Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – March 1, 2010

Town Hall, Lower Level Hearing Room—7:30 P.M.

Members Present:  Maria Anderson, Keith Garte, Donald Gilligan (late), Gordon

                               Gladstone, Charles Goodman (late), Jonathan Hitter, Josh Kiernan,

                               Joel Lessard, Ira Miller, Laura Nelson, Edward Philips, (Hamilton)

                Absent:   Brian Fitzgerald

1. The one agenda item was the School Committee FY’11 budget.

2. Minutes of the previous meetings were voted.

3. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by Joel Lessard to approve the minutes of February 8, 2010.

4. VOTED:  3-0-6.  For:  Kiernan, Lessard, Miller.  Abstain:  Anderson, Garte, Gladstone, Hitter, Nelson, Philips.

5. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by Joel Lessard to approve the minutes of February 22, 2010.

6. VOTED:  7-0-2.  For:  Anderson, Garte, Hitter, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller, Philips.  Abstain:  Gladstone, Nelson.

7. A MOTION was made by Joel Lessard and SECONDED by Josh Kiernan to approve the minutes of February 1, 2010.

8. VOTED:  4-0-5.  For:  Hitter, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller.  Abstain:  Anderson, Garte, Gladstone, Nelson, Philips.

9. School Committee members attending the meeting were Alison Rutley, Mitch Blaustein, Linda Callan, and Laura Salomons; Barbara Dunham, Superintendent, Timothy Farmer, Asst. Superintendent, and Susan Owens, Business Manager.

10. Barbara Dunham presented the FY’11 budget.  She stated that using an outside maintenance service for cleaning would be a savings on the town side.  Enrollment has been declining.  In district Special Education goes up and out of district comes down.  This is a huge controlling factor for budget.

11. There was considerable discussion regarding state mandated items, and Circuit Breaker, used to fund these mandates, was being decreased from 70% just two years ago to 40%, possibly 30%.  CHARMS Collaborative least expensive placement for Special Education.  Tuitions range from $40,000 up to $123,000.

12. There was some discussion regarding the stimulus money used for Just in Time Intervention Program at the Middle School.  There may be a problem replacing stimulus money.  The School Department is trying to save money by not using substitutes at high school level.  There is one permanent substitute in each building.

13. Barbara Dunham stated that they were negotiating teacher contracts for next three years.  Other employee contracts settled in January for 1% increase and higher co-pay on health insurance, 80/20 with $10 co-pay.  New hires were 70/30 with higher co-pay.

14. There was much discussion on the amount of salary increase and other benefits.  There was a suggestion that a salary freeze could be put into effect next year if needed.

15. There was much discussion regarding benefits of a full day kindergarten, at a cost of $608,000 if town provides, and $3,885 for tuition for full day kindergarten if parents pay.

16. Laura Nelson left the meeting at 9:25 p.m.

17. There was an announcement regarding the Sharon Education Spelling Bee.  The Finance Committee was participating.

18. The next meeting is March 8, 2010, continuing the Board of Selectmen’s FY’11 budget.

19. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

20. VOTED:  10-0-0.

21. The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m.