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TOWN OF FARMINGTON
BUDGET COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday – December 10, 2009
356 Main Street - Farmington, NH
Members Present: Mike Morin, Jim Horgan, Brian St.Onge, Ann Titus, Chris Biron, and Cindy Snowdon.
Members Excused: Mike Morin, Arthur Capello, Chris Somma and Sam Cataldo
Selectmen's Rep: Gail Ellis
School Board Rep: Ken Dickie
Public Present: Carolyn Rioux, Michelle Langa, Joe Pitre, Sue Pleau and Ruth Ellen Vaughn.
Vice-Chairman Brian St. Onge opened the meeting at 7:00pm.
1. Curriculum and Gifted and Talented Budget Proposal: (Ruth Ellen Vaughn, Curriculum Coordinator presented)
- Brian asked why there is a 560% increase in staff/curriculum development supplies and Ms. Vaughn replied that there is new mandatory staff development before school starts next summer and this is for copies, binders, etc and lunch for this program. Cindy asked for a further breakdown on how this line will be expended and Ms. Vaughn replied that she would put this together.
- Ms. Vaughn explained that the Gifted and Talented program is an art and literacy program run by Ms. Severance and Ms. Hodder at their prospective schools with approximately 40 students participating in all. This program originated with a grant and is one of the only programs the district offers the Gifted and Talented students we have. Cindy asked if there are new grants available for this program and Ms. Langa replied no, not unless they look at a private foundation and they do not have the time to pursue those grants right now.
2. Special Education Budget Proposal: (Spec. Ed. Coordinator Sue Pleau presenting)
- Ms. Pleau explained that line 10-1200-53900-00-20 (contracted services) shows an increase because it shows all the contracted services the district is mandated to provide.
- Line 10-1200-55690-00-20 (out of district tuition, dis) is funded at zero dollars because each out-of-district student is budgeted in their prospective grade level school budgets. Historically this line was for a contingency court placement. Ms. Rioux explained that they are proposing a warrant to fund a spec. ed. Unanticipated trust fund with $50,000 fro surplus and another warrant to make the school board agents of such fund. These warrants will allow for the unknown out-of-district placements to be funded so the budget lines will not be over-expended. The budget committee discussed this fund should probably just be funded and not come from surplus so it is assured to be funded.
- Brian asked what the total grant revenue is that comes in for special education. Ms. Rioux replied that this year it is about $330,000 but that the revenue is not applied towards the budget lines because the grants have their own budgets.
- Brian asked how many students are identified as special education in town and Ms. Pleau replied about 270 district-wide.
- Line 10-2150-51113 (salary – speech pathologist) is for three on-staff speech and language pathologists.
- Line 10-2150-51117 (salary – speech therapists) was cut because the district did not have to contract this service this year because have pathologists on staff.
- Line 10-2150-51140 (Salary – speech para) is for a speech therapy assistant.
- Brian asked why there was such a large increase in the retirement and Ms. Rioux explained that last year these positions were contracted and therefore the district did not pay their retirement and this year we do, plus the state retirement cost increased.
- Gail asked why there is an increase in line 10-2150-53308 (contracted services) and Ms. Pleau replied this position is full-time this year to meet the needs of the district.
- Line 10-2160-53301 (physical therapy services) is for a private contractor to provide this mandated service.
- Line 10-2318-53800 (Legal, SPED dist) is not an increase but actually moved from line 10-1200-53800
3. Other:
- Ann Titus motioned to approve the 11-24-09 minutes as presented, 2nd Jim Horgan. Motion carried.
Ann Titus motioned to adjourn, 2ndKen Dickie. Motion carried at 8:26pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brandy Sanger
Recording Secretary
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