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Fairfax Board of School Directors
Monday, December 14, 2009
Regular Meeting at 6:30pm
Fairfax Community Library
Present: Peg Stewart, Elaine Carpenter, Robin Freeman, Barbara Murphy, Kim Lesny, Ben Langelier, Chris Hogan, Bruce Chattman, Michael Clark, Thomas Walsh, Lisa Delorme, Chris Sumner, Todd Granger, Julie Morin
Public: none
1. Call to Order – Peg Stewart called the meeting to order at 6:30PM.
2. Consent Agenda
Minutes
· Special Meeting (Student Discipline): November 5th
· Special Meeting (Student Discipline): November 9th
· Regular Meeting: November 9th
· Special Budget Meeting: November 30th - *a change was noted
Action: Barbara Murphy motioned to approve the Consent Agenda with a change to the November 30th meeting minutes. Robin Freeman seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
3. Correspondence - none
4. Public Comment - none
5. Reports
a. Superintendent
My focus and work since the last Board meeting has been on budget development for the three town school districts and the supervisory union, as well as collective bargaining for Fairfax (teachers) and Georgia (teachers and paraprofessionals). We will continue this work during December in Fairfax with negotiation meetings scheduled for 12/10 and 12/29. The Board meeting on 12/14 will be substantially committed to work on theFY11 budget with an Executive Session to update the Board on the status if negotiations.
Since the last board meeting, we have learned that the Tax Commissioner has recommended that the State Property Tax for or non-homesteads/business be set at $1.372 and that for homesteads, it be set at $0.882; an increase of .022 cents. While the Legislature still has to adopt/approve this rate, it is not likely to decrease. When coupled with declining property values state-wide, a constant base state amount of $8,544 and declining enrollment (Fairfax is down
7.92 equalized pupils), the impact will be an increase in tax bills – all this prior to any decision by the Legislature of how to address the general fund deficit, the eradication of the education fund surplus, and the State Employee/Teacher Retirement underfunded obligation.
On Friday, December 4, with the other Superintendents in Franklin County, I attended a meeting with the Franklin County Representatives & Senators in St. Albans. Their interest was in discussing ideas of how to successfully address the economic challenges/issues in the public schools compounded by small schools, high adult/student ratios, local control, governance, etc. The dialogue easily diverted to a “consolidation” discussion and the Franklin County Legislators challenged the Superintendents to come up with a Franklin County solution/pilot that they could support. Such an initiative will not be successful without board representation/participation.
More recently, on December 8, I attended a regional legislative meeting of the Champlain Valley
Superintendents’ Association consisting of superintendents from Franklin, Chittenden and Addison Counties along with most of the Representatives and Senators from these counties. As a result, I am firmly convinced that there is a momentum developing state-wide for legislative action to reform the existing governance model. The frequent public commentary from Commissioner Vilaseca only accentuates this potential. All this places even greater pressure on local school boards to work collaboratively to develop a model that defines the school governance that will be successful for the communities and school they represent, rather than have one imposed by the State Legislature.
In order to address these governance challenges that confront public education in Vermont, I request that the Fairfax Board designate a board representative (with a flexible schedule) to represent Fairfax, and join with me to continue this important dialogue.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bruce Chattman, Superintendent
b. Principals - none
c. Financial - none
d. School Board Members
Chris Hogan reported on receiving the PSAT results.
Elaine Carpenter spoke to Armando Vilaseca’s comments concerning teacher/student ratios and his consolidation discussions. She also reported on a televised meeting she attended which discussed teacher’s retirement.
Peg Stewart also reported on listening to Armando’s comments. She attended the review of the “Clear the Halls” drill.
Robin Freeman requested Mike Clark give some feedback on the forum he held for the community about looking at the tech room space. Mike responded with some highlights of the meeting.
6. Board Business
a. FY11 Budget
§ Buildings & Grounds Presentation – Todd Granger was present to give an overview of the building and grounds portion of the budget as well as answer any questions the Board had. He presented some worksheets to the Board outlining details for some of the line items. Elaine questioned what areas could be looked at if there needed to be some additional trimming of the budget. Todd would prefer to make some cuts to contracted services if he had to make some cuts. Some of these services could be done in house. The bleachers, the fuel tank and the parking lot are one time large expenses that raise the building maintenance line item. He also spoke of his transition into working in both schools.
§ Support Services Personnel Policy – The Board discussed this policy with the focus on possibly decoupling the Para-professional Support Staff pay grid from the teacher’s base salary. They also were concerned about the language that puts a 12% cap on Support Staff health benefit payments. Without a change to the policy, these two areas cannot be considered when looking at budget reductions. The Board decided to put the Support Services Personnel Policy on the next meeting’s agenda for a first reading in order to have enough time to make necessary changes to the policy, if desired, before the final budget is brought forth.
§ Other –Chris Sumner gave an update on the changes that were made from the last budget session. The Board discussed the various areas that would be cut if it was agreed that further reductions needed to be made. Further work on the budget will take place at the January meeting.
7. Policies
a. D1. Personnel Recruitment, Selection, & Appointment – 1st Reading (Update)
b. D15. Criminal Record Checks – 1st Reading (Revoke - included in D1)
c. D2. Professional Development – 1st Reading (Update)
These policies were reviewed and will be brought back for final approval.
8. Executive Session (Title 1 §313 (1) & (2)) – The Board entered Executive Session at 8:45PM. The Board exited at 9:45PM and took the following actions:
1. Barbara Murphy made the motion, seconded by Elaine Carpenter to "Grant the request of Ashley Klein consistent with the Master Agreement." Motion passed unanimously.
2. Barbara Murphy made the motion, seconded by Kim Lesny-Johnson, to "Accept the resignation of Deborah Walford, effective June 30, 2010." Motion passes unanimously.
9. Adjourn – The Board adjourned at 10:00PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Filiberti
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