Mt. Everett Regional School

Sheffield, MA

February 2, 2005

EXTENDED FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

 

School Committee Members: Mr. Stevens, Ms. Maggio, Mr. Ronan, Mr. Abelow, Mr. Tillett, Mr. Pollitt     

 

Administrators:  Ms. Spriggs, Ms. Brown, Mr. Devoti, Mr. Nadolny  

 

Press:

 

Others: Town Representatives:  Mr. Phil Reilly, Mr. Richard Burdsall, Mr. Bruce Turner, Egremont; Mr. Thomas Doyle, Mr. Charles Ketchen, Alford; Mr. John Sylbert, Mr. Stanley Ross, Monterey; Ms. Janet Stanton, Mr. Robert Weitz, Mr. Richard Kirchner, Mr. Mark Bachetti, Mr. David Macy, Mr. David Steindler, Ms. Judith Schnurr, Mr. John James, Sheffield; Ms. Barbara Marchione, Mr. Courtney Turner, Mr. Daniel Litchfield, III, New Marlborough; Mr. Charles McSpiritt; Ms. Priscilla Burdsall; Ms. Linda Higgins

 

Student Representatives:

 

1.            Chairman Stevens called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.

 

2.            Mr. Stevens turned the meeting over to Superintendent Spriggs.  Ms. Spriggs read a letter of explanation of the FY 2006 budget and thanked the town representatives for attending the meeting.

 

3.            As copies of the most up-to-date budget numbers were distributed, the municipal representatives introduced themselves to the School Committee members. 

 

Ms. Brown explained that the format of the FY=06 budget was basically the same as in other years.  Updates of numbers received by the towns on January 29 included the addition of $23,907 to operating assessments, to make up for a shortfall in Chapter 71 reimbursements.  Additionally, the newly released equalized evaluation numbers had changed the capital budget assessments.  It was noted that the equalized evaluations showed the value of property within the District had increased by over $400,000,000 over the past two years. 

 

Ms. Brown stated that the operating budget showed a 3.33% gross increase and a 2.35% net increase, with capital assessments being increased by 7.14%.

 

Responding to a question by Ms. Marchione, Ms. Brown explained that although the Director of Buildings & Grounds had included a $172,000 Awish list@, only $50,000 had been earmarked for those projects.  The Buildings & Grounds Subcommittee will help set priorities. 

Ms. Marchione expressed a hope that the School Committee would consider cutting the stabilization fund by $25,000 in order to make up for the additional $23,907 that the towns would need to contribute due to the cut in Chapter 71 funding.

 

In response to a question by Mr. Ketchen, Ms. Spriggs noted that positions eliminated include a part-time elementary guidance position, a high school caseworker position, and a high school technology position.  Additionally, one retirement would not be replaced, and those duties will be picked up by other people. 

 

Superintendent Spriggs explained that new positions in the budget include a technology/data analysis person, and a school psychologist.  She noted that the District has been cited by the DOE for being in non-compliance for its lack of a school psychologist on staff.

 

Audience members generally expressed support for the proposed budget and appreciation for the hard work that went into it.  Mr. Macy noted that unless there should be a drastic change, it appears as if the budget would be widely supported.  He thanked Ms. Spriggs and Ms. Brown for presenting a budget that the town could support.  Mr. Ketchen echoed these sentiments. 

 

Ms. Spriggs thanked the Select Boards of Alford and Egremont for allowing her to visit them recently, and asked that the other member town Select Boards schedule her when it was convenient for them.

 

In response to requests from town representatives, Ms. Spriggs agreed to draft a memo outlining the concerns which need to be addressed on a state level, including the Chapter 71 reduction, the lack of additional Chapter 70 funding, and the moving up of MCAS testing in science to 2007 without the addition of state money to address necessary curriculum alignment adjustments.  Representatives and School Committee members also agreed to make personal phone calls to the appropriate legislators in this regard.

 

On a motion by Mr. Ronan, seconded by Mr. Abelow, the meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.