Education Options Review Committee, January 18, 2017

Meeting date: 
Wednesday, January 18, 2017

HOLDEN EDUCATION OPTIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE

MEETING MINUTES

January 18, 2017

 

 

6:30PM                                                                                                                       Memorial Hall

 

Present: Brian Allen, Tom Curran, Liam Dempsey, Tim Ethier, Christopher Larsen, Lauren Salmon-Garrett, Susan Sullivan

Not present: Laura Puleo, Kristin Turner

 

Chair Sullivan called the meeting to order at 6:36pm.

1. Approval of Minutes - December 14, 2016

 

Motion by Vice Chair Allen, seconded by Ms. Salmon-Garrett it was VOTED TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 14, 2016 EDUCATION OPTIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES BY A VOTE OF 4-0-1 (Larsen: abstain)

 

2. Discussion of Brainstorming Options

 

Chair Sullivan led a discussion to reevaluate the brainstorming activity ideas discussed in October based on the meeting with Wachusett Regional School District representatives held in December.

 

Sel. Ethier arrived at 6:38pm

 

The first idea discussed was the possibility of hiring librarian consultants as town employees:

 

  • Dr. Larsen questioned why the town would have to hire librarian consultants instead of earmarking funds given to the Wachusett Regional School District by the Town of Holden for the hiring of librarians.
    • A general discussion was held to highlight that the school district staffs all towns equally and that neither the school district nor the school committee would likely approve one town funding a position or positions solely for that town.
    • Another concern noted during the committee’s meeting with the Wachusett Regional School District representatives last month was that the school district cannot fund a position for only one year. Dr. Larsen suggested that a revolving fund made up from the town’s budget surplus could be used to ensure that money for a position or positions could be used to finance position(s) on a yearly basis until such a time that the school district includes such a position or positions in their annual budget.
    • Sel. Ethier asked if the committee could take such a revolving fund to the district superintendent and tell him that the Town of Holden wants a librarian and that the revolving fund could be used to finance the position in addition to the school budget each year.
    • It was agreed to table the idea of staff hiring until next meeting pending further investigation.
  • Dr. Larsen asked for clarification on whether or not the reduced school budgets of recent years eliminated staff positions. It was the committee’s understanding from meeting with the representatives of the Wachusett Regional School District last month that staff positions were not reduced but rather technology and textbooks were the items that were affected by the reduced budget. Dr. Larsen asked about the possibility of using a revolving fund to take care of the technology and textbook deficiency. Chair Sullivan noted that the school district superintendent was most receptive to that idea during the committee’s meeting last month.

 

 

The idea of a revolving fund created by the budget surplus to finance capital improvements or technology was further discussed:

 

  • Sel. Ethier noted that the town’s approval of using ⅓ of the budget surplus from the previous year for wi-fi infrastructure was an arbitrary amount and that he was in favor of using all available money from the budget surplus on the town’s schools since the town voted to approve that money for the school district’s budget despite the school district’s budget being later reduced.
  • Sel. Ethier and Mr. Curran both noted that the preliminary estimates for the school district budget for FY 2018 suggested a possibility that, while Rutland would not approve the budget, Paxton might which would allow the budget to pass. This could mean that the original school district budget will be passed with the result that there would be no budget surplus in Holden’s town budget.
  • Chair Sullivan and Sel. Ethier confirmed that a revolving fund would need approval by the selectboard, the town manager and the finance committee via town meeting.
  • Sel. Ethier noted that with previous budget surpluses the additional money went into the town’s general fund and the selectboard told the town manager that they wanted to use money from the general fund to install wi-fi in the town’s school. This was voted on at town meeting.
  • Dr. Larsen asked if a committee could be established to oversee the revolving fund. Chair Sullivan did not know the logistics of supporting a revolving fund but that it is an item into which the committee should look further.
  • The idea of using such a revolving fund to give mini-grants to teachers was also revisited.

 

 

The idea of Holden leaving the school district was further discussed:

 

  • Vice Chair Allen noted that this option should be addressed in the committee’s final report to the selectboard even if it is decided that it is the committee’s recommendation not to pursue this option due to the regional agreement and the fact that all towns would need to vote to approve a town leaving the district. It was agreed that this item required further evaluation.
  • If Holden were to deregionalize then there would be no state subsidies to cover transportation.
    • Mr. Curran noted that bussing all students in Holden would be an enormous expense based on the geographic area and 700+ students
    • It was confirmed that students under one mile and ½ from their school could be charged a fee for transportation
    • The statute in the state’s general law (chapter 71) does have language that regionalized schools will receive 100% funding for transportation but that statute has never been realized.
  • Chair Sullivan suggested that the next meeting be dedicated to review of the regional agreement.

 

Motion by Mr. Dempsey, seconded by Ms. Salmon-Garret it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE MOTION THAT THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF THE EDUCATION OPTIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING BE DEDICATED TO REVIEW OF THE WACHUSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT REGIONAL AGREEMENT

 

 

It was also suggested that the committee review the lease agreement between the town and school district for the town’s school buildings.

 

 

Dr. Larsen brought up the point that the charge of the committee was to assess the current state of education funding, staffing and quality in the Holden schools:

 

  • Ms. Salmon-Garrett suggested that the teachers in the town’s schools could be surveyed to determine where they believed funding deficiencies lay.
  • Vice Chair Allen asked if the town principals could attend a future committee meeting to give a status update on the state of school funding.
  • Dr. Larsen asked if the committee members believed Holden teachers to be underpaid? Mr. Curran did not believe that to be the case and noted that he believes the teachers are paid competitively but that he would find and bring documentation that confirmed or denied his thinking to the next meeting for the committee’s review.
  • Mr. Dempsey asked if the committee could agree to bring principals into a future meeting for their takes on the state of funding, quality and staffing. The committee will further review this possibility for a meeting in March.

 

 

Although the committee was not prepared to deliver their final report to the selectboard, it was decided that a preliminary suggestion should be drafted and presented to the selectboard by March to present the idea of the revolving fund. This would allow the idea to be discussed at town meeting if approved by the selectboard.

 

Chair Sullivan will draft the recommendation for the revolving fund.

 

Sel. Ethier will look into the legality of the revolving fund in advance of the proposal being made to the selectboard by the committee.

 

 

Dr. Larsen noted that he believes the budget should be made a hot topic as property taxes will go up if the school district’s reputations suffers and new residents aren’t attracted to the district towns.

 

3. Old Business

 

No old business

 

4. New Business

 

No new business

 

5. Citizens’ Address

 

No citizens present for Citizens’ Address

 

6. Next meeting to be scheduled

 

Wednesday, February 8th, 2017

Location to be determined

6:30pm

 

A meeting for March was also scheduled with the idea that this meeting be used to meet with the town’s school principals:

 

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017

Location to be determined

6:30pm

 

7. Adjournment

 

Motion by Vice Chair Allen, seconded by Dr. Larsen it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE JANUARY 18, 2017 EDUCATION OPTIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING AT 7:46 PM