September 12, 1994
Posted meeting of Selectmen with Capital Improvement Committees
(Hanson and Whitman) and Town of Whitman Selectmen
Attendance list is attached to these minutes. Confusion over
time for meeting to start so Board of Selectmen Chair Joseph
Frisoli hosted guests and began dialogue shortly after 7pm
(Whitman posted for 7; Hanson Board of Selectmen for 7 by office
and Hanson CIC for 7:30pm) Hanson Selectmen arrived: Frisoli -
7pm, Kuchinski 7:25pm and Flynn 7:50pm.
At 7:30pm John Travers, CIC chair began chairing the meeting. He
began by giving a short overview of the process CIC follows on
requests made to the Committee on funding. Travers and Mary Lou
Sutter exhibited booklets used by the Committee. Booklets are
obtainable from Finance Committee Association. Whitman people
very interested in hearing process development.
The purpose of tonight's meeting: to discuss viewpoints of each
Town relative to school capital cost requests to each Town. ML
Sutter reviewed the DOE Regulations for School Finance (adopted
July 14, 1994) for Student & Financial Accounting, Reporting and
Documentation Requirements (603CMR10.00). This meeting is for
preparation of Towns meeting on Wednesday evening with the
Regional School Committee.
Communication is the key and dialogue has begun. Many comments
made to the need to discuss, in light of DOE regulations which
schools must follow, how presented list(s) of capital
improvements will be handled. Travers and Frisoli both referred
to a letter dated August 17, 1994 from the Bond Counsel for the
School. The letter generates confusion within it. Most
disturbing was that the school appears to have forwarded the
letter late to the Town Halls - Hanson date stamped it in today
(9/12/94) - close to a month after receipt by school.
Kuchinski noted her concern that no meeting be adversarial in
nature; that thinking people can discuss concerns and reach
consensus. Flynn noted his concern to avoid lawyers until
agreement made by the direct parties involved. Coffey if Whitman
CIC noted by nature of duties that committees were apt to be
adversarial in discussion to hammer home points. Kuchinski noted
that residents of each Town elected Selectmen and representatives
to Schools to act for entire constituencies and that CICs were
appointed by Selectmen to make recommendations to respective Town
Selectmen. Adams (Whitman) noted unique position of the
Superintendent of the Schools as benevolent dictator. He was
countered by knowledge that Superintendent's contract is handled
by the elected School Committee.
Coffey (Whitman CIC) summed up positions of each Town - the need
for one set of rules to be followed by each entity in order to
ensure cohesive decision-making. For better knowledge of budget
handling, several attendees asked if possible to obtain a copy of
the repairs to various buildings made under Maintenance line item
within Regional School Budget. The regional agreement,
amendments, leases must be reviewed towards goal of clearly
defining terminology so that each entity knows (agrees) on
exactly what is a capital item to be paid by Towns versus
maintenance - operational cost to be borne from regional budget.
Peter Muise (W-H Regional School Committee) noted that Form 19
information could be discussed with Sharon Andrews as public
information. The need to communicate again stressed. Questions
on lists to be brought to Wednesday meeting.
Joint meeting adjourned 8:45pm. Notes taken by Catherine A.
Kuchinski, Clerk of the Hanson Board of Selectmen
| 
