Mount Desert School Department
Mount Desert School Committee
Minutes
The Mount Desert School Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, 4 January 2012, with the
following members present: Vice- Chair Laura Hendricks, Gail Marshall and Heather Jones
Absent excused: Charlie Wray and Brian Reilly
Also present were Scott McFarland, Dianne Helprin, Rob Liebow and Bill Ferm
CALL TO ORDER
Laura Hendricks called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOVED by Gail Marshall, seconded by Heather Jones, and unanimously voted to approve the
minutes of December 7, 2011 as presented.
REPORTS
There were no reports to be presented.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
• 2012-2013 Draft Budget – Principal McFarland presented the first draft of the 2012-
2013 budget and outlined the highlights for the committee. This budget represented an
increase of 5.84% and an appropriation increase of 9.46%. Principal McFarland reminded
the committee that the largest impact on this budget was due to the addition of a second
Kindergarten position after the budget process was completed last year. Therefore, it
lowers the carryover and at the same time increases the budget increase percentage. Of
the $185,373 proposed increase, over $170,000 is due to personnel and benefits costs.
The committee will take up the budget again in the February 1 meeting with another
budget meeting scheduled for Feb 15 as well.
ACTION ITEMS
• Teacher Resignation – Principal McFarland presented the committee with a letter of
resignation from classroom teacher Paula Moody. MOVED by Gail Marshall, seconded
by Heather Jones, and unanimously voted to accept (with deep regret) the resignation of
Paula Moody effective at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.
• AOS and HS Voting Members - MOVED by Gail Marshall, seconded by Heather
Jones, and unanimously voted to approve Gail Marshall, Heather Jones and Charlie Wray
as the voting members for January, February and March.
• Support Staff Salary Scale – Superintendent Liebow presented the committee with a
2012-2013 Proposed Support Staff Salary Schedule and informed the committee that the
Bar Harbor support staff has also agreed to be on this schedule though they have their
own union. MOVED by Heather Jones, seconded by Gail Marshall, and unanimously
voted to approve the 2012-2013 Support Staff Salary Schedule as presented.
• Support Staff Language Changes – Superintendent Liebow presented some language
changes that would allow for up to 8 pro-rated vacation days for the few employees that
are considered to be in the school year plus category. In addition he proposed that
employees with 11 years or more of service with a certain school be paid for all holidays
that appear in the work year as opposed to only those that appear in their workweek. The
committee decided to table a vote on this language change until the February meeting
OTHER BUSINESS
• Principal McFarland shared with the committee Field Trip Volunteer Guidelines that
were created by teachers and will be shared with the PTO. No action was necessary.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
• Second draft of the 2012-2013 budget
• Discussion of Guidance Counselor Position – Kelley Sanborn will be asked to join this
discussion
• Support Staff Language Changes
DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT MEETING
February 1st at 4:00 PM
Budget meeting on February 15th at 4:00 PM
ADJOURNMENT
MOVED by Heather Jones, seconded by Gail Marshall and unanimously voted to adjourn the
meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Scott McFarland
Mount Desert Elementary School
| 