Town of Lyme
Budget Committee
Town Office
January 15, 2003
7:00pm
Approved January 29, 2003
Present at this meeting; Selectman representative: Richard Jones. Budget Committee Members: Gibb Cornwell, Mike Smith, Jeff Lehmann, Josh Kilham, Barney Brannen, Earl Strout, Wayne Tullar, and Dick Justice. School Board representative: Manton Copeland. Chair of the School Board: Lazlo Bardos, Principal: Gerry Clancy. Superintendent: Gordon Schnare. Administrative Assistant: Carole Bont. Scribe: Dina Cutting.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Chair Smith.
1) Mr. Jones moved the minutes of the January 8th, 2003 meeting. Seconded by Mr. Strout. Corrections to the minutes were offered. Paragraph I, change the percentage to 2.75%. Paragraph H should read “The School Board projects the amount to be raised by taxes for the school will increase by 12%”. The motion with corrections noted was voted unanimously in favor.
2) School Budget: Mr. Bardos reviewed two new hand outs with information on support staff benefits comparisons, details on changes in the teacher negotiated agreements, and area school’s teacher raises. Mr. Bardos noted that area schools are offering a 3.5% or higher annual increase for teacher’s salaries. Most of the towns are playing catch up with their salaries and Lyme already did that. We should not compare ourselves to the other schools by using those figures. Followed was a discussion on the procedures involved in teacher negotiations and the changes to the Lyme teachers’ contract. The Budget Committee decided that next year the communication between the School Board and the Budget Committee should begin earlier in the budgeting process.
Line 245: It was noted that this line should be named “Staff Benefits”, not “Negotiated Agreement”. Mr. Bardos explained that the benefits for our support staff are terrible. The School Board would like to do more for the support staff in the way of benefits. The School Board would need $10,000.00 to bring this idea to life. It was suggested the School Board look at the town’s benefit package and try to stay in line with that.
3) Followed was a lengthy discussion on what the process should be for looking at the budget. Chair Smith reviewed what the Budget Committee has done traditionally. The Budget Committee agreed to go through this budget line by line.
4) School Budget lines:
Line 28: $992,163.00. Questions concerning workers’ compensation and health insurance increases were asked and answered.
Mr. Jones moved line 28 at $992,163.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. The motion was voted 9 in favor and 1 opposed (Mr. Justice)
Line 37: $1,103,027.00. High school tuitions were discussed. Mr. Schnare informed the Budget Committee that the High school trust fund has about $310,000.00 in it. The Budget Committee asked Mr. Schnare to investigate writing a warrant article that would direct the Town to put up to a certain amount of the surplus into this fund. This warrant article would be voted on every year. This trust fund was established to level things out for the up coming year. We need to put more money into this fund. Two high school students have come back to town from private schools so the Budget Committee added $6,000.00 to this line.
Mr. Jones moved line 37 at $1,103,027.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 59: $217,217.00. Mr. Jones moved line 59 at $217,217.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. Followed was a brief discussion concerning teacher salaries, grants for classroom aids, and the remedial programs. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 78: $166,317.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 78 at $166,317.00. Seconded by Mr. Cornwell. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 91: $35,797.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 91 at $35,797.00. Seconded by Mr. Jones. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 102: $28,654.00. Mr. Jones moved line 102 at $28,654.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 105: $17,000.00. Mr. Jones moved line 105 at $17,000.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 110: $22,550.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 110 at $22,550.00. Seconded by Mr. Jones. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 115: $13,200.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 115 at $13,200.00. Seconded by Mr. Jones. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line118: $1,500.00. Mr. Jones moved line 118 at $1,500.00. Seconded by Mr.Brannen. Mr. Schnare explained this line. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 128: $18,650.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 128 at $18,650.00. Seconded by Mr. Strout. Followed was a discussion concerning tuition reimbursement, and teacher incentives for excellence. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 131:$29,194.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 131 at $29,194.00. Seconded by Mr. Strout. This line was adjusted for the revised Library budget. It was decreased $199.00. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 147: $11,846.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 147 at $11,846.00. Seconded by Mr. Cornwell. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 176: $124,617.00. Mr. Strout moved line 176 at $124,617.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. Followed was a brief discussion concerning the increase in SAU costs over the last few years now that we have our own SAU. The SAU costs are right in line with the state average, 4% of the total budget. Some Budget Committee members expressed concern over the rising costs. The motion was voted 9 in favor, 1 opposed (Mr. Lehmann).
Line 203: $135,509.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 203 at $135,509.00. Seconded by Mr. Strout. Mr. Schnare explained that this line includes a retirement stipend that will be used next year. The motion was voted 8 in favor, 1 opposed (Mr. Lehman) and 1 abstention (Mr. Justice).
Line 229: $186,513.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 229 at $180,513.00. Seconded by Mr. Strout. Mr. Jones brought forth a proposal on behalf of Wallace Ragan (Lyme Emergency Plan Director) for an addition to this line of $6,000.00 for an emergency generator. The Town has the opportunity to take part in a federal grant to help with the cost of purchasing a generator to be housed at the school. The cost of putting this generator in was discussed. It was the sense of the Budget Committee to add this money in now. The generator could be set up and hooked up at a later date when more money was available. Mr. Strout moved to amend the figure in line 229 by $6,000.00. This changes the total of line 229 to $186,513.00. Mr. Brannen accepted the amendment. Followed was
more discussion on fixing doors, replacing carpeting, paving the school parking lot and the increase in this line caused by these repairs. The motion was voted 7 in favor, 3 opposed (Mr. Strout, Mr. Cornwell and Mr. Justice).
