NORTH KINGSTOWN SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Wednesday, January 29, 2003

6:30 PM School Budget Worksession Meeting

Central Administration Building 100 Fairway Drive

“Challenging Student Excellence”

Budget Worksession Minutes

Present: Chairperson Don DeFedele, Vice Chairperson Dr. Denise Coppa, Lynne Haft, Barry Martasian, Bill Mudge, Kevin Mulvey, Patricia E. Watkins, and Cathy Kaiser, Jamestown Representative

Administration Present: James M. Halley, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, William J. Daly, Director of Human Resources, Joseph F. Quinn, Jr., Director of Administrative Services, and Maureen Buck, Controller

Absent: Daniel J. McGregor, Ph.D., Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Barbara A.

Fitzsimmons, Ed.D, Curriculum Director

I. Budget Discussion

¨ Corrections to the 2003-2004 School Budget were given to the School Committee by Maureen Buck.

¨ Dr. Halley gave the committee a list of local communities whose school budgets are also increasing within similar percentage points to North Kingstown’s, as well as a list of items on the budget with monetary and percentage increase and decreases. (Appendix A)

¨ Kevin Mulvey presented the committee with an email from Kathy Esposito who had numerous questions concerning the budget. (Appendix B) This was given to Maureen Buck for a response.

¨ Discussion was held as to how many budget meetings would be held. Two more were decided upon at present, and would include discussion on reconfiguration. These meetings will be on February 5 and 13, 2003 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

¨ Bill Mudge brought up the School Committee Policy: Formulation of Tentative Budget #DBC. (Appendix C) Don DeFedele proceeded to go over this policy point by point to determine if there was any school committee member who felt that they required any further information as required by the policy.

¨ Mr. Mudge insisted that he was not presented with all information as outlined by the policy. As comments made touched on personnel issues, a motion to adjourn to executive session was made by Pat Watkins and seconded by Lynne Haft at 7:10 pm. A roll call vote yielded the following vote: Barry Martasian, Pat Watkins, Lynne Haft, Kevin Mulvey, Denise Coppa, and Don DeFedele voted “Yes”; Bill Mudge voted “No”.

Regular session recommenced at 7:25 cc 0:28:52 with a statement by Don DeFedele explaining the rationale for the adjournment: Mr. Mudge’s comments were leading into a discussion of a School Department employee’s job performance in public, the employee has a right to be notified and law forbids such discussion in public without permission of the employee.

¨ Pursuant to item 12 of the policy, Ms. Buck will be reconfiguring the budget to these specifics for the School Committee.

¨ A discussion of how the School Department determines income from Medicaid ensued.

¨ Kevin Mulvey had specific questions regarding the IT costs of reopening Fishing Cove School as an elementary school.

¨ Don DeFedele advised School Committee members to seek answers from Dr. Halley, Joe Quinn, or Maureen Buck to questions they may have about the budget. Ms. Buck replied that she could easily reply in email format if that would suffice. All were in agreement.

I. Motion to Adjourn was made by Lynne Haft/Pat Watkins (6/0/1, Don DeFedele abstained from the vote) at 9:27 PM, clock counter 2:31:04.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________________________

Konnie M. Mazur

School Committee Secretary