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)

 

December 5, 2007

 

The Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 Reorganization Planning Committee met at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, 2007, at Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham, Maine.

 

Committee members present were:  (from Bowdoin) Tim Lavan and Kim Totten; (from Bowdoinham) Kim Benjamin and Daniel Billings; (from Harpswell) Elinor “Ellie” Multer and Joanne Rogers; (from Topsham) Stephen Harris and James Trusiani; and (from Lisbon) Martha Poliquin and Charles Smith.

 

Not present were Leroy Letourneau, Joanne Reinhart, James Henderson, Robert W. Hill, Prudence “Prudy” Grant and Gina Mason.

 

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.

 

Student representative Sam Prindall (Mt. Ararat High School) was also present.  Lisbon High School student representative Cam Bubar was not 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 Co-chair Martha Poliquin at 6:30 p.m.

 

B.        Approval of minutes of the November 7, 2007, RPC meeting

 

It was moved by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Trusiani, and VOTED (unanimously of those present, as Ms. Benjamin had not yet arrived) to accept as printed the minutes of the November 7, 2007, RPC meeting.

 

It was noted that the first sentence of the third-to-last paragraph of page one of the minutes of the November 7, 2007, joint meeting of the Employees & Bargaining and Financial Committees should read “Ron Lavender continued with the facilities update indicating that under the Consolidation Plan, there would be eleven schools.”

 

C.        Public comment

 

            There was no public comment.

 

D.        RPC expenses and budget

 

Co-chair Poliquin noted that the RPC committee will receive $2,500 from the State to help fund expenses connected with its work. 

 

Ron Lavender noted that this money has been received but has not been used.  He noted that some of the expenses being incurred are videotaping meetings, advertising, food, photocopying and salary for the recorder.

 

Ms. Poliquin asked if a budget should be developed for use of this money.

 

Ms. Multer would like to be informed on what will be paid from this sum.

 

Mr. Trusiani asked whether there will be legal costs associated with getting the referendum to the voters.  Superintendent Wilhelm noted that there have already been some legal expenses.

 

Superintendent Welsh stated that M.S.A.D. No. 75 and Union 30 (Lisbon) will each receive $2,500 and that the RPC will receive $2,500.

 

…        At 6:40 Ms. Benjamin arrived.


Mr. Harris asked whether any additional funding from the State is anticipated, to which Superintendent Wilhelm responded “no.”  Dr. Wilhelm noted that the money allocated will not cover the costs of conducting the referendum.

 

Ms. Multer stated that the money will cover part of what is necessary to get to the point of the referendum.

 

Superintendent Wilhelm indicated the need to set aside some of the money for the “end of the game.”

 

Superintendent Welsh noted that some of Lisbon’s expenses will be covered locally, reporting that the Lisbon School Committee authorized a town-wide mailing to publicize RPC meetings.

 

Ms. Multer urged the RPC to set aside some of the money to cover a joint Lisbon/M.S.A.D. No. 75 mailing.

 

Ms. Poliquin asked for and received consensus that the RPC would like to have a budget developed for use of these funds.

 

Ms. Poliquin noted that members have been provided a copy of the progress report submitted to the State.

 

Superintendent Welsh said that the Lisbon School Committee had opted to alter the document before it was submitted, asking that #5 be identified as “in progress.”  The Lisbon School Committee wants to retain the antiques (roll-top desk, bookcases, and table) located in the Superintendent’s Office.  Said furnishings will be turned over to the Town’s Historical Society.

 

E.        Sub-committee breakout

 

Superintendent Welsh had materials to distribute relative to the administrative make-up of the RSU, and Mr. Harris indicated that the handout was more cogent for the Employees & Bargaining Committee.

 

            The committees broke out from 6:45 to 8:15 p.m.

 

F.        Sub-committee reports:

 

Governance – Mrs. Rogers distributed a timeline for events leading to the RSU’s start-up.  She asked that RPC members return with comments at the December 19th meeting.

 

The Governance Committee has looked at policies, recommending six Committees:  Policy, Curriculum, Professional, Support, Facilities and Finance.  More information will be provided at the next RPC meeting, such as make-up of the committees.  The Committee will also be looking at interim personnel policies.

 

She noted that the Law states that RSU School Directors will be paid between $10-$25 per meeting and that any increase would have to go before the voters.  The Committee is recommending that Directors be compensated at the rate of $25 per meeting.

           

Ms. Poliquin asked what items can be predicted to be action items at the December 19th meeting.  Mrs. Rogers responded that the timeline and rate of pay for Board meeting attendance need to receive the RPC’s approval.  Ms. Poliquin assumes these items will be highlighted in the minutes of tonight’s Governance Committee meeting.

 

Ms. Poliquin asked if the Governance Committee is looking for approval of the timeline.  Mrs. Rogers said it was especially critical to receive approval of the March 15th date for a public hearing prior to submission of the Plan.

 

Financial – Ms. Multer reported that two items will be written up to submit to the RPC for its action at the December 19th meeting.  The wording on lease-purchase agreements will be “tweaked” to accommodate, for example, M.S.A.D. No. 75’s energy-saving contracts.

 

Another change will be requested regarding handling of a variety of funds, the bulk of which will be turned over to the RSU.  There was a question about how certain funds (for example, Title funds) can be handled.  It will be recommended that the guidelines for dedicated funds be maintained, but that the funds still be turned over to the RSU.

 

Employees & Bargaining – Mr. Harris reported that holders of administrative posts in each system are currently meeting. 

 

The Committee is recommending that support staff and teacher negotiated agreements be re-negotiated with an expiration of 2010, while the administrative negotiated agreement would be re-worked with an expiration of 2009.

 

The M.S.A.D. No. 75 teacher contract expires in 2008; and the Committee is looking for a tw0-year renewal, to expire in 2010.  Lisbon’s agreement expires in 2009, so a one-year renewal will be negotiated.

 

The M.S.A.D. No. 75 support staff agreement will expire in 2009, and a one-year renewal is being recommended.  A re-negotiation of Lisbon’s support staff agreement is not necessary, as it expires in 2010.

 

The Committee recommends the negotiation of a new contract for administrators in the first year (2008-2009) of operation of the RSU.

 

G.        Wrap-up and schedule of meetings

 

Co-chair Poliquin noted that it had been previously suggested that the December 19th meeting be held in Lisbon.  Mrs. Rogers would like to continue to meet at Mt. Ararat Middle School, until such time as the RPC has a plan to present to the community.  She would appreciate staying in a central meeting location until that time. 

Ms. Poliquin, Ms. Benjamin and Mr. Smith shared their desire to meet in Lisbon.

 

Sam Prindall indicated it would probably prove difficult for him to attend a meeting in Lisbon.

 

It was moved by Mr. Smith, seconded by Ms. Benjamin, and VOTED (8 yeas, 2 nays, 1 abstention, and 7 absent) to hold the December 19, 2007, meeting of the RPC at Lisbon Community School at 6:30 p.m.

 

Voting “yea” were Ms. Benjamin, Mr. Billings, Mr. Harris, Mr. Lavan, Ms. Poliquin, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Totten and Mr. Trusiani.

 

Voting “nay” were Sam Prindall and Mrs. Rogers.

 

Abstaining from voting was Ms. Multer.

 

Absent were Cam Bubar, Ms. Grant, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Hill, Mr. Letourneau, Ms. Mason, and Mrs. Reinhart.

 

            The meeting was declared adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Rebecca A. Brillant

Recorder

 

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