bep
1/31/04
Priorities Committee
Summary Meeting Notes
School Administration Building
January 29, 2004
Members in attendance: School Com. S. Liao, M. Blaustein
Selectmen J. Roach, N. Katz (from 9:00 PM)
Finance Com. C. Goodman, D. Fixler
Also in attendance: R. Uyttebroek, C. Jackson, B. Puritz, P. Pietal, A. Nebenzahl, B. Dunham (from 9:25 PM)
Meeting convened at 7:35 p.m.
1. Minutes: 11/20/03 – accepted (D. Fixler, abstained)
12/18/03 – accepted (M. Blaustein, abstained)
2. Follow-up items from 12/18/03 meeting:
Indirect Costs – information re calculation provided from Accounting Department to Schools. Draft FY’03 Agreement forwarded from School Committee to Town for signature.
Revolving Funds – State guidelines distributed re MGL Ch. 44 S. 53 1/2
Carry Forward – no mechanism to carry forward funds from prior fiscal year, per DOR
Stabilization Fund – New (January ’04) State guidelines re creation of multiple stabilization funds and B. Puritz memo (9/15/02) to Board of Selectmen re “Criteria for Use of Stabilization Fund Monies” distributed.
Note: Committee agreed to defer discussion re this item until next meeting.
3. Revenue Forecast
Reviewed/distributed “FY’05 Revenue Forecast”(1/29/04, 4:17 PM) revised to reflect updated Governor’s Local Aid, Norfolk County Retirement, and Vocational Tuition figures indicating an additional $290,463 or .85% available for net operating budget distribution. Also, reviewed distributed “Revenue Forecast – Side by Side” (1/29/04, 4:18 PM) displaying changes (i.e., mathematical deltas) from prior Revenue Forecasts. At this point, after extended discussion, Committee “informally” determined that said increased capacity ($290,463) be held in abeyance for potential application to address outstanding sector funding requests unable to be met within the 5% increase allocation. It was noted that funding capacity is subject
to further adjustment due to the expected changes re: SE Vocational Schools Assessment; Board of Assessors “New Growth”, “Overlay”, “Overlay Reserve”, calculations and “Free Cash” certification figure, all of which is expected to occur by early-March.
4. Rainy Day Fund
Substantive discussion deferred to next meeting.
5. Consider Special Education as a “Fixed/Uncontrollable” expense
C. Jackson indicated that Chapter 70 funding increased 269% between FY’94 and ’04; that the Town funded portion of the school budget increased by a lower % during this period; and, therefore, at the end of said period state aid constituted a lower % of the school budget (e.g., 21% vs. 17%). Discussion re the above ensued with respect to the significance/conclusions drawn. It was agreed that written analysis re this matter would be provided for the Committee’s next meeting detailing school budget history in both % and funding sources for the subject period. Superintendent Jackson also set forth for consideration that the projected FY’05 increase in SPED above 5%, amounting to
approximately $550K or 7%, be categorized as “Uncontrollable”. The adverse funding impact on Sharon from the so-called “Circuit Breaker” was also pointed out as significantly reducing state funding from 50% to 35%, after absorbing first $29K costs per student. The Finance Committee and School Department will meet prior to the next Priorities Committee meeting re SPED budget components, mandates and related financial impacts. An operating base budget approach was also discussed as a means to offset SPED cost increases above the budget growth allocation figure. The following materials were distributed relative to this subject:
“Sharon School Enrollment 1993-2003”, “Preliminary Cuts to FY’05 Preliminary Budget Projection” showing reductions of $1.13 million, and, “Sharon Public Schools FY’05 Proposed Budget.”
6. 5% Budget Impact Summary Review/Request for Funding Consideration
The following items were advanced for preliminary consideration as outside 5% sector budget growth capacity:
Finance Committee – Assessors Property Data Re-inspection/re-measure services, (State required every ten years) $165,540 over a five year period (FY’05 – 09) or $33,108/yr
Selectmen – Ambulance Revenue $77K shortfall due to reduced federally imposed Medicare rates/drop in transports and Firefighters parity compensation adjustment $55K (comparable community salary data to be provided), $132K total both items
Schools – SPED shortfall per #4 above, approximately $550K
Re-cap pending requests:
Finance 33,108
Selectmen 132,000
Schools 550,000
Total $715,108
7. Follow-up School Department Revenue
Accounting Department advises $91,337 derived from Medicare recoveries.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 PM.
8. Next Meeting
Thursday, March 11, 2004
School Administration Building, School Street, 7:30 PM
Preliminary Agenda: (Please contact Ben in advance to add/amend)
(1) Minutes – 1/29/04 meeting
(2) FY’05 Revenue Forecast Update
(3) Consider pending supplemental funding requests
(4) Stabilization Fund Type Reserve (continued discussion)
(5) 1/29/04 meeting follow-up items: Firefighter comparable communities salary data & School Budget History analysis
cc: Board of Assessors
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