NORWICH BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
PUBLIC HEARING & BUDGET ADOPTION
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 PM, MARION CROSS SCHOOL
Minutes
Present: Board members Callaghan, Gray, Sachsse, Williams; Administrators Gersen, Aubin, Edson; and 9 members of the public. Recorded by R. Lohr
1. Call to order –Chair Mary Sachsse called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
2. Report of Chair
Chair Mary Sachsse announced that the next regular Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6, 7:00 PM at the Marion Cross School Library.
There are three (3) Board seats that are open in March, two (2) for three year terms (Linda Gray and Geoffrey Vitt) and one (1) for a two year term (Stan Williams). Filings take place any time from now until January 28, 2008. Candidates must present a petition with 35 signatures to the Norwich Town Clerk.
The Dresden School District has filing dates from Tuesday, January 15 through 5:00 PM, Monday, February 4. Filing for School District Officers can be done with either the School District Clerk, Deborah Carter, or at the SAU Office, 41 Lebanon Street, Suite 2, Hanover. Open positions are: Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer for one (1) year terms; two Auditor positions, one for a two (2) year term, and one for a three (3) year term.
3. Public Input
Irv Thomae cautioned the Norwich Board members’ support of the Dresden budget “add backs.” He felt that the district should strive to achieve a sustainable budget. Some add backs were perceived as more critical than others. In response to a question from Mr. Thomae, Superintendent Gersen announced that he was recommending that changes to the Hanover sixth grade tuition determination will be postponed until the end of the fiscal year.
4. Public Hearing on Proposed 2008-09 Budget
Chair Sachsse opened the public hearing at 7:17 PM. Assistant Superintendent John Aubin reviewed the changes in the proposed Norwich budget that included the Dresden contract settlements. These changes also included an increase as a result of the transfers of $30,000 to the building reserve funds and $30,000 to the special ed reserve fund, plus the additional .2 FTE for the physical education program. The changes also reflected the decrease in the medical insurance premium increase by two percent. The proposed budget amount for Marion Cross School totaled $4,922,258. Mr. Aubin noted that with the changes, he was forecasting a .22 percent increase in the Norwich tax rate. The Norwich School District guideline, to remain under the excess spending threshold, was met.
Members of the Norwich Finance Committee and the Board discussed the various budget line items that should be used to consider the success of the budget process. There was a general consensus that the adjusted estimated net spending per equalized pupil was the best measure. It was suggested that the reserve and capital transactions valued at $60,000 should be viewed and considered differently from the operational transactions. The Board felt that a conscious effort was made to contain costs. John Aubin stated that the two-vote law in Vermont would not apply to Norwich because of the Interstate Compact with Dresden and the fact that Vermont rules would not be able to be applied to Dresden, which includes the Hanover School District in New Hampshire.
The Board also expressed opinions about adding to the physical education program. The members were supportive of the program increase but reminded the staff that no school program could be considered sacrosanct. The public meeting was closed at 8:06 PM.
5. Business Requiring Action
Linda Gray moved and Cary Callaghan seconded a motion to approve the 2008-09 budget in the amount of $4,922,258 to be placed on the Warning and voted on at the March 4 Australian Balloting by Norwich voters. The motion passed unanimously.
Warrant Articles
Superintendent Gersen reviewed the Warrant Articles. It was decided to amend the articles that involved the reserve funds so that the second sentence was eliminated from each of them. The presenters of the articles were decided as follows: Article 1-3 – Geoffrey Vitt; Article 4 - Linda Gray; Article 5-6 - Stan Williams; Article 7 - Cary Callaghan and Mary Sachsse.
Stan Williams moved and Cary Callaghan seconded a motion to approve the Norwich School District Warning Articles for the March 3 and 4 Annual School
District Meeting, as attached to the original meeting minutes, and further to authorize the administration to make whatever technical changes are necessary in order to ensure that the Warning is legal and that the intent of the Norwich Board of School Directors is conveyed. The motion passed unanimously.
The Superintendent reported that the Faculty Survey results for Norwich teachers would be presented at a teacher meeting scheduled for February 23 at 2:30 PM. Board members and declared Board members are invited to this presentation. The overall and public Faculty Survey presentation for the Dresden School District would be at the Dresden School Board meeting scheduled for February 26.
The Norwich Finance Committee invited a Board representative to its meeting set for January 18 at 3:45 PM and Mary Sachsse said she would attend. John Aubin will set a meeting with Cary Callaghan and Mary Sachsse to review the budget presentation and work on the resident mailer.
6. Adjournment
Linda Gray moved and Cary Callaghan seconded a motion to adjourn at 8:20 PM.
The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM. |
