Christian deMarcken, Paxton Finance Committee

Chairman John Rokicki called the meeting to order at 7:13 PM.

1. Financial Statements

Financial Statements were provided in the previous Superintendent’s Report. Chairman Rokicki reported that any questions for the Treasurer or the Comptroller should be referred to the Superintendent.

 

 

2. Public Hearing

1. Inequities Committee Report

Motion: To accept the vote of the ad-hoc committee and allow them to continue to refine the plan heretofore called "per capita lite", including bridging agreements to be brought before town meetings in the five Wachusett towns in September, 2001 (attachment 4)

The Assessment Task Force recommends to the WRSDC that it support the adoption of a plan of district per capita assessment based on the proposed "Per Capita Lite" plan as submitted to the subcommittee:

• Including a 2-4 year bridging plan implementation
• Subsequent phase-in of an adjustment and/or reduction to the current 5 year rolling average of the population as it relates to assessment.

The Task Force will reconvene, subject to approval of this proposal by the WRSDC, to consider and recommend the details of a method to gather supplemental funds and support from our identified partners – the State, the Wachusett Regional School District and the five communities.

(K. Singh)

(C. Esperti)

Remo Rossi, Sterling Selectboard, explained "per capita lite".

Brian Bullock, Holden Town Manager, clarified the definition of "per capita lite" and the Ad-hoc Subcommittee is seeking support to pursue this proposal and will return with definite funding numbers. The Subcommittee is looking at a "Bridging Agreement" and wants commitment to bring this to town meetings in September. The Committee is looking for input from the School Committee.

Stanley Moss, Princeton Advisory Committee, indicated that the ad-hoc subcommittee was looking for support tonight for "per capita" or "per capita lite".

The Superintendent advised the Committee that the Committee was making a decision with no information with respect to the impact on the District.

Motion to Amend: To strike the words "accept the vote of the ad-hoc committee" and add the words, after the word "lite" "and the District tax as another option to be considered"

(J. Gibbs)

(J. Nunnari)

Roll call vote:

In favor:

Jeffrey Gibbs

John Nunnari

Opposed:

John Rokicki

Sherry Horeanopoulos

Mary Copeland

Carol Esperti

Sarah Jordan

Duncan Leith

David Lowenthal

Peter MacDonald

Julie Scott

Kathleen Singh

Rosemary Warren

(Motion to amend failed 2-11)

Member Mary Copeland left the meeting at 8:34 PM.

Roll call vote on main motion:

In favor:

Sherry Horeanopoulos

Carol Esperti

Jeffrey Gibbs

Sarah Jordan

Duncan Leith

David Lowenthal

Peter MacDonald

Julie Scott

Kathleen Singh

Opposed:

John Rokicki

John Nunnari

Rosemary Warren

(Motion passed 9-3)

Chairman Rokicki took the following item out of order in order to accommodate Municipal Representative James Scola.

 

VII. Recommendations and Reports of the Superintendent

C. Motion: To enter executive session for the purpose of discussing collective bargaining strategies, to return to public session.

(S. Horeanopoulos)

(P. MacDonald)

Roll call vote:

In favor:

John Rokicki

Sherry Horeanopoulos

Carol Esperti

Jeffrey Gibbs

Sarah Jordan

Duncan Leith

David Lowenthal

Peter MacDonald

John Nunnari

Julie Scott

Kathleen Singh

Rosemary Warren

Opposed:

None

(Motion passed unanimously)

The Committee left public session at 8:44 PM.

The Committee returned to public session at 9:00 PM.

1. Communications

The Superintendent distributed an attachment to a letter included in the Superintendent’s report from the Town of Sterling, which was inadvertently omitted from the report (attachment 5).

Chairman Rokicki reported that he had received correspondence from Ruth Briggs, resigning from her position on the School Committee.

Member Kathleen Singh reported that the four Sterling representatives met with the Sterling Selectboard and parents attended and were concerned about the interim solutions for the high school.

Member Rosemary Warren left the meeting at 9:07 PM.

Member David Lowenthal reported that he had received correspondence from a constituent asking why modular classrooms are needed, since the high school population had not grown.

Member Jeffrey Gibbs reported that Kenneth Fensin reported that Sam’s Club had donated $200. He was referred to the Superintendent.

2. Committee Reports
1. Student Advisory Committee (L. McNally, T. Creedon, N. Leger)

No report.

