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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Comm Minutes 4/18/2012Mansfield School Committee Meeting Minutes for Tuesday, April 18, 2012 Town Hall, Room 2 AB An Open Meeting of the Mansfield School Committee was held at the Town Hall on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge called for a motion to open the meeting. Motion to open was made by Mrs. Lisa Losiewiez, 2 "d by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil. The meeting was called to order by Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge at 7:00 PM. Motion U.C. 5 - 0 Members Present — roll call vote to re -open the Open Meeting; Mr. Michael Trowbridge, Chairman; yes Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, Vice Chairman; yes Mrs. Jean Miller, yes Mrs. Kiera O'Neil yes Mr. Jim Perry yes Also Present: Mrs. Brenda Hodges, Superintendent of Schools Mr. Edward Vozzella, Director of Finance PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE School Committee / Selectman joint Budget Meeting () 7.0.9; Pm in room 4 AB The School Committee adjourned their regular meeting to attend the Selectman's Meeting in room g AB to discuss the Budget. Mr. William Ross, Town Manager spoke to the joint meeting. The budget process in Mansfield has been a challenge for many years. The municipal and school departments developed individual budgets with little or no coordination of activities or funding. The finance committee utilized a formula to merge the budgets and assign portions of the available revenue to each part of the organization. The process led to competitiveness, game playing and a lack of joint decision making for the benefit of the community. The process often led to bad decision making at the last minute before Town Meeting. The process created doubt and confusion by the general public and made the Town look like a disorganized organization. The Board of Selectmen and the School Committee agreed during 2011 to develop a joint strategic plan with substantial input from the community. That plan is virtually complete. We have heard from the citizens of Mansfield that they want the bickering and infighting to stop. The citizens are generally ahead of the rest of us on this type of issue. The citizens clearly told us they want us to see the organization as one group together rather than two sides —1— struggling with one another. The planning Charrette and the follow up discussions with managers, planners and school superintendents from other communities clearly demonstrated the necessity of working together, sharing information and being flexible in developing a budget rather than working from a strict mathematical formula. Brenda Hodges and I realized that the proposed 2013 budget was going in the same direction of discord and distrust. We sat down together and decided to look at a new paradigm. We looked at the budget holistically. We examined the total revenue available and decided, together with the Town Accountant and the School Business Officer that we would assign revenue as needed to meet the service needs of the community. The budget you have before you is a reflection of that effort. We also recognize that this budget is not perfect. No human endeavor is perfect. We believe that the budget we place before you meets the service needs of the community, avoids the layoff of valuable and talented personnel, continues the goal of placing funds in reserve for future retiree health care costs and is in line with the stated goal of the citizens of Mansfield for all sides to work together to address the service needs of Mansfield, The municipal portion of the budget does not layoff any staff; in fact the proposal reinstates one position in the Fire Department to balance the shifts and two positions in the Police Department to provide the level of police protection that Mansfield received five years ago. The budget includes funds to turn the street lights back on. It continues the street improvement program and replaces necessary equipment for the Fire Department. The budget also continues setting funds aside to replace the Fire Department rescue units on a regular basis as recommended by the Finance Committee. Let us keep in mind that a budget is more than numbers on a computer screen, formulas in a spreadsheet or a printout of number, rows and columns. A budget is about services to the citizens who are paying the bill. We provide for public safety, transportation, and open space, safe water to drink, removal and treatment of that water after it is used, removal of solid waste, recycling of as much of that waste as possible and many record keeping and administrative functions. Yes, and we also provided educational opportunities to both young and old. Ms. Hodges will visit with you about education in a minute. We are a service organization and that work is more than dollars and numbers, We must have financial resources to accomplish our efforts and we recognize and acknowledge the importance of financial resources, but, we take a broader view that the financial resources AND services must be seen as a whole for the