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BUDGET COMMITTEE
Minutes of the December 3, 2009 Public Meeting
Approved by Committee Vote December 10, 2009
ATTENDANCE X = Present, E = Excused
ELECTED OFFICIALS |
ROLE |
TERM EXPIRES |
X |
Charlene Andersen, Chair |
Capital Improvement Program Rep |
2010 |
E |
Kyle Barry |
School Building Advisory Committee Rep |
2011 |
X |
Chet Batchelder |
HCPP Grant Advisory Committee Rep |
2012 |
X |
Scott Curry |
Impact Fee Committee Rep |
2010 |
X |
Donna Danis |
Capital Improvement Program Alternate |
2012 |
X |
John Decker |
HCPP Grant Advisory Committee Alternate |
2011 |
E |
Michael Koester, ViceChair |
HCPP Grant Advisory Committee Alternate |
2011 |
E |
Lovely Love |
Board appointed Member at Large |
2010* |
|
|
Appointed by Committee to fill Term |
2010* |
|
|
|
|
|
Other Board Members |
REPRESENTING |
|
X |
Gary Anderson Selectman |
Board of Selectman (BOS) |
2012 |
X |
Dave O’Brien School Board |
Nottingham School Board |
2011 |
AGENDA
7:00 pm Call to order, introductions, Review minutes from 11/12 & 11/19
7:15 Town Library Budget
7:30 School Budget – 2nd Presentation
8:30 Committee Reports
HCPP Grant Advisory Committee Report – Chet
CIP Committee Report - Charlene
School Building Committee Report – Kyle
~~~~~~~~ Impact Fee Study Committee – Scott/Donna
~~~~~~~~ School Board Representative Report – David
~~~~~~~~ BOS Representative Report - Gary
8:40 Other Business & Roundtable
7:00 pm Call to Order and Introductions. Review of minutes 11/12/2009
Chair Andersen called meeting to order. Members introduced themselves. A motion to approve the minutes of November 12, 2009 was made and seconded. Chair asked for discussion. Members voiced corrections. Chet Batchelder motion to approve minutes as corrected, John Decker second. Motion passed. Gary Anderson and Dave O’Brien abstained. Motion made and second to approve November 19 minutes. Corrections were voiced. Donna Danis motioned to approve minutes of November 19 and O’Brien second. Members voted unanimously to approve minutes.
7:18 pm Town Library Budget
Chair Andersen invited representatives from the Town Library to introduce themselves to members and audience. Library Trustee Chair Laura Legard introduced herself and Librarian Rhoda Capron introduced herself. In addition, in the audience from the library board were alternates Sara Wotton and Susan Medeiros. Legard highlighted budget issues.
Operating Expenses Alarm System
Significant decrease projected to improved maintenance, making the alarm work, as it should.
Continuing Education
Costs decreased as the Librarian presents at conferences lowering the cost to attend.
Miscellaneous
This expense is primarily related to Background Checks and Screening for employees and volunteers.
Decker wanted to know what month “this year to date” column represented. Legard said it was November.
Danis questioned the Cleaning item costs noting it had been an increase. Legard explained the attempts at working with previous cleaning staff regarding expectations. They eventually replaced the contractor, and the figure represents overlap of salary. They anticipate no cleaning personnel change for 2010.
Chair confirmed that the Library and Nottingham School share software programming under notes for Library Automation. She questioned why the school’s costs were higher. Danis also thought the two groups shared costs equally. Legard and Capron explained that the Library pays an annual license for subscriptions for both to share. Adding both groups do not share every feature of the system. Scott Curry also questioned the technology figures if new equipment needed. Capron reported the library has the services of an experienced computer tech and have flexibility to purchase a computer on sale.
Chair questioned if a cost analysis would detail savings for the library now closed on Fridays. Legard believes there could be some savings but that the town has better cost information regarding utilities and fuel.
Chair was interested in feedback the library staff might have regarding no salary increase. Both the Trustee Chair and Librarian felt the staff was very understanding.
Danis asked for an explanation of the difference between Library Assistant positions II and III. Capron explained Assistant III was evenings and Saturday. They had to fill the position when previous staff could not fulfill the schedule. The Substitute is doing more hours.
O’Brien wanted to review previous discussion regarding Library Automation and if costs were higher for the school. He wanted to clarify what the question was for the Nottingham School representatives. Curry explained he sought to clarify the differences in the dollars amounts between the Library and the School. O’Brien and Curry agreed to ask the School representatives.
Chair pointed out at the CIP meetings learning of the Library’s desire for another staff. Capron confirmed the staffing would provide for a Children’s Librarian in a future year.
Curry and others commended the staff for no Salary increases. Thanked the representatives for attending.
7:36 Announcement
Chair announced a Christmas Luncheon for volunteers and staff of the Town Friday December 11.
Confirm with staffers Heidi or Marge if attending. Bring a dish to share.
7:40 Nottingham School District Default Budget Second Presentation
Michael O’Neill Administration Contractor, Michelle Carvalho Principal, and Dave O’Brien from the School Board present.
O’Neill advised members that he did not reprint the budget presented last week but added page and item corrections, printed the Default Budget and the Budget Review.
1100 Regular Education 01-1100-5561-000 Tuition-Other Public Schools
5563-000 Tuition-Coe Brown/Pinkerton
O’ Neill shared that the invoice from Coe Brown still not received. However, they were more concerned with Dover High School. A meeting between Nottingham and Dover will address the tuition.
This is a state mandate to improve the school’s test scores.
He asked the committee for questions.
2225 Computer Assisted Instruction 2225-5650-031 Software
Curry asked about increase in software. Carvalho explained it is the Annual Costs for the “Destiny Software” and Title 2 programs.
1100 Regular Education 5610-024 Music Supplies
1420 Athletic 5610-028 Athletic Supplies
Anderson questioned the increase in the budget for Music vs. the cost of athletic supplies. Carvalho reported it was needed curriculum supplies for Grade 4 and 5. Many of the athletic supplies do not require purchases every year. Carvalho added that lime used for marking the fields, other field markers, ropes and balls, etc can last more than one year.
Chair asked about the budget SAU and the School Budget.
Health insurance premiums are anticipated to increase 23% due to a large increase in claims.
Danis wanted more information about the High School Tuition. She asked if it was Dover High School tuition issues. O’Neill explained that the School Boards are in disagreement over changes in fees, when fees are due, dates the fees cover, and the language of the contract. Both school board representatives are meeting December either 16 or 17. The misunderstanding came with a memo dated 10/31/2009. Curry suggested language parity might need to be included. Now if Nottingham does not pay the right amount then the adjustment includes interest. He suggested if Dover bills incorrectly they should be prepared to accept costs. Batchelder noted that laws changed in the state regarding capital improvements funding. He also indicated the two Boards have some history of misunderstandings. Chair suggested using past School
Board Minutes to prepare for meeting to learn how the previous board drafted and approved the contract.
Batchelder asked about the progress of the Teacher’s contract discussions. O’Neill could not give specific information as the two sides are meeting. He did not have any information of deadlines for proposals.
Danis wanted clarification on the Need Improvement Status and what was mandated regarding the new text books. Carvalho made the point that the School submits the proposal for improviment including new textbooks. The state then approves the proposal and mandated textbooks are the result.
Additional discussion points, Special Education budget lower explained by over budgeting in the past or changes in student population. Computer Software increase is reflective of multiyear programming which is less expensive than single year plans.
O’Brien confirmed the meeting date for December 17 to have Carvalho and O’Neill back. The meeting night is also the night of the School’s Christmas Pageant. The Chair will see the meeting time can be changed to accommodate for the pageant or if the School representatives could be later in the agenda. January 7, 2010 the School Budget is due with the budget hearing or School Deliberative Session scheduled for January 14. O’Brien also reported the SAU new Business Administrator is to begin work. O’Brien noted the change from a Saturday deliberative session to a weeknight and asked members if they had feedback. Opinions given were.
8:41 Committee Reports
HCPP Grant Advisory Committee Report – Batchelder
December 7 the final report is due. Planning and Zoning Committee are contributing money for high quality blown up maps of the plan. Discussions of how to fund the program to keep it moving forward, to keep it current and a continued participant in future long range planning. The committee hopes to be presenting at the Town Meeting. Curry suggested they meet with the Board of Selectman as well.
CIP Committee Report – Chair Andersen
Town Manager needs to meet with members about the Community Center. Meetings are progressing and moving along.
school Building Committee Report –Barry
No report.
IMPACT FEES SUB-COMMITTEE – CURRY, DANIS
No meeting scheduled.
SCHOOL BOARD– O’BRIEN
Preparing warrant articles for the deliberative session and town meeting. He appreciated the work of Carvalho and O’Neill in preparing the 2010 budget. He welcomed the opportunity to work with O’Neill in the budget process and now with the upcoming discussions with the School Board of Dover. He thanked members of the committee for the suggestions of looking into past school board minutes regarding the contract with Dover.
BOS- ANDERSON
Meeting with Department Heads have been productive. The purchase of a new Police Cruiser deferred from last year’s budget would go forward with new budget. The town joined the South East Watershed Alliance. He expressed gratitude for Theresa Thompson and John Terniko serving as Representative and Alternate Representative. Hoping the membership in the alliance will help us protect our natural resources in alliance with the towns that are around us. The Christmas Parade and Children’s Craft Fair would be Saturday, December 5.
8:50 pm OTHER BUSINESS & ROUNDTABLE
Chair introduced members to Doug Simmons in audience. Batchelder had talked to Simmons about the vacancy on the committee. The appointment would fill a vacancy the committee has had. Decker made a motion to appointment Doug Simmons to the vacancy. Danis seconded. Members present voted unanimously to appointment Simmons to committee.
8:56 pm ADJOURN
Danis motion to adjourn Anderson second.
DRAFT: Submitted 12/08/2009
Jill Sunde
FUTURE MEETING DATES OF INTEREST
12/11/2009 Town Department Heads
12/17/2009 School Budget-Final Review Town Department Heads (if needed)
01/07/2010 School Budget Final Review Including Tax Impact
All meetings are at the Town Offices Conference Room 1 and start at 7 pm.
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