1983-01-17 School Committee Minutes

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• READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE MINUTES Call to Order JANUARY 17, 1983 Vice Chairman Coco, acting as Chairman in the absence of Chairman Garroway, called the regular meeting of the Reading School Committee to order January 17, 1983, at 7:30 p. m., in the Central Office Conference Room. Mr. Landers was also absent. All other members were present, as were Superintendent Wells and Assistant Superintendents Munnelly and Winslow. There were five visitors, including. representatives of the Citizens Advisory Council and the Daily Times and Chronicle. Approval of Bills and Payroll Warrants for the payment of bills and payroll were authorized as follows: Bills January 21, 1983 - General Expense - Total - $63,088.52 January 21, 1983 - Cafeteria Revolving Account - Total - $17,924.36 Payroll January 21, 1983 - Weekly - Total $25,551.84 Citizens' Input Mrs. Wendy Auld expressed disappointment that school had not been cancelled today because the sidewalks were not plowed at the time school opened, and she added, still were not. Acting Chairman Coco said that the Superintendent made the decision based on conditions as they were reported to him. He added that he would rather see the children in school than around Town, although he appreciated her concern about children who walked to school. Dr. Wells said he had consulted with the Department of Public Works Superintendent at 7:00 p. m. Sunday and had been assured plowing would be completed for the opening of school Monday. He said that had he known that DPW equipment would have many breakdowns after midnight he would have cancelled school. He added that with the heavy wet snow and the cold weather sidewalk conditions will leave much to be desired until there is a thaw. Budget Review Acting Chairman Coco stated that now that more accurate salary account figures are available it appears that $95,000 can be encumbered to offset the expense portion of the FY84 budget, adding that this would still leave about $7,000 between the FY84 budget and the Finance Committee guidelines, not taking into account the proposed DPW takeover of fields maintenance. He noted that the salary budget has not yet been fine tuned and figures on the cost of relocating the Central Office to the High School are not yet available, adding that he advised encumbering the $95,000 and leaving the difference at this time. Mrs. Philbrick moved, seconded by Mr. Nigro, and it was unanimously voted that $94,870 from the FY83 budget be encumbered to cover expenditures originally applied to the FY84 budget, as listed on document B -2 -a.