MONSON FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 9, 2009
Present: Maureen O'Sullivan, Bob Margerison, Peter Ross, Joel Keller, Bob Finnegan,
Christine Edwards, Gerald Brayton, Peter Fimognari, Brenda Payette (Administrative Assistant)
Also Present: Deb Mahar (Finance Director), Mike Kane, John Goodrich, Joshua Farber (School Committee), Dr. Linda Denault (Interim Superintendent), Donald Smith (Director of Business and Facilities)
Absent: Jim Pennington
The meeting was convened at 6:47pm
A motion was made to accept the minutes of the 3/2/09 meeting; it was seconded and SO VOTED.
Finance Committee had a quick discussion with Ms. Mahar on what the implications would be on the reduction of clerk’s hours in different departments.
Ms. Mahar suggested FinCom talk with department heads to see what the effects would be within their own department. Mr. Ross asked Ms. Mahar if she will be relooking at it. She said yes because one department is down a clerk now and she will be relooking at her original recommendation. Mr. Brayton asked about possibly pooling the clerks so they can help out in other departments when needed.
Mr. Ross was not able to follow up with the Park and Rec. department on what they spend on maintenance. He will work on that this week.
Mr. Keller said FinCom will come up with a list of Department Heads to invite to come and talk with us over the next couple of meetings.
OLD BUSINESS / NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion with members of the School and Finance Committee members started at 7:00pm:
Mr. Kane from the school committee thanked FinCom for taking the time to meet with them. The school committee provided FinCom the following agenda topics for this meeting.
Positions and programs lost in the school department in previous years
- The school committee passed out a handout that listed positions/staff lost from 2002 through 2009.
Process for developing this year’s budget
- Looked at ways of doing business, what are the critical needs
- Ways of restructuring, combining any positions
- Replenishing teaching supplies, text books services (literacy program)
- Accreditation at the High School
- Performance on MCAS-Granite Valley is in corrective action
- While creating budget school committee came up with a figure of $776,000 that would restore positions. They decided to ask for status quo for this year that would be net school spending plus $404,000 override. This amount would put schools at operating status quo, would restore a superintendant and would purchase text books.
Changes from previous budgets:
Mr. Goodrich said this year’s budget has a very different format from last year’s budget. The bottom line is they are trying to maintain level services. Variance Reports are big contributors to the FY10 budget.
Restoring positions
Level services budget
Negotiations
Override question $404,000
Questions and answers.
Questions and answers:
Mr. Keller asked the school committee with a level service budget plus $404,000 override, if the town doesn’t approve the override where does the school committee go?
Mr. Kane said that discussions are still in play.
Dr. Denault said outside hope would be from the stimulus package.
Mr. Brayton asked what would you do with the stimulus money.
Dr. Denault said if money comes through it would be used to restore some lost programs.
Technology and Maintenance issues are not being addressed.
Mr. Kane noted that the Parks and Recreation Department have done an outstanding job of taking care of the schools.
Ms. O’Sullivan asked about the salary for aids at the elementary school, asked if there were aids that made that much. School Committee said they are not clear on how the FY09 amount came to be. They said that in FY10 budget there are no salary increases, adding back in Superintendent Position. Mr. Smith said that they are using the MASBO budget process for the FY10 budget. This will be a better system for getting answers and giving meaning to items.
Mr. Margerison asked for a breakdown of the $404,000 override. Mr. Smith said that the Superintendent is the only salary pay raise built in the budget. Take $404,000 minus $67,000 for literacy series and text books =$336,409 difference between net school spending and level services budget.
Step changes are contractual and those amounts are included in the $404,000 amount, there is nothing the school committee can do.
Mr. Margerison said he has a problem with the $404,000 override amount having $50-60,000 built in for step changes. Mr. Goodrich said if the override of $404,000 doesn’t pass the $50-60,000 step changes are still there.
Mr. Fimognari questioned that he sees no cuts in administration.
Dr. Denault said that those positions are needed given the school size. They are not top heavy with administration jobs.
Mr. Brayton reviewed past issues that question the school committee’s credibility.
Mr. Kane said that the school committee is trying to establish credibility but it is difficult when people keep going backwards instead of moving forwards.
Mr. Smith said that the school committee and the business office are trying very hard to work on putting together an FY10 budget.
Mr. Finnegan asked if purchasing text books could be delayed or stretched out.
Mr. Farber responded that the state has standards. He has got the publisher to agree on a staggered implementation. It is a good time to buy because the publishers are giving good deals.
Mr. Finnegan asked why the schools don’t share a Librarian.
Dr. Denault said it is a full time position at the schools.
Mr. Finnegan asked if the curriculum director has to be filled this year during a budget crisis.
Mr. Kane said the curriculum director oversees the curriculum and works with the teachers.
Mr. Ross remarked that he doesn’t hear a lot from the parents about issues with the schools. He asked if there is something the school committee can do.
Mr. Kane said they need to put programs back into the schools to help keep enrollment.
Dr. Denault said that expecting our students to perform year after year at higher levels requires new text books and a Director of Curriculum.
Mr. Ross suggested the school committee go out and sell what the schools have to offer while not in budget mode.
Mr. Kane talked about a 5year plan of the schools trying to educate people and the community.
Mr. Goodrich asked the Finance Committee to endorse and support the override question. He said the Board of Selectmen has.
Mr. Keller said that FinCom is still looking at things and needs to discuss things further and will be doing so over the next few meetings.
Ms. O’Sullivan said she is not comfortable with committing to anything without having numbers from the state.
Mr. Brayton said FinCom needs to discuss further.
Mr. Kane said he listens to what FinCom recommends at town meetings. He thanked the Finance Committee and asked that they keep the schools in their thoughts.
Ms. Mahar said if the schools get the override that will give the town some relief. She asked FinCom keep that in their thoughts.
Discussion with School Committee ended at 8:50pm.
Discussion on Inviting Department Heads:
FinCom members agreed to invite the following department heads to the next two meetings. Any department head wishing to speak to FinCom would be put on the agenda for the March 30 meeting. Ms. Payette will send out an invitation.
March 16, 2009 meeting:
Nancy Morrell, Town Clerk
Stephen Kozloski, Police Chief
George Robichaud, Fire Chief
March 23, 2009 meeting:
Judith White, Council on Aging
Paul Lovell, Cemetery
Timothy Pascale, Parks and Recreation
CORRESPONDENCE:
- Letter from Nancy Clark
- Expenditure Ledger dated 2/28/2009
- Hard Copy of letter from School Committee requesting to attend the next FinCom meeting
- Hard copy of letter from Hope Bodwell, Library Director to FinCom
MEETINGS ATTENDED BY MEMBERS:
NONE
The next scheduled meetings of the Finance Committee are:
Monday, March 16, 2009 at 6:45pm
Monday, March 23, 2009 at 6:5pm
The meeting was adjourned at 9:10pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda I. Payette
Administrative Assistant to the Finance Committee
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