HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-06-11 Finance Committee Minutes
Finance Committee Meeting
June 11, 2012
The meeting convened at 7:15 p.m. in the Superintendent’s office, 82 Oakland Road, Reading,
Massachusetts. Present were Chairman David Greenfield, Vice Chairman Barry Berman,
FINCOM members Jeanne Borawski, Paula Perry, Hal Torman, Police Chief James Cormier,
Police Business Administrator Andrew Scribner and Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner.
The Town Manager reviewed the issues of reserve fund transfers for FY2012. These will be
voted on at the FINCOM meeting later in the month but not everyone can be present for that
meeting. There is a balance of $116,000 in the reserve fund, and requests for approximately
$52,000 from the reserve fund.
Chief Cormier reviewed the status of his salary accounts. Several issues including investigation
of a murder in August, storm activity in the fall, and state required training for first responders
have created a situation where up to a $25,000 shortfall in the salaries account exists.
Chief Cormier went on to discuss a security issue that requires $2,000 in funding for an expense
item.
The Finance Committee moved the meeting to the Superintendent’s Conference Room which
was publicly noticed, and heard a presentation on school enrollment projections, school
programmatic space needs, and potential ways to address this issue. FINCOM member Mark
Dockser joined the meeting in the Superintendent’s Conference Room.
Present at the ongoing School Committee Meeting: School Committee members Karen
Janowski, Hal Croft, Chuck Robinson (arrives 7:53pm), Lisa Gibbs (arrives 8:00pm), Chris
Caruso, Ron Spadafora, Superintendent John Doherty, Assistant Superintendent Patty de
Garavilla, Director of Finance & Operations Mary DeLai, Director of Student Services Alison
Elmer. Student Representatives Maham Ahmed and Conner Traugot, Selectmen Steve Goldy and
James Bonazoli, Frank Locker (consultant) and Martha Sybert (School Business Assistant).
Elementary Space Study Presentation
Ms. DeLai introduced Mr. Frank Locker, Educational Planning Consultant, who
will be presenting the findings on the elementary space survey. Mr. Locker
provided an overview of his study. Tonight’s presentation will focus on the
purpose and sequence of the study, enrollment, capacity and building size, the
educational vision and short and long term options. Reading has high achieving
schools with great programs in small buildings which sit on small sites. The
study looked at the educational adequacy of space at the pre-school and
elementary schools. Using this data short and long term options were developed
with consideration given to enrollment trends, capacity, space and quality of
space, flexibility, instructional practices and programmatic needs.
Mr. Locker then discussed enrollment projections at both the elementary and pre-
school levels. He reviewed current and projected enrollments and building
capacity. The capacity is the measure of the number of students the building can
hold based on the programs in the building. Based on the high enrollment
projections the elementary schools will exceed program capacity in five years.
Mr. Robinson arrived at 7:53 p.m.
The discussion moved to capacity and building size. Currently the elementary
schools enrollment is at 96.5% of total building program capacity. All of the
elementary school sites are small and highly developed. Our principals are doing
a great job making small spaces work. At the time of the school renovations the
DESE oversaw the process and building square footage requirements were less.
The DESE did not take into account the need for dedicated spaces for guidance
and special education. The MSBA now oversees building projects and the square
footage guidelines have increased.
Mrs. Gibbs arrived at 8:00 p.m.
Mr. Locker then reviewed key points of the district educational vision which
include a pre-school that is in a single center with highly focused multiple staff
specialists and resources, full day kindergarten as the norm, the ability to maintain
programs such as Response to Intervention, areas for active hands on learning,
longer preschool hours and flexible classrooms that allow for multiple learning
modalities. Technology is also a priority and the ability to provide facilities to
support learning from new media. The special education programs continue to
grow and the ability to maintain these programs in our buildings is important to
the continued growth of the district.
FINCOM member Paula Perry asked if thought was given to K-2 and 3-5 building
options. Dr. Doherty said that that type of option would involve increased
transportation and operational costs and may not be the best approach.
FINCOM member Barry Berman asked for more information on how the
enrollment projections were developed.
Dr. Doherty indicated that at the time of the renovations the district did not
provide a full day kindergarten option and special education programming were
not taken into account. Program needs and pre-school will dictate what happens
next.
Discussion continued on how to meet enrollment demands. Mr. Locker outlined
administrative approaches to address these demands which include the ability of
the Superintendent to assign students based on class size, the introduction of
multi-age classrooms, remove RISE from Wood End and reassign the classroom
to general use, reassign the music/art rooms to classroom use and increase class
sizes.
Options that would include a degree of physical change and cost would be adding
modular classrooms at one or several of the elementary schools and convert the
breakout pits at Killam to classrooms.
He reviewed the costs of building a RISE building only, additions to 3 of the 5
elementary schools, a new pre-school-kindergarten building and a new
kindergarten thru grade 5 building.
Mr. Robinson asked how long a modular classroom would last. Mr. Locker
indicated that modular would be part of a short term solution.
Mrs. Gibbs asked where we go from here. Mrs. Janowski indicated that tonight’s
presentation was informational and the School Committee would discuss the
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study further on July 23.
On motion by Dockser seconded by Berman the Finance Committee voted to adjourn it’s
meeting at 9:00 p.m. by a vote of 6-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary