TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL/BOARD OF EDUCATION JOINT BUDGET WORK SESSION
ROOM ALT. 6 DATE: MARCH 28, 2009
TIMOTHY EDWARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL TIME: 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Streeter called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Town Council
Members Present: Deputy Mayor Edward Havens
Councillor M. Saud Anwar
Councillor Gary Bazzano
Councillor Tom Delnicki
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Cary Prague
Also Present: Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan
Members Absent: Mayor John Pelkey
Councillor Janice Favreau
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Board of Education
Members Present: Chairperson Lisa Maneeley
Vice Chairperson Janice Snyder
Sheila Appleton
Carol M. Driscoll
Timothy Paul Kenefick
Richard Mabey
Craig Zimmerman
Also Present: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kate Carter
Asst. Superintendent Daniel Hansen
Interim Asst. Superintendent Richard Cormier
Business Manager Donna McKenty
Members Absent: Diane Behler
David Joy
ITEM:
3. Public Participation
Councillor Prague read a letter from Mr. Larry Torff of 521 Quarry Brook Road into the record.
4. Items for Discussion
- Board of Education and General Government Proposed Budgets for Fiscal Year 2011/2012
General Government Budget
Mr. Matthew Galligan, Town Manager explained that between the Board of Education budget and Town budget there is a 1.97% expenditure increase. The reason there is a 3.48% tax increase on the Town side of the budget is because of the revenue structure which is due to the economy. The Board of Education helped the Town budget last year with their surplus and thanked the Superintendent and the Board. The Town will be using $800,000 from the fund balance. The Town Council will have to review to see if there are any programs that should be cut, but Mr. Galligan felt the Town Council should look at the revenue portion of the budget. The Town could generate revenue by charging fees for certain services that presently do not have a fee associated with them.
Board of Education Budget
Dr. Kate Carter, Superintendent of Schools stated that the Board of Education worked very hard to come up with an increase of 1.88%. The most proactive even that took place was the teacher concessions which is a total savings of $801,000.
Answering questions from the Council, Dr. Carter explained that it would be an inconsistent message to add new personnel at the same time unions are taking concessions. Concessions are not done to add staffing; it is done to save present staffing. Math Specialists would be beneficial for the district and hope that can be done in next year’s budget. Dr. Carter explained the different federal funds that the Board of Education received. The ARRA federal funds were used in this past year’s budget and are no longer available to the Board of Education. The Education Jobs federal funds were received last year and districts had the choice to use those funds in last year’s budget or save them for the upcoming year. The Board of Education had chosen to save them and
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
use them in this upcoming budget. The amount is for $751,000. There is an increase of twenty-three students for next year.
Ms. McKenty explained that the statistical model that is used to do enrollment does not drive deep enough to explain where students are coming from, it is based on trend.
Councillor Bazzano stated that the Board of Education budget has increased $20,000,000 over the last ten (10) years. Councillor Bazzano requested that the Superintendent explain what the $20,000,000 has gotten the Town. Dr. Carter stated that a lot of that is probably contractual obligations but said she would look at that further.
Ms. McKenty explained that the 19.7% increase in staff services was due to two increases, one in health care which was for $770,000 and the other being the Pension for $377,000.
Town Manager Galligan explained for health care he is budgeting a 5.5% increase. The Town is working at claim adjustments, there are no additional people being added to the program.
Ms McKenty stated that there are two changes that have contributed to the increase in health care are because there are still three union groups that are not settled yet so this health care is based on what is known at this point and in last years budget the Board still has offsets totaling $336,000. This year may have one offset totaling $147,000. The pension last year was pre-funded in the amount of $393,018. The health care account was sent an additional $456,653. The total of $170,927 was considered pre-funded to balance to last year’s budget appropriation. The remainder of the health care dollars is $285,726 representing the overrun in health care last year. This was able to be funded by the grant benefit and unneeded HSA dollars which totaled $336,613 and was reported on the
budget status report to the Board last March. The surplus of $1.1 million dollars in programs was based on the following: Efficiencies in transportation from instituting a new policy create a savings in the amount of $409,762 and special education outplacements was slightly lower participation which had a savings in the amount of $296,552 as well as the grant being higher. The personnel budget had a surplus of $373,350. The pension was prefunded from that. The retirement account did
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
not utilize $204,000, $86,000 in substitutes and teacher residuals were approximately $162,000. There are 400 personnel accounts and almost 1,000 program accounts. The surplus last year had been predominately because of transportation.
Mr. Galligan explained that if there are surpluses in budgets, the surplus could be put into the health care or into an account to use if future years are tough.
Answering questions, Dr. Carter stated that the reduction in enrollment is consistent with the rest of the region. If the reductions are in one area then there could be reductions in staffing but if it is found that the reductions are throughout the school system then there would not be a reduction in staffing. Three employees retired who are in the elementary schools and those positions were not filled because of the reduction in enrollment. There is a significant reduction in Consumer Science because two teachers retired and new employees were hired.
Ms. McKenty stated that health care reductions will be updated after negotiations for three unions are complete.
Councillor McCann felt that as enrollment goes down, the Board of Education should consider the closing of an elementary school and then suggested that if a student is signed up for parking at the High School, they should waive there need for a spot on the school bus. Councillor McCann also suggested that the Board of Education review if advertising on the side of school buses is permitted.
There was a lengthy discussion regarding the outplacement budget and the CREC school.
Councillor Prague felt that the Board of Education should think about keeping computers for a longer period of time.
Dr. Carter stated that in better economic times there are lots of things that could be done to move South Windsor forward. One is certainly increasing the number of Intervention Specialists. This would benefit all students. As more support is given to those who need help, it will also allow the teachers
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
attention to go out to other students. Another area that could be discussed is regarding facilities and where the Town is heading. Dr. Carter said that she does not compare South Windsor with other districts as much as spends time learning from other districts to see if there are better ways to be doing certain things.
Mr. Daniel Hansen explained that South Windsor’s gifted program is called the “Excel Program”. Children in grades 4 through 8 are in there and there are courses at the High School for high performance students. At the High School level there have been many new programs.
5. Executive Session
None
6. Adjournment
Councillor Prague made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:33 p.m.; Councillor Anwar seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Clerk of the Council
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