LITCHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATIONREGULAR MEETING JUNE 22, 2004 |
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A regular meeting of the Litchfield Board of Education was held on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Center School Library.
Present were: Mrs. Knox, Chairperson; Mrs. Reardon; Messrs. Costa, Doyle, Fairchild, Falcetti, Shuhi and Simone. Mr. Noone arrived at 7:30 p.m. Also present, Dr. Tindall-Gibson; Mrs. Perusse; Dr. Stuhlman; Mr. Zaremski; the public and the press.
MOTION made by Mr. Simone and seconded by Mr. Fairchild: to approve the minutes of the June 8, 2004 meeting as submitted.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Communications
The Board received the following:
Building Committee Update and Discussion
Mr. Waugh distributed copies of the June 17, 2004 minutes and concept maps of the high school and the Intermediate School. Mr. Waugh reported on the following: firming up the final concepts; appreciation of attendance and input; concept C-5M is the final high school design approved by the committee; configuration has been kept; gym support rooms; bathroom availability; second lobby available; weight room and aerobics room available; lockers and offices behind gym; 7th and 8th grade science rooms; light in courtyard used in corridor; storage areas; major change in front of building; front doors; connection for the cafeteria; office, nurse, gym separate from rest of building; technology wing; expansion possibilities; double drop off area; existing circle retained; less site work needed; plan continues to drop slightly in cost; within budget; and access from front doors to the Y area.
Mr. Noone arrived at 7:20 p.m.
Board members discussed the following: by moving weight room the café becomes larger; concerned with buses and cars merging; have traffic study done; need for theater consultant/cost $62,000 not budgeted; need for input from staff on auditorium use; initial study cost $4,000; architect needs information to get best use of space; gym possibilities; reason for 4 separate locker rooms; visiting team locker room; small locker room for coaches; money for
theater consultant could be used to buy theater items; need for functional space; traffic problems; future auditorium site away from music area; new construction looks to be small spaces; effects on reimbursement rate; and minimal change from approved plan.
Mr. Waugh reported on the Intermediate School concept plan including the following: where to locate entrance to school; limited budget; location of offices; limited site work money; keep existing parking lot and repave and reline; reception area; work space; monitoring students who enter the school; direct accessibility to staff; location of guidance and nurse’s office; core of building in rear; allowance of shutting off front entrance of building; create tighter security; location of library media services and art classroom; front used for storage; challenge of bus circle; fit with Plumb Hill Playing Fields; and traffic merges in one area.
Board members discussed the following: room for parent volunteers; café drawn in below the existing gym; significant glass in cafeteria; bright, clean and very functional space; kitchen further away from light; need for gates or fire doors; need to listen and make adjustments; public bathrooms for night activities; bathroom area in gym; bathrooms remain in same area for auditorium events; no change in lobby; in event, will have access to building; is accessibility to bathrooms from outside; size and use of stage addition; not finalized yet; reason for consultant; possible orchestra pit; moisture tests done; need to solve moisture and air quality before improvements made; courtyard issues; need to evacuate water with proper drainage; architects are aware of issue; building will function educationally; some escalation in construction costs; and may have to compromise in finishes in order to achieve goals.
2004-05 Budget Update
The budget referendum will be held tomorrow so get out and vote.
Policy Committee
Mr. Fairchild reported that the first reading revisions to three current policies will be held later in the agenda.
Curriculum Committee
Mr. Costa reported that the goals are set for next year.
Facilities Committee
Mr. Noone requested input from the June 9th meeting with the Board of Selectmen regarding the bus lot relocation.
Board members discussed the following: still looking; use of Intermediate School for the summer; Mrs. Perusse investigating; Litchfield firemen said no to their parking lot due to parking for events and activities; Board’s responsibility to find bus lot; possible use of Russell
St. area; need to have buses in town and available; use of area across from the Intermediate School is preferred; First Selectman brought up Russell St.; great for safety and fueling.
MOTION made by Mr. Costa and seconded by Mr. Shuhi: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to endorse moving the bus lot to Russell St. and to formally ask the Board of Selectmen to help us initiate this before school starts.
Board members discussed the use of the land across the street from the Intermediate School.
MOTION withdrawn, second withdrawn.
MOTION made by Mr. Simone and seconded by Mr. Doyle: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to ask the town to temporarily place the bus lot on Russell St. while we look at fixing it across the street from the Intermediate School.
