1999-01-05 School Committee Minutes

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Regular Session -2- January 5, 1999 Dr. Harutunian explained to the audience the budget process and how the budget book is set up. He also stated that this budget is the Superintendent's recommended budget not the School Committee budget. Dr. Harutunian advised that, unless the Committee disagreed, he would make the following changes: 1. Page 4 bullet number one after the phrase in accordance with add historical practices and educational resources... 2. Page 4 second paragraph first sentence to read: Taken as a whole, the effect of these guidelines is to provide essential levels of service to all... The Committee agreed with the above changes. Mr. Stohlman stated that on page 51 Administration line the FY99 budget included the Director of Technology's salary and that the FY00 budget did not include the Director's salary and that made it difficult to compare from one year to the next. He requested that the Director's salary cost be shown as removed from FY00 so that people looking at the budget would be comparing apples to apples. The Committee requested that the "Overtime" line be changed to read Clerical Overtime with a footnote. The footnote to read: For School Committee minutes and miscellaneous administrative directed overtime. Dr. Harutunian advised that the maintenance of office equipment line had increased. He stated that the large copier costs $20,000 per year and the remainder of the line item is for maintenance of the two other copiers, computers and fax machines. Mr. Twomey questioned what was included in the computer contract line if the maintenance of computers was covered in the maintenance of office equipment line. Dr. Harutunian advised that he was planning to change that line to read Computer. He stated that the items in that line included miscellaneous computer expenses such as cables, software, etc. Dr. Harutunian advised that the advertising line had increased because of the number of times a position has to be advertised has increased significantly. He stated that with the low unemployment rate it is difficult to get teachers and aides. Mr. Dahl questioned whether the advertising line included all staff and other notices that needed to be advertised.