Board Meeting Minutes
Monadnock Regional
Middle/High School,
Present: Colline Dreyfuss, Jonathan Kenyon, Gene White, Karen Cota, Robin Marra, Alan Gross, Kenneth Colby, Jason Hill, Bruce McCulley and James Carnie. Absent: Tim Aho, Richard Thackston, Bruce Tatro, Charles Johnson and Jeff Friedman.
Also present: K. Dassau, Superintendent, D. Hodgdon, Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum, T. Warner, Dir. of Technology and L. Biron, Business Manager. Principals: J. Smith and S. Rashid.
J. Carnie called the meeting to
order at
1 CONSENT AGENDA:
Minutes of January 17, 2006 Board Meeting
Minutes and Non-Public Minutes. MOTION:
K. Cota MOVED to approve the
2.
CORRESPONDENCE
AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: K. Dassau informed the Board that there was a small fire
at Troy Elementary. The cause was a toaster oven in the Teacher’s Room. There
was no damage. The fire chief gave some recommendations to follow up on.
J. Hill arrives.
K. Dassau commented on the 3 delayed openings and made the Board aware that there were two minor bus accidents on the days of snow delays. R. Marra commented that he heard from a parent that Monadnock is calling the 2-hour delay too late. K. Dassau explained the process that takes place.
J. Smith reported to the Board that there would be a public meeting tomorrow in Swanzey about the sidewalks, which would be placed from the Town Hall to Neighbors. The project should be completed by August.
3. STUDENT GOVERNMENT REPORT: J. Smith reported that there is no report and suggested that the Board take this off the agenda until the Student Government is more comfortable. The Board discussed it and decided to leave this item on for now.
4. Public Comments: J. Fortson commented that she did not feel that the Board should speak about Article One at the Deliberative Session. She read the RSA to support her comments and asked that the Board allow the Budget Committee to speak on their budget. She also asked that the Board leave the duty of filling the Budget Committee vacancy to the Budget Committee. J. Carnie said that the Board would discuss the requests under “Old Business”.
5. Old Business: MOTION: R. Marra MOVED that the Budget Committee move Article One at the Deliberative Session. SECOND: C. Dreyfuss. DISCUSSION: R. Marra commented that he finds it appropriate that the Budget Committee move to approve the budget. J. Carnie said that he would agree that the budget is the Budget Committee’s and that the other articles are the Board’s. VOTE: 9.491/0/0/5.509. Motion passes.
MOTION: K. Cota MOVED to
affirm the Budget Committee’s responsibility to fill the vacancy on the Budget
Committee. SECOND: J. Kenyon. DISCUSSION: J. Carnie said that he
would question if a motion is needed. C. Dreyfuss commented that the Board
tabled this issue to this meeting. VOTE:
9.491/0/0/5.509. Motion passes.
R. Marra asked if the
Board would be meeting prior to the Deliberative Session like they had done in
the past. K. Dassau explained that the moderator would be at the meeting at
6. SCHOOL BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Board Committee
Reports:
1. Community Relations Committee-Mr. Gross: A. Gross reported that the committee met last Thursday and compiled information from a survey that the committee had given the principals. A. Gross passed it out to the Board. He reported that there are wide discrepancies. He also distributed a sheet with a list of things that demonstrate excellence done by the individual schools. The committee would like to have a meeting with the selectmen of all the eight towns. The committee felt that it would be helpful to do this prior to the vote. K. Cota thought it was a good idea. She suggested that the Board meet even though there are no huge projects.
B. McCulley arrives.
K.
Cota asked to have this item on the agenda prior to the March vote. She
suggested inviting all the selectmen. G. White said that it would not require
the whole Board to be present. He suggested maybe the committee heads. K. Cota
commented that she thought it was important to have connections. A. Gross said
that the committee would look for a good time and get back to the
administration. It was suggested that they meet at the beginning of the meeting
in February.
2.
