Vernon Selectboard Mtg.                                                                 12/15/09   

 

                                             

VERNON SELECTBOARD

SPECIAL JOINT MEETING

WITH

VERNON SCHOOL BOARD

AT THE

VERNON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

DECEMBER 15, 2009

 

Selectboard Members Present:        School Board Members Present:

Mike Ball                                          Mike Hebert

Mike Courtemanche                          Mark Speno

Len Howard                                                Sally Brassor

Robert Miller                                    Kelli Lee-Allen

Lynda Starorypinski                         Mary Ann Gardner                                            

Elaine Howard

 

 

          The Vernon Selectboard met December 15th at 6:30 pm with the Vernon School Board at the Vernon Elementary School to discuss budget items and how to cut costs.  Mike Hebert stated that they had a couple of items from the School Board side that they were hoping to shift to the Town side. Since Act 60 it is easier to raise money on the Town side than on the School side. This has worked out well in the past and has freed up funds for them, one being with the rental of space to the Recreation Department. Another area that the School has had much discussed about is grounds maintenance.  Mike Hebert suggested that like other towns there ought to be a Parks and Recreation Department that takes care of all ground maintenance. Mike Hebert stated that the mowing at the school during the summer months prohibits their custodians from doing other jobs inside the building like painting and windows; instead they are contracting out for those jobs. If they could save from contracting out work and shift the mowing to the Town side then their custodians would be freed up to do those inside jobs. Lynda Starorypinski asked if he was only talking about the mowing or plowing to. Mike Hebert stated that currently the Vernon Highway Department takes care of all the plowing of the parking lots. Mike Hebert stated that they have a ball field which the Recreation Department also uses so maybe offset something with that department for the use.  In the School Statues maintenance of the grounds is part of the educational expense which can not be farmed out.

          Mike Ball suggested that if there were some areas outside the school that were Town owned and the Town took care of those areas that could alleviate costs to the school. Mike Hebert stated that the school has to have so many square feet per child, so reducing the outside area would be very limited. Mike Hebert conveyed that it’s a great idea but it not feasible with the Department of Education. Mike Ball stated that there is already an ordinance for a Parks and Recreation Department. It might just need some changing.  Mike Hebert suggested renting the parking lot to the town but this would need some checking into further.

          The Boards discussed the cuts that will be happening in the future at the school level and how this will impact the Town.

          Mike Ball asked what the school does for buying paper products in bulk and other supplies. Mike Hebert stated that all bids are thru the District Office WSESU which they are a part of.  The Vernon School takes advantage of this purchasing power for the best savings. Mike Hebert stated that the School has taken advantage of all discounts and savings on that end.

          Mike Hebert asked if there is anything the Selectboard needed to discussion of importance and Mike Ball conveyed that one item would be the schools generator. The capability of the generator is currently inadequate for the school to be used as an emergency operation center. This would come under the Town side funds. Sally Brassor stated that it was already on the Capital Plan. The School Board would like to have it replaced sooner. The Town is appropriating $10,000.00 per year for this item. Lynda Starorypinski brought up the to the School Board about the emergency road for the buses to be able to enter and leave in an emergency  to transport students from the school if Governor Hunt Road was busy with emergency vehicles.  Mike Ball suggested that if one member of each board approached one of the abutting land owners to ask for a right of way to construct an emergency road way the town would be able to create a road way. With discussion about where the money would come from the board continued on with storing the snow plow on the school property.

          Back to the generator Mike Hebert asked when that would be replaced. The Capital Plan has $30,000.00 in place already for this item. The projected cost is at $55,000.00. Mike Ball stated that the need year is at 2012-2013 if it is to be sooner than that the board would have to look for funds else where.

          Mike Hebert conveyed that the School board would like to meet maybe quarterly with the Selectboard. Mike Hebert stated that a summer session instead of just at budget season would be beneficial to all. The Selectboard agreed.

          The Selectboard would work out some details and would meet with the School board in February. Mike Hebert asked Sally Brassor what a penny on the Town side raised for the School side. Sally stated that she had last year’s figures as one penny raises $50,104.00 on the School side.

 

The School Board members thanked the Selectboard.       

         

 Meeting adjourned @7:45 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted by _____________    Elaine Howard

 

Return to Selectboard Homepage