HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-09-14 Board of Selectmen Minutes 1
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Joint Meeting of the Board of Selectmen,
School Committee, and Finance Committee
September 14, 1993
The meeting was convened at Reading Senior Center at 49 Pleasant
Street, Reading, MA at 7:30 p.m. Present were: from the Board of
Selectmen - Chairman George Hines, Vice Chairman Eugene Nigro,
Secretary Sally Hoyt, Selectmen Dan Ensminger and Bill Burditt.
From the School Committee - Chairman Robin D'Antona, Vice Chair-
man Tim Twoomey, George Shannon, Sue Cavicchi, and Matthew Cum-
mings. From the Finance Committee - Acting Chairman Gerry Mac-
Donald, Jim Keigley, Bill Murphy, Nathan White and Elizabeth
Greene. The following list of people were also present: Town
Accountant Richard Foley, Finance Director Beth Klepeis, Superin-
tendent of Schools Robert Munnelly, Assistant Superintendent of
Schools Dennis Richard, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner.
George Hines opened the meeting and welcomed all present. Each
of the Boards and Committees were called into session. Robin
D'Antona introduced the issue of Education Reform. She indicated
that Reading is well positioned to implement this reform, and the
School Committee is becoming familiar with the requirements of
the Education Reform Bill and is implementing them.
Dr. Munnelly outlined the major issues with regard to School
Reform. Educational improvements include the establishment of
School Councils which will operate under the Open Public Meeting
Law; the development of School Improvement Plans which include a
role by the School Councils. This establishes a new role for the
Principals, and teachers have tenure as we know it eliminated.
Curriculum goals will be developed by the State as curriculum
frameworks and the Town will be required to implement them. The
Town will be evaluated as to how it is doing.
Superintendent Munnelly then reviewed the equal education re-
quirements. State wide, communities are spending between $3,000
and $6,500 per pupil. A recent court case - the Duffy case - in-
dicated that the State had responsibility to equalize education.
Therefore, the State is establishing a goal of a foundation
budget of $5, 500 per pupil in today's dollars. It will take
several years to implement this and there will be input from the
State and local governments in terms of funding.
Dr. Munnelly reviewed the per pupil expenditures from 1987-88, to
1991-92. Reading in 191-92 spent approximately $4,300 per pupil,
and will need to increase this by approximately $1,200 to $5,500
per pupil. The cost will be approximately $4 .5 million. The
formula for State funding is based on the ability of a community
to pay based on its equalized assessed evaluation per pupil
(Reading is at the low middle part of the state) .
Additionally, there is a per capita income measure and Reading is
approximately 20% above the State average (for example, the dif-
ference in per capita income between Chelsea and Reading is
$15,000) .
Board of Selectmen Joint Meeting - 9/14/93 - page 2
George Hines asked if the issue of Special Education was dealt
with and Munnelly indicated that it is barely mentioned in the
law. This is an item of concern that will be taken up in future
legislative sessions. Bill Murphy asked how fluctuations in en-
rollment would effect the target, and Munnelly indicated that it
would not be effected by any factors other than inflation.
Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, Town Accountant Richard Foley
and Finance Director Beth Klepeis reviewed budget numbers. The
foundation budget in the State Laws is based on FY93 budgeted
amount for schools, which for Reading was $16, 616,000. The tar-
get is to have a $9.40 tax rate devoted to schools, where as cur-
rently Reading devotes $8.83 to schools. In FY94, the foundation
budget from all sources for schools is $17,641, 000. The Town is
proposing to spend approximately $75,000 more than that for FY94,
based on proposed amendments to the FY94 budget this Fall. Dan
Ensminger asked what would be needed funding for FY95, and it was
indicated that that is not yet known. The issues of early
retirement incentive and school choice were also reviewed. On
motion by Twoomey seconded by Cummings the School Committee ad-
journed at 8:53 p.m. by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by Ensminger seconded by Hoyt the Board of Selectmen
adjourned at 8:53 p.m. by a vote of 5-0-0.
On motion by White seconded by Greene the Finance Committee ad-
journed at 8:53 p.m. by a vote of 5-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretry