HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-06-07 School Committee MinutesREADING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Reading, Massachusetts
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
REGULAR SESSION JUNE 7, 1995
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Timothy Twomey called the regular school committee meeting back to order at 7:30 p.m. in
the Reading Selectmen's Conference Room at Town Hall. All members were now present. Also
present was the Interim Superintendent Dennis Richards.
OLD BUSINESS (CONTINUED)
FY95 BUDGET
Mr. Cummings presented the School Committee /Administration Analysis of the FY95 Budget
Shortfall to the Finance Committee. After a question and answer period the Finance Committee
voted 6 -0 to support the request of the School Committee for $250,000 additional funds for the
FY95 budget.
ADJOURN
Mr. Cummings moved to adjourn from regular session at 10:30 p.m. Mr. Stohlman seconded the
motion. The vote was unanimous, 6 -0.
Susan Cavicchi Matthew Cummings Roberta D'Antona
Thomas Stohlman Robert Spadafora Timothy Twomey
Respectfull submitted,
Dennis Richards
Interim Superintendent
READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Reading, Massachusetts
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
REGULAR SESSION JUNE 7 1995
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Timothy Twomey called the regular school committee meeting to order at 6:11 p.m. in the
Reading Selectmen's Conference Room at Town Hall. All members were present with the ex-
ception of Roberta D'Antona who was expected to arrive later. Also present was the interim
Superintendent Dennis Richards.
OLD BUSINESS
FY95 BUDGET
BASIS FOR FISCAL 1995 SCHOOL BUDGET SHORTFALL
interim Superintendent Richards reviewed suggested changes that indicate how the bottom line
budget as adopted in April, 1994 and amended in November, 1994, could not support the pattern
of expenditures entered into in September, 1995. The bottom line over expenditure is approxi-
mately $250,000.
Examples of expenditures exceeding budget allocations are as follows:
Special Education ($197,000), Building Maintenance ($42,000), Administration ($25,000), and
Salaries (Approximately $105,000)
The total of major items is $369,000 with Offsets of Savings & Unallocated Funds of $119.00
leaves the total shortfall $250,000.
Mr. Richards explained some of the Proposed Plan to Address the Problem.
. No staff which have not been included in the budget are to be employed without the expressed
consent of School Committee. Exceptions are those needed to carry out emergency Individual
Educational Plans (IEP's).
. Shortfalls will require the Superintendent to place items from a prioritized list on hold, pending
School Committee decisions on a course of action.
. Direct communication between the Finance & Accounting Departments, and the Schools, the
Administration, and the School Committee will be encouraged.
REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 2 JUNE 7 1995
. The budget agreements between The Reading Board of Selectmen and The Reading School
Committee, adopted for five years as of July, 1991, will be fully implemented.
Mr. Richards continued by advising the School Committee what will happen if we don't transfer
the funds at Town Meeting. He stated he has notified the School Department employees that they
will be furloughed (administration and other non teachers) for the remainder of the Fiscal Year
and not pay salaries. (approximately $35,000) Teachers will not be affected, either because they
have been paid for the summer already, or the funds will be encumbered for summer pay.
The Interim Superintendent went over the draft proposal for merging Town and school business
that outlined assumption, general comments, proposed procedure for payroll, proposed procedure
for accounts payable, benefits management, and other functions included in the Town Hall.
ADJOURN
At 6:15 p.m. Thomas Stohlman moved to go to executive session for the purpose of union and
non union negotiation discussion and to then return to regular session Matthew Cummings
seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous 5 -0.
Susan Cavicchi Matthew Cummings Thomas Stohlman Robert Spadafora
Timothy Twomey
Respectfully submitted,
D,t,� /
Dennis Richards
Interim Superintendent