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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-20-SC-minLEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, March 20, 2023 Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: 5:02 PM SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Sara Cuthbertson, Chairperson Deepika Sawhney, Vice -chair Kathleen Lenihan, Clerk Eileen Jay Mr. Freeman was unable to attend. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT David Coelho, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Dr. Hackett is unable to attend. The School Committee convened remotely. Members of the public can view the meeting webinar from their computer or tablet by clicking on the link provided with the meeting agenda. Please note that this meeting is being recorded and that attendees are participating by video conference. This evening's meeting is being taped by LexMedia for future on -demand viewing. All supporting materials that have been provided to members of this body are available on the Town's website unless otherwise noted. The minutes were taken by Julie Kaye, School Committee Meeting Recording Secretary. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Aoorove the Revised Suoerintendent's Budeet based on the March 2023 Ur)dated Ru Mr. Coelho explained that because we had an influx of money we now have some new totals. The new recommended budget for the School Department is a total of $134,942,117.00. This is a $6,687,670.00 or 5.21% increase from FY23. Mr. Coelho stated that $211,873 will be transferred to municipal accounts for corresponding benefit costs associated with the addition of 12 FTE positions. This gives us a total School Department recommended budget of $134,730,244.00, a little over a 5% increase. School Committee Questions/Comments: Ms. Sawhney asked if we just attach this to the budget book, Mr. Coelho replied that the six-page addendum would have gone out. This modifies all of those charts in the opening of the recommended budget. Ms. Sawhney asked if this will go to all of the Town Meeting members, JK 03/14/23 - DRAFT and Mr. Coelho replied yes. Ms. Jay addressed the January 6th letter Dr. Hackett attached to the second page called Budget Overview. The letter is dated prior to the change, but in the second section, the up-to-date numbers were inserted. She thinks that either the date on the letter needs to be changed, or add a sentence saying it has been revised and why. Ms. Jay asked Mr. Coelho if he could relay this message to Dr. Hackett, and he agreed. He will print out another addendum and have it available for Monday, March 27, 2023, and will pass it out to people at Cary Hall. Ms. Jay asked if the addendum could be posted on the Town website for Town Meeting. Mr. Coelho assured Ms. Jay that we can make sure that happens. Ms. Jay also asked about line 19 on the Salaries & Wages table, she would like to know more about the $850,000 Salary Differential. Mr. Coelho explained that Salary Differential is a number that we use to modify what our base salary budget would be from one year to the next due to turnover savings (people who retire or move to other districts), so it's the number that those people would have cost us. Ms. Jay moved that the School Committee approve the addendum to the FY2024 Superintendent and School Committee recommended Budget, Ms. Sawhney seconded. Ms. Cuthbertson took a roll call vote, passed 4-0. NEW BUSINESS A. Town Meetin2or Articles Discussion The School Committee discussed the articles at last night's meeting, so no further discussion was needed. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Sawhney made a motion to adjourn at 5:13 PM, Ms. Jay seconded. Ms. Cuthbertson took a roll call vote, passed 4-0. JK 03/14/23 - DRAFT