HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-04-24-SC-min
LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, April 24, 2006
Cary Hall, Estabrook Hall
1605 Massachusetts Avenue
Present: Superintendent Paul Ash, School Committee Chair Helen Cohen, Tom Diaz, Tom
Griffiths, Olga Guttag, Ravi Sakhuja and student representative Toni Maeck.
Minutes taken by Leora Tec
The meeting was convened at 6:36 p.m.
I. Call to Order and Welcome (Helen Cohen)
II. Superintendent’s Report:
A. Paul Ash received a fax from the engineer regarding the three roofing projects; they
are predicted to be $129K higher than the Articles before Town Meeting, maybe
when we have bids they will come down 10-20%.
B. The reading of the book “King and King” in the classroom. Helen Cohen will read a
joint School Committee statement regarding this on Wednesday.
III. Action Items:
A. Article 33 – To request Town Meeting vote indefinite postponement on the White
House building.
Motion to indefinitely postpone Article 33 (Griffiths, Guttag). The motion passed
5-0.
The discussion included the motion PBC made at their meeting supporting the project
but expressing concern over cost. The estimated cost for the White House project has
increased from 3.5 million dollars to 4.9 million dollars. This increase included
escalation cost for construction next spring.
B. Elementary school facilities study and master plan
Motion to request town meeting transfer $60,000 allocated for extraordinary
White House repairs to hire an architect to study the facility needs at the
elementary level and the central administration (Diaz, Griffiths). The motion
passed 5-0.
C. FY 07 budget
a. Additional Fees: Superintendent Paul Ash suggests approving the following
additional fees if so-called Question 1 fails, totaling $177,000: the K-12 lunch fee
from $2.75 to $3.00 (raises $80,000); the high school parking lot fee for
Lexington High School students from $30 per year to $215 per year (raises
$12,000, not including 15 spaces for Minuteman students); athletic fees as
follows: MS Varsity from $90 to $100, HS Varsity and JV from $270 to $300 the
family maximum from $540 to $600 per year (raises $85,000). Olga Guttag asked
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to have this vote taken in the context of the discussion on the proposed
amendment to the budget, but majority felt that following the agenda was more
efficient.
Motion to accept fee increases proposed by Dr. Ash contingent on the failure
of Question 1 (Diaz, Griffiths). The motion passed 3-2 (Guttag, Sakhuja
opposed).
b. Motion to reduce the override Question 1 from $2,631,709 to $2,614,509 (2.0
unallocated K-5 positions are not new positions and no new benefits are
required) (Griffiths, Diaz). The motion passed 5-0.
D. Dawn McKenna presented a motion, part A of which is to make the cuts that the
Committee had just voted but not make them contingent on the passage of the
override. Part B is a recommendation to the School Committee to prioritize after
school activities rather than in-school programs for cutting. She asks if Town Meeting
passed this would the SC follow the Town Meeting’s recommendation since the SC
has autonomy over its budget?
In response to a question from the Superintendent, Ms. McKenna indicated that her
motion differs from that of Fred Rosenberg in that she is not requesting cuts but
rather swaps.
The Superintendent indicated that his recommendation is to oppose this. It is a
th
proposal with many complex implications that is being proposed at the 11 hour with
no public process. We don’t know the impact on families. We would have no
infrastructure for implementing an extensive scholarship program.
Motion to support part B of the amendment as presented (Guttag, Sakhuja)
The motion was defeated 3-2 (Guttag, Sakhuja in favor).
Motion to advance $65,430,478 to Town Meeting as the School Committee
budget (Guttag & seconded). The motion passed 5-0.
Motion to suspend the meeting, to adjourn at the chair's discretion (made &
seconded). The motion passed 5-0.
The next meeting of the School Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, 2006, at 6:30
p.m. at the School Administration Building Conference Room, 1557 Massachusetts Avenue.
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