Town of Lyme
Budget Committee
January 11, 2006
7:00PM
Fire Station Training Room
APPROVED: January 18th, 2006
Present at this meeting: Selectmen: Judith Shelnutt Brotman. Budget Committee Members: Gibb Cornwell, Josh Kilham, David Caffry, Manning Rountree, Mike Smith. School Board Representative Laszlo Bardos. School Board member: Kathy McGowan. Principal: Gerry Clancy. Superintendent: Gordon Schnare. Bookkeeper/Selectmen’s Secretary & Scribe Dina Cutting.
Mr. Brannen will not be able to attend tonight’s meeting. Mr. Smith will be filling in for him as Chair of this meeting.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Chair Smith.
1) Mr. Cornwell moved the minutes of December 28th, 2005. Seconded by Mr. Kilham. The motion was voted Mr. Cornwell, Mr. Kilham, Mr. Caffry, Mr. Rountree, & Mr. Smith in favor. Mr. Bardos abstained because he was not present at this meeting.
2) The minutes of the January 2nd, 2006 meeting will be voted on at the next Budget Committee meeting.
3) Mr. Smith explained this meeting is to vote on the proposed school budget. The votes taken at tonight’s meeting will be tentative votes. Mr. Smith stated that there are two issues to be discussed tonight.
· Mr. Lehmann’s e-mail concerning the requested sabbatical.
· Withdraw of the $100,000.00 from the High School Trust Fund.
4) Mr. Bardos informed the Budget Committee that the quote on the roof work came in lower than expected. The School Board will be reducing the budget by eliminating the request for funds from the Building Maintenance Fund by $15,000.00.
5) Followed was a discussion concerning the requested teacher’s sabbatical including the amount of funds involved and the costs involved in hiring another fulltime position to cover for the teacher taking the sabbatical. A request for a sabbatical is not a request that will happen year after year. The cost for this will be $32,000.00 - $34,000.00. The educational benefits of the sabbatical were discussed at this time. Mr. Cornwell commented he was enthusiastic about this. He stated he was in support of teachers furthering their education and would support this request.
6) The Budget Committee discussed the High School Tuition Trust Fund. The original purpose of the High School Tuition Trust Fund was discussed. Some concern were expressed that this fund does not have enough money in it. Followed was a discussion concerning using the High school Tuition Trust Fund money for general expenses in the K-8 budget. Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman stated she would not feel comfortable supporting the use of this money in the general budget. The money was designated for a specific purpose and should be used for that purpose. Following a brief discussion it was the sense of the Budget Committee to not draw $100,000.00 from the High School Tuition Fund.
7) After a brief calculation on the bulletin board it was decided by consensus that the increase in the proposed school and town budgets will be an increase to taxes by 8.4%. This takes into consideration the $15,000.00 adjustment from the reduction in the cost of the new roof. The High School Tuition Trust Fund not being drawn down $100,000.00, & the $72,000.00 correction to revenues from the previous meeting.
8) It was the sense of the Budget Committee to tentatively vote on the proposed school budget at this time.
SCHOOL:
· Mr. Bardos moved account 1130 Regular High School Tuition at $1,298,124.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 1230 High School Special Education at $249,077.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 1100 Regular Education at $1,211,310.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 1200 Special Education at $241,637.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 1400 After School Activities at $3,000.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2120 Guidance at $40,588.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2130 Health Services at $46, 36200. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2140 Psychological Services at $12,000.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2150 Speech Services at $20,800.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2160 Physical/Occupational Therapy at $11,500.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2190 Other Student Services at $1,500.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2210 Improvement of Instruction at $21,350.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2220 Library at $36,688.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2310 School Board at $14,504.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2320 SAU Administration at $149,700.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2400 School Administration at $148,117.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2600 Building/Grounds Services at $230,952.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 2700 Transportation at $107,172.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. The line for parent transportation #110 has an adjustment to $6,135.00. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 5100 Debt Service at $112,598.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 5200 Transfer Funds at $114,786.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. The $15,000.00 has been taken out of this figure line #935 has been adjusted to $0. Voted unanimously in favor.
· Mr. Bardos moved account 3100 Food Service at $45,979.00. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
Total of proposed budget is $4,117,744.00.
The Public Hearing is January 18th, 2006. If any Budget Committee members have questions or needs clarification on anything else it can be addressed at the beginning of the next meeting. There were some changes to the revenue side of this proposed School Budget. Mr. Bardos will revise the number and bring them to the next meeting. Money warrant articles will be discussed and voted on at the February 15th, 2006 meeting.
At 8:10 pm Mr. Bardos moved to adjourn. Seconded by Mrs. Shelnutt Brotman. Voted unanimously in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dina Cutting
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