Financial Committee
of
Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 RPC
{Printed copies are duplex printed on both sides of
paper.}
Minutes
January
30, 2008
The Financial Sub-committee of the Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No.75 RPC met during the break-out session of
the Wednesday, January 30, 2008, meting of the RPC at
Committee members present were: Elinor “Ellie”
Multer, Chair; Martha Poliquin,
Also present were M.S.A.D. No.75 Business Manager
The Sub-committee revisited Item #9 on the Working
Template for Reorganization by Drummond Woodsum. Mr. Bartner was asked to request from the State
an assurance of a dollar amount to support the transition process. He said he would approach the State with said request,
but he feels that the answer might be “we don’t know yet.”
Also, Mr. Lavender would like to know what the verbiage
would be for such a clause when written up in the reorganization Plan.
The Sub-committee then looked at Item #12 (estimate
of cost-savings to be achieved). Mr.
Lavender and Ms. Messmer provided the attached chart (see Proposed
Administrative Organization Chart). They
both emphasized that this was as far as the planning can go at this point with
provided information. The overall
estimated savings for the merger is a projected $333,608. However, there are also potential additional
costs such as increased salaries for administrator with increased responsibilities,
any newly-created positions, merging of contracts, and software. We can only
speculate as we get into the process what other expenditures will occur.
Chair Multer asked what the basis or starting point
would be for the savings calculation, and Mr. Lavender said it would be the
cost to operate the two districts separately.
Ms. Messmer talked about penalties for not
reorganizing and given what the State will cut on amounts given to Lisbon and
the increase in mill rates,
Indeed, savings due to reorganization will be
difficult to differentiate from normal cost savings required by tighter budgets
as we move forward.
Page
2 – Minutes – Financial Committee – January 30, 2008
A definition of Systems Administration was
requested. The departments included are
Superintendent, Administrative Assistant, Assistant Superintendent,
Administrative Assistant, Human Resources Positions, Director of Business, and
Business Office
Supervisor. Savings below the management level have not
been calculated at this point.
Ms. Messmer felt that the Superintendents at this
time may not make additional cuts until they see how smoothly departments run
the first year.
The Sub-committee would like to present to the full
RPC several options on cost-sharing formulas, starting with the original
numbers presented to the School Boards at the beginning of this process. An EPS formula and a 50/50 formula are two
options, and Ms. Messmer will work these up using the most current
figures. Her charts will be available to
RPC members before the next meeting on February 13, 2008. With any and all the options considered, it
is understood that the new RPC will need to be flexible in looking at changes
in the towns’ property valuations and pupil counts. Flexibility is extremely important in this
process in order to be fair to all parties and to be responsive to community
changes.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M. to rejoin
the RPC.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanne Reinhart
Scribe
/bb/minutesFIN013008