| 0:00:00 | Program of studies: courses and structure | Barry describes condensed career pathways, a planned A/B schedule of year-long courses, and a change to "require that students take a year of English four years in a row". Remedial courses go: "the absence throughout here of our structured language and structured math, our remedial courses". Pre-algebra and earth science are removed as middle-school courses. New courses: forensic science, and digital art and design co-taught by the computer and art teachers. A dance choreography class replaces sending students to an outside studio, presented as a cost saving. | OBS |
| 0:08:43 | Diploma credit tables and library para | Ferland finds that the merit-diploma columns do not add up to four credits in math and science. Barry: "You're you're absolutely right in the diploma with merit." Ferland objects that the library media paraprofessional is cut while the program text still describes duties needing one: "I believe that there needs to be a para in that library media center." Barry says the text was written before the budget and would be revisited. | |
| 0:14:09 | Community service and credits | Barry explains the switch from 12 credits a year to "48 credits by the time you graduate" for promotion. John asks the district to "stop counting at 48 hours". Rapp suggests a sophomore-year checkpoint; the chair recalls the board's earlier choice to require hours each year. | |
| 0:21:41 | Credit load and cost | John asks whether the 27-credit diploma, "which is actually five more than state requires", could be lowered to save teaching positions. Barry defends the breadth of offerings: "I think it would be ill advised." | |
| 0:25:21 | Grading, GPA and transcripts | The chair asks how GPA, class rank and valedictorian work under the descriptor grading system. LeClair reports that a steering committee is reviewing a draft reporting document: "Right now, we're targeting March for that final approval." The chair: "there are 50 inquiries coming into our guidance counselors on what do your transcripts mean?" | |
| 0:36:22 | Public perception of the schools | The chair says the schools are perceived as weak despite their offerings. Ferland reports that Zillow rates the schools "around 2 or 3 out of ten". Rapp: "they list the average teacher salary at $70,000 a year." The superintendent suggests a stipended staff member to write regular articles, citing Newport's practice. | |
| 0:49:00 | Program of studies deferred | Barry asks for time to correct the diploma requirements. The chair asks whether approval can wait until February 4; Barry: "It can. I'd rather get it right." | |
| 0:51:14 | Early-childhood program finances | LeClair reports changes since last year's proposed cut: parents now pay for 50 weeks, rates were raised and collections tightened, and "the early childhood program is running approximately cost to neutral." FY2015 projected expenditures excluding the high-school teacher are about $180,352 against projected revenue of about $186,000 (revenue to date $93,000 as of January 14). She recommends keeping the paraprofessional, because "cutting that position actually would not be a cost savings to the district" under state licensing ratios, and adding two preschool slots for "approximately $17,000 worth of revenue". Of the families served, 12 live in Claremont. | POS |
| 0:59:01 | Running a business | Bob: "There's no mistake about it. We're running the business." and "we're running a business and taxpayers are subsidizing that in the Claremont School District". Ferland replies that other technical-center programs are not held to the same test: "I feel like she's being singled out because she has a successful program working with the community." Rapp: "It's it's showing that it's not losing money." Johnson reports 24 children enrolled and a waiting list "2 to 3 years long." | |
| 1:11:29 | Budget line versus actuals | Bob reads the program's budget line as $344,487 against revenue of $186,000. LeClair: year-to-date plus encumbrances is $269,332, or $180,352 without the high-school teacher, and "the budget figure is not an accurate figure to start with"; she says FY2016 lines were cleaned up. | |
| 1:14:15 | Draft eight of the reduction list | The early-childhood para returns to the budget. Added cuts: "athletic reductions, which include benefits, are $33,295.56", and phone and internet bids came in lower: "we have reduced this line item by $43,380." Result: "the recommended budget for fiscal year 1516 at this day is $14,516 less than the current fiscal year." The superintendent ties the cuts to funding full-day kindergarten and warns: "please do not expect this to be an annual effort." | |
| 1:19:56 | Athletics and night-game lights | LeClair: about $23,000 of the athletic reduction is coaching stipends and related costs, plus "$10,000 for lights for night games" that the city had asked the district to pay. The cost per hour is disputed: the superintendent recalls "a little over $100", Bob recalls a 2008-09 city study at "only $50 an hour." The chair asks for a confirmed figure. | |
| 1:27:22 | Revenue offsets and tax rate | O'Neill: an estimated $250,000 fund-balance return; "tax rate impact is proposed to be $0.55 on the operating budget, including the war nautical [warrant article] for the Paris [paras]." Each proposed capital article adds roughly 14 to 15 cents. "It's the increase in the total proposed appropriation to the school is $377,000." Bob challenges the shifting fund-balance figures ($1.3 million, $700,000, $250,000); LeClair clarifies that the larger figure is the FY2014 return and $250,000 the projected FY2015 return. The superintendent cites a $444,000 increase in FY2016 adequacy aid. | |
