Dresden School Board
Budget Presentation
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
7:06 p.m., Hanover High School Library
Minutes
Present: Board members Asmus, Bruce, Carpenter, Carter (8:55), Chamberlin, Fleischer, Gray, Pilchman, Sachsse, Vitt; Administrators Gersen, Aubin, Gillespie, Finer; Council Representative Proom; and approximately ten members of the public.
1. Call to order
Vice Chair Bob Bruce called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.
2. Report of the Chair
1. Board Calendar – Vice Chair Bruce announced that the next Board meeting will be Tuesday, January 16, 7:00 p.m., at the Hanover High School Library. He said this meeting is the second of three budget meetings. The third meeting on January 23 will be a regular Board meeting, incorporating a public hearing on the budget and budget adoption. Board members asked Superintendent Gersen to look into the possibility of holding the January 23 meeting in Norwich.
2. District Meeting –Mr. Bruce announced that the Annual School District meeting will be held on Thursday, March 1, 7:00 p.m., at Richmond School Gymnasium. He said this will be the discussion phase of the meeting and that no voting will take place at the meeting. The voting phase of the meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 6, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Richmond School Gymnasium.
3. District Filings –Mr. Bruce also announced that the Dresden School District has filing dates from Tuesday, January 16 through 5:00 p.m., Monday, February 5. Filing for School District Officers can be done with either the School District Clerk, Deborah Carter, or at the SAU Office, 45 Lyme Road, Room 207, Hanover. Positions open are Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer for one year each, and Auditor for three years.
4. Petitioned articles for the Warrant – Mr. Bruce announced that petitions for inclusion in the Dresden School District Warrant must be received by 4:30 p.m., on Monday, February 5. Petitions may be presented to any member of the Dresden School Board, or delivered to SAU #70 Office, 45 Lyme Road, Room 207, Hanover, NH, which is considered the Board Office. If petitions are to be included in the Annual Report, they must be received by January 25 to meet the printing deadline.
3. Tributes to Margaret Cheney
Former Dresden/Norwich Board member and Dresden Board Chair Margaret Cheney was honored by the Board and Administrators for her years of service to the districts. Several Board members and Administrators spoke of her dedication and hard work during her tenure from 1998 through the end of 2006, and presented her with tokens of appreciation.
4. Business requiring discussion
a. 2007-08 proposed budget – Assistant Superintendent for Business, John Aubin presented the 2007-08 budget that proposes a 6.69% increase over the current budget. Mr. Aubin identified three extraordinary items as reasons for the rise: two years worth of pay increases due to the tentative teachers’ contract, the increased NH Retirement System rate, and the need for five additional special educational assistants at the high school. Additional debt payments due to the passage of the fields bond and increasing enrollments at the high school also contributed to the increase. He reviewed the terms of the tentative teachers’ settlement, then discussed the impact of enrollment projections at the Richmond School and High School. Mr. Aubin highlighted a list of detailed significant changes to the proposed budget followed by a discussion among Board members, Administrators, and members of the public. Some of the concerns expressed by the Board and members of the public included future declining enrollments, the impact of fewer tuitioned students, the percent increase exceeding budget guidelines, and staffing at both schools.
Board members also asked questions regarding language and computer literacy offerings, free/reduced lunch moneys, and the costs for transporting middle school students to the high school for math and foreign language classes. A suggestion was made that the adopted budget guidelines be included with the budget and that information on per pupil spending be provided. The next budget discussion will focus on special education costs.
b.School District draft warrant – Board and Administrators reviewed the first draft of the Warrant, making suggestions and edits.
c. Used modulars – John Aubin reported that he issued a request for bids for the four modular classrooms now in use at the high school that will not be required when the renovation is completed. He said he has received three responses: Thetford Academy bid $10,005 each for two of the buildings and $4,510 for a third, while Mr. George Smith bid $4,000 for the fourth building. There was one other lower bid which Mr. Aubin did not identify.
5. Nonpublic session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 for discussion of personnel matters and RSA 91-A:2 (I.b.) for discussion of negotiations.
Kari Asmus moved and Linda Gray seconded a motion to enter nonpublic session in accordance with RSA 91-A:3 for discussion of personnel matters and RSA 91-A:2 (I.b.) for discussion of negotiations at 9:40 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
6. Adjournment
Mary Sachsse moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to adjourn at 9:50 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary B. Davis
Recording Secretary
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