Board of Finance

Minutes of the Special Meeting of March 9, 2006

Present: Ralph C. Gold, chairman, Celia Senzer, Sally Hart, Tom Bechtle, Anne Ingvertsen, members. John LaPorta and Ginger Betti, alternates. For the Board of Education (BOE) Barbara Gold, chairman, Jim Terrall, Phil Hart, Wynne Kavanagh, members. Dr. Kathleen Fitzgibbons, principal.

Chairman Gold asked John LaPorta to sit for Earle Brecher who was absent.

The sole purpose of the meeting was to consider the BOE proposed FY 2007 Budget.

Chairman Barbara Gold discussed budget trends at the school and in the region. Here are highlights of the BOE budget for 2007:

• Staff changes are limited to combining a pair of .6 music teachers to one fulltime equivalent. Positive salary and benefit changes come about because of this.

• New programming is proposed for the first time in many years. A $15,000 enrichment program, once supported by a REAP grant) will challenge exceptional students. One person will be hired part-time with FICA implications. Nature’s Classroom will bring environmental programming to fifth graders.

• Health insurance is down 8.2 % partly due to changes in staffing. The life policies are down 62% because of a change in provider. Unemployment is at $9,729 in spite of having cost only $60 in the current year. The possibility of one staff member claiming unemployment caused discussion (see below).

• The Board Clerk’s salary seems regularly to exceed the budget. Dr. Fitz explained that the clerk often takes on extra tasks involving more time and expense. It was suggested that the BOE leave the salary at $30,000, but Mrs. Gold believed this would involve a change in the union contract.

• The school computer system will be switched from hub to switch controls pending a $18,000 technology grant from the state. The uncertainty of the funds caused discussion about establishing a “set-aside” account for the big ticket costs which might not come to fruition. (See below).

• The BOE agreed to look again at a $5,000 painting change which might already be in the school’s capital budget.

• Projected costs for oil and electricity show increases of 35.3% and 22% respectively. All municipalities are facing similar increases.

• Region One costs are generally up. The high school rise has shifted downward, however since the budget was printed from a 9.2% increase to 6.2%.

A discussion ensued about how to treat the “maybe” expenditures for unemployment ($9,729)and for changing the computer infrastructure ($18,000). Recalling previous years when such possible costs had been set aside from the regular budget, Chairman R. Gold asked the BOE to consider, for discussion on March 16, such a plan. If the funds were needed they could be brought into the budget from the undesignated fund balance (UFB) in the General Fund.. Gold noted that the Town can increase the Grand Total of a annual budget up to $20,000.

Jim Terrall and John LaPorta talked about a spending plan to use the $40,000 given every year in the budget for capital improvements at the school. Chairman Gold thanked them for their work remarking that planning has been fairly absent in the past.

The Board adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Lisa Lansing

Clerk