1997-04-14 with Budget HearingBEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS
April 14, 1997
A School Committee Public Hearing on the proposed FY98 School Department
budget was held on Monday, April 14, 1997 in the Briscoe Cafeteria, Briscoe Middle
School, Beverly, MA.
Members Present:
Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Gillespie, Mrs. Krueger,
Ms. Levin, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mrs. Seamans
and Mrs. Goodenough.
Members Absent:
None
Also in Attendance:
Keith Manville, Acting Superintendent, and
Judy Mulligan, School Business Administrator.
The hearing was called to order by President Linda Goodenough at 7:10 PM.
Mrs. Goodenough turned the proceedings over to Mr. Bjork, Chair of the
Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities.
Mr. Bjork stated the reason for the public hearing, citing M.G.L. Chapter 61,
Section 38 N, and the Beverly Municipal Charter, Article 6, Section 6.2.
A legal notice of the hearing was published in a local newspaper with a
summary of the proposed FY98 additions. Copies of the proposed budget have
been made available to the public, and the proceedings are being held tonight
to afford citizens the opportunity to be heard regarding the budget proposal.
Mr. Bjork thanked the many members in the audience for attending and
participating in the hearing. He introduced members of the School Committee
and thanked the Administration and members of the Finance Committee,
including citizen advisors, for many hours of work to prepare the budget.
Mr. Bjork presented brief background information on the proposed budget,
using overhead projections with charts and graphs.
Persons requesting to speak included: Mary Grant, Steve Bissel, Kathy May,
Annemarie Cesa, Thomas Murdock, Pamela Turner, Mike Zapantis, Don
Argyrople, Doug Walker, Barbara Maver, Joseph Tedesco, Eileen Lang, Jack
Shirley, Greg Johnston, Dean Rubin, Debra Feldeman, Tom Durham and Kate
Davis.
When no other persons requested to be recognized for input, the hearing was
declared closed. The hearing closed at 8:37 PM.
Stella Mae Seamans
Secretary
BEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS
April 14, 1997
A regular meeting of the Beverly School Committee was held on Monday,
April 14, 1997 in the Briscoe Cafeteria, Briscoe Middle School, Beverly, MA.
Members Present: Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Gillespie, Mrs. Krueger,
Ms. Levin, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mrs. Seamans
and Mrs. Goodenough.
Members Absent: None
Also in Attendance: Keith Manville, Acting Superintendent, and
Judy Muiligan, School Business Administrator.
There was no Student Representative present at the meeting.
Mrs. Goodenough called the meeting to order at 8:52 PM. following a public
hearing on the proposed FY98 School Department Budget.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. McHugh.
Mrs. Goodenough changed the agenda order to receive a report from Mr. Bjork,
Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance and Facilities, and consider
the proposed FY98 School Department budget. She thanked people in the
audience for attending the hearing and for participating in the process
regarding the proposed budget.
· Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Finance and
Facilities, it was moved by Mr. Bjork and seconded that the Beverly School
Committee approve a FY98 School Department budget request in the amount
of $28,711,376 for level program and program improvements, as proposed.
Considerable discussion was held, including comments encouraging continued
public involvement and representation, and a desire and need to work together
with the City Council and the community to construct creative solutions for
funding the budget.
A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following:
YES: Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Gillespie, Mrs. Krueger, Ms. Levin,
Mr. McHugh, Mrs. Seamans, Mr. Bjork and Mrs. Goodneough.
NO: Mayor Scanion
The vote was 8 for and 1 against the motion. Motion approved.
Regular Meeting
April 14, 1997
Page 2
· Upon the recommendation of the Administration, it was moved by Mr. Bjork
and seconded that the Beverly School Committee approve the use of $414,000
of local revenues and school choice monies to reduce the requested
appropriation of $28,297,376 from the City.
A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following:
YES: Mrs. Krueger, Ms. Levin, Mr. McHugh, Mrs. Seamans,
Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Frutiger and Mrs. Goodenough.
NO: Mrs. Gillespie and Mayor ScanIon.
The vote was 7 for and 2 against the motion. Motion approved.
· Upon the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Finance and
Facilities, it was moved by Mr. Bjork and seconded that the Beverly School
Committee request $3,349,000 in capital projects as proposed, including High
School improvement projects previously promised by the Mayor.
A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following:
YES: Mrs. Krueger, Ms. Levin, Mr. McHugh, Mrs. Seamans,
Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Frutiger and Mrs. Goodenough.
NO: Mrs. Gillespie and Mayor Scanion.
The vote was 7 for and 2 against the motion. Motion approved.
The Committee recessed at 9:52 PM.
The Committee reconvened at 9:58 PM.
MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL PLAN
Mr. Kenneth Stowe, Principal, and members of the Memorial Middle School
Site Council presented the proposed School Improvement Plan for 1997-1998.
Mr. Stowe introduced members of the Council and expressed pride in their
accomplishments. With regard to the required student hours, Mr. Stowe
recommended consideration of keeping the middle schools at 900 hours a year,
with manageable changes to conform to Time and Learning requirements.
He noted that changing to 990 hours would be a hardship, fiscally and
programatically.
The Council presented a request for consideration, that School Site Councils
be allowed to present their budget package to the School Committee as the
budget is formulated, part of the state mandated duties of Councils.
Regular Meeting
April 14, 1997
Page 3
Members thanked Mr. Stowe and the Site Council for the excellent written
proposal, and for waiting a lengthy time this evening to present the plan.
· It was moved by Ms. Levin and seconded to accept the Memorial Middle
School Improvement Plan for 1997-1998, as presented. Unanimously voted.
Standing Committee on Instruction
Mrs. Krueger, Chair, requested that action be taken on items presented and
approved at the last subcommittee meeting for consideration by the Full
Committee, to be published in the High School Program of Studies.
° It was moved by Mrs. Krueger and seconded to adopt the new graduation
requirements as recommended by the High School Principal and Acting
Superintendent. Unanimously voted.
° It was moved by Mrs. Krueger and seconded to adopt the procedures of final
authority regarding course selection and changes, as recommended by the
Acting Superintendent. Unanimously voted.
· It was moved by Mrs. Krueger and seconded to approve offering the new
course, IMP(Integrated Math Progarm), beginning in September, 1997.
Unanimously voted.
Due to the lateness of the hour, members consensually agreed to recess the
meeting to Monday, May 5, 1997 at 7:30 PM in the School Committee Room,
and consider the remaining agenda items at that time.
· It was moved by Ms. Levin and seconded to go into Executive Session to
consider negotiations with non-union personnel and take whatever action
necessary, recess the meeting, and return to Open Session on Monday, May 5,
1997 at 7:30 PM.
A roll call vote was requested, which resulted in the following:
YES:
Ms. Levin, Mr. McHugh, Mayor ScanIon, Mrs. Searoans,
Mr. Bjork, Mrs. Frutiger, Mrs. Krueger and Mrs. Goodenough.
NO: Mrs. Gillespie
The vote was 8 for and 1 against the motion. Motion approved.
The Committee recessed at 10:38 PM.
The Committee went into Executive Session at 10:40 PM.
Stella Mae Seamans
Secretary