South Orange-Maplewood School District

Board of Education Finance and Facilities Committee

Agenda

August 16, 2012, 7:30am

Board Members: Andrea Wren-Hardin(chair), Beth Daugherty, David Giles, Madhu

Pai

Administration: Brian Osborne (superintendent), Cheryl Schneider (Business

Administrator), Paul Roth (Chief Information Officer)

  1. Draft goal language for Goal 4 Resource Management was discussedand draft language developed to prepare for a full board discussion and approval. The committee did not reach a consensus for a recommendation for a tax levy percentage increase and decided that a tax levy limit for the operating budget must be determined through a full board discussion.
  2. The draft committee charge was discussed and prepared for full board discussion and approval.
  3. The condition of the second fieldhouse at Underhill Sports Complex was discussed. Some maintenance and minimal improvements have been made to enable CHS sports teams to use the locker storage space in the facility. If the board wants the fieldhouse to be fully functional, it needs to be included in the capital improvement plan.
  4. Budget analyses over the past two years have looked at areas where possible efficiencies could be found. Rather than repeat those same analyses again this year, the committee would like to see the budget analyses approached differently. The budget analyses discussion is ongoing and will carry over to the September committee meeting. This preliminary conversation did not result in any decisions.
  5. The guiding change framework was discussed to prepare for a full board discussion about financial limitations to the Montrose- special education program, a possible gifted and talented program, and the capital plan that will direct the superintendent when he is planning for these three programs.
  6. Agenda topics for the joint BOE –municipal meeting scheduled for October 11 were discussed.
  7. The timeline for capital projects was discussed. Prioritizing projects and phasing them in without a huge spike in the tax levy is critical. EI Associates has been looking at CHS this summer and should have a report to the board by the end of September.