Southern Berkshire Regional School Committee
Mt. Everett Regional School
Sheffield, MA
February 3, 2011
Meeting with Town Officials
School Committee Members: Mr. Abelow, Mr. Willig, Mr. Flynn, Mr. Valentini, Mr. Sears, Mr. McSpiritt, Ms. Mielke, Ms. Miller
Absent: Ms. Silvestri, Mr. Fetterhoff
Administration: Dr. Singleton, Mr. Turner, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Kenyon, Mr. Devoti, Ms. Hubbard
Press: CTSB
Student Representatives: Taylor Garrett
Others: Mr. Joseph Kellogg, Sheffield Town Administrator; Ms. Julie Hannum, Ms. Renée Wood, Mr. David Smith, Sheffield Select Board; Ms. Laura Allen, Chair, Egremont Finance Committee; Ms. Michelle Loubert; Ms. Theresa Licata; Mr. Jon Sylbert, Monterey Select Board; Ms. Tara White, New Marlborough Select Board; Mr. David Herrick, Ms. Prudence Spaulding and Mr. Edgar Zukauskis, New Marlborough Finance Committee; Mr. Michael Farmer; several other member town officials; Ms. Linda Higgins
Chairman Abelow called the meeting to order at 5:12 p.m. and welcomed the town officials and other audience members. He stated that the District administrative team has worked hard with the Finance Subcommittee to put together a responsible budget for FY’12.
Mr. Turner then presented and explained the proposed FY’12 preliminary Operating and Capital Budgets, including estimated revenues and expenditures. He also reviewed preliminary assessments to the towns and explained the methodology used to arrive at those assessments. He acknowledged that a significant shift in apportionment has taken place this year due to the state formula, and he said that he and Mr. Kellogg will look into the reasons for that shift.
A question and answer session followed.
(Ms. Mielke arrived at 5:30 p.m.)
Chairman Abelow invited the town officials and audience members to review the preliminary budgets and return to a future School Committee meeting, should they have further questions.
The proposed bond issue was also discussed, with town officials expressing unease with the Committee’s timing of the vote. Mr. Kellogg asked that the Committee reconsider the plan, should any town fail to secure a vote to exempt the bond payments from Proposition 2 ½ . Mr. Abelow stated that he believed that the Committee would do that. He stressed that it was the School Committee’s hope that the bonding would help the member towns plan their budgets.
The meeting adjourned at 6:12 p.m.
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