organization to be successful. I recommend this budget to you and ask that you recommend its approval to Town Meeting. Superintendent Brenda Hodges spoke to the Joint meeting. I have watched the budget process in Mansfield for a dozen years and found myself confused and frustrated at the process. While the budget has been especially challenging for the past few years, for the reasons that we are all aware, the process never should have been, nor does it currently, need to be so challenging. The process that has —2— been historical in Mansfield, and that was described by Mr. Ross, has lead to all the things that he just described, along with distrust and a lack of confidence in the school and town numbers and the competence of the leadership at the school and town levels. It gives the appearance that we are simply playing games and will resolve the issues the last 30 minutes before town meeting. We work much harder at deflecting the political stones that are constantly being hurled than we do at resolving the budget issues. The process has been such that the distrust never allowed the parties to come together and mutually address the needs of the schools and the town. As Mr. Ross said, he and I realized that it was up to us to change this. We asked that all Boards join in the process, beginning with the Joint Strategic Plan that each of us embraced. It also included the budget sub - committee that provided representation from each of the boards and has met over the past few months. We were committed to resolving the budget issues and maintaining and improving services for the schools and the town, not to provide for either the schools or the town at the expense of the other. While this process has been challenging, it has been very productive. I applaud those who were a part of the Strategic Planning Process and the Charrette. This process allowed us to hear from the residents of Mansfield and Mr. Ross described what we heard. It validated what Mr. Ross and I had discussed and believed regarding the expectations of the parents and the resident of Mansfield. Mr. Ross described the approach that he and I took to begin working collaboratively to approach the budget for the town. It was important that we began to communicate that we are representing the needs of the Town in total and not the schools and the town, as two separate entities. Mr. Ross described what this budget does for the Town. Let me describe the biggest thing that it does for the schools. Simply, it allows the schools to stabilize next year. We have been on a roller coaster for the past few years, with major swings, up and down, cutting staff and last year reinstating some of those lost positions. The schools could not sustain another year of cuts, and another downturn of services and programs, only to work the next year to, once again, attempt to regain what was lost. Once we can stabilize where we are, we will, once again, begin to move forward. The budget allows us to lower the class size at grade 4 or 5 at the Jordan Jackson School and maintain the current team structure and class size at the middle school and maintain the current class size and programs at the high school, The budget allows us the opportunity to spend next year focusing on enhancing the educational initiatives and programs within the district. As we have indicated in our long range plan there are still staffing needs for the schools and town that will need to be addressed in order to better serve our students and our town. We will need to address this in the upcoming years and are committed to do this in a collaborative manner. I also want to say that it is time to remind ourselves that we are in the business of educating children and providing services, as Mr. Ross stated. Both of these is labor intensive and requires a large number of staff. Unlike other businesses, you cannot simply look at the numbers, create the spreadsheet and calculate the reductions. These students will never get another opportunity to repeat a year of wasted or lost time in their education. They deserve the opportunity to be provided with excellent —3— educational opportunities each and every year. The citizens of Mansfield deserve all of the services described by Mr. Ross. He and I recognize that, separately and together, we are charged with meeting / these expectations. We could no longer stand by and let others dictate a process that did not permit either of us to provide the leadership that will deliver the services and the educational programs for the children and residents of Mansfield. We are committed to working together to take the financial resources and the service needs, collectively, and meet the expectations and the needs of the Town of Mansfield, which includes all residents of all ages. I also recommend this budget to you and ask that you recommend approval of the FY 2013 Budget at the Town Meeting. Mr. Jim Larazza, Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee, spoke to the joint meeting and was concerned about the use of free cash and that we would not be able to sustain the budget next year and that the solution for this year was