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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-10-28 School Committee Minutes - Financial ForumReading School Committee Reading, Massachusetts Financial Forum October 28, 1999 CALL TO ORDER At 7:40 p.m. Chair Grimm called the Finance Committee to order, Chair Dahl called the School Committee to order, Chair Hoyt called the Board of Selectmen to order. Present were School Committee Members Cavicchi, Dahl, D'Antona, Keigley and Williams. Also present were Members of the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Library Board of Trustees, Superintendent Harutunian, Town Manager Hechenbleikner, Town Accountant Richard Foley, Town Treasurer Beth Klepeis. Opinion from Counsel Regarding Budget Chair Grimm advised that the Finance Committee will review the entire School budget as recommended by the School Committee. Review of Status of Corporex Town Manager Hechenbleikner advised that the Corporex lease was signed last spring. There is a November 1St deadline for Corporex to develop and review plans to make sure the project is feasible. The Town Manager advised that a copy of the Corporex letter dated October 15th is included in the packet that was distributed to the forum. The Town Manager stated that Corporex believes the plan they proposed and the Board has approved is not feasible. The Town Manager described the original proposed plan. Selectmen Hines advised that they had met with Corporex to discuss the situation. He stated that the Board has asked staff to look at and confirm the numbers. Mr. Hines stated that the $30 million is not the Town's cost to close the landfill. The cost to close the landfill is approximately $4 million. Mr. Hines stated that his personal belief is that the Financial Forum should not figure in proceeds until we are sure the money is there. The Town Manager reviewed the chart for the Summary of the Impact, Reading Business Park on Town Finances. He stated that over the next ten years $6,128,000 will need to be found if the project does not go through in order to balance the capital plan. Carol Grimm asked why we would only go over ten years instead of twenty years. Beth Klepeis stated that the bond rating is shaky right now. One of the strong points to keep the bond rating is to sell for ten years rather than any more. Financial Forum 2 October 28, 1999 Chair Dahl asked what the deadline is for capping the landfill. The Town Manager stated November of 2000 is the deadline, but there are possible extensions. He stated that if we are in process with something, he believes the state will work with us. They will take the cherry sheet money to close the landfill if we do not have a developer for it. George Hines stated that this is not a ticking time bomb. The site needs to be environmentally dealt with, but it is not causing problems right now. Chair Dahl stated that this should be considered a warning shot and not something that we need to change all our assumptions for. He stated that ten developers bid on the land. Matt Nestor stated that he believes Corporex is going to come back and try to renegotiate, and they do have an out in the lease. He stated that we have to realize if we stick to Corporex these numbers are not valid any more. Chair Dahl stated that he agreed we do have a $1,850,000 problem, but we do not have a $6,128,000 problem yet. Revenues Town Account Richard Foley discussed revenues. He stated that there were a couple of minor changes and one major change since the last meeting. The significant change is the change in the state aid number. There is an increase of $222,444 in distribution of additional lottery receipts, an increase in chapter 70 funds of $447,394 (senate version of budget). The new adjusted state aid for FY 2000 is an increase of $325,000. Chair Dahl asked where the money flows into. Mr. Foley advised that there are three options: use to set tax rate for FY00, use it as available fund we can appropriate at Town Meeting or keep it in general fund and it will flow into free cash. Financial Forum 3 October 28 1999 Bare Bones Budget The Town Manager advised that we have a need for approximately $3,443,866. Jim Kurker suggested that the Town and School come back with information on what cuts would need to be made to keep within budget. He felt that the community needs to know what would be cut. Chair Dahl asked what percent is going to the capital plan. Chair Grimm advised that we have dipped to 5.3% of operating budget to capital and the goal was 7 %. Chair Dahl stated that the reality is we still have a significant increase in state aid over the past year. The Town Manager advised that the problem is when balancing the FY00 budget an inordinate amount of free cash and sale of real estate funds were used. Chair Dahl asked if we will roll into next year with more free cash than we expected. The Town Manager advised that free cash regenerators are getting tighter. Dr. Harutunian advised that he, Richard Foley and Beth Klepeis had attended the meeting of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. He stated that the group was meeting to discuss a new formula for education reform. Dr. Harutunian advised that after attending the meeting it was his opinion that no formula would be ready for next year, and he felt it will be a transition year. He stated that the state can either do block grants, a per pupil increase, or they will just take the old education reform bill and continue it for another year. By doing block grants the state would have to hold hearings but continuing the education reform bill would not require hearings. Beth Klepeis stated that the cities want to see overburden aid continued and an alternative discussed was $175 per pupil increase. She stated that Reading is no longer eligible for the overburden aid. Dr. Harutunian stated that there were four major recommendations. All the recommendations revolved around money but the big proposal was that cities and towns would no longer be required to pay for a special education child that costs more than 3 times foundation budget. He advised that the state would have to pay 90% of cost for that special education child. Financial Forum 4 October 28 1999 Chair Dahl stated that if an override was being considered the group needed to start to work on it as soon as possible. Mr. McDonald stated his opinion that he did not believe the community would pass back to back overrides. Matt Cummings stated that one alternative is to put certain capital items on the ballot as overrides and give the community the option to approve or not approve. Chair Grimm stated that another option is an operating override. An operating override would get us back to 6' /z% for capital next year. Beth Klepeis advised that another alternative is the raising of revenues by adding a trash fee. Mr. Keigley stated that he agreed with Mr. McDonald if we have to go for an override now the town will not support another override for the renovation of RMHS. He also stated that we need to plan carefully as not all residents will be able to afford an increase. Mr. Dahl asked who makes the decision to put an override on the ballot. The Town Manager advised that the Board of Selectmen decide on the override. Mr. Kurker asked the Board of Selectmen for their opinion about going for an override. Mr. Nestor stated that he clearly thinks some form of override is needed. He stated that he believes the community feels that we are overspending and spending in the town government is outpacing inflation. He stated that if it is determined to do an override we need to be sure that it is done correctly and is done only once. Chair Dahl stated that the schools have an increasing population and we need to be able to accommodate the increased number of students and continue to provide a quality education. Mr. Nestor asked how many employees are on the town side now versus 1990 and stated that with step increases salaries are rising 6% to 7% which is clearly beyond our revenue sources. Mr. Hines stated that he is open minded about an override but that he wants to be able to look at the big picture and project out four to five years. He stated that a goal of the Board was to do a five year budget and if that had been done we could have told the community two years ago that we will need an override in FY01. Financial Forum 5 October 28, 1999 Chair Hoyt stated that she does not think the community will approve more than one override. She stated that we cannot look at the landfill as revenue until it is guaranteed. FY01 Financing Options for Capital The group discussed the FY01 financing options for the capital budget. Beth Klepeis advised that Moody's will be in the first week in November. After discussion, it was agreed that the Town Manager, the Superintendent and the Chairs of the boards would schedule a meeting to discuss options and that the full Financial Forum would meet again on November 10, 1999 at 7:30 p.m. FINANCE COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE SESSION Mr. McDonald made a motion for the Finance Committee to enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing pending litigation. Mr. Francis seconded the motion. The vote was 8 -0 -1 Mr. Cohen, Mr. Francis, Ms. Grimm, Mr. Kurker, Mr. LeLacheur, Ms. Martin and Mr. McDonald voted yes, Ms. Grimmer abstained. ADJOURN At 9:50 p.m. the Board of Selectmen voted to adjourn. At 9:50 p.m. Ms. Williams made a motion for the School Committee to adjourn. Ms. D'Antona seconded the motion. The vote was 5 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Ms. D'Antona, Mr. Keigley and Ms. Williams. Respectfully submitted, arry K. arutunian, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools