fenner Jr., J.B. Riggs Parker, Marshall Carroll, William Randol, Frank Yeomans, Sarah Mayhew Shipway, Richard Williams, Frank LoRusso, John Maloney
Others Present: Tim Carroll, Tom Wilson, Melanie Becker, Joyce Bowker, Jane Slater
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M.
Minutes, distribution of documents
The minutes from the previous meeting, on January 23, 2008, were approved.
Up Island Council on Aging
The budget was presented for the Up Island Council on Aging. The budget had not changed since the previous year. Questions were then fielded. The representative from the Up Island Council on Aging, Joyce Bowker, expressed a need for improved cell phone service as a means for providing security in emergency situations.
Island Council on Aging
Budget changes between the present and last year were discussed. The representative from the I.C.O.A., Jane Slater, introduced herself to the committee and provided an explanation of her position with the organization. The representative then fielded questions.
Historical Commission
The representative from the Historical Commission presented a need for an increased budget to cover clerical support/administrative assistance, office supplies, and updated technology.
The need for additional storage of historical archives was brought up to the committee. The possibility of keeping these documents in the library was discussed.
Education: Superintendent
Superintendents shared services were defined and discussed. These are services that are shared throughout the island and represent 60% of the education budget. Two new shared services were highlighted: Project Headway and the Bridge Program. After a briefing of these two programs, committee members proceeded to ask questions on program specifics. The shared services finance budget was then discussed, followed by questions and commentary on the Social Skills Program for youngsters with behavioral problems.
Rising insurance costs were brought to attention. Higher costs of property insurance were highlighted.
Education: MV Regional School District
The budget assessment was said to be higher than in previous years. For the first time in years, a significant override was needed. The principal of MVRS gave the committee a warm thank you for all their help and support over the years.
Education: Up Island Regional School District
A walk-through was given for the up island regional school district budget for the 2009 fiscal year. The increases in the budget from the previous year were largely due to the increase in the percentage of Chilmark students attending the West Tisbury School, from 7% the year before, to 12%. A question was posed as to whether using the statutory formula would increase budget savings. Using this formula would save the Town of Chilmark and Aquinnah, but at the expense of West Tisbury. It was then brought up that the schools should be involved in the override process.
Recent water testing at the Chilmark School deemed the water quality to be safe.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00.
Approved 7/14/2008
| 
