Massachusetts Association of
Regional Schools
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MARS Board Meeting MinutesMinutes of MARS meeting, October 30, 2007 Present: Executive Board: Michael Fitzpatrick; Stephen Hemmen; David Papagni; Michael Zapantis; Ken Rocke; Gene Carlo; Mindy Kempner; Cliff Fountain; Donna Harlan; Maureen Marshall; Lynn Ryan; Visitors: Marguerite Willis; Michael Wood; Cheryl Duval; Paul Gagliarducci; Peter Dewar; Barbara Ripa; staff: Dee Dee Niswonger Dee Dee thanked the Board for their generosity in granting the leave that allowed trips to Barcelona, to England, and to Kansas. By unanimous vote Michael Zapantis, Superintendent at Ashburnham/Westminster, and Mindy Kempner, school committee member from Southeastern Voc., were elected to fill the two vacant seats on the Executive Board. Welcome! MARS now has a full board and looks forward to working together across this year. A discussion of E & D ensued. While it is clear from past practice that E & D is to be accessed through school committee votes on superintendent’s recommendations, there has been some disagreement on this point from the DoR. The DoR seems to think that every use of E & D must be preceded by town meeting votes, regardless of the sum to be expended, $10,000 or $200,000. Neither the MMA nor most towns seem to want to be in such an expensive position; for them the E & D accounts of their regional schools can be seen as an insurance account protecting the towns from unexpected costs at the regional. The regulations provide that a town has 45 days to act to call a town meeting and if they don’t do it, and most don’t, the towns are indicating that use of E&D is up to the elected school committees. The DoE seems to support school committee oversight of E & D and the DoR questions use without town meeting specific approval. However, the DoR has no authority to punish school districts for using their E & D accounts by the school committee vote process. The regulations last year were supposed to make this clear but there is still disagreement between DoR and the regions. DoR could take this issue to court, but it seems unlikely that they will as they seem to be easing off on their concerns over the access to E & D. Districts can protect themselves by following the proscribed procedures. Certify E & D account; expend only after a school committee vote on a specific amount and use (or uses) recommended by the superintendent is recorded in the school committee minutes; move the E & D funds into the general fund for auditing purposes to make a clear trail; expend only for the purposes and in the amounts voted upon; never give the administration a “blank check” through such an action as allowing the administration to use up to some amount as needed. Some legislation has diminished some of the rights of regions but never has use of E & D through school committee authority been diminished. The region is responsible for itself. For 5% or less of each year’s budget the district is responsible for itself. Through the E & D account the towns, which are notified each year of the amount held in the region’s E & D account, can expect the district to respond to it’s unanticipated expenses, instead of the towns having to do so. We strongly stress that E & D accounts are good fiscal management, providing some cushioning of assessment blips, and real insurance against a need to return to the towns (nearly impossible in regions anyway) for unexpected costs. Some districts regularly use E & D monies to reduce assessments. This builds in a structural deficit over time. Some have used projected amounts and the projections have been wrong. Auditors have told districts not to use projected amounts and overall, it is wiser to not use, annually, E & D to reduce assessments. E & D can be seen as interest earned for the benefit of all and the school committee needs to recognize their role in its use. Furthermore, the district need not be vulnerable to the DoR because if the E & D amount is on the budget the towns have voted for it. Different ways of doing assessments seems to be settled. If a district uses the Chapter 70 method, there is no action required of the school committee or the towns, but if the district wishes to use the regional agreement method every year there must be an unanimous vote from the member towns to go that way. If that vote is not taken then the chapter 70 method is the default position. Many districts are using the regional agreement without taking the annual vote. Without the annual vote the budget is invalid. Overrides, Select Boards and Warrant articlesThe Board of Selectman determines what goes on the warrant for Town Meeting. However, by law, they must use the numbers sent to them from the regional district. They can determine that some part of that will go onto an override but they must show, on the warrant the full assessment amount requested by the regional committee. MSBAMSBA is using one system consistently to determine a 10 year demographic prediction. MARS has set up a sub-committee to work with them, consisting of Maureen Marshall, North Middlesex; Michael Wood, Nashoba; Stephen Hemmen, Narragansett; Barbara Ripa, Hampshire; Paul Gagliarducci, Hampden/Wilbraham. Director Katherine Craven was praised highly for her work with the Authority. In spite of that some question whether the authority understands regional school politics or fiscal requirements. The push for consolidation is out of step with the realities of regions. MSBA may be looking at a 5 year 2.5 billion budget. This amount tallies with the half billion annual budget they started with, but it is not known if the 5 year sum is a lump sum or simply a way of looking at the 5 year period. Concern was expressed that some sort of 2.5 billion deal had been made and that MSBA would mortgage themselves into financial trouble as has happened in the past. Good information on this point will be sought out. However, MSBA is now talking to all districts interested in building or renovating and seems to be developing a 5 year list. MSBA may award positive decisions spotted across the state for political reasons. School building awards for new buildings may conflict with buildings recently built and not yet fully paid for (from funding under SBA before development of MSBA). Discussion followed on need for a state oversight committee. One used to exist. The state auditor’s office would have current information on that. The conflict in messages between consolidation and not being allowed to close schools is very difficult for towns. It isn’t that schools can’t be closed, but a town or district currently remains responsible for the building costs of the school until the cost is completely paid and this eliminates any long term benefit for the town or district in closing a building and thus can prevent closing as a fiscal response to declining budgets. MASSCOREMassCore has been a MAVA issue. DoE will put a stop watch on time a kid is in his seat for the common core subjects. But higher ed people have shaped this and they don’t think high schools have done a good enough job. Because kids now all have numbers, individuals can be watched and some schools have so bad a drop out rate that now the hours a student must be in his seat for common core count of 990 for high school and 900 for elementary schools can only be tallied for core subjects, not the arts. The DoE may have retreated some on this and the B of Ed has been flooded by e-mails and this issue seems to have been placed aside. Other issuesMARS agenda will have items each month for sub-committee reports and will deal with regional specific issues first and topics of general concern second, with the intent that information on a broader range of topics will be available to our members meeting by meeting. The next meeting, on Dec 11 at 10 am, at Assabet will include a presentation on GIC by Ken Rocke, currently interim super at Gill Montague, as well as the first sub-committee report on MSBA and Gene Carlo’s information on where the legislature seems to be going with the 09 state budget. To more fully inform MASS of regional concerns members are urged to direct regional issues of concern to members to Paul Gagliarducci, active MARS member and a member of the MASS Executive Board. Respectfully written and submitted by Dee Dee Niswonger Executive Director, MARS For More Information Contact: |
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