Fincom Meeting Minutes 01/29/18 School Budget Hearings

Subject: FinCom Minutes of 1-29-18 Joint Meeting PUBLIC HEARINGS/PRESENTATIONS (Not earlier than 6:30 P.M.)   A. TOPIC:  Selectmen and Finance Committee discussion on draft budget and five-year plan Monomoy Regional School District and Cape Cod Tech   Finance Chair Brown called the meeting of the Finance Committee to order at 6:38 p.m. and noted that they had a quorum present.  Superintendent Sanborn provided the attached budget presentation for the Cape Cod Tech and prefaced it by thanking the voters and pointing out that there would not be a Cape Cod Tech if it were not for Mr. Marceline.  He took questions from Ms. Brown on the design of the building and from Ms. Kavanagh on the construction completion date which Superintendent Sanborn said would be two years from now.  No action was taken by either Board.   Superintendent Carpenter and Ms. Isernio provided the attached budget presentation for the Monomoy Regional School District.  Superintendent Carpenter took questions and comments from the Finance Committee on the impact of having a 2% increase on their budget as outlined in the Board of Selectmen’s budget message, creation of a Stabilization Fund, the size of their Excessive & Deficiency Fund, their Capital Plan, and technology upgrades.  They took further questions and comments from the Board of Selectmen regarding, the need to move closer to a 2% budget increase, moving Excessive & Deficiency into Stabilization, funding for the bathrooms at the athletic field, enrollment trends, School Choice and Charter School tuitions, State testing for students, assessments to Chatham and Harwich, employee salaries and wages, out of district tuitions, Harwich Elementary School gym floor, use of Chromebooks, and the basis for graduation rates. Mr. Howell questioned if they get the state money for a student who leaves to attend private or parochial school.  Superintendent Carpenter responded that it is like they didn’t financially exist for you or for them and this includes home schooling.  Mr. Howell stated that we are asking a lot of the taxpayers and asked if they could go back and mitigate some of this.  He added that it is difficult to sustain this model that continues to increase in fairly large amounts.  Chairman MacAskill stressed the need for them to keep to the 2% increase.  The Finance Committee adjourned their meeting at 8:20 p.m.   1-29-18 FinCom Minutes Excerpted from Joint Meeting Minutes prepared by Ann Steidel. Jack E. Brown, FinCom Chair