APPROVED BY THE PITTSFIELD SCHOOL BOARD

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD
ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING
March 13, 2014

The Annual Pittsfield School District Meeting was held at the Pittsfield Elementary School in said district on Thursday March 13, 2014. Moderator Ammy Ramsey called the meeting to order at 7:04PM. The Pittsfield Boy Scout Troop 84 and Pittsfield Girl Scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Moderator Ramsey pointed out the emergency exits and requested cell phones be turned off. She reviewed the rules and voting instructions for the meeting.

Moderator Ramsey reported the results of the School District elections:

One School Board Member for a three (3) year term –
Michael “Mike” Wolfe elected – 243 votes

One School District Treasurer for a three (3) year term –
Roberta J. Maxfield elected – 262 votes

Moderator Ramsey asked both newly elected officials to stay after the meeting to be sworn in.

ARTICLE I

To hear the reports of agents, auditors, committees, or officers chosen, and to pass any vote relating therefore. Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Ray Ramsey to approve Article I as read, seconded by School Board Member Gary Mullen.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

No discussion. Article I passed by card vote.

ARTICLE II

To determine and fix the salaries of the School Board and the compensation of any other officers or agents of the Pittsfield School District as follows: Moderator, $100.00 per meeting; Clerk, $100.00; Chairperson of the School Board, $700.00; School Board Members, $600.00 per member; School Treasurer, $600.00; and Supervisors of the Checklist, $75.00 per Supervisor per Meeting. Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (9 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Mike Wolfe to approve Article II as read, seconded by School Board Member Nicole Manteau.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

No discussion. Article II passed by card vote.

ARTICLE III

To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate “up to” fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) to be added to the Capital Reserve Fund established in March, 1996 to fund special education programs for identified students of the district under the provisions of RSA 35:1-b, with such amount to be funded from the June 30 unreserved fund balance available for transfer on July 1. (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Nicole Manteau to approve Article III as read, seconded by School Board Member Ray Ramsey.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

Dan Schroth stated he was not sure he understood the fund balance. How much do we have and where does it go?

Nicole Manteau responded this capital reserve is an emergency fund for unexpected Special Education expenses. The balance in this fund as of now is $174,358.57. This fund is only used for a large unplanned Special Education expense. The last time money was added to this fund was in 2010, when $20,000 added. The unreserved fund balance refers to any money left in the school budget as of the end of June 2014. If the surplus money is not appropriated to this Capital Reserve fund, the surplus would be turned back to the taxpayer. The school cannot keep unappropriated surplus.

Louie Houle clarified that any overage would be put into this capital reserve if this article passes. Last year the surplus was returned to offset the school portion of the tax rate. This process works differently from the town fund balance.

Moderator Ramsey called for vote.

Article III passed by card vote.

ARTICLE IV

To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate “up to” one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to be added to the Capital Reserve Fund established in March 2004 to maintain the school buildings of the district under the provisions of RSA 35:1-b, with such amount to be funded from the June 30 unreserved fund balance available for transfer on July 1. (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Ray Ramsey to approve Article IV as read, seconded by School Board Member Mike Wolfe.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

Dan Schroth asked if the School Board was expecting a $150,000 surplus to fund these capital reserves.

Ray Ramsey clarified the request is “up to” these amounts. If there is no money left over, it would not be appropriated to the funds. He asked for public input with the heating and air conditioning issue. The School Board has a meeting scheduled for 5:30pm April 2nd and welcome and encourage public input.

Dan Schroth stated he has come to realize we need to plan for future needs and that the capital reserves are necessary to do this.

Ray Ramsey agreed. We need to plan ahead, particularly for this heating and air conditioning issue.

Moderator Ramsey called for vote.

Article IV passed by card vote.

ARTICLE V

To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred twenty thousand dollars ($320,000) for the support of the School Lunch Program. This appropriation will be funded by a like amount of revenue from the sale of food and state and federal sources. (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0.) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Gary Mullen to approve Article V as read, seconded by School Board Member Bea Douglas.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

No discussion. Article V passed by card vote.

ARTICLE VI

To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of one million, four hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000) for the support of federal and private foundation grant-funded educational programs of the Pittsfield School District. This appropriation is contingent upon receiving revenue from federal grants and private foundations and will be expended in accordance with federal and state requirements upon approval by the New Hampshire Department of Education or private foundation requirements. (Estimated tax impact of this article: $0.) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Ray Ramsey to approve Article VI as read, seconded by School Board Member Gary Mullen.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

Dan Schroth asked if this was a new grant.

Ray Ramsey responded no, this Article allows the School to spend federal grant money the district is already scheduled to receive.

Moderator Ramsey called for vote.

Article VI passed by card vote.

ARTICLE VII

To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Pittsfield School District and the Education Association of Pittsfield which calls for the following increase in salaries and benefits at the current staffing levels:

Fiscal Year Estimated Increase
2014-2015 $114,872
2015-2016 $ 99,549
2016-2017 $102,327

And to further raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred fourteen thousand, eight hundred seventy two dollars ($114,872) for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current staffing levels. (Estimated tax impact of this article: $.43/thousand.) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Bea Douglas to approve Article VII as read, seconded by School Board Member Mike Wolfe.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

Dan Schroth expressed his concern over the $.43 increase, but believed the operating budget was reduced and would offset the increase. He asked for confirmation.

Bea Douglas confirmed that was correct.

Dan Schroth noted the town is scheduled for a reevaluation coming up next year and we are currently over assessed by 25%. We need to keep that in mind. He also believes we need to reward success and the hard work of the teachers. We just need to keep the taxpayers in mind too.

Bea Douglas stated the School Board would continue to be very diligent with the school budget.

Moderator Ramsey called for vote.

Article VII passed by card vote.

ARTICLE VIII

Shall the Pittsfield School District, if Article VII is defeated, authorize the governing body to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article VII cost items only. Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. No recommendation considered by the Pittsfield Budget Committee. (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Mike Wolfe to approve Article VIII as read, seconded by School Board Member Bea Douglas.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

Mike Wolfe stated this Article was no longer needed, and therefore encouraged the voters to vote “no”.

Dan Schroth stated he does not like the idea of special town meetings. It is harder to get people out to vote twice. He would prefer it stayed one meeting a year.

Moderator Ramsey called for vote.

Article VIII was defeated by card vote.

ARTICLE IX

To see if the Pittsfield School District will vote to raise and appropriate the Budget Committee’s recommended amount of nine million, four hundred fourteen thousand, five hundred seventy three dollars ($9,414,573) for the support of schools, for the payment of salaries for the school district officials and agents, and for the statutory obligations of the district. This article does not include appropriations voted in other warrant articles. (Estimated tax impact of this article:-$.47/thousand.) Recommended by the Pittsfield School Board. Recommended by the Pittsfield Budget Committee (10 yes, 0 no). (Majority vote required.)

Motion made by School Board Member Ray Ramsey to approve Article IX as read, seconded by School Board Member Nicole Manteau.

Moderator Ramsey opened the floor for discussion.

No discussion. Article IX passed by card vote.

ARTICLE X

To transact any other business which may legally come before this meeting.

Dan Schroth thanked everyone involved in the school. He stated he is just realizing the value of a good school. Keep up the excellent work.

Moderator Ramsey adjourned the meeting at 7:26pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Erica B. Anthony
School District Clerk