Moretown Elementary School Board Meeting

Present: Board members Amy Bolger, Deb Hunter, Jay Pilliod, Lisa Ransom and John Schmeltzer

Principal Roberta Barone

Superintendent Bob McNamara

Business Manager John Pike

Title I/Special Educator/ Washington West Education Association

Representative Jeff Isham

The meeting was called to order at MES at 6:08 p.m. by Deb Hunter.

The board discussed a family residency issue concerning a sixth grade student. The

student and his family recently had to move to Waterbury. His mother wrote to

request that he finish out the school year at MES. On a motion by Amy, seconded by

Lisa, the board voted to waive tuition for this student, which will facilitate his attending

through the end of school year ’06 – ’07.

Roberta asked the board to consider amending the contract of a one-on-one paraeducator

to increase the hours for a child who needs more support. On a motion by Deb,

seconded by Amy, the board voted to amend the contract as requested.

Roberta noted that the assembly to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday on

1/15/07 had been cancelled due to the snow day; it has been rescheduled to 12:30 on

Friday, 1/19/07. Roberta stated that this Thursday HUHS students will be coming to

read to MES students about MLK Jr.

Bob reported that the Washington West Executive Committee will meet with the

Administrative Council, with the goal of helping the Executive Committee better

understand what is going on across schools.

Bob noted that the second contract negotiation meeting with teachers in attendance will

take place tomorrow, 1/17/07.

Bob stated that at the WW Board meeting, interest was expressed in focusing some time

on mission and vision at the March reorganization meeting.

.Budget preparations:

The Board discussed the costs associated with our pressing need for replacement

flooring; topsoil on the school’s septic mound (we need a minimum of 6" and it currently

needs to be replenished); and the school’s unit ventilators, which are in need of repair

(the ventilators are mandatory.) On a motion by Deb, seconded by Jay, the board voted

unanimously to ask the voters of the Moretown School district to authorize the

establishment of a capital improvement and facilities maintenance reserve fund, and to

appropriate the sum of $55,000 to said fund. This fund would be for the purposes of

capital improvement and facilities projects including, but not limited to, the

aforementioned projects.

The Board reviewed the most recent draft of the MES FY 2008 budget with the inclusion

of the proposed improvement and maintenance reserve fund. John Pike pointed out a few

changes from the previous draft of the budget and other items of interest: the Base

Education Spending per Pupil, currently at $7,736.00, but which John noted is

subject to legislative review; the Estimated Homestead Property Tax Rate, with a 1.5 cent

reduction proposed for 2008; the Estimated Homestead Income rate, at 2.8%; and the

Estimated Non-Residential Tax Rate, which is 0.9% higher than last year.

The Harwood Union Assessment is now at 3.3%, which results in a proposed 5.5%

increase over last year’s HUH budget; thus the combined Moretown/Harwood assessment

for FY 2008 will increase by 5.6%. The net result of these changes are that the FY 2008

MES budget will rise by 4.2% above the FY 2007 budget. This proposed budget reflects

a level funded tax rate when compared with last year.

Deb moved that the budget of $2,087,475.00 be put to Moretown voters; Lisa seconded.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the budget as described and place it before the

voters in March.

John Pike left the meeting at approximately 6:40.

John Schmeltzer noted that the meeting to approve the HUHS budget will take place on

the 9^th at 7 p.m. Three MES board members need to vote; over the next couple of days,

board members agreed to check personal schedules and confer via e-mail to ascertain

who would vote.

At 6:45 the board went into executive session to review a personnel matter. Jeff Isham

participated in his role as Washington West Education Association Representative. At

7:04 the board came out of executive session. On the recommendation of Bob

McNamara, Deb moved, and John seconded, to terminate the employment of Jeffrey

Gonyan, the MES custodian (termination effective immediately.) The board voted

unanimously to accept the motion.

Deb reported that attorney Ron Shems is working on proposed contract language which

he hopes to share with us soon.

On a motion by Jay, seconded by Amy, the board approved the following board orders:

# 67 for $31,788.40.; #68 for $12,767.78; and #69 for $4,935.16, all dated 1/16/07.

The minutes of the two meetings this month will hopefully be approved at the February

13 meeting. They are under construction (clerk Amy Bolger was unable to complete them

in time for this meeting.)

It was noted that there will be a March board meeting 3/5/07, at 5:30 p.m. prior to Pre-

town Meeting.

On a motion by John, seconded by Lisa, the meeting adjourned at 7:17.

Clerk Amy Bolger