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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-06-12 Finance Committee Minutes TOWN OF NORTH ANDOVER FINANCE COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes Meeting Date June 12th, 2018 Meeting Location: School Administration Building Timothy Tschirhart, TT, Chairman X Ed MacMillian EM X Jennifer Goldman, JG,Vice Chair X Divya Bhatnagar, DB X Karin Blake, KB Charles Trafton CT X 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 Lyne Savage (LS), Town Accountant Dr. Gregg Gilligan (GG), Superintendent NASD Amy Mabley (AM), Chair NASC Call to order 7:02 Call to order and opening comments— Tim Discussion starts on or about 7:02 pm/00:05 on video time TT: We have 2 areas scheduled to cover tonight, one with LS for a review of the Fiscal Year 2018 budget reallocation and the next review is with GG and AM for a quick re-introduction into the School Committee Budget process. TT: Before we begin we will ask if anyone from the public has any questions or comments. 1 June 12,2018 Public comment Discussion starts on or about 7:03pm/::00:20 on video time Michael Lis, of 30 Leanne Drive started saying that he wants to bring up a topic that he talked about at last month's Town Meeting. First, I do want to mention that I am extremely grateful for the work of Committees from the Town in the last several years. Lis went on to say that he is especially grateful for reducing class sizes at the schools. Lis, Stated that his question is more of a request of a process and that he would like to see what an alternative budgeting schedule would look like. Lis, Stated that I am not looking for a funding commitment from the Boards,but I just want to make it easy for us, as a community to have informed discussions on how our schools should be funded. CT: Suggested to Lis to consider attending specific Committee meetings in Town that would cover topics and concerns that he would be interested in. TT: Thanked Lis End of year FY2018 budget balancing—Lynne Savage Discussion starts on or about 7:09 vm/06:30 on video time LS: At the end of each Fiscal year, Massachusetts General Law allows us to go in front of the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen with a budget reallocation, basically a shuffling of funds from other line items to cover deficits. LS: Referred the Committee to the handout that was in their packets (regarding budget reallocation). LS: Spoke of various costs and deficits, such as snow and ice, unexpected salary items, and also such things as retirements and the retirement payout payments, the Special Town Meeting in January that was extremely costly, Master Plan was not 100%budgeted into this year's budget, among other items. LS: Also spoke of salary costs to attract the right people, especially when it came to filling key positions, (because of job turnovers). LS: Commented that as a Committee I need you to approve this, and asked TT as the Chairperson of the Finance Committee to sign it also LG: I hereby move to approve the Town of North Andover Budget Reallocation, dated June 12, 2018 for Fiscal year 2018 as presented by LS SW: Second All were in favor to approve the Budget Reallocation for Fiscal year 2018 The Finance Committee Thanked LS 2 June 12,2018 School budget process—Amy Mabley Chair NASC, Dr. Gregg Gilligan, Superintendent NASD Discussion starts on or about 7:23pm/20:20 on video time AM: Started out saying that the key thing to understand is that School Committee does not build the Budget. The School Committee sets the directives and the direction that the committee wants to see. The superintendent is the budget officer who prepares the budget working with a leadership team, about 25 people such as principals, other superintendents etc. They prepare the budget and present it to the Selectmen, Finance Committee, and School Committee and is then administered afterwards. GG: Stated that he is looking forward to taking over the superintendent position in a couple of weeks. Commented on the strategic plan that he is looking forward to implementing. We set goals, with benchmarks and milestones. It is pretty remarkable in the last couple of years what we have been able to accomplish and meet. GG: Spoke of the new implemented curriculum that the schools will be using to teach, such as the new math, writing, science, reading programs, computer science etc. AM: Spoke of the students in this year's graduating class, stating that these students were from 25 different countries. GG: We are very diverse. He then also spoke of the percentage of students that are eligible to receive free lunch (Special Education Services). GG: We want to meet the needs of all our students, it is quite a mix GG: Spoke of Professional Practice, for educators and how they best meet the needs of all students. Various