MINUTES SPECIAL JOINT MEETING BOARD OF FINANCE AND BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY 5, 2009
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A SPECIAL JOINT MEETING of the Board of Finance and Board of Education was held on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 in the Main Room of the Sullivan Senior Center.
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Those in attendance included Mayor Ryan J. Bingham, Comptroller Alice Proulx, Board of Finance Members Daniel Farley, Laurene Pesce, Mark Bushka, Thomas Scoville, Wendy Traub, and James Zeller, Board of Education Members Michael Broverman, and Frank Rubino, Board of Education Chairman Paul Cavagnero, Acting Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barbara Campbell, Business Manager Nancy Haynes, and Assistant to the Mayor Stephen Nocera. Board of Education Member Andrew Nargi arrived at 5:55 p.m.
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Mayor Bingham opened the meeting at 5:55 p.m. after waiting for a quorum with an informal discussion.
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Chairman Cavagnero said that getting to problems as early as possible is a way to offset the root problem of public education in Torrington. Kids have problems, not just intellectual or emotional disabilities, but a lot of it has to do with poverty and dysfunctional backgrounds. The little monies in this budget for programmatic improvement are very much targeted to that demographic.
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Mr. Scoville asked about the NEASC accreditation recommendations for Torrington High School. Dr. Campbell said the recommendations are spread over an eight year period and include the purchase of lockable fireproof files for all student records to be purchased over 3 years, monies for curriculum writing and training for the use of rubrics - tying them to the report card. The accreditation process repeats every ten years; in 2012 the Board will have to decide whether to renovate the High School to new or build a new High School.
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Mr. Farley asked about a projected shortfall in the out-of-district placement funding. Ms. Haynes said it looked like they would be short $100,000 in their overall budget. They have taken steps internally to reduce overages such as cutting back on the Middle School late bus, eliminating professional development that would require substitute teachers, and reducing unnecessary spending. Mr. Farley pointed out that out-of-district placement projection has decreased by 16 students. Ms. Haynes said that revenue also increases with out-of-district placement that, in most years, more than offsets the increase in expenditures. She noted that they are funding a study of their out-of-district process.
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Chairman Cavagnero asked the Board of Finance if they would like a Special Education coefficient in the budget. The Board said they feel more comfortable with the Board of Education targeting the appropriate amount.
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Mayor Bingham asked how the out-of-district cost at 10% of the total budget compares to other districts of our size, and if there's any direction from the State. Chairman Cavagnero said that prior administrations have said this is a reasonable number for Torrington, that we have never been sued, there's evidence that this number is high for us and that's why outside analysis will be brought in.
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Mrs. Pesce said the teachers came forward with a very generous contract excluding step increases, and asked if there's any discussion with the other two unions. Chairman Cavagnero said he hopes they are as understanding, he thinks they will be. Ms. Haynes said they are in the middle of a contract and will reopen to get an agreement. Chairman Cavagnero said this is not reflected in this budget.
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Mrs. Pesce reminded the Boards that Special Education decisions are made on an individual student basis with in-district placement as the goal and that the money doesn't necessarily follow the child. |
Mayor Bingham asked about in-school suspension. Dr. Campbell its implementation has been postponed; they want to be pro-active in encouraging positive student behavior.
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Chairman Cavagnero said there are hidden costs in in-school Suspension, such as allocating staff to deal with these kids. He invited the Board to the High School fifteen minutes before closing to see the numbers of tough and disruptive kids, the absolute lack of respect for authority amongst so many kids in those very confined hallways. This is not what the teachers are paid to do, he said, and it has nothing to do with education. He added there is definite concern and it continues to be a growing segment of the population with the generation getting coarser, with less respect for authority and far less cooperation from the parents. Chairman Cavagnero said he's gone to expulsion hearings for both boys and girls who've gotten into fist fights where blood was drawn, teeth knocked out and the parents defend their kids' actions. The parents are enabling the kids. In Forbes/Vogel you see classes with 35% Special Ed needs. He said he doesn't know how we get a handle on controlling who is coming into this town and the kinds of problems they bring with them -- it is such a large problem. He said he has ideas gravitating toward the State level about funding that should be attached to kids and families that are entitled to low income housing, that somehow there should be a differential for those kids because if you look at the statistics, they track. Chairman Cavagnero said we're paying a lot more for these kids as they're coming into this town and they are coming here, not Westport, or Farmington.
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Dr. Campbell said she'd like to celebrate some of the things this Board has done: Eight Upward Bound Middle School students will be transitioning to the main stream in High School, after having been provided with a different learning environment; and eight will remain in Upward Bound. She encouraged the Board of Finance to look at the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative plan as a model for parental involvement; it is considered one of the top plans in the State.
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Mayor Bingham pointed out that we've given unprecedented money to the Board of Education, and asked the Board what they are proud of. Chairman Cavagnero replied he is very concerned about the trends, and how sobering it is to see how our schools stack up compared to other schools. He said the key to education is to keep smaller classes in front of good teachers longer and is impressed with the number of really good teachers we have, the excellent administrators. He said Dr. Metallo was successful as a unique individual, who understood the morale of these kids, was honest with the students, cared about them, put kids first and tried to teach them respect. |
Dr. Campbell said that although we are a district in need of improvement, the Middle School, High School, Forbes and Vogel-Wetmore Elementary Schools made Safe Harbor. She said Vogel-Wetmore's scores were recognized by a statewide organization as one of the ten best elementary schools in the state for its challenging population, while the Special Education made the State's list of "Meets Requirements". Nine out ten years the community has been recognized for its music program, she said, and the High School Band has been everywhere; the choir has sung at Carnegie Hall. Dr. Campbell said those sorts of things don't happen without dollars. She thanked the Board of Finance and Chairman Cavagnero for their support and recognition. She said Torrington teachers really do care and they go the extra mile. Dr.
Campbell said we're beginning to have district-wide curriculum and curriculum articulated across the grade; the Literacy Adoption is in the budget because of the success of the Math Adoption in 2006-2007.
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Mr. Broverman pointed out that education is dealt with in a long-term way. He suggests that we're saving money by getting the students to be successful early and teachers shouldn't be cut in early grades -- this will be cost effective for the City in the long run. |
Chairman Cavagnero said there were positive results for the grant-funded Upward Bound program and there are things that could be done at the Elementary level, such as career counseling for the most at-risk students. |
Mr. Rubino said Torrington was represented by a group of singers at Carnegie Hall this year, the band was just awarded an invitation to Washington D.C. to play in the Fourth of July Parade, students are competing at the statewide level in History Day, and the Dance Team was invited to the Orange Bowl. He said there is positive attitude brought forward here, but we have to look into taking care of our buildings in future years, for our children to have buildings that are safe, secure, and not leaking.
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Mayor Bingham said he understands that very real problems exist and it's important that the Boards, as fiduciaries, see positive things happening.
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Chairman Cavagnero said this is a city problem, requiring a city solution. He said you can't limit people moving into the city, yet Torrington seems to be a magnet because we are generous with our Social Services. There's been a large growth in this population, he said, and it continues to drain resources from the bell curve of students. Chairman Cavagnero said he wants to see if there's a way to work cooperatively with our State Legislature to try to find a more equitable way to deal with children-of-needs, tracking poverty, tracking low income. He said he hoped we get another differential of reimbursement from the State to offset that, and it's a zero sum game -- we're fighting tooth and nail to not cut some of these programs that are
so uplifting for the kids and so positive for this community. He said it's coming up from the younger grades; we have to be proactive now.
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Mrs. Traub asked if the ARRA money could be used for the Special Education consultant. Ms. Haynes said they are awaiting direction from the state, have a list of questions for the auditors, and are making sure the answers are in writing. She said $1.1 million IDEA 611 money was supposed to be available starting this spring, but there's isn't an application available yet. Mrs. Traub said she applauds an investment in consulting as it could show positively that we are doing everything as best we can to serve the students, while being cost effective.
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Mrs. Traub commented that every department's budget is mostly salaries, benefits and out of district costs and she's going to have a very hard time coming forward with a budget that will ask for a rise in taxes, when people are losing their homes and jobs. She asked the Board of Education if they have enough time between May 15 and June to have discussions with unions, to avoid staff cuts. She applauds any individual or union who comes forward to do something, and said we have to get together as a community to recognize that although we all deserve a raise for what we do, the reality is people are losing their jobs & homes.
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She is concerned about decreases in capital funding; we have to do more with less as a community. and find ways to address issues on all levels. Mrs. Traub said she came from a small school, Sacred Heart, with one room for each grade, no science, no geometry or algebra. She made it to High School Honors Courses without the luxury of the two parent family. Mrs. Traub said there has to be a way to do this without costs going up $3 million a year because eventually we're not going to be able to afford it. She's going to be looking toward the total revenue side
of it, how much this budget is going to cost the town.
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Chairman Cavagnero commended Mrs. Traub for her helpful service as liaison for the Board of Education, providing them with information and insight. He said one of the things they have to deal with is the age demographics of their unions, presenting negotiating challenges with large numbers of senior staff. |
Mr. Rubino asked if the Board of Finance could establish a Capital Project Fund for facilities.
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Mrs. Traub said she's not sure if this is a charter issue or a Board of Finance discussion and wondered if there any statutes regarding that or if it's just something the Board of Finance has to discuss.
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On a motion by Mrs. Pesce, seconded by Mr. Scoville, the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 7:00 p.m.
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ATTEST: CAROL ANDERSON, CCTC ASST. CITY CLERK
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