School Committee Minutes of February 27, 2009

BELMONT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION CONFERENCE ROOM
FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Present:      Mr. John Bowe, Chair
            Ms. Ann Rittenburg, Secretary
Ms. Elizabeth Gibson
            Ms. Leslie Walker
            Ms. Laurie Graham
Ms. Becky Vose
            Dr. Patricia Aubin, Superintendent of Schools
            Mr. Denis Fitzpatrick, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
            Dr. Gerald Missal, Director of Finance and Administration
            Ms. Julie Silverman, Human Resources Manager

Also in attendance were Bill Lynch and Pat Brusch, members of the Education Subcommittee of the Warrant Committee.

2.      OPENING BUSINESS

      2.1      Call to Order           

      At 8:09 a.m., Mr. John Bowe called the meeting to order in the Conference Room at the School Administration Building
     
2.2      Superintendent's Report 

None

2.3      Chairman’s Report

      None

2.4      Citizens’ Concerns

None.

3.      UNFINISHED BUSINESS

      No unfinished business was discussed.

4.        MAJOR BUSINESS

      Discussions continued on the FY10 budget.

      Mr. Bowe stated that the Board of Selectmen and Warrant Committee have indicated that the FY10 School Department budget would need to be reduced an additional $600,000.  Dr. Aubin suggested that additional staffing cuts would need to be taken to cover this cut.

      Dr. Aubin asked the members of the School Committee to examine the reduction list from the FY10 Superintendent’s Budget and to consider scenarios under which some items might be returned should additional dollars become available.

      School Committee members discussed the need for a policy for accepting non-tax dollars to pay for athletics and student activities.  Committee members also discussed the possible realignment of student assignments to the Burbank and Wellington Schools.

      Pat Brusch indicated that the Board of Selectmen anticipates non-override budgets from both the town and the school department by April 22.

1.       EXECUTIVE SESSION

      At 10:00 a.m., on a motion offered by Ms. Vose and seconded by Ms. Graham, it was

      VOTED:  unanimously on a roll call vote (6-0) to enter executive session, withno intention of returning to Open Session, for the purpose of discussing strategy related to collective bargaining with union personnel and contract negotiations with non-union personnel.
      

ADJOURNMENT

      At 10:30 a.m., on a motion offered by Ms. Graham and seconded by Ms. Vose, it was

      VOTED:  unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                        Respectfully submitted by _____________________________________
                                    Ann Rittenburg