HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-02-24 Finance Committee Minutes c: EGEIVEzU
TOWN CLERK
Town of Reading
3 Meeting Minutes
P
0�. 2(!21 MAR -4 PM 12: 0[
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Finance Committee
Date: 2021-02-24 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Open Session - Remote Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chair Ed Ross, Nick Boivin, Jeanne Borawski, Eric Burkhart, Marianne
Downing, Andrew Mclauchlan, Mark Zarrow
Members - Not Present:
Vice Chair Dan Dewar, Sean Jacobs
Others Present:
School Committee Members: Chair Chuck Robinson, Shawn Brandt, Carla
Nazzaro, John Parks, Tom Wise
School Superintendent John Doherty, School CFO Gail Dowd, Assistant
Superintendent Christine Kelley, Director of Student Services Jennifer Stys,
HR Director Kerry Meisinger
Karen Gately Herrick, Chris S
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held remotely via Zoom.
Chair Ed Ross called the Finance Committee to order and Chair Chuck Robinson called the
School Committee to order at 7:00 pm. School Committee member Erin Gaffen was not
present.
FY22 Budoet Discussion:
School Department
School Superintendent John Doherty thanked the School Committee for their support during
the budget process and explained that in spite of all the challenges and uncertainty with
COVID-19, the budget process was fairly uneventful. School CFO Gail Dowd briefly
reviewed the budget process and the proposed budget. In the current FY21 budget, there is
$180,000 in COVID expenses that were not carried over into FY22. The total requested
budget for FY22 is $49,695,998, a total increase of 2.6%.
Special Education did not increase as significantly as prior years due to increased Circuit
Breaker funding. Financial drivers for the FY22 budget include: contractual step increases;
known and potential special education out-of-district placements; curriculum materials;
remote learning materials; funding for a literacy assessment for elementary grades; and
increase in transportation. All five Collective Bargaining Agreements expire this year and
are starting to be renegotiated. The five-year contract for regular day transportation is
expiring and is going out to bid for a new contract in the coming months.
Page 1 1
One item added is a Special Education Literacy Coach funded through accommodated costs.
Adding this position should help prevent some out-of-district placements. Other positions
added this year include: .3 FTE Elementary Specialist to help improve scheduling between
the schools; and a .1 FTE Health position in the Middle School. There was a reduction of 1.0
Elementary teacher as a bubble class in 5'h grade went to 61M1 grade.
The School budget process begins each year in October, and is prepared for the School year
that begins the following September. Any increases in student enrollment, homeless
students, or English Language Learners are unknown until the following September. COVID
costs are not included in the proposed budget, but the School Department will work with the
Finance Committee and Town Manager to cover those costs if they continue.
Other Fluctuations in budget line items are due to factors such as: purchasing curriculum
materials and software; some items previously funded by grants now incorporated into the
operating budget; funding for each school building based on enrollment; hybrid model
expenses; supplies for in-person learning; and savings in transportation costs due to
COVID.
Mr. Robinson expressed his gratitude to the Finance Committee and to School Department
staff for their guidance and participation in School Committee budget meetings and their
support of the budget.
On a motion by Mr. Parks, and seconded by Mr. Wise, the School Committee voted
5-0-0 to adjourn at 7:50 pm.
Roll call vote: Tom Wise-Yes, Carla Nazzaro-Yes, Shawn Brandt-Yes, Chuck
Robinson-Yes.
Minutes:
On a motion by Mr. Burkhart, and seconded by Ms. Downing, the Finance
Committee voted 7-0-0 to approve the meeting minutes of November 4, 2020 as
written.
ROTI call vote: Jeanne Borawski-Yes, Mark Zarrow-Yes, Marianne Downing-Yes,
Nick Boivin-Yes, Eric Burkhart-Yes, Andrew Mclauchlan-Yes, Ed Ross-Yes.
On a motion by Ms. Downing, and seconded by Ms. Borawski, the Finance
Committee voted 7-0-0 to adjourn at 8:07 pm.
Roll call vote: Jeanne Borawski-Yes, Mark Zarrow-Yes, Marianne Downing-Yes,
Nick Boivin-Yes, Eric Burkhart-Yes, Andrew Mclauchlan-Yes, Ed Ross-Yes.
Page 12