Thursday, February 9, 2006 – 6:00 PM
Exeter High School – Room 116
PRESENT: Patty Lovejoy, Robin Scott, Lucy Cushman, Greg Kann, Roy Morrisette, Kim Casey, Ray Trueman, Sally Oxnard and Kris Magnusson
ABSENT: All present
ADMINISTRATION: Arthur Hanson, Walter Pierce and Nathan Lunney
1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair Lovejoy opened the meeting at 6:01 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. ANNOUNCEMENTS/PUBLIC INPUT: None.
3. REVIEW OF WARRANT ARTICLES: Patty explained that the Finance Committee had met at 5:30 PM this evening and the following actions came out of that meeting.
Motion by Roy Morrisette, seconded by Robin Scott and unanimously board voted with no further discussion for Nathan Lunney to approach the Trustees of the Trust Accounts to recommend that they invest a portion of the trust funds for a twelve month (12) period.
On a motion by Kim Casey, seconded by Greg Kann and unanimously board voted with no further discussion to allow Nathan Lunney/Walter Pierce to enter into contracts for competitive bidding for utilities for a twelve (12) month period.
Patty noted that prior to the discussion on the warrant articles at tonight’s Deliberative Session, the superintendent will speak to the charter schools per RSA and Walter will give an update on the new high school.
Warrant Article #1: The board agreed that Nathan Lunney will speak to Warrant Article #1: Shall the District raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant, or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $43,565,480? Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $43,248,367, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the District or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. (The School Board recommends $43,565,480 as set forth on said budget.)
Warrant Article #2: The board agreed that Roy Morrisette will speak to Warrant Article #2: Shall the District approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Exeter Region Cooperative School Board and the Exeter Education Association covering the four year period from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2010 which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits totaling:
Year Estimated Increase
2006-07 $ 995,183
2007-08 $1,017,791
2008-09 $1,079,961
2009-10 $1,092,049
and further raise and appropriate the sum of $995,183 for the 2006-07 school year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriation at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year? (The School Board recommends this appropriation).
Warrant Article #3: The board agreed that Patty Lovejoy will speak to Warrant Article #3: Shall the District approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Exeter Region Cooperative School Board and the Exeter Cooperative Paraprofessional Association covering the three year period from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2009 which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits totaling:
Year Estimated Increase
2006-07 $ 159,277
2007-08 $ 70,183
2008-09 $ 71,058
and further raise and appropriate the sum of $159,277 for the 2006-07 school year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriation at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year? (The School Board recommends this appropriation.)
Warrant Article #4: The board agreed that Ray Trueman will speak to Warrant Article #4: Shall the District raise and appropriate the sum of the amount of the June 30, 2006 undesignated fund balance (surplus) up to $675,000 for costs associated with the completion of the New Exeter High School? (This amount is interest earned on bond proceeds.) (The School Board recommends this appropriation.)
Warrant Article #5: Discussion ensued regarding amending the dollar amount in this warrant article from $675,000 to $475,000. On a motion by Lucy Cushman, seconded by Kim Casey and unanimously board voted with no further discussion to amend Warrant Article #5 to reflect the following language and to reduce the dollar amount to $475,000: Shall the District raise and appropriate the sum of the amount of the June 30, 2006 undesignated fund balance (surplus) up to $475,000 for improvements to the Stadium at the New Exeter High School? (This amount is interest earned on bond proceeds.)
Warrant Article #6: The board agreed that Kim Casey will speak to Warrant Article #6: Shall the District authorize the School Board to convey the real estate located on 56 Linden Street (Tax Map 82, Lot 13) currently known as the High School Annex, formerly know as the Exeter Area Junior High School, land and buildings, on such terms (including sales price) as the School Board shall determine are in the best interest of the District? (This authorization is in addition to Article 7 and would authorize the School Board to convey this real estate whether or not Article 7 is adopted.) (The School Board recommends adoption of this article.)
Warrant Article #7: The board agreed that first Linda Henderson, Chair of the Linden Street Re-Use Committee will speak to the article and then Sally Oxnard will speak to Warrant Article #7: On petition of Maureen Barrows and others: Shall the District authorize the School Board to convey the real estate situated at 56 Linden Street, Exeter, NH (old Exeter AREA Junior High Land/Building Tax Map 82, Lot 13) to Squamscott Community Commons for use as a community center for Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) and on such terms and conditions as the School Board may determine? (The School Board recommends adoption of this article.)
Warrant Article #8: It was agreed that the board would not speak to Citizens Petition Warrant Article #8: On petition of Elizabeth Stevens and others: To see whether the Exeter Region Cooperative School District will vote to direct the Cooperative School Board to transfer ownership of a certain 26.36 acre parcel of land that is part of the Exeter River Watershed (Exeter Tax Map 111, Lot 3, Kensington Tax Map 17, Lots 19 and 31) to the Town of Kensington at no cost to the Town, to be managed by the Kensington Conservation Commission for conservation and protected from development with a conservation easement held by a qualified Land Trust. (The School Board does not recommend adoption of this article.)
