Regular Board Meeting Minutes/March 4, 2010
R.S.U. #11
REGULAR MEETING
Merle E. Peacock, Jr. Board Room
Thursday, March 4, 2010
7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mr. Hunnewell, Chair, Mrs. Fles, Vice-Chair, Ms. Avery, Mr. Brown, Mr. Cone, Mrs. Couture, Mr. Farkas, Mr. Heath, Mrs. Potter, Mrs. Ricker, Mr. Trott, Dr. Knowles, Ms. Disch
ABSENT: Mr. Jermyn
Tyler Trott, newly re-elected member from the Town of Randolph, was sworn in prior to the meeting by Paul D. Knowles, Notary Public.
Mr. Hunnewell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and declared a quorum present.
VOTED: 11-0 Motion by Mr. Hunnewell, seconded by Ms. Avery, to approve the agenda as amended.
VOTED: 11-0 Motion by Mr. Hunnewell, seconded by Mr. Farkas, to approve the minutes of the February 4, 2010, Board Meeting, and February 11, 2010, Bi-Monthly and Special Board Meeting.
Recognition and Celebrations
The Board recognized Allison Casey, Juliana Gallop and Chris White, Youth of the Year from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner. Juliana will be representing the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner in the Boys & Girls Club statewide competition to be held on May 8th in Augusta. Juliana read her competing essay for the Board.
Correspondence
? Letter of retirement from Jean Powers, Guidance Director /GAHS
? Letter of resignation from Melinda Guise, Special Ed., Ed. Tech I /Pittston
? Letter from West Gardiner Selectmen
Mert Hickey and Greg Couture, Town of West Gardiner Selectmen, discussed the letter sent to the RSU #11 Board of Directors regarding the new well at Helen Thompson School. After much discussion, the RSU #11 Board agreed to present the option for purchasing the land where the well is to the voters in May/June.
VOTED: 9-2 Motion by Mr. Hunnewell, seconded by Mrs. Couture, that if the Town of West Gardiner is agreeable to a purchase price of $ 16,500 for the property in West Gardiner, to put the question of purchasing the property to the voters.
Committee Reports
A. Policy Committee – No Meeting.
B. Finance Committee – Dr. Knowles stated the Finance Committee discussed discontinuing
the practice of lease/purchasing technology equipment for the smaller technology purchases.
C. Negotiation Committee – No Meeting
D. Long Range Educational Planning Committee – Mrs. Ricker stated Mr. Tuttle reviewed the
process and objectives of the Maine Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Review.
The Committee brainstormed ideas to further engage individuals, businesses and institutions
seeking educational opportunities for students.
Consensus of the Board is to pursue the idea of organizing a meeting in the fall where local business owners and other stakeholders of RSU 11 would be invited to share educational opportunities that could be offered to PreK-12 students with the Board and administrators.
E. Relations by Objective Committee – No Meeting
F. 6 – 12 Academic Audit Sub Committee – No Meeting
G. 6 – 12 Athletic Audit – No Meeting
H. Curriculum Update – Mr. Tuttle provided the Board with the Fall 2009 NECAP (New England
Common Assessment Program) Results. Mr. Tuttle reminded the Board the NECAP replaces the previously administered MEA Assessments. Mr. Tuttle reviewed and discussed the Fall 2009 results with the Board.
Mr. Tuttle provided an overview of the District’s summer school program. As a result of a reduction to federal grants, the District is no longer able to fully fund the summer school program through grants. Mr. Tuttle requested the Board’s approval to use a portion of Academic Tutorial monies along with grant monies to adequately fund the summer school program.
It was agreed the Board would delay their decision regarding summer school until March 18th , when the FY 2011 Budget would be tendered to the Board.
General Information
The following was approved by the Superintendent and provided to the Board as General Information:
? The Superintendent hired Nicole Sergent, Long Term Sub /School Health Coordinator
? The Superintendent hired Ginger Shaw, Accounts Payable Sub /Superintendent’s Office
? Award of the FY 2011 Fuel Bid to Dennis K. Burke, Inc.
Dr. Knowles provided the Board a spreadsheet from the Maine Department of Education detailing Governor Baldacci’s most recent proposed changes to education funding. He stated according to the most recent spreadsheet, the District will be receiving $314,160.68 less in funding from the State of Maine as opposed to the $454,168.90 as previously predicted.
Dr. Knowles informed the Board the MEA Benefits Trust and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced a 2% rate increase effective for the FY 2011 budget.
The Superintendent provided the Board with Policy EBCE School Closings and Cancellations. The Superintendent provided an overview of the steps taken in his decision to close or delay the start of school. The Board agreed Policy EBCE would stand as written.
Dr. Knowles stated it is the recommendation of counsel to use the RFQ process should the District decide to solicit quotes for a comprehensive energy audit (performance based contracting). The Board discussed the merits of conducting a comprehensive energy audit versus the merits of working with Efficiency Maine. The Board agreed it would review the cost of the Efficiency Maine recommendations before deciding whether to proceed with the comprehensive energy audit.
The Meeting adjourned at 8:46 p.m.
Attest a true record,
Dr. Paul D. Knowles, Secretary