Lyme School District
Special School Board Meeting
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Lyme Elementary School
Meeting Minutes
Approved as is 11/20/08

Board Members Present: Peter Glenshaw, Audrey Brown, Emily Dentzer, Tom Goodrich, Kevin Kerin, Dan Parish, Mark Schiffman. Administrators Present: Gordon Schnare, Jeff Valence; Public Present: Kathy McGowan. Recorder: Roger Lohr

1. Call to Order
The Special Lyme School Board meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by Board Chair Peter Glenshaw.

2. Business Requiring Discussion
Dresden Tuition Discussion
Chair Peter Glenshaw stated that there had been uncertainty about the amount of time that the meeting warrant was posted as required (24 hours prior to the meeting) and as a result the Board would not conduct any official votes at the meeting.

Kathy McGowan reported on the status of the six-month discussions with Dresden. She and Chair Glenshaw have met with the Dresden Superintendent Wayne Gersen, Assistant Superintendent for Business John Aubin, and Dresden Board Budget Committee members Kari Asmus and Robin Carpenter. The discussions related to special education charges and the tuition calculation for Lyme students to attend Hanover High School.

An SAU 70 document outlining four points included a clarification of extraordinary special education expenses; a credit amount offered to the Lyme School District for miscalculations in last year’s tuition amounting to $29,847.68; that the basis used for the tuition calculation would be derived from the Hanover High School budget rather than the Dresden budget; and an offer to provide daily bus transportation from Lyme Elementary School to Hanover High School and back for an annual charge of $6,500 for 2008-09 school year.

The details of Kathy McGowan’s memo and the Dresden letter were discussed.

The Lyme Board discussed its obligations to the community and whether it should pursue the matter. At this point, the understanding about the calculation is clearer than before and it was suggested that the Board should review it more closely in the future.

It was suggested that the Board send a counter offer to Dresden that the difference between claims be split and that Lyme would be amenable if Dresden would make amends for the value of the current offer plus a rebate related to 2006-07. Lyme would favor that Dresden apply the agreed upon sum to the Lyme tuition, thus providing credit equal to the equivalent of a few student tuitions.

Superintendent Schnare and Chair Glenshaw will discuss the suggestion with an attorney prior to meeting again with Dresden representatives.

3. Adjournment
The Board adjourned at 7:59 PM
The next Regular Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 7:00 PM.