Board members discussed the following: need for temporary space on Russell St.; need for space while building the athletic fields; and use of Intermediate School parking lot for the summer.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Old Business
Board members requested an update on the maintenance agreement meeting that was already held. This will be put on the next agenda.
New Business
a. Thank you to Mrs. Kearns for a gift donation of a Dell Computer, Monitor, and Scanner. b. First reading of revisions to policies #1110.1, #1120, and #9325. Board members discussed the following: educational concerns; challenged materials, and adding, “Eventual placement on the agenda is the sole discretion of the Board Chairperson,” at the end of the Educational Concerns in policy #1110.1. c. Dr. Tindall-Gibson announced that the Intermediate School roof project has been completed.
MOTION made by Mrs. Reardon and seconded by Mr. Simone: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to accept the LIS Roof Project as complete.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
d. Mrs. Perusse reviewed the great resource of purchasing electricity through a broker. It is a complex process and there seems to be no negatives to the process.
MOTION made by Mr. Costa and seconded by Mr. Noone: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to authorize the Superintendent of Schools, or his designee, to enter into a contractual agreement with Strategic Energy Limited, for the purpose of consortium purchasing of electricity.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
e. Dr. Tindall-Gibson noted that this is a customary process since there is six weeks in between Board meeting.
MOTION made by Mr. Fairchild and seconded by Mr. Reardon: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to authorize the Superintendent to hire personnel, accept resignations and award contracts for the period following July 13th board meeting until the August 24th meeting.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Payment of Bills
MOTION made by Mr. Simone and seconded by Mr. Fairchild: to pay the bills in the amount of $173,867.27.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Resignations
MOTION made by Mrs. Reardon and seconded by Mr. Simone: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to accept with regret the resignations of Suzanne Olsen, Andi Marie Cantele, and Maire Greene as presented.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Request for Leave
Board members discussed the request for maternity leave and extended leave from Karen P. Brady including: supported by Mrs. Longobucco; concerns about starting the year and leaving soon after; confusion of students; replacement issues; need for attendance to qualify for maternity leave; transition can be good for students with cooperation and adjustment; and different decisions have to be made if baby arrives early.
MOTION made by Mr. Shuhi and seconded by Mr. Costa: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to approve the request for extended leave for child rearing purposes to Karen P. Brady during the 2004-05 school year. (Mrs. Brady will be required to return to her position for the 2005-06 school year.)
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Board members discussed the request for additional leave from Jill Sage including: schedule from last year; doesn’t fall under extended child rearing leave; falls under additional leave; does set a policy precedent; disruption to buildings; policies from other schools; do have year replacement; was part time now it’s full time; Mrs. Benedict did receive additional leave last year; was under old contract; contract has been changed since then; opening a can of worms; issue of bumping teachers; all leaves returning have been difficult; student issues; staff development time put into new staff; tenure; Mr. DeGraw an example of being bumped; additional leave refers to emergency or extraordinary issues; and child rearing qualifies for extension but not additional.
MOTION made by Mr. Falcetti and seconded by Mr. Fairchild: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to deny the request for additional leave for Jill Sage as submitted.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. Mr. Shuhi abstained.
Business Managers Contract
Dr. Tindall-Gibson distributed the Business Managers Salary Proposal for 2004-05 with recommended compensation and changes made as requested.
MOTION made by Mr. Falcetti and seconded by Mrs. Reardon: to support the Superintendent’s recommendation to approve the business manager’s contract proposal as outlined under the A band as presented. (2.5% salary increase, 1% increase in longevity, 5% premium cost share for medical)
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Superintendent’s Evaluation
MOTION made by Mr. Shuhi and seconded by Mrs. Reardon: to move to Executive Session at 9:15 p.m. to discuss personnel.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Executive Session
Present were all the above Board members and Dr. Tindall-Gibson.
Open Session resumed at 10:20 p.m.
MOTION made by J. Costa and seconded by J. Noone: to approve salary increase according to “B” band. (salary increase of 1%; 5% premium share for medical benefits and increase to annuity)
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
MOTION made by R. Doyle and seconded by J. Noone: to extend the Superintendent’s contract by one year.
Voting on motion: D. Knox, J. Costa, W. Shuhi, H. Fairchild and D. Falcetti, nay; T. Reardon, J. Noone, F. Simone and R. Doyle, aye. MOTION failed.
MOTION made by F. Simone and seconded by W. Shuhi: to adjourn the meeting at 10:25 p.m.
MOTION carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Respectfully submitted. Donald Falcetti, Secretary Joanne Bertrand, Recording Secretary
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