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Home My WebLink About2018-01-23 Finance Committee Minutes TOWN OF NORTH ANDOVER FINANCE COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes Meeting Date January 23, 2018 Meeting Location: School Administration Building, 566 Main Street Timothy Tschirhart, TT, Chairman X Ed MacMillian EM X Jennifer Goldman, JG,Vice Chair X Divya Bhatnagar, DB X Karin Blake, KB X Charles Trafton CT Thomas Ringler, TR Angela Ciofolo, AC X Liz Gerron, LG X Sasha Weinreich, SW X Note: All FINCOM votes are subject to change upon receipt of new information. Note: Documents used in this meeting are listed in Document Table, herein. Non Finance Committee Members in attendance Dr. Jennifer Price (JP), School Superintendent Jim Mealy(JM) Assistant Superintendent, Finance and Operations Andrew Maylor (AM), Town Manager Gregg Gilligan (GG) Assistant Superintendent Call to order 6:48 TT: Welcome to the Finance Committee Meeting. The big item on the agenda is the School Department Budget and thank you JP, JM, and GG for being here. TT: Commented to GG that soon he will be owning the school budget (since he will be taking over for JP when she leaves her position as School Superintendent). TT: We will also have some questions for AM on the CIP School Department FY2019 Budget of$48,754.5K Dr. Jennifer Price/Jim Mealy Discussion starts on or about 6:50pm/:00:00:43 on video time JP: We have the questions that you sent us. I will give an overview of the Budget proposal, and then allow you to ask whatever questions you have, and we do have some additional material. JP: We have two things that drive our budget 1. Strategic Plan 2. School Committee Directive. The two things we are focused on is the elementary class sizes with K-2 size of 18-22 and Grades 3-5 with a class size of 23-25. The goal is to reduce the percentage of K-5 class size to 15% in FY19. I January 23,2018 JP: Also stated that we want to make sure that the ECC opens up in the way it should as a full school. JP: Spoke of the Overall Financial Picture and the proposed 3.65%total increase, this was within the recommendations of the Town Manager(of 3.65%). If this is approved it will be the 6th year in a row that we have a consensus budget. JP: The reality is that we want to open up a school. When you open a school you need support, other than teachers, such as school nurse, counselors, specialists, custodians, a secretary, a principal, etc. JP: Spoke of Special Education and Circuit Breaker and that the funding decreased from 75%to 65% giving us a $130,000 gap. JP: Commented on her belief to reduce out of district cost by continuing to build strong programs within our district to meet student's needs. JP: Spoke of Curriculum Funds and the Medicare Reimbursement Fund. JP: Stated that they may reallocate some money from technology funding for an ECC Librarian. JP: Spoke of English Learner Tutors (EL), and that there has been an increase in numbers of students, needing this tutoring. We had 61 EL students and now we have 98 EL Students. We have not given these tutors an increase in pay in over 10 years and that is problematic. We are recommending that they have an increase of$28.79 an hour to $32.00 an hour, but over the next 3 years we will go from $32.00/hour, $34.00/hour and $36.00/hour for our tutors, they deserve an increase in pay. JP: Spoke of how they applied for funding from the MSBA (state funding). It was well received and we made the first cut from over 90 that applied. We were encouraged from the MSBA to reapply. We were told that we were very close. JP: Continued her Budget overview and spoke of Leadership Structures. JM: Spoke of Level Services and stated that we do this every year and spoke of how they try and figure out cost on such things as; the cost of living increase, services, contracts, inflation, outside vendors and contractual obligations with our employees. He stated that Water and Sewer are no longer paid out of their budget. The Finance Committee members continued to ask questions to JP regarding the slides and School Budget overview and the process. JP: Stated from the MCAS results we see that our kids are doing extremely well in Science even though the science labs are sub-par. We continue the curriculum push but we are not waiting for the facilities to match. TT: From what I see and hear on this Budget Process, to the execution of the budget process and the collective team in front of me, you are all phenomenally great. But more important to me are the actions taken behind the scene, such as reducing SPED, implementing the next generation Science, these are things you don't see in numbers. 2 January 23,2018 Capital Improvement Plan-Follow up Questions Discussion starts on or about 7:48 pm/00:59:00 on video time TT: We have asked our Town Manager to answer a few question regarding the CIP. TT: Asked what is the percentage of the Town and the School Budget? AM: Responded schools 3.65% and all other department not to exceed 3.14% TT: How do you prioritize your CIP? AM: Responded when we prepare the Facility Master Plan larger scale projects are 7 years and for example roadway plans are 5 years. Every road is identified, what work is going to get done and every resident knows when their street is getting done. We don't really vary too often from the Facility Master Plan. AM: Stated that the departments ask only for what they need. Various questions and comments were made regarding the Facility Master Plan II, The proposed Senior Center, and also how they do want to put the proposed Senior Center within 1 mile of the original spot, because our seniors rely on downtown. They also spoke of the Kindergarten Project, Middle School and also Classroom Space were again discussed. AM: Praised the Finance Committee and stated that you (The Finance Committee) always ask the appropriate questions, push us in the right way, and are creative, and the Town Meeting depends on you, and we do appreciate what you do. The Finance Committee Members and AM spoke of, discussed and questioned, "Pay as You Go", OPEB, Health Insurance (GIC), etc. Finance Committee Members thanked AM, JP, GG. And JM for coming tonight. Approval of Minute January 9 2018 Discussion starts on or about 8:13 pm/01:25:00 on video time KB: made a motion to hereby amend the minutes for January 9, 2018 (Page 3 middle of page was "2. Middle School Class Size, they were unsuccessful in getting funding" should be; "Middle School to Reduce between School and Class Size, they were unsuccessful in getting State (MSBA) Funding" LG: Second to approve minutes as amended All were in favor to approve minutes as amended 3 January 23,2018 Discussion of draft Finance Committee address to Special Town Meeting (The business opportunity and cost and types of incremental revenues that might be derived Discussion starts on or about 8:17 pm/01:28:45 on video time TT: Spoke on Town Meeting and what the Finance Committee Members need to do and what to expect at the Town Meeting The Finance Committee Members worked collectively on editing, brainstorming and improving their Position Draft Letter that will be read at the Town Meeting for next Tuesday, January 30th Public Comment Discussion starts on or about 8:52 pm/02:04:00 on video time TT: Interrupted the Editing process of the Position Letter and asked if anyone in the audience had any public Comments. Atty. Kim Cooperstein, of 133 Colonial Ave: stated I think you are all doing a great job,because as a member of the public I want to hear from you, and part of what you do is to meet with all the entities of the town(departments) and you can help make improvements in certain areas where needed. You are definitely on the right track(regarding the Finance Committee position paper) Marc Cooperstein, of 133 Colonial Ave: Agreed with what his wife stated, and that he appreciates the work of the Finance Committee as well. The Finance Committee members returned back to the drafting and editing of the Position Letter for the Town Meeting, after the Public Comments were done. Ad'ournment 9:29 PM SW: made a motion to adjourn KB: Second the motion All in favor to adjourn Document Table Agenda finance Committee January 23, 2018 Minutes for January 9, 2018 North Andover Public Schools Superintendent's Recommended FYI Budget Questions regarding CIP FY19 and School Budget FYI Budget Status Report as of Dec 13, 2017 Draft of Finance Committees Position at Town Meeting 4 January 23,2018