Exeter Region Cooperative School Board Public Hearing on the Proposed FY 2009 Budget

January 10, 2008 – 7:00 PM

Roy Morrisette Alumni Room – Exeter High School

Exeter Region Cooperative School Board Meeting - to immediately follow the Public Hearing

 

Present:           Sally Oxnard, Ray Trueman, Lucy Cushman, Kim Casey, Barbara RigordaEva,
                        Kris Magnusson

 

Administration: Arthur Hanson, Victor Sokul, Richard Wendell, Nathan Lunney, Walter Pierce,
    Tony Baldasaro, Bill Perkins and Margaret Callahan

 

Budget Advisory Committee:  Bobby Aldridge, Chair;

 

1.   CALL TO ORDER/ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair Oxnard called the Public Hearing to order at 7:05 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

2.       PRESENTATION OF FY 2009 PROPOSED BUDGET: Superintendent turned meeting over to CFO Nathan Lunney and Bobby Aldridge, Chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.  Mr. Lunney walked through his Power Point presentation on the budget (Attachment #1) along with his handouts on the Default and Proposed Budget (Attachment #2A) and the Proposed Budget for Programs (Attachment #2B).  He explained how the elements of a default budget are built, as well as the elements that comprise the proposed budget.

 

3.   PRESENTATION OF FY 2009 DRAFT WARRANT(S):  Mr. Lunney read Warrant Article #1.  Explained that the total FY 2008-09 default budget is $47,817,297 with a default increase from 07-08 of $1,381,457 or 2.97%.  He shared that the total FY 2008-09 Proposed Operating Budget is $48,150,360 with a proposed increase of $1,714,520 or 3.69%.  Kris Magnusson arrived.  No questions on WA #1.  Read Warrant Article #2 on the expendable trust fund known as the Maintenance Trust Fund and this article is to move the $40,000 from State Aid on SAU Offices back into the ERCSD Maintenance Trust Fund.  No questions on WA #2.  Mr. Lunney then read Warrant Article #3 which has to do with the expendable trust fund known as Special Education Trust Fund up and increasing that fund up to $100,000.  Mr. Aldridge, Chair of the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) explained that the Budget Advisory Committee made the recommendation to cut $250,000 from the SPED line in the budget and consideration was made to fund the trust at a higher level should a need arise for additional funds since the trust fund now carries a balance of a little over $200,000.  No questions on WAR #3.  Mr. Lunney noted that is all the warrant articles coming forward from the ERCSD.

Mr. Aldridge spoke to committee meeting regularly since August to review the proposed budget and familiarize themselves with the buildings and programs involved in building this budget.  This is the first year of the BAC’s existence and it is the committee's expectation that the budget process will be a year round process moving forward.  The BAC will not simply look at the budget, but will be looking at means to save the district money.  The BAC recommended cuts below the initial budget that was brought to them and they support what was submitted this evening.  For next year’s budget process, the committee hopes to begin their work in April 2008.  Mr. Lunney noted that all the budget handouts at the Budget Work Session on Saturday, January 5^th as well as those presented this evening will be amended appropriately be placed on the SAU 16 Website (under the ERCSD) sometime next week.  Chair Oxnard, on behalf of the board, thanked the Budget Advisory Committee all their work and reminded everyone that the committee will be looking for volunteers for next year.  No further discussion or questions on the budget or warrant articles.

 

4.   ADJOURNMENT OF PUBLIC HEARING: Motion by Ms. Casey, seconded by Ms. Cushman and unanimously voted to close the Public Hearing on the Budget at 7:32 PM.

 

 

Respectfully submitted, 

Sally Boyd, Secretary