| 1:33:50 | Outsourcing RFPs | Bid openings for maintenance and custodial, food service and transportation were delayed "until the 30th of, of January"; one maintenance-custodial response is in and sealed. The chair: if the process succeeds, "it will result in a surplus next year." O'Neill explains that savings can only lower the tax rate through the revenue estimate when the rate is set in the fall. | |
| 1:38:00 | General fund versus warrant total | The chair first states the motion as "the budget for 1516 at $31,094,382." O'Neill explains that the warrant adds $2,215,000 in grants and $650,000 for food service, both revenue-neutral, for a warrant total of $33,959,382. The draft MS-26 form shows doubled prior-year figures: "The budget on page 305 says 65 million." The posting deadline is discussed: "26th is when the last date of postal warrant." | OBS |
| 1:49:15 | Paraprofessional contract on a separate article | John: "I would like a legal opinion" on whether one union's cost items may sit on a separate article when others are in the budget, adding "All employees should be treated equally if they're going to work for the school district." The superintendent: "That has been the past practice." | |
| 1:50:04 | First budget vote | Motion stated as $33,959,382, transcribed in fragments (1:50:14); "Motion made by Brian, seconded by John and Mary. Can we do a roll call on that, please?" Only Bob's No, no. is audible (1:50:51). The chair then asks those voting no to explain. Bob cites "a tax rate out there at $41 and something a thousand" and "240 homes in the city of Claremont on the market, 30 of them under foreclosure." | OBS |
| 1:53:23 | No voters explain | The superintendent: "You asked me to come in with a level funded budget. I've come in with a level funded budget 14,000 to the good." Richard: "Had I truly understood that, I probably would have voted the other way." Ferland: "So that's why I voted. No, because I feel that that money needs to come from somewhere else, not from a para and a teacher." She proposes restoring the library para and half a physical-education position (about $50,000). | OBS |
| 1:58:19 | Priorities and the bottom line | John: "As a community, we can't offer the pie in the sky and then complain about paying for it." The chair describes the budget as a bottom line within which the superintendent may change positions. LeClair explains that new positions are costed high and reductions low; full-day kindergarten adds "three new full, full time teaching positions for kindergarten, one to be at each of the three elementary schools". | |
| 2:10:29 | Second budget vote | Richard: "That we accept the proposed budget as presented." The chair: "Second by Brian. Further discussion. Hearing. None. Mary, please." Only scattered Yes. answers are audible. The chair: "And let's understand what we've done here is put together a budget that will go in front of our voters." | OBS |
| 2:12:37 | Warrant articles 3 to 7 | The chair reads each article aloud. Paraprofessionals: "Year 2015 2016 estimated increase $92,370." with one Abstain. Security upgrades $101,000. Bus $95,000, Bob opposed, saying high-mileage buses reflect "a lack of maintenance". Roof: "Bob opposes that passes roofing repairs at Disney [Disnard] elementary School"; O'Neill says the earlier figure was "$137,000 for the first two phases" and the work can be done for $100,000. Expendable trust under "RSA 19820-C" [RSA 198:20-c], with the board named agents to expend. | POS |
| 2:19:55 | Article 8, petitioned tax cap | The chair reads: "shall we adopt the provisions of RSA 325 B [RSA 32:5-b] and implement the tax cap" at 0%. He argues the cap penalizes returning one-time revenue. Ferland: "Then move that we don't." Chair: "We do not recommend this article." Passes by voice vote. | |
| 2:22:00 | Default budget | Bob asks for the default budget figure; O'Neill's answer is garbled in the transcript ("30 ... 411 ... 41138 50") and he says it is higher than the proposed budget. No reliable figure can be read from the recording. | |
| 2:22:59 | Gift of winter jackets | The chair reads the thank-you letter for "children's winter jackets valued at $560" from Mill Travel for the families-in-transition program; accepted on motion and second. | |
| 2:24:49 | Policy JKAA, restraint and seclusion | The superintendent: "This is a, a new RSA, of September 2014." The board approves it "for second reading"; the clerk indicates a third reading follows: "For third place." [read] | OBS |
| 2:26:56 | Transportation drop-off policy and a hearing request | The superintendent reports a resident's request to meet the board "per EDI 204.01. Proceedings at school board level to resolve disputes between individuals and the school system." and asks the board to defer. The chair says he has invited the resident twice and does not want to delay a rule that kindergarten through second-grade children are not dropped off without an adult: "we can take it from a change to a final reading in the same night." Rapp: "My only concern is that it says a local school board shall adhere to the following due process procedures." Approved on second reading. | OBS |
| 2:34:05 | Bus-accident procedures | The superintendent says the procedure comes from the New Hampshire School Boards Association and was checked with the ambulance company. Approved on second reading. | |
| 2:35:24 | Dates | Ferland: "I would like to be excused from that meeting." The chair: filing for three open seats "begins January 21st today and ends on January 30th"; vote March 10. | |