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MINUTES OF THE MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL DISTRICT SCHOOL COMMITTEE
March 18, 1976, at the Minuteman School
PRESENT Bilodeau, Cron, Hall , Heinrich, Kelsey, Merluzzo, Wales , Zeoli
Lombardo
ABSENT Cormier, Courtright, Shimkus, Smith if
STAFF Fitzgerald, Whitney, Hayward, DellaPenna, Lydiard
VISITORS Mr White of the Lexington Finance Committee, Mr O'Neill of
the Regional Finance Committee, one representative of the press,
parents , and others
The meeting was called to order at 7 50 p.m. r ` {
.eat
APPLICATIONS Applications in hand would bring the total enrp lment for all 2:44: 1 z
AND grades for 1976-77 to 1137 There was a discussion of various
BUDGET alternative courses that could be followed at this point These ,>i ,,, y
REDUCTION ranged from reducingthe budget by $106 722 (63 x $1 ,694) in "'?''
g 'g
accordance with the agreement with the Regional Finance Committee, "B
and not accepting any more applications , to deferring the final _
budget decision until next September *"
Comments included 1) more applications are expected, especialty tisk
at the 10th and 11th grade levels; 2) in the past the total. ; i` '4
number of applicants has always been highest in March; 3) Minute..- ;:
fan is a public school and cannot close its doors to appl'icantsz, x:, .¢,
11) program and staffing are not linear, nor is there a onet.t'ortSe.. F' `
correlation between dollars and education; 5) the operat:y i'g ":;
budget has to be set as soon as possible in order to make plans
for program and staffing -- these decisions cannot wait until
September; 6) the financial picture is further clouded by the
recent announcement that state reimbursement for educati;oo
will be cut from 85% to 65t of entitlement
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A motion MOVED by Mr Merluzzo and SECONDED by Mr Cron ; to a3 '
reduce the budget as agreed with the Regional Finance Committee Via°`
(by 63 x $1 ,694 = $106,722) was later WITHDRAWN Mr O'Neill , 1:=4
speaking for the Regional Finance Committee, said there was no =
reason to not hold the matter in abeyance, and review the
question later when more figures are available (such as the amount
of state aid) Mr White of Lexington supported Dr Fitzgerald's
position that a decision should be made at this time rather than
waiting until September Both made it clear that the Regional
Finance Committee would accept a compromise pr a delay
The compromise was suggested that a total enrollment be assumed
halfway between the present 1137 and the budgeted 1200 It was
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(137)
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1
then MOVED by Mr Merluzzo, SECONDED by Mr Cron,
that the previously approved budget figure of $3,181 ,356
be reduced by $53,514 to the net sum of $3,127,842, for
operating costs on the basis of 1169 students
VOTED UNANIMOUSLY
e
There followed some discussion as to what figure should be used
as the basis for assessing member towns; it has been assumed
that $200,000 in surplus and $600,000 in state reimbursement
would be available to apply against the operating costs it was
MOVED by Mr Merluzzo, SECONDED by Mrs Wales ,
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that the assessment to the member towns be reduced by
$53,514, and the Treasurer be directed to adjust the -:.;i1.;„:44,
assessments and notify the member towns accordingly nvA
VOTED UNANIMOUSLY
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TUITION Dr Fitzgerald recommended and it was .AGREED by consensus, that 44,;"x:
STUDENTS tuition students could be accepted without the necessity of / '''
obtaining school committee approval for each case, as long as
the procedures used are the same for all 4 "ie
5 k i
MBO it was AGREED by consensus to TABLE thr review of the Super- & .,
intendent-Director's MBO until the next meeting '
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SCHOOL Recommendations of the Policy Sub-Committee were presented let' r' '- A.
POLICIES writing, reviewed by Mr Kelsey, and discussed It was Oder- &p. ?k
stood that specific policy changes would be voted on at. the
first meeting in April , and Mr Kelsey urged that at`.rmetober.`s a,,x*;
study the recommendations thoroughly in the meantime ,;tom, ,
,141
Points brought out in the discussion included the fol.lew(mg ,_Aat
.
