PITTSFIELD SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Tuesday, May 25, 2016, at 7:00 p.m.
Pittsfield Town Office Building
MINUTES
I. Call to Order: Kris calls to order at 7:02 p.m., Ray absent with notice, Richard Seaman, A.J. and Caleb Hawley present.
II. Amendments to the Agenda: None.
III. Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting: April 20, 2016 Kris moves to approve and A.J. seconds, approved.
IV. Community Engagement/Public Comment: We welcome Caleb, who has two young children and is interested in learning more about the school board activities in the hope of joining in the future. Thank you for coming Caleb! Kris reports on email from David Kelley asking for school choice towns to join an online forum to discuss challenges to school choice towns posed by Act 46. We agree to sign on to keep abreast of developments in this unique and fast-changing arena.
V. Action/Discussion Items
1. New Business:
• Payment Orders: No. 10 Holderness School ½ tuition $7148.50. A.J. moves to approve Kris seconds approved unanimously.
• Review YTD Financials- WCSU Business Manager Richard provides charts and we discuss the financial data. We have some questions on 504 costs, 2015 WNWSU assessment and SPED costs and Richard will follow up on that for next year’s budget. Richard projects a surplus given the change to our new SU and paying off our deficit, among other factors. If we get this surplus we can work with Richard on the best way to utilize that money to prevent future deficits.
2. Old Business:
• IRS Bond Letter Report- Dir. Of Finance (tabled from last meeting): Richard reports efforts to find out more about this without success. No follow up from the IRS. Richard reports Killington got one too. He recommends just ignoring it. A.J. moves that we end pursuit of why we got this sent this letter and Kris seconds, approved, no further action.
• Update on Act 46: Discussion about current understanding of Act 46 and options and implications for Pittsfield moving to a new agreement or doing nothing. The board continues to study the issue. Kris reports on attending Plymouth School Board meeting, part of the new two rivers SU, and they are new to school choice. TRSU is large (geographically and number of schools). Plymouth is considering what to do and giving up school choice is on the table. Kris will follow up with the Plymouth school board on the idea that our equalized per pupil spending, while currently really high, was based on deficit costs and will be reduced in the future. We continue to think joining with Plymouth as a choice, side by side with WCSU would be a good option.
• Review and Approve Checkbook Reconciliation: Tabled to next meeting.
• Jean Colver Sofield meeting: Ray texts in that Patty sent letters out to seniors and Ray was unable to pick the letters up in time for the meeting. Ray will follow up and report back. The Board may require an emergency meeting to get the award made before graduation.
VI. Reports: none.
VII. Agenda Setting for June Meeting: Jean Colver Sofield Award update, payment orders, Act 46 update, check reconciliation.
VIII. Adjournment: Kris moves to adjourn at 8:25 p.m. A.J. seconds, meeting adjourned.
Approved June 22, 2016: Kristin Sperber
Ray Rice
Tuesday, May 25, 2016, at 7:00 p.m.
Pittsfield Town Office Building
MINUTES
I. Call to Order: Kris calls to order at 7:02 p.m., Ray absent with notice, Richard Seaman, A.J. and Caleb Hawley present.
II. Amendments to the Agenda: None.
III. Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting: April 20, 2016 Kris moves to approve and A.J. seconds, approved.
IV. Community Engagement/Public Comment: We welcome Caleb, who has two young children and is interested in learning more about the school board activities in the hope of joining in the future. Thank you for coming Caleb! Kris reports on email from David Kelley asking for school choice towns to join an online forum to discuss challenges to school choice towns posed by Act 46. We agree to sign on to keep abreast of developments in this unique and fast-changing arena.
V. Action/Discussion Items
1. New Business:
• Payment Orders: No. 10 Holderness School ½ tuition $7148.50. A.J. moves to approve Kris seconds approved unanimously.
• Review YTD Financials- WCSU Business Manager Richard provides charts and we discuss the financial data. We have some questions on 504 costs, 2015 WNWSU assessment and SPED costs and Richard will follow up on that for next year’s budget. Richard projects a surplus given the change to our new SU and paying off our deficit, among other factors. If we get this surplus we can work with Richard on the best way to utilize that money to prevent future deficits.
2. Old Business:
• IRS Bond Letter Report- Dir. Of Finance (tabled from last meeting): Richard reports efforts to find out more about this without success. No follow up from the IRS. Richard reports Killington got one too. He recommends just ignoring it. A.J. moves that we end pursuit of why we got this sent this letter and Kris seconds, approved, no further action.
• Update on Act 46: Discussion about current understanding of Act 46 and options and implications for Pittsfield moving to a new agreement or doing nothing. The board continues to study the issue. Kris reports on attending Plymouth School Board meeting, part of the new two rivers SU, and they are new to school choice. TRSU is large (geographically and number of schools). Plymouth is considering what to do and giving up school choice is on the table. Kris will follow up with the Plymouth school board on the idea that our equalized per pupil spending, while currently really high, was based on deficit costs and will be reduced in the future. We continue to think joining with Plymouth as a choice, side by side with WCSU would be a good option.
• Review and Approve Checkbook Reconciliation: Tabled to next meeting.
• Jean Colver Sofield meeting: Ray texts in that Patty sent letters out to seniors and Ray was unable to pick the letters up in time for the meeting. Ray will follow up and report back. The Board may require an emergency meeting to get the award made before graduation.
VI. Reports: none.
VII. Agenda Setting for June Meeting: Jean Colver Sofield Award update, payment orders, Act 46 update, check reconciliation.
VIII. Adjournment: Kris moves to adjourn at 8:25 p.m. A.J. seconds, meeting adjourned.
Approved June 22, 2016: Kristin Sperber
Ray Rice
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