PITTSFIELD SCHOOL BOARD
OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Tuesday, November 10, 2015, at 7:00 p.m.
Pittsfield Town Office Building
AGENDA
1. Call to order. Kris calls the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. with Ray and A.J. in attendance.
2. Consider amendments to the agenda. None.
3. Approve minutes: October 13, 2015. Kris moves to amend the amount recorded for Woodstock tuition figures from Payment Order #3 to now be $85,333.33 and the overall total payment order to be $208,946.27. Ray moves and Kris seconds and minutes approved unanimously.
4. Public comment/Visitors: None. Kris reports Patty’s appreciation of her working relationship with the WCSU.
5. Action/Discussion:
New Business:
Payment orders #4: Cushing Academy ½ tuition $6,500, WCSU SPED Admin and Admin cost $51,000, Sharon Academy ½ tuition $42,891, Rutland Town ½ tuition $6,650, Stockbridge ½ tuition $43,500, Bethel ½ tuition $21,750, Holderness ½ tuition $7,148.50, Rutland City 2nd Quarter and 1st semester Tech $424.32, Patty Haskins, School Board Treasurer $200, Killington Mt. School 100 days tuition $7,761.50, Kris, Ray, and A.J. Stipend $315 x 3, TOTAL: $202,770.32. Ray moves to accept, Kris seconds, approved unanimously.
Old business:
Policies (tuition tabled from last meeting): Tuition Policy third reading. A.J. moves and Ray seconds to approve, unanimously approved. Kris will forward the form to Patty to post on website along with the policy and implement in the 2016-2017 school year.
Review and approve checkbook reconciliation (September and October) Ray moves to approve, Kris seconds approved unanimously.
Update on Act 46: Ray reports on Act 46 Conference put on by VSBA on October 23rd at Lake Morey. Ray met with representatives from Granville, WNWSU, SBE, VSBA, Rutland, and a Northern SU. Ray was told we can’t do a $20k and $5k study group, but we could do more than one $5k study. He learned that there are 21 non-operating districts, more like 90 for semi-operating districts. Participants in the meeting determined a non-operating ED would need a Superintendent Business, SPED Director and Business Manager. A.J. suggested it may work with only two administrative staff given the lack of many normal “SU” type duties (no teachers, no buildings, etc.). Ray moves that the PSB authorize the VSBA to communicate to the AOE that the PSB agrees to form a study committee with other non-operating districts, including but not limited to Hancock and Granville, to study forming a non-operating Educational District and to seek funds to hire a consultant to obtain said study. Kris seconds, motion approved unanimously.
Update on IRS bond letter: Tabled to next meeting.
Update on budgeting : Tabled to next meeting.
WCSU Act 46 Merger Study Committee: Discussed above.
Vote on participation in $20k WCSU study committee (tabled from last meeting): The PSB is unanimous in believing that at this point the board does not have the approval of the town to give up school choice by putting all of our study money into the study of joining a no-choice WCED. This position is supported in part by the past PSB study that showed no cost savings and other concerns by giving up school choice and the uncertainty of the legislative intent to change Act 46 in the future. Because the WCSU has communicated to the PSB that they would not consider allowing Pittsfield to retain choice, even if the recent SBE ruling is overturned and such a configuration is possible, Ray moves, Kris seconds and a motion to decline to participate in the WCSU ED study committee is approved unanimously. The PSB discussed and acknowledged that the end result of this round of school governance legislation and change may be joining the WCSU ED and giving up school choice, but because of the clear mandate from the town at the last several annual meetings to retain school choice and the lack of certainty about the future of Act 46’s mandates and timeframes, this was our decision.
6. Reports:
Superintendent: None.
Director of Finance : None.
7. Adjournment : Kris moves to adjourn and Ray seconds and adjourned unanimously at 8:00 p.m.
Upcoming meetings:
Pittsfield- December 8, 2015 at 7:00 p.m., Pittsfield Town Office Building
OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Tuesday, November 10, 2015, at 7:00 p.m.
