Study Comm Meeting Minutes July 21, 2011

CSSU RED Study Committee                                       July 21, 2011 

 

Members Present: Zoe Erdman, Brian O’Regan, Mary Catherine Jones, Jeanne Jensen, Charlie Magill, Deb Baker-Moody, Chris Kapsalis, Bob Goudreau, Russ Caffry, Elaine Pinckney

Members Absent: Lisa Falcone, Sue Thibault, Rich Lowrey Colleen MacKinnon, Wendy Goodrich, Bob Mason

 

Approval of June 29, 2011 Minutes 

ACTION: Jeanne Jensen made the motion to approve the minutes with amended date.  Russ Caffry seconded.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

Review of Articles of Agreement – Edits:

Article I: Change title from Chittenden South RED to Champlain Valley RED.

Article IA: St. George is considered advisable.

Article 2: Should move to an introductory statement.

Article 5: Need to clarify what contracts need to be honored – personnel, operating contracts, etc.

Article 6: Clarify dates - 2012 or 2013?  Or should “…on or before July 1, 2012” be removed.

Article 7: Should be re-worded when speaking to deficits/surpluses.

Article 10: Distribution of election terms should be as balanced as possible.  Williston elect two to a two-year term, St. George elect one to a one year term.

Article 12: Removal of “Bolton”

Article 13: Does it need to specify Australian ballot will be conducted within the member towns?

Discussion ensued in relation to timeline for election of new board if the RED is approved.

Discussion also ensued around when the RED would become operable.

Article 16: Wording rewritten to clarify criteria.  Speak to students, not parents.  Allowable space and transportation criteria should be separated.

Pencil in to the Article: a clause that states the RED Board could not choose to close a school without the vote of the townspeople.

Article 17: Remove second paragraph.  Remove first sentence of first paragraph.  Add: “Except as provided in article 16 students will attend in town of residency…”   Change the word “elementary”.

Article 18: Suggested that the two public hearings should take place in each town not at each public school (Williston having two buildings, Hinesburg – the high school and the elementary location).

 

Local Control Update and Discussion

A sub-committee met July 20, 2011 to discuss the local control issues brought forward by the Study Committee.  The group reviewed the statutory responsibilities, accountability, and authority for the SU board, the local boards, and the superintendent – currently and as a result of Act 153.

Talk about how Local Community Councils could enhance community partnering.  This may actually promote more community involvement.  Would keep the community more involved if the RED was looked at in the manner of CVU extending down to take care of grades 12-Kindergarten.

Discussion ensued of how selection or appointment of members to serve would be handled.  With the current system, the electorate votes to elect board directors.

Further conversation should be had by the Local Control sub-committee to involve conversation about stakeholders – to identify representatives from certain constituencies.

 

Cost Benefit Analysis Version II: Document Review

Should be talking about the non-financial cost of making the decision because there are no great cost benefits in forming the RED.

Discussion ensued as to why or why not a RED structure would be beneficial over the current system.  The money is to be saved in systems where there are small schools to be closed.

 

It was suggested that the state be approached to see if a 5-year pilot could be tried with an out if at the end of the five years it’s identified that a RED did not work.

 

Next Meeting Agenda

Another Local Control sub-committee will be scheduled before the next regular Study Committee meeting.

Revisit the finances

Develop the “whys” and “why nots”

Revisit the Cost Benefit Analysis to be sure it clearly, briefly speaks to the benefits

 

Next regular meeting is set for August 25th from 5-8pm.