coen Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Proceedings of the Business Committee School District No. 2, Yellowstone County High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County Billings, Montana July 11, 2005 Call to Order The Business Committee Meeting of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and the High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana was duly held at The Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, Monday, July 11, 2005 at 7:10 p.m. after a joint meeting of all three standing committees with the Twenty-Year Facilities Planning Committee. Chair Dale Getz presided and led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call The following members of the committee were present: Dale Getz, Katharin Kelker, Joel Guthals, Thomas Harper, Kari Altenburg, Jerry Hansen, Joan Sleeth, Peter Grass. Shanna Henry, Bob Whalen and Curt Prchal were absent. Clerk Leo Hudetz also attended. The Chair asked to rearrange the agenda and move the action items first, which is items C, D, J, L, N. This was agreeable to all of the members of the committee. Consent Agenda Joan Sleeth questioned the cost of the addition of Daylis Stadium maintenance ECA account and asked what goes into this account? Thomas Harper explained that for the most part this is private funding and will include the $1 charge per person. Joel Guthals moved to approve the items in the consent agenda: 1) addition of Daylis Stadium maintenance ECA account; 2) minutes of June 13, 2005; 3) minutes of June 21, 2005. Peter Grass seconded the motion. The motion to approve the items in the consent agenda passed unanimously. Superintendent Personal Leave Payoff FY2004-05 It was explained that the same thing was done last year. The personal leave days not taken could be accumulated which would increase the superintendent’s payoff at the end of his contract. Joan Sleeth asked if the 24 days vacation and 10 days personal is “standard” in a superintendent’s contract. She would like to see this considered for the next superintendent’s contract. Jerry Hansen noted that it could actually be a cost savings and because it is in his current contract is an obligation to pay. Joel Guthals moved to authorize payment of the unused personal leave days for the 2004-05 year for the superintendent. Jerry Hansen seconded the motion. Joan Sleeth asked how much is he allowed to accrue each year? He is allowed 10 days each year per year. Ms. Sleeth asked if he could continue to accumulate personal leave or if it reached a cap like the other administrators. It was agreed that this should be considered for future contracts. Dale Getz stated that it is an obligation under the current contract. The motion passed unanimously. Comprehensive Insurance Renewal Thomas Harper initiated a review of the comprehensive insurance. It is recommended to renew our comprehensive insurance with Payne Financial Group Inc. for a three-year contract starting with the 2005-06 year. Mr. Harper explained that the deductibles are paid out of the comprehensive insurance fund. This will increase the reserves to $250,000 for a total savings of approximately $125,000. Kathy Kelker moved to recommend to the Board approval to renew our comprehensive insurance with Payne Financial Group Inc. for a three-year contract effective with the 2005-06 year. Joel Guthals seconded the motion. Peter Grass asked if there was an incentive for doing more than one year at a time and where is the incentive for the second and third year. Thomas Harper stated that the consultant recommended a five year contract. Thomas feels if you bid too often you have a hard time getting people to do business with you. Kathy Kelker stated that having a consultant was very helpful and it is saving us money. Joel Guthals asked if there is an internal service fund transfer. The transfer is from the general fund. The motion for a three-year contract with Payne Financial group was passed unanimously. Motion concerning the second issue: Kathy Kelker moved to transfer the amount of $151,383 into the internal service fund (279) to create a reserve for paying our deductibles. Joel Guthals seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Special Education Staff Increase Kathy Kelker started the explanation of this item by stating that the funding will come from Part B, Part C (ECI) and Medicaid. She stated that there should be an estimate of costs. Dale Getz pointed out that these are non-discretionary items, that is, things that are necessary. Pat Gum entered the meeting at 7:35 to discuss this item. She stated that the estimated cost is $224,000, which is a little bit of an over-estimation, or the absolute maximum. Joel Guthals asked if the funds were already allocated and here. The funds are approved but we have to submit requests for the money. Joel Guthals made a motion to recommend to the Board approval of the special education needs as outlined in item L at an estimated cost of $224,000. Kathy Kelker seconded the motion. Jerry Hansen asked about Rimrock being listed as a site when he thought it was closed. It was explained that Rimrock is used as an early childhood site for infant and toddler programs, preschool programs and head start programs. He also questioned adding seven staff members in special education. Can some of these people be reallocated to the program? Pat Gum explained that last year staff was cut. These needs are based on IEPs (Individual Education Program) and services need to be in place. Each