Line 242: $97,424.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 242 at $97,424.00. Seconded by Mr. Jones. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 245: $10,000.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 245 at $10,000.00 with the understanding the name would be change to “Staff Benefits”. Seconded by Mr. Jones. Again it was suggested the School Board look at the Town employee benefits and align the School staff’s benefits with the towns. The motion was voted 6 in favor, 4 opposed (Mr. Lehmann, Mr. Cornwell, Mr.Strout and Mr. Justice).
Line 250: $124,950.00. Mr. Jones moved line 250 at $124,950.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 257: $15,000.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 257 at $15,000.00. Seconded by Mr. Justice. Mr. Copeland explained that the School Board has plans to change and fix up the cafeteria area. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 276: $55,705.00. Mr. Brannen moved line 276 at $55,705.00. Seconded by Mr. Justice. Mr. Schnare explained that the food services are a separate fund and can be carried over until June. The new renovation of the cafeteria will help save money on paper products, and should decrease the amount of trash, saving money there also. The motion was voted unanimously in favor.
Line 279: $3,396,832.00. Mr. Jones moved line 279 at $3,396,832.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. Followed was a discussion about how even though the tax base in Lyme is increasing, we are still looking at more of an increase in the tax rate and this affects all who live in town. Mr. Bardos suggested drawing down the trust fund in Special Education to help with the budget increase. The Budget Committee discussed making the School Board more responsible for more of the decrease in the tax rate. The School Board may have to make some hard decisions. Mr. Jones called the question. After a show of hands the Budget Committee decided to discuss this further. Followed was a discussion concerning cuts in repairs and adding to the revenue side of this budget.
Mr. Lehmann moved to amend the motion to reduce line 279 to a total of $3,371,832.00, cutting $25,000.00 from the bottom line of this budget. Seconded by Mr. Strout. Followed was a brief discussion on where the cuts could be made. Mr. Schnare requested the administration be allowed to make these decisions. The motion was voted 4 in favor, 5 opposed (Mr.Brannan, Mr. Smith, Mr. Kilham, Mr. Copeland, Mr. Jones) and 1 abstention (Mr. Justice).
The original motion stands ($3,396,832.00). The motion was voted 5 in favor, 3 opposed (Mr. Lehmann, Mr. Strout and Mr. Tullar) and 1 abstention (Mr. Justice).
It is the consensus of the Budget Committee and Administration of the School that the Special Education Fund will be drawn down by $25,000.00 and the warrant will be brought to the School District meeting concerning the High School Tuition Fund.
5) The Budget Committee returned to the Town Budget at this time.
Line 435:$1,882,910.00. Chair Smith announced that the total that was moved at the last Budget Committee meeting was $1,899,071.00. Mr. Jones explained that the $8,000.00 change in the Library budget should have reduced the Library line by $1,161.00. A mistake in the calculation was made and this will need to be addressed at tonight’s meeting.
Mr. Jones moved line 435 at $1,897,910.00. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. Mr. Lehmann handed out a worksheet with some examples of what he sees as problems with this budget proposal concerning what this revised budget proposal will do to the tax rate.
Mr. Lehmann moved to amend the motion to reduce line 435 to a total of $1,872,910.00, cutting $25,000.00 from this line. Seconded by Mr. Strout. Followed was a discussion concerning where to find this money to be cut from this budget. Mr. Lehmann recommended cutting the increase in office hours. Money cut from the operating budget can not be found in the capital expense portion of the budget. The amendment was voted 4 in favor and 5 opposed (Mr. Copland, Mr. Smith, Mr. Brannen, Mr. Kilham, and Mr. Jones) and 1 abstention (Mr. Justice).
The original motion stands ($1,897,910.00). The motion was voted 3 in favor, 4 opposed (Mr. Lehmann, Mr. Strout, Mr. Tullar, Mr. Kilham) and 2 abstentions
(Mr. Justice and Mr. Copeland). The original motion failed.
Mr. Strout moved to decrease line 435 by $15,000.00 and move line 435 at
$1,882,910.00. Seconded by Mr. Lehmann. Followed was a discussion on what part of the budget this money could come from. Mr. Brannen stated he was not inclined to second guess the Selectmen. The Budget Committee already cut a good chunk out of the employees’ wages at a previous meeting. The employees’ hourly increase in this budget is less than $10,000.00. The motion was voted 5 in favor, 2 opposed (Mr. Jones, and Mr. Brannen) 2 abstentions (Mr. Justice and Mr. Copeland). This motion passed.
The first Public Hearing will be January 29th, 2003 7:00pm at the Town Offices.
The second Public Hearing will be February 5th, 2003 7:00pm (if necessary)
Meeting on Special money articles will be February 12th, 2003
At 10:25 Mr. Lehmann moved to adjourn. Seconded by Mr. Brannen. Motion voted unanimously in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dina Cutting
| 
