Planning and Development Committee Meeting, February 12, 2007

[Marta McAllister]

Proceedings of the Planning and Development Committee

School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

February 12, 2007

 

 

The Planning and Development 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, February 12, 2007 at 5:30 p.m.

 

Members present: Trustee Malcolm Goodrich and Dawn Achten, Kathy Olson, Executive Director of Elementary Education, Scott Anderson, Executive Director of Secondary Education, Cheryl Malia- McCall, Margaret Aukshun, Jim Berry, Al Bloomer, Kristi Fred, Cindy Gopp, Sara Nyquist, MD., Alicia Manning. Also attending; Superintendent Jack Copps.

 

The Planning and Development Committee met in a joint session with the School and Community Committee and separated into individual committees for further discussion.

 

Call to Order- Sandra Mossman called the meeting to order.

 

Communications from the Public- There were no comments from the public.

 

Approval of the Planning and Development Committee Minutes- The committee was asked to approve the minutes for the November 2006 and January 2007 meetings. Malcolm Goodrich motioned for the approval and Cheryl Malia-McCall seconded the motion.

 

Those voting in favor were; Sandra Mossman, Malcolm Goodrich, Kathy Olson, Scott Anderson, Cheryl Malia-McCall, Dawn Achten, Al Bloomer, Kristi Fred, Cindy Gopp, Sara Nyquist, Alicia Manning, Margaret Aukshun, and Jim Berry. The vote was unanimous.

 

Chair Mossman addressed the committee about the vision of the District and having quality discussions to help them with their charge over the next 3 months.

 

Kristi Fred commented that the Heights correction of opening Beartooth Elementary can be fixed fairly quickly with the passing of the mill levy, but she questioned if the community would agree to fix the West end’s elementary situation.

 

Jack Copps said that preliminary steps are in the works for the bond issue that will be held in November. The District would need to be involved with the city in this process, as they own the property called Cottonwood Park, where the school would be built. The school would be located next to a huge development at Grand and 54th and within the park area. If the bond passed, the school most likely wouldn’t be completed for 1-½ years.

 

Jim Berry pointed out that the mill levy is not to build a school, and if parents thought that, they may opt against a levy.

 

Chair Mossman solicited advice from the committee members on how we best educate the public on the difference of mills and bonds.

 

Jack Copps clarified that bonds are to build capital construction. The indebtedness could last over a period of years. Bond monies are for specific expenses. The mill levy is used for operational costs out of the general fund. Expenses are such as; books, programs, and salaries.

 

Jim Berry reported what he is hearing from the general public is levy monies primarily go to SD2 Administration at the Lincoln Center. He questioned the committee on how to address these comments.

 

Jack Copps said people do not understand the teacher’s salary in comparison to the average income of those Montanans who have a 4-year degree. He felt recruiting quality teachers to the district will be difficult with the salaries currently offered by the district.

 

Al Bloomer said that the perception about salaries would be difficult for people to comprehend and look at the levy for what it is and not what people think it is.

 

Jack Copps stated that even if the levy goes down, salaries still go up. Cost of living is a factor. The bargaining units will fight for the cost of living increase. If the levy doesn’t pass and we don’t increase salaries, then other things can happen such as; cancelled programs, or a strike, which has happened in the recent past.

 

Al Bloomer stated that people have told him that Superintendent Copps has it figured out on what the District needs to do for the future growth and what the community wants.

 

Trustee Goodrich claimed that not all the public believes there would be consequences for the levy not passing. He reminded the committee that last year the District said Crossroads would close if the levy didn’t pass, and the school followed through. He also mentioned there are people out there that don’t care about student/teacher ratio. They feel the District isn’t operating efficiently.

 

Al Bloomer mentioned the District must be very clear about the consequences of the levy not passing with the public.

 

Trustee Goodrich stated the District has been tapping into reserves for several years and we do not have extra monies for textbooks.

 

Kristi Fred asked if 10 elementary teachers would be cut if the levy failed and the committee affirmed that would be the case.

 

The Crossroads building sale or ground lease would be decided in a week. Crossroads used to be Grand elementary school. The sale or lease monies would stay with the elementary fund and would be used to help fund the new elementary school at Cottonwood Park.

 

Superintendent Copps shared with the committee that he would be available to meet with any community groups to discuss the levy or school vision. Those interested in meeting with him need to contact his office and set up a time with his secretary.

 

As there was no further business the meeting adjourned at 7:30.

 

 

__________________

Sandra Mossman, Chair

 

 

___________________

Barb Gustafson, Recorder