topics, questions and comments were raised and answered during the presentation, such as; the English Learner's program, class size, how they work together as a team, how they work hard to get grants and also how they hire consultants to apply and put together their proposal, MSBA, Bradstreet School, Title 1 Students, private funding, etc., were all discussed (and more). GG and AM: Spoke of School Department Funding Sources at length (reference presentation pages 5-14); -General Fund(annual operating expenses), -Revolving Accounts (revenue and expenditures), -Grants (funded by Federal and State Funds), -Circuit Breakers (This does not include transportation costs), -Capital Projects (Most recently included the replacement of turf on the field), -Indirect Expenses (include employee benefits), -Shared Expenses (consolidating departments such as Technology, and Legal Services, Librarians) -Medicaid Reimbursement (Federally-Funded reimbursement program) -Special Education Stabilization Fund(we can access up to $250,000 in one year and up to $400,000 in a 2 year period). 3 June 12,2018 TT: You have had great success in keeping students in district and vest in the right people (educators) and that is fantastic! EM: Where do those students go who do need to go out of district? GG: Responded that it varies depending on their needs. We do work hard to keep our Language based learner students in District. Typically in other districts they go to Landmark Schools. GG: Continued with his response to EM stating that they could go to CREST or a specialized school. Special education has to be an approved State School. TT: Requested that this hard copy presentation be forwarded to AC, so she could forward it to the Finance Committee members. GG: We have the responsibility to arm our kids with the best education that we could give them, and to help prepare them for the future. GG: Stated that in this Town we do what we say we are going to do, and that makes us very credible. We continue to collaborate and work together to be creative. We will continue to push for what we need for our kids. The Finance Committee commented and thanked GG and AM and appreciated the presentation, it was well done and thought out. New business—Tim Discussion starts on or about 8:39pm/01:36 on video time TT: Spoke that the start Time for the Finance Committee Meetings will now be 7:00 PM. It will ease the pressure with the traffic that Finance Committee members face when leaving work. TT: Commented that the new agenda format is still a work in process TT: Commented that the Board of Selectmen will have a new Chairperson sometime in June/July, so we will have a meeting with them sometime early September. TT: The August 14th Finance Committee meeting that is scheduled is still tentative. TT: Also, reminded the Finance Committee members of the Open House farewell invitation for Jennifer Price. TT: Spoke of the different Committees that the Finance Committee might be interested in being assigned to as a representative of the Finance Committee. TT: Also commented on Finance Committee members attending (on a rotating base) School Committee meetings. 4 June 12,2018 Public comment(s) Discussion starts on or about 8:45 pm/:00:1:41 on video time Stan Limpert of 43 StoneCleave Road, spoke of the past history of all the boards in Town and how there was a lot of hostility between various Boards. Limpert wanted to understand it, Limpert found that information was not being shared between the Boards and the Committees (at that time). In time things got better and eventually with an apparent transparency amongst Committees and Boards,hostility was alleviated. Limpert: Spoke favorably of the Town Manger and the impact he has made in the town. We have come a long way. Minutes from prior meetinu(s) Discussion starts on or about 8:54 pm/:00:01:49 on video time May 8, 2018 LG: Made a motion to approve the minutes as written JG: Second the motion All in favor to approve May 15, 2018 LG: Made a motion to approve the minute as amended(stated) by TT on the first page (half way down) that read"conservation" and should read and be corrected to "conversation", also the second line after: (where it is written) "Call to order", to amend as stated by JG, where initials are written incorrectly as "JM:" and it should be amended and corrected to "JG" JG: Second the motion to approve as amended All were in favor to approve as amended Ad'ournment 8: 55 SW: Made a motion to adjourn LG: Second the motion All were in favor to adjourn Document Table -Agenda Finance Committee Meeting for June 12, 2018 -Minutes from May 1511 & 8t", 2018 - Massachusetts School Building Authority, Statement of interest (sample) - Budget Allocation Fiscal Year 2018 -North Andover School Department Financial Planning Presentation to FinCom 5 June 12,2018