Pittsfield Town Office Building
AGENDA
1. Call to order. Kris calls the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. with Ray and A.J. in attendance.
2. Consider amendments to the agenda. None.
3. Approve minutes: October 13, 2015. Kris moves to amend the amount recorded for Woodstock tuition figures from Payment Order #3 to now be $85,333.33 and the overall total payment order to be $208,946.27. Ray moves and Kris seconds and minutes approved unanimously.
4. Public comment/Visitors: None. Kris reports Patty’s appreciation of her working relationship with the WCSU.
5. Action/Discussion:
New Business:
Payment orders #4: Cushing Academy ½ tuition $6,500, WCSU SPED Admin and Admin cost $51,000, Sharon Academy ½ tuition $42,891, Rutland Town ½ tuition $6,650, Stockbridge ½ tuition $43,500, Bethel ½ tuition $21,750, Holderness ½ tuition $7,148.50, Rutland City 2nd Quarter and 1st semester Tech $424.32, Patty Haskins, School Board Treasurer $200, Killington Mt. School 100 days tuition $7,761.50, Kris, Ray, and A.J. Stipend $315 x 3, TOTAL: $202,770.32. Ray moves to accept, Kris seconds, approved unanimously.
Old business:
Policies (tuition tabled from last meeting): Tuition Policy third reading. A.J. moves and Ray seconds to approve, unanimously approved. Kris will forward the form to Patty to post on website along with the policy and implement in the 2016-2017 school year.
Review and approve checkbook reconciliation (September and October) Ray moves to approve, Kris seconds approved unanimously.
Update on Act 46: Ray reports on Act 46 Conference put on by VSBA on October 23rd at Lake Morey. Ray met with representatives from Granville, WNWSU, SBE, VSBA, Rutland, and a Northern SU. Ray was told we can’t do a $20k and $5k study group, but we could do more than one $5k study. He learned that there are 21 non-operating districts, more like 90 for semi-operating districts. Participants in the meeting determined a non-operating ED would need a Superintendent Business, SPED Director and Business Manager. A.J. suggested it may work with only two administrative staff given the lack of many normal “SU” type duties (no teachers, no buildings, etc.). Ray moves that the PSB authorize the VSBA to communicate to the AOE that the PSB agrees to form a study committee with other non-operating districts, including but not limited to Hancock and Granville, to study forming a non-operating Educational District and to seek funds to hire a consultant to obtain said study. Kris seconds, motion approved unanimously.
Update on IRS bond letter: Tabled to next meeting.
Update on budgeting : Tabled to next meeting.
WCSU Act 46 Merger Study Committee: Discussed above.
Vote on participation in $20k WCSU study committee (tabled from last meeting): The PSB is unanimous in believing that at this point the board does not have the approval of the town to give up school choice by putting all of our study money into the study of joining a no-choice WCED. This position is supported in part by the past PSB study that showed no cost savings and other concerns by giving up school choice and the uncertainty of the legislative intent to change Act 46 in the future. Because the WCSU has communicated to the PSB that they would not consider allowing Pittsfield to retain choice, even if the recent SBE ruling is overturned and such a configuration is possible, Ray moves, Kris seconds and a motion to decline to participate in the WCSU ED study committee is approved unanimously. The PSB discussed and acknowledged that the end result of this round of school governance legislation and change may be joining the WCSU ED and giving up school choice, but because of the clear mandate from the town at the last several annual meetings to retain school choice and the lack of certainty about the future of Act 46’s mandates and timeframes, this was our decision.
6. Reports:
Superintendent: None.
Director of Finance : None.
7. Adjournment : Kris moves to adjourn and Ray seconds and adjourned unanimously at 8:00 p.m.
Upcoming meetings:
Pittsfield- December 8, 2015 at 7:00 p.m., Pittsfield Town Office Building
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