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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL SC Minutes 1.14.14.pdf FINAL Approved 2 11 14 OPEN SESSION MINUTES MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING JANUARY 14,2014 6 30 PM PAUL REVERE ROOM,MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL Present: Alice DeLuca,Chair(Stow) Kemon Taschioglou(Lincoln) Jeff Stulin,Vice-Chair(Needham) Laura Morrissette(Arlington) Came Flood, Secretary(Concord) Jack Weis(Belmont) Ford Spalding(Dover) Mary Ellen Castagno(Wayland) Cheryl Mahoney(Boxborough) Dave Horton(Lexington) Judy Taylor(Carlisle) Dan Mazzola(arrived 7 15 PM) David Manjarrez(Sudbury) Nancy Banks(Acton) Absent. David O'Connor(Bolton),Doug Gillespie(Weston) Others Present: Ed Bouquillon,Elizabeth Rozan,Ernie Houle,Kevin Mahoney, Steve Hemman, Nancy Pierce (Carlisle Mosquito),Mark Filippino(Lexington Minuteman), DeAnne Dupont,Don Lowe,Bob McLaughlin, Brendan Dutch,Ed DeLuca 1 CALL TO ORDER. OPEN SESSION The Chair called the meeting to order at 6 30 PM 2. SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT,Ford Spalding The Chair of the School Building Committee gave a brief report,noting that on December 20,2013,the MSBA responded to the Preliminary Design Program submission He explained that a meeting has been set up to meet with MSBA to discuss this letter on January 28,and after that meeting,a response will be drafted for consideration 3. REGIONAL AGREEMENT AMENDMENT DISCUSSION,Ed Bouquillon, Carrie Flood, Steve Hemman a. Report on 1.6.14 RAAS Meeting The Chair of the Regional Agreement Amendment Subcommittee(RAAS)reported that the RAAS met on 1 6 14 and reviewed the 12 13 13 draft in light of DESE's recommendations The materials summarizing these recommendations and the recommendations that came out of the RAAS meeting,as well as the rationale for the changes made to the earlier draft, had been distributed in advance of the meeting(Attachment A) It was noted that there was a corrected example of the recommended Capital Assessment Model at the table(Attachment B)that includes only high school student enrollment,as the one distributed previously had inadvertently included post graduate students in the 4-year rolling average b. Discussion of Recommended Amendments to v. 12.13.13 Draft Regional Agreement The Chair of the RAAS reported that she had compiled a summary of suggested revisions she received,explained its format,then distributed it(Attachment C) The Superintendent added that meetings related to amending the Regional Agreement have been important discussions,and hopes that they will prove helpful in making the District more sustainable going forward Consultant Steve Hemman emphasized that the Regional Agreement can't be amended without the approval of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education(DESE) He then led the discussion,reviewing the 12 13 13 document section by section and considering the suggested revisions Key issues discussed included the impact of unanimous voting vs a 2/3 or 3/4 standard for approving the budget, incurring debt, withdrawing/making amendments,and allocating capital costs,the way these thresholds would impact a town's willingness to approve an amended Regional Agreement, the voice of communities with smaller enrollments,the need for balance and flexibility,the impact of a rogue member town on decision-making, the statute limitations,the logic behind some of the suggested amendments,changes that DESE might make in their practice,and the combined effort formula Special Education costs,operating costs,the process for using MGL Chapter 71 sections 16(d)and(n)relative to debt and withdrawal, and the need to take risks and accept that compromise and trade-offs are necessary were also discussed It was emphasized that Minuteman has been advised by key legislators that the Minuteman Region needs to step up and take responsibility for solving some of its own problems,and that the proposed amendments move in that direction Right sizing the school,providing education for students,joining collaboratives,and the policy authority conferred upon DESE in state law were also mentioned Summary comments were offered that included the commendation of how far Minuteman has come through the work of the Regional Agreement Amendment Subcommittee(RAAS),the need to lead,and the need to consider if not this amended Agreement,then what, the reality that no one is totally happy with the Agreement,but it represents a necessary compromise, and in voting,one must consider whether this is a better Agreement than the current one, that the draft Agreement takes a broad view and what is important to the towns was considered, that regardless of an individual's own vote,there must be support for it if it passes,that through this Agreement,many impossible things have been accomplished,that a regional district represents an imperfect science,with some towns supporting others,and mcurnng more costs at one time than at other times,and that the goal is to educate the students,and towns must support this goal,considering what is best for the District Ways in which the amended agreement could be presented and explained to each town and the need to discuss the Intergovernmental Agreement draft were also noted Sequential amendments and votes related to the discussion are shown below AMENDMENTS AND VOTES RELATED TO DRAFT AMENDED REGIONAL AGREEMENT v 12 13 13 INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH Amended. Typo correction SECTION I The Regional School District A Composition B Staggering of Terms C Appointing Authority D Subsequent Terms of Office E Vacancies F Organization G Powers and Duties H Weighted Voting Amendment held until end of discussion on other sections (See* at end of this list of amendments) I Quorum SECTION II Type of Regional School