MONDAY 9 JANUARY 2006-7:03PM
BOARD ATTENDING:
Herb Durfee, Ira Trombly, Becky Turner, Pat Parker, Scott
Brown
OTHERS ATTENDING:
George Nelson, Stephanie Taylor
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ATTENDING:
Lynn Beaudry, John Keefer, Kate C. O’Neill, Carolyn Prasch,
Anna-Marie DeMars, Deborah S. Bedrin, Rachel Smith, Barbara O’Donovan, Cathi
Weist, Paul Sacca, Beverly Gover, Valerie Hunter, Colleen Bushway, David
Gudger, Tammy Juaire, Brenda Juaire, Doris B. Strader, Cathleen Dubuque, Jos O.
Sant, Mark Cobb.
HD-CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:03PM
-Executive Session for a
Personnel Issue;
-Executive Session for a
Student Discipline Issue.
PREVIOUS
MINUTES:
DEFERRED
[editors note: members of the public asking questions whose
name was not stated or who the person taking minutes did not get are identified
by a bold ?]
-PRESENTATION BY GEORGE
NELSON
-INPUT FROM PUBLIC TO
INFORM BOARD
RT introduces George
Nelson as GISU Business Manager.
GEORGE NELSON PRESENTATION: INTRODUCTION TO BUDGET PROCESS
-Budget process begins in
October;
-Staff & Instructor
requirements included;
-Input from Board;
-There are several
preliminary iterations of the budget as information becomes available-it is a
“moving target”;
-Now is crunch time-
budget is due 26 JANUARY !
-State revenue numbers are
in today;
-Initial indications are
for a 1.5% increase-probably more.
TAXES VS BUDGET
-Act 68 now in effect;
-What impacts Tax Rate?:
-Homestead Tax Rate;
-Based on spending per pupil;
-Equality across state;
-Common Level of Appraisal
-Significant impact on Islands as it has dropped
10%/year for the last 3 yrs;
-Listed
price vs sales price;
-Capped as a % of household income;
-Rebates are issued;
CATEGORICAL GRANTS
-Special Ed: 40% paid locally;
-Transportation: 50% paid locally;
-EEE: funding to offset expenses.
SPENDING PER PUPIL
-Educational Spending
=Total
-Subtract non-tax funds
and divide by # of pupils=Spending Per Pupil;
-State Base Rate is $
7330-set by legislature
-There is a threshold on
per pupil spending above which there are tax penalty
implications;
-Our threshold is $ 11728;
COMMON LEVEL OF APPRAISAL
-Set by State;
-Selling price vs listed
price;
-as this goes down tax
rate goes up;
-Prebates-$88000
income-file if you qualify!
-With more students the
cost per pupil goes down;
-Statutory Homestead Rate
set by legislature: .99 this year;
VARIALBLES IN THE ISLANDS
-NO HIGH SCHOOL-each
additional high school student increases the budget by
$10000+ & can lead to
budget deficits;
-Spec Ed is similar;
The effect on taxes of the
School Budget can very closely calculated; there is “no fat” in the budget
& very difficult to build up a reserve fund.
WALK–THROUGH OF GRAND ISLE 07 BUDGET
CATEGORIES
-ELEMENTARY: $192000
increase this year due to increases in salaries, plant
expenses, health
insurance, assessment costs & computers.
-SECONDARY: 104 students
budgeted/100 students actual~$1,000,000;
-TRANSPORTATION: 2 buses:
this cost may come down due to contract
renegotiation;
-SPECIAL EDUCATION: ~$1,000,000 at GIS- a $172000 increase-
this is a moving
target-data changes; 60% offsetting revenues;
OTHER CATEGORIES
-TITLE 1
-EEE
-UAPK
-TECH CENTER-this is offset;
-DEBT SERVICE
[ Question from audience:
Are High School students budgeted as full-time students?
GN: yes.]
4.6% INCREASE IN BUDGET
-Every line item is built bottom up-not based on previous year.
-What is the effect on tax
rate?:
-Current rate of 2.14 goes to 1.98 but based on legislative
changes that
goes to 1.99 but because the number of students is down it
goes up to
2.11; but the COMMON
LEVEL OF APPAISAL causes the rate to up to 2.46.
[?: Will a real estate
bust affect the Budget? GN-not this year; reappraisal next year]
END OF GEORGES OVERVIEW
A $4.2 million budget-a
4.6% increase.
HD-are we above the per
pupil threshold?
GN-probably not-much of
the increase is due to special ed.
Herb pointed out that most
of the budget process is out of the Board’s hands and at this point opened up
the meeting to comments:
Carolyn Prasch: Are we close to the penalty threshold?
HD: No-increases are due
to special ed.
David G: UAPK?
HD: Board has not yet
decided this issue; the $15000 cost will be covered by available Medicaid
funds;
DG: What affect on other
daycares? Will we lose federal money if we do not have UAPK?
IT: .46 FTE per preschool
student-$2200 cost to educate.
Mark Cobb: Is it possible to track tuition students monthly?
Some kids are not going to school-how is this accounted for?
HD: Receiving schools have
to do the tracking but it is not an infallible system…
GN: It’s a residency
issue.
MC: Receiving schools need
to send a record of attendance.
IT: We pay once-if a
student moves the high schools work it out.
GN: Special programs are
costly
Bev Gover: Can there be
parental involvement?
IT: Fines?
?: Are dropouts
reimbursed?
RT: By semester.
BARB O’DONOVAN: How big are receiving high schools?
RT: Essex-1600; So.
Burlington-~1000.
CATHI DUBUQUE: re: UAPK-Is there a needs assessment for
this? 15 kids seems like a low number & 3 hrs/day is not enough; there are transportation
issues; short term 1 day/week at Learning Adventure does not encourage bonding;
JAMES SMITH: UAPK is
a benefit & opportunity to the community.