Facilities
Committee: Mrs. Dreyfuss: C. Dreyfuss reported that the committee met last
Wednesday. The committee discussed the CIP. They also discussed the F. Marinace
invoices. They were making progress in
resolving outstanding issues. The next meeting is on
3. Finance Committee-Mr. McCulley: B.
McCulley reported that the committee had not met. The next meeting will be held
on
4.
Policy Committee- Mr. White: G. White reported that the committee
met and discussed policies that were required by the State Board. The next
meeting will be held on
5.
Budget
Committee- Ms. Cota: J. Fortson reported that the committee met to rescind
the motion on the budget. Then, a motion was made to support a budget with at
5.1% increase and bring it before the voters.
6. The Cheshire Career Center-Mr. Gross: A.
Gross reported that W. Cotton announced his retirement. A search committee will
be formed to find a new director. A. Gross commented on the modular that the
Construction Class is doing, to be donated to a family in Alstead. A. Gross
commented on the problem with
R. Marra reported that the Search Committee for the Business Manager
and the Special Ed. Director would begin its work on
7.
New Business:
Revolving Account: K. Dassau reported that he and L. Biron have not had the
opportunity to gather enough information and would like to postpone the
discussion on the Revolving Account until
Request from Recording Secretary: K.
Dassau would recommend that the Finance Committee review this request for the
next meeting on
8. Curriculum Report: No report tonight.
9. Action on the Manifest: Voted on at a later time on the agenda.
10. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT: K. Dassau explained that letters were sent out on behalf of the Board to the recipients of the Art Awards.
L. Biron handed out the
financial summary to the Board. He reported that the end of January cash
position is in good shape. He reported that there are two interest payments on
the bond. That will take care of the long-term debt. He reported that the
district is about $500,000 to the good. J. Carnie asked about the payments from
the towns. L. Biron reported that Roxbury would be paying 6 months to get
caught up. K. Cota asked what happens when an account is at 0%. L. Biron
explained that he provides monthly updates to the principals. They know their
bottom line and can make adjustments.
11. BOARD CHAIR REPORT: No report.
12. SETTING NEXT MEETINGS AGENDA:
1. Revolving Account
2. Request from recording secretary
3. Officer Kassotis (second meeting in March)
4.
Committees
13. SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS: P. Bauries asked
if the non-voting individuals would be allowed to sit in the gym. She would
like to see the gym used for voters only and to have the non-voters in the
auditorium. MOTION: B. McCulley MOVED to admit the registered voters into
the gymnasium at the start of the meeting and the non-voters after the meeting
starts. SECOND: J. Kenyon DISCUSSION: A. Gross said that there is
value in the presence of the non-voters and emphasized that they should be
welcome, even though the voters should have preference. He said that the
teachers and the principals are valuable and should be allowed to be present. VOTE: 10.265/0/.247/4.488. Motion passes.
R. Bauries commented that the recording secretary should receive whatever she wants and he would like 10 %. He also asked if the amount would be the same if she were to take the minutes for the Budget Committee.
J. Fortson commented that being on the Budget Committee and taking the minutes is not easy. She would ask that the Budget Committee be allowed to have a paid recording secretary for all of their meetings.
Action on the manifest: MOTION: R.
Marra MOVED the manifest in the
amount of $807,501.36. SECOND: A.
Gross. DISCUSSION: C. Dreyfuss asked
about Sonic Wall Inc. L. Biron explained that was a filtering system. She asked
about Skyline Engineering and SVE Association. L. Biron said that it was a
final payment to Rob Hitchcock. B. McCulley asked about Platinum Plus. L. Biron
explained that the teacher took a trip with the kids. The grant will reimburse
the district. C. Dreyfuss asked about Stromgren. L. Biron said it was for the
boiler at Emerson. She asked about Melanson. L. Biron said it was for a ceiling
at
14. ADJOURNMENT: MOTION: K. Cota MOVED to adjourn at
Respectfully submitted,
Laura L. Aivaliotis
MRSD Secretary