District SECTION III Location of the Regional District School SECTION IV Apportionment and Payment of Costs A Classification of Costs B Capital Costs Amended. Line 7 borrow,or which may be categorized as capital expense,in conformance with applicable law and regulation,including C Operating Costs D Apportionment of Capital Costs 1 Amended: Correct year 2 Amended. Insert at beginning. After first deducting any other sources of revenue that are appropriately applied against capital costs,capital costs which are incurred 2 c Amended. Replace 1st sentence with one sentence only Vote taken- Action 2014#1 Moved(Stuhn)and seconded(Spalding) To amend Section IV D,2c.,replacing the first sentence to read as follows: The balance of these costs will be apportioned by applying the combined effort yield as calculated by DESE,which uses property values and household incomes,as well as enrollment. The specific calculation is as follows: Vote: Unanimous E Apportionment of Operating Costs Amended: Add to beginning: The District will utilize the statutory method in the apportionment of operating costs. Pursuant to this method,the District will deduct from the total any revenue from Ch.70 state aid,Ch.71 Regional Transportation reimbursement,and any other revenue,as determined by the Regional School Committee. F Special Operating Costs Amended. Line 2. ...to persons other than secondary students attending the regular day regional vocational school. G Times of Payment of Apportioned Costs H Apportionment of Costs to New Members I Incurring of Debt Amended. Change language as follows. If such a margin exists,the Committee must seek authorization for incurring debt by following the approach set out in MGL Ch.71 S. 16,subsection(d). If one or more member communities vote disapproval of the debt,the Committee,by a majority of the weighted vote,may then seek authorization for the debt via Chapter 71 S.16,subsection(n). If and when subsection(n)is utilized,and if the incurring of debt is approved via subsection(n),the following option will be open to a member community if a majority of the resident voters from the community voted to disapprove the incurring of debt in the subsection(n)election If and when Amended Next to last sentence the District is not approved by a majority of the member communities as required by Section IX SECTION V Budget A Tentative Operating and Maintenance Budget B Final Operating and Maintenance Budget Amended.Add sentence to end The annual Regional School District budget shall require the approval of local appropriating authorities of at least 2/3 of the member communities, consistent with MGL Ch 71 S 16B SECTION VI Transportation SECTION VII Amendments A Limitation B Procedure Amended. Vote taken. Action 2014#2 Moved(Stuhn)and seconded(Spalding) To change the language of the proposed Regional Agreement such that an amendment to the Regional Agreement requires a vote of 75% of the full membership of the School Committee and approval of 75%of the member communities The exceptions are that changes to the procedure of a community to withdraw,changes to the procedure on issuing debt,and changes to the procedure of capital allocation,and this paragraph,shall require a vote of 75%of the total members of the school Committee,and 100%of the member communities. Vote: 11 in favor,2 opposed, 1 abstention Amended: For consistency with vote taken regarding Section I(H),third line should change to%. C Approval by Commissioner SECTION VIII Admission of New Communities Amended: Change second sentence to read: ...acceptance by at least 3/4 of member communities A process vote was taken to continue past 10.00 PM. Action 2014 #3 Moved(Stuhn)and seconded(Taschioglou) To continue the meeting past 10.00 PM Vote. Unanimous SECTION IX Withdrawal A Procedure Amended. Vote taken Action 2014#4 Moved(Stulin)and seconded(Flood) To amend Section IX(A)notice of desire to withdraw from 5 years to 3 years Vote. 11 in favor, 2 opposed,1 out of the room Amended Delete sentence 3 and renumber B Continuing Obligations After Withdrawal C Commissioner's Approval D Amendment to Agreement SECTION X Tuition Students SECTION XI Fiscal Year SECTION XII Submission for Approval *Reconsideration SECTION I The Regional Distnct School Committee H Weighted Vote After discussion on the merits of 2/3 or 3/4 vote requirements,the following votes were taken. Action 2014#5 Moved(Stuhn)and seconded(Mahoney) To move the question and end debate Vote. 13 in favor, 1 opposed Amended: Vote taken related to debt,amending the last sentence of Section I(H) Action 2014#6 Moved(Weis)and seconded(Stulm) In order to incur debt,a 3/4 vote of the members of the full Regional School Committee will be required, unless such procedure is against State law. Vote 1 in favor,13 opposed [Did not pass.] Amend: To revise and/or split last sentence to require 3/4 vote for amendments,and incurring debt remains at 2/3. c. Vote on Amended Regional Agreement It was agreed to take the final vote by roll call At 10 34 PM,the following vote was taken ACTION 2014 #7 To approve the revised Draft Regional Agreement as presented and modified with amendments as discussed,and to submit it for consideration at all member Spring,2014 Town Meetings Mazzola yes Stulin yes Horton yes DeLuca yes Castagno no Spalding yes Weis yes Mahoney no Morrissette yes Taylor yes Taschioglou yes Manjarrez no Flood yes Banks yes Vote. 11 in favor, 3 opposed 4. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10 35 PM Respectfully submitted, Elizabeth Rozan Carrie Flood District School Committee Assistant Secretary ATTACHMENTS TO THE MINUTES OF 1.14.14 A ELenox's materials summarizing DESE recommendations,RAAS meeting recommendations,and the rationale for the changes B KMahoney's corrected Capital Assessment Model 1 14 14 C CFlood's combined suggested revisions,dated 1 14 14