DATE: KIND OF MEETING: PLACE: MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Regular Meeting Board Room Greg Cunningham, Linda Durant, Robert Durant (entered at 7:05 p.m.), Emily Lauzon, Matthew Mainville, Michael Sisto and Stacy Skidders Clarissa Chatland and Judith Stark Jane Collins, Natascha Jock, Angela Robert, Sharlee Thomas, Kevin Walbridge and Ryan Adams Public Comment 7:01 p.m. - None Public Comment The president of the board, Stacy Skidders, called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Call to Order Recording of Attendance - Greg Cunningham, Linda Durant, Robert Durant (entered at 7:05 p.m.), Emily Lauzon, Matthew Mainville, Michael Sisto and Stacy Skidders. Recording of Attendance The following resolution was offered by Trustee Linda Durant, who moved its adoption, seconded by Trustee Emily Lauzon, Minutes March 26, 2012 Salmon River Central School District approve the minutes of the March 26, 2012 regular meeting, per the attached document. Aye 6 Nay 0 Motion Carried The following resolution was offered by Trustee Matthew Mainville, who move its adoption, seconded by Trustee Greg Cunningham, Placement of Students Salmon River Central School District approve the placement of the following 34 students per the recommendation of the Committee on Special Education and the Committee on Pre-School Education: 2144, 2867, 2225, 10268, 10827, 2241, 3028, 2872, 2912, 2068, 2983, 5858, 5575, 4454, 238, 2637, 2623, 10838, 10837, 2554, 2232, 1746, 10733, 11099, 10521, 10466, 10507, 10276, 38, 10695, 2329, 10192, 2369 and 10948. Aye 6 Nay 0 Motion carried
Superintendent of Schools Jane Collins and School Business Executive Natascha Jock reported on the following: Superintendent and School Business Executive Report Trustee Robert Durant entered the meeting Trustee Robert Durant Enters 2012-2013 Budget Budget Presentation To balance our budget we are presenting to you a $27,688,195 budget which is a 4.6% increase over this year. This would include raising the tax levy to $1,912,628 or 2%. Budget increases are due to contractual obligations, utilities, debt, retirement and health insurance Giving us a preliminary budget of $28,203,364 Working with Jane we have developed the following $515,169 in reductions to the budget without any staffing reductions. If we compare our expenditures from year to year you will see that the BOCES expenses are decreasing 4% due to the elimination of one BOCES 12:1+1 class and the take back of another 12:1+1 classrooms This also explains the increase in salaries along with the regular contractual salary increase we have to pay. Employee benefits will raise 2% from last year with the increases in health insurance and retirement. Employee benefits and salaries will make up 63% of our budget next year. In the last 5 years employee benefits have risen dramatically. Employee Retirement has quadrupled, Teacher retirement and health insurance have nearly doubled. Health insurance is project to have double digit increases for the next several years. The current increase for this year is $735,000 which is 42% of the budget increases. Again this kind of financing for a capital project is impressive. The district and Jane have done a wonderful job to create a project that not only improved our facilities but has had a positive impact on our budget. This capital project is actually adding to our revenues and is helping to offset the loss of state foundation aid in the current budget. If we look at our revenues from year to year you will see our state aid is increasing, however we are still far below the aid level that we were at 3 years ago when the Gap Elimination Adjustment was introduced. Also, our charges for services are decreasing due to the way that the Native American Tuition formula works. The formula is delayed one year for the payment and includes the capital project costs. These costs drove the tuition rate up for the 2011-12 year. The rate for the 2012-13 year will lower back down since the project has wound down. Over a 3 year period we have lost $4,269,696 in foundation aid through the Gap Elimination Adjustment and we are still surviving by cutting spending and doing more with less.
Superintendent and School Business Executive Continued In the current year 2011-2012, we lost $1,808,730 which is 10.34% of our revenues and nearly equal to the amount of our tax levy. What other school has lost their entire levy in 1 year. If we look at the history of the tax levy percentage increases compared to the budget percentage increases you can see that the budget has been increasing over the years to keep up with the rising costs while our levy has not always risen with those costs. As you can see the District has done a great job of keeping spending in line with revenues over the last 3 years and only using $280,000 in fund balance during that time. Based on the current spending budget presented we will need to use $642,153 from the current fund balance of $1,871,982 to make the budget balance. This will leave us with a fund balance of $1,229,829 at the end of 2012-2013. If we project out 2 more years without any changes in state aid we will run out of fund balance in 2014-2015, however there are many issues still being worked out like the state budget, contract and tuition negotiations. Currently the District is very vulnerable with the limited number of spare buses available in our aging fleet 6 buses will no longer be road worthy at the end of this year and we have 4 more that are nearing 100,000 We also need to keep in mind that as our fleet ages our repair costs will start rising significantly. We are recommending the purchase of 3 buses (2 66 passenger and 1 48 passenger with a lift) at a cost of $307,047. Based on our State Aid ratio the busses will cost less than $8,000 per year over the next 5 years. This will not impact the 2012-13 budget, as the purchase will be financed in July and payments will not be made until 2013-14. Superintendent and School Business Executive Report - Continued Trustee Greg Cunningham asked if smart board lessons can be accessed from home. Ms. Collins will get a presentation together. Trustee Michael Sisto asked if tax information could be shared and answer was yes. Trustee Emily Lauzon asked about summer school and if both elementary schools would attend and answer was yes. Superintendent s Report Continues Mohawk School contract is complete and at the state level. BOCES vote for board candidates reviewed Correspondence received from school neighbor regarding fence. Superintendent will review this situation at a Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting. Northern Area Health Education Center, Inc. (NAHEC) Program wants to partner with Salmon River to present classes regarding health care careers. See handout.
Reports: Middle School Principal Angela Robert reported on the following: Middle School Principal ELA testing has started this week and only 9 students were absent Math testing is next week Science testing is in June Middle School concert date is May 17 th at 7 p.m. St. Regis Mohawk School Principal Sharlee Thomas reported on the following: (See Handout) St. Regis Mohawk School Principal Meet the Arts/ SUNY Potsdam Student of the Month School Based Health Center Parent Teacher Organization NYS Testing Spring concerts in Gymnasium at 9:30 a.m. - May 15 Pre-K and K - May 16 Grades 1 and 2 - May 17 Band and Chorus Elementary Class Olympics Construction Community Organizations Elementary Principal Kevin Walbridge reported on the following: Elementary Principal Testing 11 students absent One Call Now has really helped Elementary concert on May 15 th Superintendent of Buidings and Grounds Ryan Adams reported on the following: Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Athletic fields are getting ready. Softball field had first game tonight. Lacrosse field will be ready this week Trustee Robert Durant was very impressed during North Franklin Basketball Tournament at how well organized they were and there were signs telling people rules and to not touch. Trustee Robert Durant Comment Trustee Greg Cunningham requested an update from Atlantic Testing on the status of ethanol monitoring. Superintendent will provide this information. Trustee Greg Cunningham Comment
The following resolution was offered by Trustee Linda Durant, Salmon River Central School District accept, with great regret, the resignation of Suanne Johnson from her position as English teacher effective June 30, 2012, Personnel Items: Resignation English Teacher Suanne Johnson accept, with regret, the resignation for retirement purposes of Catherine Dupra from her position as stenographer effective April 30, 2012 Retirement Stenographer Catherine Dupra approve the appointment of the following spring coach for the 2011-2012 school year at a stipend as specified in the current teachers agreement: Appointment Springs coach Girls Junior Varsity Softball Coach Elizabeth Durfee approve the appointment of the following spring sports clinicians at no cost to the district: Approve Clinicians Girls Lacrosse Clinician Lacrosse Clinician Lacrosse Clinician Baseball Clinician Baseball Clinician Tisha Thompson Mark Terrance Ryan Adams Wayne Ashley Norm Treptow appoint Timothy Ghostlaw to the position of weekend watchkeeper effective April 18, 2012 at a salary per CSEA contract, approve the following individuals to the respective substitute lists pending clearance through the fingerprinting process: Appointment Weekend Watchkeeper Timothy Ghostlaw Additions to the Substitute List Substitute Teacher Certified Clary, Virginia Lee White Substitute Teacher Non-certified Surface, Brian Substitute Teaching Assistant Dupra, Catherine Substitute Teacher Aide Dupra, Catherine Substitute Clerical Dupra, Catherine per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools.
The following resolution was offered by Trustee Emily Lauzon, who moved its adoption, seconded by Trustee Greg Cunningham, Amendment to SRCSD 403(b) Retirement Plan Salmon River Central School District, approve an amendment to the SRCSD 403(b) Retirement Plan, per the attached document, per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. who moved its adoption, seconded by Trustee Greg Cunningham, Budget Transfers March 12, 2012 Salmon River Central School District approve budget transfer requests dated March 12, 2012, per the attached document, per the recommendation of the superintendent of schools. Non-Scheduled Work Day Friday, May 25, 2012 Salmon River Central School District approve Friday, May 25, 2012 as non-scheduled work day for all employees provided there are no emergency days used before that date, per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. Student Representative Tanner Beaudin requested that we close on May 11, 2012 for the prom. Student Representative Comment
The following resolution was offered by Trustee Greg Cunnigham, who moved its adoption, seconded by Trustee Robert Durant, Adopt Budget 2012-2013 Salmon River Central School District adopt a budget for the Salmon River Campus School in the amount of $27,688,195 for the 2012-2013 school year, per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. BOES Annual Election Salmon River Central School District cast one vote each for Dennis J. Egan, William A. McConvey and Gail Rogers Rice for members of the Franklin-Essex-Hamilton Board of Cooperative Educational Services. Aye 6 Nay 0 Abstention 1 Emily Lauzon Motion Carried BOCE Budget Vote Salmon River Central School District approve the tentative administrative budget for the Board of Cooperative Educational Services of the Sole Supervisory District of Franklin, Essex and Hamilton Counties in the amount of $1,600,062 for the school year 2012-2013, per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. Aye 6 Nay 0 Abstention 1 Emily Lauzon Motion Carried
The following resolution was offered by Trustee Linda Durant, Revisions to Policies 3420, 6121 and 7551 Salmon River Central School District approve the revisions to policies as follows: 3420 Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment in the School District 6121 - Sexual Harassment of District Personnel 7551 Sexual Harassment of Students per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. Nay 0 Motion Carried The following resolution was offered by Trustee Matthew Mainville, who moved its adoption, seconded by Trustee Michael Sisto, Agreement with Northern Area Health Education Center (NAHEC) Salmon River Central School District approved an agreement between the Salmon River Central School District and the Northern Area Health Education Center (NAHEC), Inc. program to present classes regarding health care careers, pending receipt of a grant, per the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. Aye 5 Nay 0 Abstention 2 Robert Durant and Emily Lauzon Motion Carried The following resolution was offered by Trustee Michael Sisto, who moved its adoption, seconded by Trustee Greg Cunnigham, Executive Session Salmon River Central School District enter into executive session at 8:07 p.m. with the Superintendent for one personnel issue. Aye 7 Nay 0 Motion Carried The Board resumed regular session at 8:30 p.m. Board Resumes Session Adjournment Salmon River Central School District adjourn this meeting at 8:31 p.m. Aye 7 Nay 0 Motion Carried