Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2011 21:55:04 -0400
From: Mia Munn
Subject: My notes from the Oct 3, 2011, school board meeting
Randy Voller made public comment, saying he was attending in order to be a resource in the board’s discussion of the water bill. He also thanked the board for all the good things happening with the schools.
The personnel agenda was approved as part of the consent agenda. Mr. Logan noted that Dr Tina Hester, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, was leaving to become the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Durham County Schools, effective Oct 25, after almost 5 years in Chatham County Schools.
Northwood water bill – Ms McManus spoke to the Pittsboro Town Council, and
they wanted the board to recommend options. She asked if the board wanted to
consider asking Pittsboro to annex Northwood, which would make future water
bills be at the lower town rate. Board members wanted to explore that
possibility. Mr. O’Brien asked for a list of pros and cons. Mr. Voller said
that town and board attorneys could review town noise and lighting
ordinances, but they are mostly consistent with the county. The water and
sewer lines exist, the town already provides policing, and there is an
existing survey. Being annexed could possibly lower the garbage rates. Mr.
Moody said one issue could be the need for lighting shields on the exterior
lighting, but Mr. Voller said that could be negotiated in the annexation.
Mr. Voller also said that the property across 15-501 from the school had
requested annexation once the economy improves, and annexing Northwood now
would give the town some leverage for that property. The board approved
(without a vote, but with consensus) that the administration should proceed
with exploring the possibility of annexation with the town attorney and
other officials.
2010/11 4th Quarter Financial Statements – Ms. Little briefly presented the information on the year-end balances. The local current expense fund ended with a balance of 2.788k, most of which came from using federal funds received last year in place of the local allocation. $2.5M of that fund balance is used in the 2011/12 budget to cover shortfalls.
Long-range Capital Improvement Plan – Mr. Moody said the CIP covers the next
5 years for the county’s debt model, but that the commissioners asked for an
additional 2 years out for planning purposes. The CIP proposal was due to
the county by Friday, Oct 7. Some items are ongoing, some have been on the
list in the past, and some are new. The replacement indoor bleachers at
middle schools are included because parts are getting more difficult to
obtain. The high school indoor bleacher replacements are already in process
– they were first because they get more use than the middle schools. Mr.
Hamm asked if the costs in the CIP are current estimates or projections for
cost in out years. Mr. Moody said the estimates are more than current costs,
but are rough estimates of increased costs. An addition at Northwood was
added in response to a parent who made public comment at the Sep 20 board
meeting. Since the board wants to leave the northeast high school in the
CIP, the Northwood addition will be removed from the plan. There was some
discussion of whether the core at Silk Hope would support an expansion – Mr.
Moody will find the answer.
The facility study will be a comprehensive review by an engineering firm to
determine what renovations are necessary in future years, and whether
upgrades (instead of replacement of certain buildings) is cost effective.
Ms. Turner was concerned that the public and the commissioners should be
involved in any recommendations. Ms. McManus made it clear that the study is
just the first step in developing a long-range facilities plan. The board
asked to move that up in the schedule to next year. Depending on what the
facility study shows, the CIP may need to be changed in the future (items
removed or added.) The gym HVAC renovations are necessary because the gyms
get excessively hot (over 100 degrees) in warm weather. Volleyball practice
at one school had to be suspended because of the temperatures. The cost
estimates are from metal ductwork, not for the newer fabric technology,
which may be less expensive. The board asked that the gym HVAC systems also
be move up to next year.
The traffic study at North Chatham has already been completed by the NC Dept
of Transportation. The item on the CIP is to implement the study’s
recommendations in 2014. The timing is based on the need for all of the
mobile units to be removed first. Mr. O’Brien asked that the wording of the
line item be changed to reflect that it is for the implementation. The new
elementary school in the out years is included, pending updated population
projections from Or/ED. The paving items are ongoing, $30k per year. The K-8
gym replacements had been on the CIP in the past. Questions were raised
about whether there was room to renovate the gyms at Bonlee and Bennett. Mr..
Moody will check on the adjacent properties. All three gyms were built in
1950 (per Mr. Hamm) and all have cracks in the walls.
The stadium restrooms have been on the CIP. The joint transportation center
with the county is a possibility currently under discussion with an
architect for the county. (The first in a series of meetings with Mr. Moody,
county officials, and the architect was planned for Oct 4.) If the county
decides not to go ahead with a joint facility, then this would not stay on
the CIP. Mr. Voller asked if the joint facility would be at the current bus
garage location, and Mr. Moody said it isn’t big enough. (The empty car
dealership in Pittsboro is also not a big enough site.)
The board approved the CIP to go to the commissioners, with the changes discussed. (Remove Northwood addition, move the facilities study and gym HVAC earlier)
Board election districts – The board agreed to propose Map 4. The public can give feedback during public comment at the Oct 10 board meeting. The November 7 board meeting will include a public hearing on the election districts, and the board will vote on the districts that night.
Budget calendar – at the Sept 20 board meeting, the board decided to ask the county for more time to provide the “heads up” document (move from Nov to Dec). Ms. Little spoke to the county finance person, and there is no problem, so the budget calendar was adjusted. The final budget submission will go to the county April 23, earlier than
the legally required deadline of May 15, in order to be included in the total county budget proposal.
There was a short discussion not on the agenda about the planning allotment..
In prior years (before 2011), it has been provided to districts by DPI in
late February. It was not provided in 2011. Mr. Logan said all of the
state’s superintendents are asking DPI to restore it, but that DPI has had
severe personnel cuts and may not have the manpower. Ms. Little said an
alternative (which she will propose to DPI if necessary) is to get a
spreadsheet with the information districts need to calculate the planning
allotment for themselves.
Superintendent’s Evaluation – the board set a date for training on the new
evaluation instrument (for 2012/13) – Tuesday, Oct 18, 5:30-9:30. For the
2010/11 evaluation, board members will complete the evaluations individually
and send them to Ms. McManus (target Oct 24) so she can collate they prior
to the special meeting Tues Nov 8 – this will be a closed session meeting to
prepare the superintendent’s evaluation. The 2011/12 evaluation will use the
same tool as 2010/11. The board will submit their individual preliminary
forms to Ms. McManus by May 28, and have the evaluation meeting Mon June 11..
Mr. Leonard thanked Mr. Logan for the communication to the district about the website issues, and the communication to three K-8 schools about the difficulties with the schedule changes.
Mr. Logan reported that the PTA check distribution had been held. Schools received a total of $461,992. Northwood received the most, $61,892, with Bennett the second highest amount, $48,036. Schools are using the PTA money for various purposes, including for field trips (funding had been cut in the budget).
The board returned to closed session at 8:45 to continue personnel discussions, attorney/client discussions, and to approve closed session minutes.