Special Meeting
May 12, 2008
7:30 P.M.
Board Members Present: Paula Belekewicz, Carol Coley-Vice
Chairperson, Lisa Jurovaty, William Mulcahy, Michael Neckermann, Nelson
Petrone-Chairman
Board Members Absent: Linda Green
Administration Present: Richard
Saddlemire, Jean Trask
Staff Present: Jane Wall-Fiscal Manager, Marian Lowry, Tammy
Ekstrom, Mike Sylvester
Citizens Present: Connie Medeiros, Kerry Hoffman. Karin
Coughlin
I.
Call to Order
Chairman
Nelson Petrone called the May 12, 2008 special meeting to order at 7:04
p.m.
II. Comments from the Audience (Bylaws of
the Board #9300)
Time allotted for public participation–30 minutes, time allotted for an
individual speaker–3 minutes
Connie Medeiros asked the Board to work together and questioned the Board’s plan for
making the budget cuts. Kerry Hoffman would like the budget to correlate
with district goals and reflect all students at Porter.
III. Correspondence/Communications/Information
A. Budget Proposal Cut by
$775,000 – 5/4/08
B.
C. The Town Budget Makes Reasonable School Cuts
– 5/7/08 Chronicle Commentary
D.
E. 2008/2009
Board of Education Budget Progression
IV. Facility Discussion – Mr. Mike Sylvester,
Facilities Manager
A. Summer Facility
Maintenance
Mr. Sylvester reviewed the facility work
to be completed this summer:
·
Painting
of classrooms, hallways, lavatories, cafeteria
·
Cleaning
of exterior facility brick
·
Replacement
of ceiling tiles
·
Door
lock hardware replacement
·
Replacement
of gym lights
·
Installation
of motion detectors in all hallways
·
Service
all water fountains
·
Repair
middle school lockers and lavatory partitions
·
Possible
security grant work
B. Stage Refinishing - the stage floor will be cleaned,
screened and refinished.
C. EASTCONN Camp - EASTCONN will use the
full T of the middle school for two camps they are offering this summer. In turn, $6,000 may be used
for credits toward EASTCONN memberships, tuitions, or program fees.
D. Water Testing – Mr. Sylvester reviewed
the drinking water and ground water reports that are within normal limits.
V.
Consideration of Budget Cuts
A. Superintendent Report – Dr. Saddlemire reviewed the
2008/09 budget shortfalls of line items
substitute teachers, software, heating oil, diesel fuel, health
benefits, and technical services.
Proposals to meet the FIPAC
budget cuts were presented.
B. Discussion and Decision on
Budget Cuts
Board members considered and
reviewed:
·
Class
sizes/enrollment numbers
·
School
security
·
Possible
health care and special education savings
B. Discussion and Decision on
Budget Cuts - continued
·
Identifying
true costs
·
Teachers
who will be retiring at the end of this school year
·
Shortfall
costs for fuel
·
Contracted
services
·
District
commitment to 3DM
·
A
variety of possible staff cuts
·
Part-time
administrative and specialist positions
·
Porter
is 2 schools; elementary and middle school
·
Co-curricular
and extra curricular student activity costs, possible cuts and pay to play
·
Reorganizing
grades 5 and 6
·
Foreign
language program reduction
·
Support
staff positions and reductions
·
The
balance of school improvement with budget cuts
VI. Action Items/Discussion
A. Budget Cuts
Approval
W. Mulcahy MOVED and L. Jurovaty SECONDED
to keep the full day kindergarten program for the 2008/2009 school year.
MOTION CARRIES: 6-0
P. Belekewicz MOVED and L. Jurovaty SECONDED
to re-organize grades 5 and 6 to 3 sections each therefore reducing each grade
level by one teaching position.
MOTION CARRIES: 5-1-0
P. Belekewicz, C. Coley, L. Jurovaty, W. Mulcahy, M.
Neckermann VOTED FOR THE MOTION
Nelson Petrone VOTED AGAINST THE MOTION
W. Mulcahy MOVED and M. Neckermann SECONDED
to cut one foreign language position.
MOTION CARRIES: 4-2-0
L. Jurovaty, W. Mulcahy, M. Neckermann, Nelson Petrone
VOTED FOR THE MOTION
P. Belekewicz, C. Coley VOTED AGAINST THE MOTION
W. Mulcahy MOVED and C. Coley SECONDED
to recommend that the town vote down the budget and support the Board of
Education with an additional $200,000 for funding.
MOTION CARRIES: 6-0
VII. Executive Session for the Purpose of
Personnel Discussion
Executive session was not needed.
VIII. Adjournment
P. Belekewicz MOVED and C. Coley SECONDED to
adjourn the meeting at 10:05 p.m.
MOTION CARRIES: 6-0
Respectfully submitted,
Carol S. Coley, Vice Chairperson