year they very carefully go through and look at staff and buildings and move staff to where the needs of the kids are. Jerry Hansen asked how many special education students there are. Pat Gum estimated that there are overall 2,250 in the whole district which does not include infants and toddlers which would make an additional 150. Pat Gum stated that no district funds are being used in Rimrock. Kathy Kelker stated that it is hard to have a student identified as special education. Pat Gum stated that the federal government sets the criteria. In most cases the students would be referred after struggling with the regular curriculum. The need of special education services is determined and the parents agree, then an IEP is written. ADD and ADHD are not special education labels but rather “other health impaired.” Dale Getz asked how this is related to our freeze on hiring. Kathy Kelker stated that the hiring freeze did not end on June 30. Services have to be provided if students are qualified for special education. Joan Sleeth stated that special education is a separate piece of that mandate. Jerry Hansen asked how much of this is from general funds. Pat Gum stated that all costs will come out of grants. Pat stated that the cost of special education continues to climb and this is mostly due to the cost of staff. Peter Grass stated that it eats up a lot of space for the various programs also. Pat stated that it is mostly small group instruction. Dale Getz called for a vote for the additional FTE at a cost of $224,000 in accordance with agenda item L. All members voted in favor, including the chair. The motion passed unanimously. It is noted that Jerry Hansen came to the meeting with the idea of voting no on this item but changed his mind – “he learned something.” Pat Gum left the meeting but asked the committee to feel free to contact her with questions. Job Reclassification Since Rod Svee did not attend the meeting, the Chair stated that he is an advocate for raising the Business Manager’s salary. The recommendation is to move the salary from $73,837 to $82,241, level 9-2. Joan Sleeth asked if the duties of the other business managers being compared were the same as those of Thomas Harper. The others are not doing the duties of the clerk. Thomas mentioned that he is now responsible for the transportation department also because Dan Martin has assumed the duties of the Human Resources Department. Joan Sleeth asked if this was part of the proposed budget at the new rate. It is in the proposed budget at the new rate. A portion of the salary will now be paid out of the transportation budget. Dale Getz pointed out that Thomas had saved the district $125,000. Kathy Kelker moved to recommend to the Board reclassification of the business manager’s salary as per item N. Jerry Hansen seconded the motion. Joel Guthals asked about the comparison to other districts in the west. Joan Sleeth asked about the longevity of the other business managers and mentioned that that would cause an increase in their salaries. Rod Svee and Thomas Harper negotiated this rate; however, Thomas would like to see a higher rate. The motion passed unanimously. Dale Getz stated that all action items have been completed and asked for any comments on other items. Grand Avenue Peter Grass asked if the Board was ready to tackle this item. The Board needs to determine what makes good business sense as far as the building. Dale Getz asked where the students would go if the building is disposed of. There is no other place to put those students. Jerry Hansen stated that he is not in favor of selling that building at any price. Thomas Harper asked about the possibility of merging the high school and elementary districts. Joel Guthals pointed out that from a legal standpoint the two districts are separate entities. Elementary trustees cannot sell to the high school district for less than what was offered which was $1.8 million. The high school district needs to pay the full market value. However, it may be possible to make some sort of trade since the middle schools are owned one-third by the high school district. Joel Guthals moved to recommend to the Board that they take action in determining a trade between the high school district on jointly held properties so the high school district will acquire the Grand Avenue building for the fair market value of $1.8 million. Peter Grass seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Zero-Based Budgeting Process – Incremental Decision Unit Budgeting Kathy Kelker explained that the budget years ago was done by an incremental decision unit process. Jerry Hansen stated that he would like to see the budget done expenditure based rather than revenue based. He would also like to see all the budgets, not just the general fund. Kathy Kelker moved to recommend to the Board an IDU budget process. Joel Guthals make a recommendation to implement IDU process and ask Thomas Harper to prepare written outline on the budgeting process to the Board in August or September. Jerry Hanson seconded the motion. The explanation will come to the Business Committee in August. The motion passed unanimously. Financial Reports – June 2005 (Unaudited) Thomas Harper explained that there is not much excess money in the 2004-05 budget, approximately $2,000 in the general fund. He stated that the budget document for next year will be mailed about the end of July. The items Health Insurance, Financial Reports, Broadwater Renovation Federal Appropriation Status, and Calendar/ Agenda Items are for information only. Legal Report will be referred to the next Business Committee meeting. Jerry Hansen asked about the health insurance fund, and Thomas Harper stated that the fund will end the year with about $1.6 to $1.7 million. There being no other items of business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. _________________________________ K. Dale Getz, Chairman ________________________ Nancy Coe, Recorder THE MINUTES OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE MTG OF JULY 11, 2005 FOLLOW: Proceedings of the Board of Trustees District No. 2 Yellowstone County High School District #2 Yellowstone County Billings, MT July 11, 2005 This special meeting of the board jointly with the School/Community Committee, Business Committee, Education Committee and 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee was called to order by Chairman, Kathy Kelker on July 11, 2005 at 5:30 in the Board Room at Lincoln Center Members Present: Kathy Kelker, Sandra Mossman, Joel Guthals, Malcolm Goodrich, Dale Getz, Conrad Stroebe, Dawn Achten, Karen Moses, Mary Jo Fox The purpose of this meeting was to hear the final report and recommendations of the Twenty Year Facilities Planning Committee. Members present from this committee were Randy Hafer, John Eisen, Tim Cranston, Matt Brosovich, Mike Marnin, Donell Small, Barbara Bryan and Ed Workman. Guests Numerous guests were in attendance, that list is attached to these minutes. Public Comment Adeline Schmidt addressed the board regarding future use of the Lincoln Center, summarizing that she would like to see it remain the same as it is now. Theresa Stroebe addressed the board and planning committee stating that she felt the report is best for facilities not kids. She also noted that currently the district has no policy requiring Lockwood students to attend Skyview High School. 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee Report Randy Hafer presented the report for the 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee explaining that the appointment of this committee arose out of the failed bond issue for a new high school. The charge was to come up with a facilities plan that the community might support. The Committee’s report is documented in three separate documents, the Executive Summary, Kids & Community: Recommendations for the Future of Billings Public High School Facilities Volume 1, and Volume 2 Appendices. A copy of these documents will be filed as an attachment to these minutes. The committee met 30 times over the past fourteen months, sponsored 8 lunch forums with featured speakers and made 48 presentations more than 1400 people. Research included building tours, review of previous cost estimates and planning studies, internet research, enrollment projections, review of public surveys and extensive discussions with SD2 personnel, city personnel and other experts. Included in the report are: • Introduction • Keys to the Planning Process • Independent Research • Public Communication • School Facility Planning Considerations • Criteria for Evaluating High School Scenarios • Key Committee Findings • Recommendations for High School Facility Use • Other Recommendations • Educational Advantages of Facility Recommendations • Estimated Capital Costs • Estimated Operating Costs Committee recommendations included: • Renovate to create a modern, comfortable learning environment; use principles of integrated design and lifecycle costing for renovation of building systems. • Keep freshmen academies but provide for them at their home schools, keeping them as autonomous units. • Explore and develop smaller learning environments. • Limit enrollment at each school to the functional capacity. • Allow Lockwood students to choose Senior or Skyview as their home school but gradually discontinue busing Lockwood students to Senior. • Enhance the Career Center and technical instruction, add limited elective core classes and encourage sophomore attendance. • Make Lincoln Center a satellite campus of the Career Center for fields related to medicine, business and the arts. Partner with the downtown business community. • Merge Adult Education into a communitywide adult education program administered by a coalition of local educational groups and locate in space outside of Lincoln Center. • Retain Crossroads as an alternative high school and continue efforts to make it a fully accredited high school • Sell property at Monad and 48th St. West • Other recommendations addressed staffing, educational enhancements, facility operations, and facilities planning. Following the report Chairman Kelker invited those present to address the committee with any questions regarding the report. Tim Cranston noted that there was an error on the enrollment projection chart and that correction will be sent to the members of the board. The enrollment forecast will be modified slightly on the chart reflecting enrollment from now to 2008, but will not affect the final outcome of the report. On behalf of the Board, Chairman Kelker thanked the committee members for their expertise and work on the report and recognized each with a certificate and gift of appreciation. With no further business on the agenda, the meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. ________________________ _______________________ Katharin Kelker, Chairman Donna Obie, Recorder July_11_2005_Joint_Comm.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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