PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MINUTES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FINAL UNTIL THE RPC HAS APPROVED THEM AT ITS NEXT MEETING.

 

LISBON/M.S.A.D. No. 75

REORGANIZATION PLANNING COMMITTEE (RPC)

 

January 16, 2008

 

The Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 Reorganization Planning Committee met at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2008, at Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham, Maine.

 

Committee members present were:  (from Bowdoin) Tim Lavan, Leroy Letourneau and Kim Totten; (from Bowdoinham) Kim Benjamin and Joanne Reinhart; (from Harpswell) Elinor “Ellie” Multer, Joanne Rogers and James Henderson; (from Topsham) Robert W. Hill; Stephen Harris, and James Trusiani; and (from Lisbon) Martha Poliquin, Charles Smith, Gina Mason and Prudence “Prudy” Grant.  Sam Prindall, Mt. Ararat High School student representative, was also present.

 

Not present were Daniel Billings and student representative Cam Bubar.

 

Also present were Superintendents J. Michael Wilhelm, (M.S.A.D. No. 75) and Shannon Welsh (union 30).

 

Business Managers Ron Lavender (M.S.A.D. No. 75) and Catherine Messmer (Union 30) were also present.

 

Donna Frisoli of Harpswell Channel 14 TV was present to record this evening’s meeting.

 

The meeting was moderated and facilitated by Jay Bartner.

 

A.        Call to order

 

The meeting was called to order by C0-chair Martha Poliquin at 6:30 p.m.

 

B.        Approval of minutes of the January 2, 2008, RPC meeting

 

The recorder noted a need for a correction in the second paragraph on Page 4.  Mrs. Rogers indicated that the minutes should reflect that the only elected committee of the RSU will be the Finance Committee, with specific representation from each town and the membership of the remaining committees of the RSU being filled by choice.

 

As an aside, Mrs. Totten noted that page 2 of the minutes of the Employees & Bargaining Sub-committee should reflect her comment that in 2008-09 the RSU would be paying three superintendents, three Boards of Directors and three central office staffs.

 

It was moved by Mrs. Rogers, seconded by Ms. Benjamin, and VOTED (12 yeas, 0 nays, 2 abstentions, and 2 absent) to approve as printed the minutes of the January 2, 2008, RPC meeting.

 

Voting yea were Mr. Lavan, Mr. Letourneau, Mrs. Totten, Ms. Benjamin, Ms. Reinhart, Ms. Multer, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Hill, Ms. Poliquin, Ms. Grant, and Ms. Mason {sharing one seat/one vote with Mr. Smith, who had not  yet arrived}.

 

There were no nay votes.

 

Abstaining from voting were Mr. Harris and Mr. Trusiani.

 

Absent were Mr. Billings and Mr. Smith {who had not yet arrived}.

 

C.        Public comment

 

There was no public comment.

 

D.        RPC vote on Recommendations

 

            There were no Sub-committee recommendations needing to be acted upon.

 

E.        Report on Georgetown proposal

 

Co-chair Poliquin recapped the January 8th meeting of the Financial Sub-committee with Jim Rier of the Department of Education and three members of the Georgetown School Committee.

 

Superintendent Wilhelm reported that a member of the Georgetown School Committee has told him that the Committee plans to meet Friday (18th) to decide whether they will formally vote to seek acceptance into this RSU.

 

When asked by Mr. Harris, Superintendent Wilhelm noted that the newspaper article had not been accurate, in reporting that Georgetown had changed its mind about pursuing membership in the Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 RSU.

 

Responding to Mr. Lavan’s request for a “recap” of the Rier meeting, Dr. Wilhelm reported that with the addition of Georgetown, the impact would be lessened on all towns except Topsham, noting that Harpswell’s share would go up a little.

 

Ms. Poliquin stated that the RPC is waiting to hear back from Georgetown and that Lisbon and M.S.A.D. No. 75 will discuss the issue

 

There were no minutes taken of the meeting with Jim Rier and no action taken.

 

Mr. Letourneau noted that Georgetown has very few students and estimated probably only 25 of those are middle or high school aged and that those students had “choice” of the secondary school they attended.

 

Ms. Poliquin noted that Georgetown understands that if it comes into the RSU, it would enter it with acceptance of decisions already made.  Mr. Letourneau noted that adding Georgetown would increase the number of Directors on the RSU Board from 17 to 18.

 

F.        Sub-committee breakout

 

            The Sub-committees met in breakout session from 6:45-8:15 p.m.

 

            Mr. Smith arrived at 7:10 p.m.

 

            Sam Prindall left the meeting at 8:10 p.m.

 

Mr. Lavan noted that he will be unable to attend the January 30th meeting of the RPC.

 

G.        Sub-committee reports:

 

●          Governance –

 

Mrs. Rogers reported that the Governance Committee had discussed public hearings with the first to be held March 15.  Informational handouts would be available March 1st.  There will be two public hearings at two sites – Lisbon or Mt. Ararat – in the morning and afternoon.

 

The RPC will entertain recommendations for making the presentations and wants to bring out the issues in a timely fashion, before the hearings.

 

Mr. Hill noted the importance of educating the public in small-group settings, therefore the rationale for holding two meetings on the same day, before handing in the final Plan.

 

Mrs. Totten feels that each unit needs to hear the concerns of the other.  Mr. Lavan suggested asking the public for its questions and concerns.

 

●          Financial –

 

Ms. Multer reported that the Sub-committee is struggling with issues of raising money beyond the local share.  The biggest costs shifts are between what we have now and the start-up of the RSU.

 

It was moved by Ms. Multer, seconded by Mr. Letourneau, and VOTED (13 yeas, 1 nay, 0 abstentions, and 1 absent) that the start-up costs of the RSU be provided in the upcoming budget, to be apportioned among the towns, based 50% on town valuation and 50% on student population.

 

Voting yea were Mr. Lavan, Mr. Letourneau, Mrs. Totten, Ms. Benjamin, Ms. Reinhart, Ms. Multer, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Hill, Mr. Harris, Mr. Trusiani, Ms. Poliquin, Ms. Grant, and Ms. Mason {sharing one seat/one vote with Mr. Smith}.

 

Voting nay was Mrs. Rogers.

 

There were no abstentions.

 

            Absent was Mr. Billings.

 

●          Employees & Bargaining –

 

Mr. Harris shared that the Sub-committee had reviewed the organizational chart with potential savings factored in.  The RSU will have a projected student population of 4,500; and the State has only provided model central office staffing patterns for systems with 1,500, 2,500, and 3,500 students.

 

Facilitator Jay Bartner will request that the State provide a 4,500 student model.  Mr. Harris noted that it would not merely be helpful to have this, but it’s imperative.  He stated that it’s also imperative to have clarification on where HR sits in the scheme (in administration or not).

 

Mr. Henderson pointed how that information is needed on how much more any additional staffing would be costing taxpayers.  Superintendent Wilhelm commented that the question is really about what it will cost to run a “business” with 1,000 employees.

 

Ms. Multer asked whether M.S.A.D. No. 75 is the only system with an HR Director, to which Dr. Wilhelm said “no.”  Mr. Harris pointed out that “HR” services are provided in other systems by personnel with another title.

           

H.       Wrap-up and schedule of meetings

 

The next meeting of the RPC will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2008, at Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham, Maine.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Rebecca A. Brillant

Recorder