1 The question of responsibility for costs for special Ar
education students would be reviewed March 25 at a 12-
town superintendents' meeting (There is state-wide activity Pr
in response to court rulings on this issue ""
2 An Organization Chart prepared by the Superintendent-
Director differs from pervious charts in certain respects,
and furthermore it is suggested by Dr Fitzgerald that tha 13e
considered very flexible and subject to change Inclusi,o "bfr
the chart as a voted policy was questioned Some commi' :C'ee _,
members consider the chart an important part of the POT r";?3
Manual and do not want it omitted 41E
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(138)
3 Regarding vacations, it should be made clear that 20 days
of vacation are earned during a full year of work, and
would be pro-rated for persons who terminate early
4 On the subject of religious leave, it was concluded that
Alternative 2 of the three presented in the written committee
report be submitted for a vote up to three days (per year) of
religious leave could be granted, with advance approval , and
the employee could charge these to either sick leave or personal
leave
5 The proposed change regarding evaluation (Section 3 3 1 8)
would permit more flexibility, instead of binding the
school to specific times and procedures
anj 44
6 The proposal for modifying qualifications for a Senior
Teacher to include service as a "Master Teacher" raised'
several questions and some disagreement as to the precise deft ?,4445;r:54;
nition of this latter position
7 There was agreement to change "Supervisory Personnel"
(Section 3 4 1 3) to "Management Personnel , and to sub-
stitute Management wherever Supervisory was used, to conform to ,,,fir
contract terminology
S
8 Under Section 3 4 1 4, it was agreed that any parts of the 0,r4.,
Policy Manual that are covered by the4new contract can be
deleted Vis' ,,
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9 Dr Fitzgerald noted that the Smoking Outdoors Only rule ,,
Z has resulted in a lot of clean-up work, and that a spegif,,�isri . `y
infoor smoking place would perhaps alleviate this problem. 'Per-
mission would have to be obtained by petition to the Lexington tr.;.,:
Fire Chief
1
10 Dr Fitzgerald noted that interaction among members' Ke
full committee meeting is far more valuable than .th,'2'`'
apparent efficiency of sub-committee or individual act'i.oni,
especially since there are different viewpoints , interpretations, $rrl'
and philosophies among the members He strongly urged that the r,
committee as a whole should be involved with the budget prepara-
tion, that each member should be sufficiently informed talie
able to explain and defend the budget line by line (It Was
also promised by various individuals that the budget planning
process can begin earlier, and with more complete information,
next year)
vu
HEALTH In answer to an inquiry whether the school could get 16Wpr rates
INSURANCE for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Dr Fitzgerald replied that4 e.
contract calls for Master Medical , that this insurance- �i!t. ''f, -,` `'.
being put out for bid, and that rates are going up all ill
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(139)
MEAL At the recommendation of the Superintendent-Director, it was
CARDS MOVED by Mr Hall , SECONDED by Mr Kelsey,
That the committee approve a procedure by which a
meal card can be bought by teachers and by students
for a week's worth of meals at a discount The cards
for free , reduced, and discount meals would all be the
same except for the last digit in the individual serial
number
VOTED UNANIMOUSLY
MINUTES It was MOVED by Mrs Wales , SECONDED by Mr Hall , and VOTED + " L
UNANIMOUSLY x'
to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of March 'l 4,y
2nd, 1976, as submitted
+Y W 5. 'n ti.
TREASURER'S The Treasurer reported a balance In the Operating and Payroll
REPORT Account of $29 ,648 46, and in the Site and Construction Account'
of $8,018 13 ti
FISCAL Dr Fitzgerald announced that the fiscal consultants, Peat, i;'
REPORTS Marwick and Mitchell , would be submitting final reports in
April or May A report of Expenditure Balances from July l,,• " E' a
1975 to March 15 , 1976 , was presented .n$ •j,,:�,
'4: .:ft r�{lvyy
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INTERVIEWS Candidates for the positions of Dean of Students and Asisfa'n'.t
for Planning and Evaluation would be interviewed heat week,'
and Dr Fitzgerald suggested that the School Committee ;$nerrfb'ars
who could might participate *
CONTRACTOR Mr Cron reported on the current situation with the. bui1di:n '.,
contractor, and the loose ends such as unfinished paying,; a, _
hut.
$12,000 roofing bond, an oil burner, two claims still out:.
standing, etc The contractor had requested in a letter dated
March 1 that he be allowed to pass on incremental costs 1:4 a'r
reaffirmation of the committee's original policy, it was MOVED''
by Mr Hall , SECONDED by Mr Heinrich , and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY,
to turn down the request made in White's March 1 letter
Regarding another similar request, it was MOVED by Mr Kelsey,
SECONDED by Mr Hall , and VOTED UNANIMOUSLY, to reject tkge>
request dated March 5 from New England School Supplies rri
'•
tor
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(140) „"o
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OTHER SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUSINESS 4t,
Gen Zeoli reported that Mr O'Connell had resigned the position
of Lexington 's Town Manager, and he wished to pay tribute to
the objectivity, fairness, and dedication that Mr O'Connell
had shown through his many years as an outstanding public
servant
Gen Zeoli also expressed great satisfaction with progress at
Minuteman in recent months, and asked how the committee could
most help the new Superintendent Director
Mr Merluzzo noted that Lincoln Lab is surplusing two computers, 4fr
it was agreed that this opportunity would be investigated
Mrs Wales urged that the committee give careful consideration
to memoes given them by the Superintendent-Director in con$unc- 4 .,4s^'. ,4t
tion with his Management Focusing Form Dr Fitzgerald '"'
commented that he considered this MBO to be a very important
document that should be taken as seriously by the committee '
members as it was by himself t„r
sit
It was MOVED by Mrs Wales , SECONDED by Mr Hall , '
to approve and make public the Minutes of the Executive
Session of March 2, as submitted
VOTED UNANIMOUSLY 3r et
pLV'�( ... n h r.
%Mt4 .Pl,�coy
The meeting was adjourned at 11 20, with no Executive Se 'S�:iofr '•'i'" " :r
4
Respectfully submtttel` is
) , C-v Ory
Recording Secretary
ti.
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Approved 5 Mardi 176
(E'53cbt Leca4)
Ruth W Wales, Secreta" y
"ilt 1:47
3'f�jrar 17"
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