Kris Magnusson wanted a recent email that had five board members copied to be entered into the minutes because she felt that it constituted a meeting. It was explained that any email that just shares information without any back and forth communication does not constitute a meeting.
4. NON-PUBLIC SESSION: None at this time.
5. RECONVENE AFTER COOPERATIVE DELIBERATE SESSION (Talbot Gym): The Chair called a recess of the board meeting at 6:30 PM to attend the ERCSD Deliberative Session.
The board reconvened after the Deliberative Session at 12:20 AM. Absent board members were Robin Scott and Kim Casey. Administration present was Arthur Hanson, Nathan Lunney and Walter Pierce.
6. APPROVAL OF WARRANT ARTICLES
Warrant Article #1: Shall the District raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant, or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $43,565,480? Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $43,248,367, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the District or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. (The School Board recommends $43,565,480 as set forth on said budget.) The board noted no changes to this article.
Warrant Article #2: Shall the District approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Exeter Region Cooperative School Board and the Exeter Education Association covering the four year period from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2010 which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits totaling:
Year Estimated Increase
2006-08 $ 995,183
2007-09 $1,017,791
2008-10 $1,079,961
2009-11 $1,092,049
and further raise and appropriate the sum of $995,183 for the 2006-07 school year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriation at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year? (The School Board recommends this appropriation).The board noted no changes to this article.
Warrant Article #3: Shall the District approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Exeter Region Cooperative School Board and the Exeter Cooperative Paraprofessional Association covering the three year period from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2009 which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits totaling:
Year Estimated Increase
2006-08 $ 159,277
2007-09 $ 70,183
2008-10 $ 71,058
and further raise and appropriate the sum of $159,277 for the 2006-07 school year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriation at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year? (The School Board recommends this appropriation.) The board noted no changes to this article.
Warrant Article #4: Shall the District, if Article 2 and/or 3 are defeated, authorize the School Board to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 2 and/or 3 cost items only? (The School Board recommends adoption of this article.) The board noted no changes to this article.
Warrant Article #5: On a motion by Greg Kann, seconded by Roy Morrisette and voted 6-1 (Magnusson) to accept the following warrant article language: Shall the District raise and appropriate the sum of the amount of the June 30, 2006 undesignated fund balance (surplus) up to $475,000 for improvements to the stadium, athletic fields, and other ancillary facilities at the New Exeter High School? (This amount is interest earned on bond proceeds.) (The School Board recommends this appropriation.)
Warrant Article #6: Shall the District authorize the School Board to convey the real estate located on 56 Linden Street (Tax Map 82, Lot 13) currently known as the High School Annex, formerly know as the Exeter Area Junior High School, land and buildings, on such terms (including sales price) as the School Board shall determine are in the best interest of the District? (This authorization is in addition to Article 7 and would authorize the School Board to convey this real estate whether or not Article 7 is adopted.) (The School Board recommends adoption of this article.) The board noted no changes to this article.
Kim Casey entered the meeting.
Warrant Article #7: On a motion by Sally Oxnard, seconded by Kim Casey and board voted 6-2 (Trueman, Magnusson) to recommend the adoption of Warrant Article #7 as amended: On petition of Maureen Barrows and others: Shall the District authorize the School Board to convey the real estate situated at 56 Linden Street, Exeter, NH (old Exeter AREA Junior High Land/Building Tax Map 82, Lot 13) to Squamscott Community Commons for use as a community center at a sum to be determined by the School Board upon receipt of a new appraisal of the land and buildings including demolition costs to be conveyed by an appraiser chosen by the School Board and on such terms and conditions as the School Board may determine? (The School Board recommends adoption of this article.)
Warrant Article #8: Kris Magnusson made the motion that the board support the amended Warrant Article #8: On petition of Elizabeth Stevens and others: To see whether the Exeter Region Cooperative School District will vote to direct the Cooperative School Board to transfer ownership of a certain 26.36 acre parcel of land that is part of the Exeter River Watershed (Exeter Tax Map 111, Lot 3, Kensington Tax Map 17, Lots 19 and 31) to the Town of Kensington, to be managed by the Kensington Conservation Commission for conservation and protected from development with a conservation easement held by a qualified Land Trust. The Kensington Conservation Commission agrees to pay $25,000 for the timber rights, plus the transaction costs. (The School Board does not recommend adoption of this article.) There was no second to this motion. Motion failed.
On a motion by Lucy Cushman, seconded by Greg Kann and board voted 5-2 (Casey, Magnusson) -1 (Oxnard abstained) to leave the original board recommendation of “the school board does not recommend adoption of this article”. The motion passed.
7. NON-PUBLIC SESSION: None at this time.
8. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion by Greg Kann, seconded by Sally Oxnard and unanimously board voted to adjourn at 12:35 AM.
Minutes taken by,
Arthur L. Hanson
Superintendent of Schools