Lyme School District
Organizational and Regular School Board Meeting
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Meeting Minutes
Approved as is 12/17/09

Board Members Present: Kate Semple Barta, Audrey Brown, Emily Dentzer, Peter Glenshaw, Daniel Parish, Mark Schiffman. Staff Members Present: Gordon Schnare, Jeff Valence; Miki McGee, Meg Franks. Recorded by R. Lohr

1. Call to Order
Chair Schiffman called the meeting to order at 6:07 PM and he gave an overview of the budget process.

2. Business Requiring Discussion – Proposed 2010-11 Budget
The updated budget document was distributed along with the FTE Summary document. The proposed budget did not incorporate any teacher FTE changes except one additional aide. Revenue projections will be distributed at the next Board meeting.

Each percent of budget was valued at approximately $48,500. Of the budget, the high school tuition represents 30 percent, teacher salaries represents 25 percent, and special education represents 20 percent. At this time the proposed budget of the elementary school is slated to increase by about $100,000 (3.93 percent) and the budget of the entire district is to increase by $300,000 (4.6 percent).

It was stated that the tuition gap between the two most popular high school choices Hanover High and Thetford Academy was shrinking. It was felt that Hanover High tuition would increase about 2 percent and estimates used for the budget were higher so there may be a smaller increase than projected. Tuition was proposed at $120-135,000 above last year’s tuition.

Special education costs include one out-of-district placement and use of the Reserve Fund is available if necessary. The details of special education item variances were explained.

Retirement costs are increasing more than 8 percent and will continue to increase in the coming years as the state is shifting an increased responsibility for retirement to localities and school districts.

The prebuys of computer equipment have allowed the school to get ahead and as long as the technology budget returns to the regular budget schedule, it is ok. The current computer budget is frozen at $29,000. The Board requested Meg Franks to provide them with the long term computer schedule budget plan. Textbooks were replaced last year using funds from the surplus.

The Board was reminded that voters favored the teacher contract for three years. The Board reviewed the budget looking at variances line-by-line. The parent transportation has ended and will not be in the proposed budget for the first time in years. The budgeted fuel price may be high and the solar system is estimated to save $2-4,000 in electricity but actual savings cannot be determined until it runs successfully for a period of time.

Areas for Further Discussion
a. High School tuition additional data needed - can lower
b. High School Trust – ample enough to impact tax if needed
c. Non residential SPED high school tuition – SPED Trust if needed
d. Teacher salaries
e. Aide salary increases – SPED can be paid by ARRA
f. Support staff and other salary increases
g. Computer equipment schedule
h. General supplies – want to avoid asking public for pencils
i. Speech therapy details
j. School improvement regarding staff development
k. Language arts/writing specialist
l. Library salary
m. Board stipend
n. SAU health insurance
o. Superintendent transition costs – salary increase, health insurance, advertising, search, shadow
p. Administration salaries
q. Contracted services/repairs maintenance
r. Building renovations
s. Fuel
t. Surplus to reserve

Board members were to discuss some of the items on the list in nonpublic session and they will look over the list and send email questions to Superintendent Schnare. When special education and high school tuition is removed from the budget the overall budget increase is a 1.81 percent increase and the elementary school is a 2.9 percent increase. The CPI is currently .79 and the strategic plan recommends that the proposed budget be one percent above CPI.

For every one percent increase in salary for the support staff and aides, it would impact the budget by $5,000.

3. Non-Public Session
A motion was made and seconded (Parish, Glenshaw) to enter non-public session in accordance with RSA 91-A3 ll (c) for discussion of matters relating to personnel and pupils. The motion was passed unanimously. The roll call was conducted and the Board entered nonpublic session at 8:45 PM.

4. Adjournment
A motion to adjourn was made and seconded (Parish, Glenshaw). The motion was passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 10:12 PM.
The next Board meeting is scheduled on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 6:00 PM.