2. Management Subcommittee

1. School Committee Self-Improvement Questionnaire

School Committee Members Duncan Leith, Carol Esperti, Sherry Horeanopoulos, Julie Scott, Rosemary Warren, and Kathleen Singh provided copies of comments for the Self-Improvement Questionnaire (attachments 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11). School Committee Members Elizabeth Pape, Kelly Maxwell, Duncan Leith, and Sarah Jordan had provided comments, which were included in the Superintendent’s Report. All items with comments will be compiled by District staff for the next Superintendent’s Report.

3. Education Subcommittee

No report.

4. Finance/Business Subcommittee

No report.

 

5. Ad Hoc Subcommittee to Review the Regional Agreement

No report.

6. Ad-Hoc Subcommittee to Review the School Committee By-Laws

1. Recommendation to Amend School Committee By-Laws

Suggested changes to the By-Law Amendments were made and will be included for action at the next meeting.

7. School Building Committees
1. Holden – (K. Maxwell)

The Superintendent reported that there is still concern regarding the intake of snow at Mountview; the water in the elevator shaft and oil tank area at Mayo; the acceptance of the millwork at Davis Hill; the odor at Dawson.

2. Paxton – (C. Ely)

No report.

3. Rutland – (J. Rokicki)

No report.

1. Sterling – (S. Jordan)

No report.

2. High School Building Committee

No report.

1. School Council Representatives: Central Tree Middle School Chocksett; Davis Hill; Dawson; Houghton; Mayo; Mountview; Naquag; Paxton; Thomas Prince; Wachusett Regional High School

No report.

Chairman Rokicki distributed his list of appointments (attachment 12). The Chairman indicated that there are still openings on two of the Building Committees and School Councils. Member Julie Scott volunteered to serve on the Holden WRSD Building Committee.

1. Recommendations and Reports of the Superintendent

A. Motion: Pursuant to provisions of Section 6.3 of the School Lease Agreement between the Wachusett Regional School District and the Town of Holden for the Jefferson School Building which requires a vote of the School Committee that "the usage by such entity is related to and supports the educational purposes of the Lessee", to authorize the Wachusett Regional School District to enter into an agreement with Child Works to provide a day care program for three and four year olds to bring the District into compliance with state regulations for inclusion of early childhood students and that any revenues received will be used to cover any extraordinary costs related to the agreement.

(C. Esperti)

(J. Nunnari)

Vote:

In favor:

John Rokicki

Sherry Horeanopoulos

Carol Esperti

Jeffrey Gibbs

Sarah Jordan

Duncan Leith

David Lowenthal

Peter MacDonald

John Nunnari

Julie Scott

Kathleen Singh

Opposed:

None

(Motion passed unanimously)

B. Motion: To approve the sale of a $7,000,000 3.25% Revenue Anticipation Note of the District dated July 13, 2001 and payable June 28, 2002, to Mellon Financial Markets, Inc. at par and accrued interest plus a premium of $17,920.

(J. Nunnari)

(D. Leith)

Roll call vote:

In favor:

John Rokicki

Sherry Horeanopoulos

Carol Esperti

Jeffrey Gibbs

Sarah Jordan

Duncan Leith

David Lowenthal

Peter MacDonald

John Nunnari

Julie Scott

Kathleen Singh

Opposed:

None

(Motion passed unanimously)

Members requested the Superintendent provide a report of the Large City Superintendents Conference, recently attended by the Superintendent. The Superintendent agreed to provide a summary report.

2. Unfinished Business
3. Public Hearing

Debbie Croucher, Sterling, commented on the joint meeting of the Sterling Selectboard and Sterling School Committee representatives. Parents had requested the joint meeting and are concerned about the interim solutions at the high school. Safety issues at the high school revolve around fire protection, sprinklers, etc. She commented that the modular approach should be supported by the Sterling Selectboard, as that was an option that had been mentioned prior to the most recent vote. She asked for more meetings like that.

4. New Business

Member Sherry Horeanopoulos asked to have a School Committee sunshine fund be mentioned in the next Superintendent’s report and that she would collect the funds.

Member Carol Esperti David Lowenthal distributed copies of The Task Force to Study the Educational Implications of Breaking up the District (attachment 13).

Chairman Rokicki left the meeting at 10:07 PM and turned the meeting over to Vice-Chair Sherry Horeanopoulos

Member John Nunnari left the meeting at 10:15 PM

XI. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM due to the lack of a quorum.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Alfred D. Tutela, Superintendent of Schools

ADT:ss/School Committee/Minutes