IT: Should this be a
separate issue to vote on?
JS: Voters won’t
understand-include it in the budget.
CATHI WEIST: 10 hr/wk is a minimum-Learning Adventure has a
preschool program- M-W-F w/a state licensed teacher-nationally accredited
program-speech language pathologist-early literacy-noted that at last
Thursday’s meeting parents were in favor of UAPK –there are concerns about
transportation.
ANNA DEMARS: Come to town meeting-ask questions! Will UAPK
be the straw that breaks the budgets back?
VALERIE HUNTER: Would prefer UAPK to be a separate line item.
Funding explained-first 2
years would be from Medicaid-then grant based funding.
CD: This funding isn’t
guaranteed-will the program end up a burden to taxes?
?: When will UAPK be
decided?
HD: Before end of January.
IT: petitions are due 26
Jan.
HD: Board will address
UAPK tonight-it seems that a majority prefers aseparate wraned article; don’t
forget-all meetings are public.
CW: Possible to wait for
grant funding to come through.
IT: Proposal to offer UAPK
if alternative funding is available?
BEV GOVER: Is the Social Studies curriculum being revamped?
RT: Yes-updated materials
will be available.
COLLEEN BUSHWAY: What is the line item for “Manipulative
Devices”?
RT: Part of Science
curriculum-FOS Kits for all grade levels.
8:50PM- Chair calls a 5
min break.
8:57PM-Chair calls meeting
back to order.
George Nelson noted a
Special Budget Meeting will be needed: Mon 16 Jan-3 revised handouts will be
distributed.
PAUL SACCA PRESENTATION: 5TH GRADE
TEACHER
Key Issues Noted:
-Class Size in the School;
-Transition from
Elementary School to Middle School;
-5th grade is
currently in Middle School which is more a Junior High
Structural Model;
-Next year projected class
sizes:
5th: 21-23
6th: 28
7th: 25+2 from Isle La Motte
8th: 22
There are transition
issues for this years 5th grade class-not going smoothly-44% are not
doing well academically. We now have a departmentalized junior high situation
that does not have Interdisiplinary Coordination, Common Preparation, or Common
Advisory.
Adding a 5th
grade teacher would return the class to a self-contained unit. Transition to
Middle School could be slower. In addition the Language Arts Program would be
strengthened.
~$50000 cost of adding a
teacher could be substantially offset by tuition students from North Hero &
Isle La Motte.
?: Why did the 5th grade move into Middle School?
PS: To keep K-4 class size
down
PAUL SACCA PRESENTATION: CONTINUED
HD: There are budget
issues.
?: How would a new teacher affect cost per pupil?
RT: PSA no longer applies.
CATHI DUBUQUE: Has a daughter in 5th grade-concerned
with that actual amount of time spent in instruction.
PS: There is polarization
in the class-a wide range of ability levels.
HD: We are gathering
information.
Bev Gover: Is there
testing? Should some students be in Special Ed?
PS: Ms. Dionne is assigned
to specific students.
RT: NECAP testing in
October-results in Feb-Mar. Anyone can make referral for Spec Ed-there is no
out of pocket expense to parents.
?: Are teachers specific to age groups? How are variations in class
size accommodated?
HD: Teachers are shifted
to meet needs. There will be more discussion on this at the next meeting.
UAPK REDUX
HD: Noted that his
personal situation could present a possible conflict of interest in this
matter.
Ira felt that there was no
need for Herb to abstain.
IT: Should UAPK be a line
item if not tax funded?
?: Why a separate warning?
HD: Reiterated 3 possible
scenarios for UAPK:
-Include $15000 in the budget;
-Offer it as a separate warning;
-Wait for grant funding in April;
RT: PSA no longer applies.
UAPK REDUX CONTINUED
IT: As a new program it
would be a referendum indicating public
desire for UAPK.
?: No other line items have that kind of scrutiny.
RACHEL SMITH: As a separate item adds confusion.
?: But if separate it would not go down if the whole budget goes
down.
BUT-what if the funding
comes in and the Town has decided against?
Cathi W: Parents are
requesting this-not a single parent opposed.
Cathi D: Public notice
could be better; program cannot be at GIS; not a fan of this program-run
through a sole proprietor-costs taken out on her 3 year old?
Cathi W: There is no
community-based option.
Cathi D: Learning
Adventure violated collaboration agreement.
IT: As a ballot item needs
to be worded very carefully.
PAT: Should this be tabled
until next meeting….?
HD: There will be
additional discussion at 16 Jan mtg.
IT: This is a good
program-how to implement it.
9:52PM: HD moves for
Executive Session. IT 2nd.
10:31PM: IT moves to end
Executive Session. HD 2nd.
PRINCIPAL SEARCH
HD: Notification card has been sent to committee
members.
RT: Ad has been placed in
Islander, 7 Days & School Spring. 8 inquiries received so far.
HD: Receipt should be
acknowledged.
IT: What are the skills
for a principal?
Logistics of 1st
Committee mtg discussed.
HD: A note taker will be
needed-but not actually minutes.
PAT: Volunteers to take
notes on RT laptop
PAYMENT OF BILLS
10:42PM-BT moves to pass
payment of $ 154,857.74+ $1013.50-Ira 2nd- GenCon.
PRINCIPALS REPORT
Contract for Lisa.
IT moves to sign-BT 2nd.
Hatchery Housing: 2 single
family houses-RT will send letter.
GIS Alarm System will be
registered with State Police. False alarms are billed for after 1.
Letter from South
Burlington HS: $5749 refund due from FY 04-05.
NEXT MEETING:
16 JANUARY 2006-7PM
10:52PM-MEETING
ADJOURNED BY GENERAL CONSENSUS