an artificial influx of money. There was much talk and interaction throughout the meeting with the Selectman taking a vote to move the Town meeting a week for the sake of the Finance Committee to do a review of the budget. The Selectman voted 3 -2 in favor of moving the Town Meeting to May ist. Mr. Kevin Moran made a motion to accept the budget as presented with a second by Mr. George Dentino and Mr. Annino moved for discussion. After discussion Mr. Kozlowski asked why we were moving the date a week if we were not going to change the budget. Mr. Aptowitz stated that he supported Mr. Ross. Mr. Moran stated that he already brought forth a motion with Mr. Dentino as a second. Mr. Kozlowski agreed that he too approved. In the matter of changing the Town Meeting the reason was to allow more time for the Fin Com to come up with an alternative, but he did support the current budget. Mr. Annino also stated his support for Mr. Ross but wanted to wait. After much discussion there was a call for a motion. Mr. Aptowitz called for a motion to vote for the approval of the budget as presented. Mr. Moran made the motion with Mr. Dentino for a second. Motion carried 3 — 2 in favor of approval of Budget. Mr. Annino & Mr. Kozlo -.vsld were opposed. Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge, called for a motion to approve the FY 113 Budget with the reduction of $41,098,245 that takes into account the reduction to the governor. Motion was made by Mr. Jim Perry with a second from Mrs. Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 On April 7, Mansfield suffered a tragic loss in the passing of a young teenager, Michaela Smith. Thank you to Michael Connelly and the high school staff who helped student s and parents face a truly devastating time. It is difficult times such as this that you realize that we are one town. Please take a moment to keep Michaela and her family in our thoughts and prayers. —4— SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Personnel I \' ' tZ�I +ls�7�ll +i +l: \77 \�ILI[y The following warrants were presented and accepted by the School Committee on April 18, 2012: Salary & Wages, # 2012 -18 dated 03 -02 -2012, in the amount of $1,363,467.50 Good & Services # 2012 -1030 dated 03 -06 -2012, in the amount of $307,605.02 Salary & Wages, #2012 -19 dated 03 -16 -2012, in the amount of $1,361,124.18 Goods & Services #2012 -1032 dated 03 — 20 -2012 in the amount of $363,603.30 Salary & Wages. #2012 -2o dated 03 -30 -2012, in the amount of $1,411,231.55 Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge, called for a motion to approve the warrants. A motion was made to approve the warrants 18t by Mr. Jim Perry, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES Executive Session Minutes March 13, 2012 were approved. Motioned by Mrs. Jean Miller, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 School Committee Minutes of March 13, 2012 were approved. Motioned by Mr. Jim Perry, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 Executive Session Minutes of March 27, 2012 were approved. Motioned by Mrs. Jean Miller, 2nd by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 School Committee Minutes of March 27, 2012 were approved as amended. Motioned by Mr. Jim Perry, 2nd by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 Strategic Plan Update: There was an Executive Meeting tonight and o ne of the topics was on the budget process much like tonight and that we should collaborate with the selectmen. Dr. Mullin said we are a very frugal town and our bond rating is much higher than most towns and our debt was good. His presentation will be at the Town Meeting. Little Hornet Tuition: The School Committee approved the increase in the Little Hornet tuition rate of $2 a day for the Fall 2012. Mr. Trowbridge asked for a motion to approve the Little Hornet Tuition. —5— Motioned made by Mr. Jim Perry, 2nd by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil. Motion U.C. 5-0 French Exchange Anril 2013: The School Committee approved the French Exchange for next April 2013 with the stipulation that they have a sufficient number of chaperones and adhere to all State Department travel advisories. The Committee also recommended that they purchase travel insurance in case a change in plans should occur. Mr. Trowbridge asked for a motion to approve the French Trip. Motioned made by Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, 2nd by Mrs. Kiera O'Neil. Motion U.C. 5 — 0 Field Trip Approval ( if any There were no citizen's comments. SCHOOL COMMITTEE NEW BUSINESS Letter from Walter Wilks and the girl' MGSA s softball team. OTHER Motion to adiourn: Chairman, Mr. Michael Trowbridge, called for a motion to adjourn the School Committee Meeting of April 18, 2012 at 10:20 PM for the sole purpose of adjourning. A Motion was made to close the meeting by Mr. Jim Perry, 2nd by Mrs. Jean Miller. A Roll call vote to close: Mr. Michael Trowbridge, yes; Mr. Jim Perry, yes; Mrs. Jean Miller, yes; Mrs. Lisa Losiewicz, yes; Mrs. Kiera O'Neil, yes. Motion U.C. 5-0 —6— Respectfully submitted, Mary 0. Jackson Secretary to the Superintendent & School Committee