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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-25 Finance Committee Minutes FinanceCommittee MinutesofMay25,2021 Present:ChairmanSashaWeinreich,EdwardMacMillan,ChristineAllen,DustinSilk,ReginaKean,ThomasRingler, DenevanO’Connell,JenniferBurns-Luz Absent:KevinFoley Non-FinanceCommitteeMembers:LyneSavage,GreggGilligan,JamesMealey,HelenPickard Ms.Weinreichreadaquickstatementbeforethemeetingstarted“PursuanttoGovernorBaker’sMarch12,2020Order SuspendingCertainProvisionsoftheOpenMeetingLaw,G.L.c30A,Section18andtheGovernor’sMarch15,2020 Orderimposingstrictlimitationonthenumberofpeoplethatmaygatherinoneplace,thismeetingoftheNorthAndover FinanceCommitteewillbeconductedviaremoteparticipationtothegreatestextentpossible.” Ms.Weinreichcalledthemeetingtoorderat7:00PMviaconferencecall. PublicComment Nopubliccomment. Ms.WeinreichstatedthisisthelastvirtualmeetingandfuturemeetingswillbetelevisedonGOVchannelgoingforward. UpdateregardingCOVID-19relatedfederalfundingforTownofNorthAndover Ms.WeinreichexplainedtheTownisreceiving$9.1millionasapartoftheAmericanRescueFundsAct.Ms.Savage explainedthereisnotmuchguidanceastohowtorecordandtrackitproperlyatthistime.Ms.AllenaskedMs.Savageif therewereanyschoolcategories.Ms.Savagestatednothecategorieshavenotbeenstatedasofyet. PresentationfromSchoolAdministrationregardingtheuseof$2.6millionforCOVID-19relatedlearningloss Dr.Gilligan,Dr.MealeyandSchoolCommitteeChairpersonHelenPickardwerepresentatthemeetingviaremote.Dr. Gilligangaveapresentationregardinglearninglossandrecovery.Dr.Mealeygaveapresentationoftheschoolbudget. Ms.Keanaskedhowthedecisionwillbemadetotargetthestudentsthatwillneedtousetheresource.Dr.Gilliganstated itwillbebasedonneedandbasedonthedatatheyhavecollected.Mr.MacMillanaskedifthereisabaselineofhow delayedstudentsareduetoCOVID-19.Dr.Gilliganstatedtheyhaveassessmentstotrackstudentsfromyeartoyear whichwillshowthetrends.Ms.Pickardstatedtherehasbeenseveralschoolpresentationsonstudents’progress,about7- 8hoursofit,andithasbeensharedwiththeSchoolCommitteeandthepublic.Ms.Weinreichaskedaboutthesummer educationprograms,whatthecostsareandwhatstudentsareeligible.Dr.GilliganstatedtheAccelerationAcademyis acrossallgradesandwillbeheldthelast2weeksofAugusttohelpcatchkidsupfocusingonliteracyandmath.Ms. Weinreichaskedhowthestudentsthatareinneedaredefined.Dr.Gilliganstatedthetestingassessmentswillidentify whowillbetargetedfortheAccelerationAcademy.Ms.Keanaskedifparentscanelecttohavetheirchildrenattend. Ms.Weinreichaskedwhatthetotalnumberofchildrenthatareabletoattend.Dr.Gilliganstatedaround500students acrossthedistrict.Ms.Allenaskedhowmanypositionsonthebudgetreportareforthesummerprogram.Ms.Weinreich askedwhencreatingtheplanwhatleadthechoicetoallocatethefundstothefallratherthanaddinganevenmore comprehensivesummerprogram.Dr.Mealeystatedthestaffingforsummerischallengingandsomeofthefundswere notavailableuntilaftertheplanningofthesummerprogram.Ms.Allenaskedifparentscanelecttosendtheirchildrento thesummerprogram.Dr.Gilliganstatedyes.Ms.Pickardremindedeveryonethatthereareseveralenrichmentprograms availablethroughouttheTownforallstudents.Ms.Weinreichaskediftherewillbeaneedtousefreecashafter receivingthe$2.6million.Dr.Mealeystatedtheywouldliketonotusethefreecashanduseanygrantsorfederal fundingthatwillbereceived.Ms.WeinreichaskedDr.Mealeyifyoudon’tusefreecashnow,willyouuseitlaterif thereareotherneeds,whatisplanBforthefreecash,willyouwanttousefreecashifthereareotherneeds,willyou continuetousethisasaresource.Dr.Mealeystatedthegoalistofundwithoutusingfreecash,ifatallpossible.Wehave grantsandothersourcesoffunding,sowewouldliketonotusefreecashifpossible.Ms.Weinreichaskedaboutthe consultant’srole.Dr.Gilliganstatedtheconsultantwillassessandmonitortheneedsandifanychangeswillneedtobe made.Ms.Weinreichalsoasksiftheschoolbuildingcommitteeusedthesameconsultant.Dr.Mealeyrepliesthatthey useMVG,aschoolbuildingarchitectfirm. OldBusiness None ApprovalofMay4,2021Minutes MOTION:Ms.AllenmotionedtoapproveminutesofMarch23,2021.Mr.O’Connellseconded.RollCall-MacMillan- yes,Allen-yes,Ringler-yes,O’Connell-yes,Kean-yes,Luz-yes,Silk-yes,Weinreich-yes.Motionapproved8-0. Adjournment MOTION:Ms.Allenmadeamotiontoadjournat8:00PM,secondedbyMs.Kean.RollCall-MacMillan-yes,Allen- yes,Ringler-yes,O’Connell-yes,Kean-yes,Luz-yes,Silk–yes,Weinreich-yes.Motionapproved8-0. Respectfullysubmitted, JillianA.Brothers ExecutiveAssistant