School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: May 10, 2017 Time: 6:30PM Location: Butler School Auditorium 1. SALUTE TO FLAG 2. ROLL CALL On a roll call at 6:31 p.m.; members present were, namely,: Mr. Hoey, Mayor Kennedy, Ms. Martin, Mr. Descoteaux, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Gendron and Mr. Gignac. 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 3.1 FY 2017-2018 Budget The following people addressed the Committee regarding the FY2018 Budget:  Leslie Oxton  Karen Miranda  Pina Maggio  Kristin Schultz  Jeannine Ameduri  Darcie Brogan  Lyndsey Killinea  Leila Lopez  Robin Pelletier  Paul Georges Mayor Kennedy addressed the Committee before voting on the 1100: School Committee part of the budget stated that it should be noted that under Robert Rules of Order, the vote will be taken under Action of Necessity, because the School Committee will be voting for their own-bottom line figure. Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the Action of Necessity; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 8) Page 12 1100: School Committee Total amount for approval $84,290 Mr. Gendron made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $84,290; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas Approved Page 13 1200: Superintendent $815,290 Mr. Hoey made a motion to increase the line item for Advertising from $15,000 to $20,000; seconded by Mayor Kennedy. 1 yea, 6 nays Failed Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $815,290; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 14 & 15 1400: Finance and Administrative Services $3,132,667 Mr. Gendron made a motion to transfer $40,000 from the Suspense Account to the Clerical Staff – Special Education line item; seconded by Mr. Gignac. Ms. Martin made an amended substitute motion to put the $40,000 from the Suspense Account to the Clerical Staff – Special Education line item in Abeyance; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $3,132,667; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 16 2100: Department Heads/Supervisors $1,675,202 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $1,675,202; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 17 2100: Principals $7,576,319 Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $7,576,319; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 8) Page 18 2300: Regular Education Instruction: Classroom $59,802,455 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $59,802,455; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 19 2300: Regular Education Instruction: Specialists $11,266,030 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $11,266,030; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 20 2300: Regular Education Instruction: Classroom $2,211,990 Mr. Gignac made a motion to increase the Supplies & Textbooks – K-12 line item by $20,000; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 2 yeas, 5 nays Failed Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $2,211,990; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 21 2300: Other Instructional Programs $415,221 Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $415,221; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 22 & 23 2300: Special Education Instruction $32,653,589 Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $32,653,589; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 24 2300: Adult Education $469,651 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $469,651; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 8) Page 25 2300: Library $89,072 Mr. Gendron made a motion to restore the 23 positions and salaries in the FY 2018 Budget and to fund the positions from the Suspense Account; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas Approved Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $739,594; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 7 yeas Approved Page 26 2300: Audio Visual Instruction $72,525 Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $72,525; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 27 2350: Professional Development $765,600 Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $765,600; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 28 2450: Instructional Technology $1,148,165 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $1,148,165; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 29 2700/2800: Guidance Counselors, Social Workers & Psychologists $4,400,070 Ms. Doherty made a motion to not eliminate a Psychologist position and to hold it in Abeyance; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas Approved Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $4,400,070; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 7 yeas Approved Page 30 3100: Family Resource Center & Student Support Services $610,962 Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $610,962; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 8) Page 31 3300: Transportation $9,043,069 Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $9,043,069; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 32 3500: Athletics & Student Activities $1,406,684 Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $1,406,684; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 7 yeas Page 33 & 34 4000: Custodial & Security Services $5,073,997 Mr. Gendron made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $5,073,997; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 35 5100/5200: Employee Benefits & Retirement $17,683,084 Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $17,683,084; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 36 5300: Rentals $555,014 Mr. Gendron made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $555,014; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Page 37 7000: Capital Outlay $125,000 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $125,000; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 8) Page 38 9000: Suspense Account $1,000,377 A motion was made by Mr. Gendron to restore the 23 positions and salaries in the FY 2018 Budget under the 2300: Library Aide portion of the budget and to fund the positions from the Suspense Account. The motion passed. Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $330,855; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 7 yeas Approved Mr. Gendron made a motion to recess at 9:58 p.m. and to resume the Budget Deliberations and Public Hearing on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers; seconded by Mr. Hoey 7 yeas Approved FY 2018 BUDGET MEETING OF THE LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MAY 17, 2017 On a roll call at 6:16 p.m.; members present were, namely,: Mr. Hoey, Mayor Kennedy, Ms. Martin, Mr. Descoteaux, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Gendron and Mr. Gignac. Mayor Kennedy informed the Committee that the Senate version of the budget was released and the Schools will be receiving an additional $611,000. The remaining shortfall of $257,000 that the School Department FY 2018 Budget will be transferred into the School Department FY2018 Budget Account from the City FY2018 Budget per the City Manager which will allow the budget that was presented by the Superintendent to be funded. Page 25 2300: Library $89,072 Mr. Gignac made a motion to amend page 25 - 2300: Library Personnel to have a new bottom line figure of $755,594; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 35 5100/5200: Employee Benefits & Retirement $17,683,084 Mr. Gignac made a motion to amend page 35 – 5100/5200: Employee Benefits & Retirement to have a new bottom line figure of $17,883,084; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Ms. Sheila Pyles addressed the Committee about School Psychologists. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 7 of 8) Page 18 2300: Regular Education Instruction: Classroom $59,802,455 Mr. Gignac made a motion to refund the School Psychologist by decreasing the Substitute Teachers – Day-to-Day line by $101,895 and have the bottom line figure of $ 59,700,560; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Page 29 2700/2800: Guidance Counselors, Social Workers & Psychologists $4,400,070 Mr. Gignac made a motion to increase the bottom line figure by $101,895 and to approve the bottom line figure of $4,501,965, seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas Approved. Page 38 9000: Suspense Account $755,594 Mr. Gendron made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $1,000,377; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas Approved Mr. Gendron made a motion to approve the Lowell Public Schools FY2018 final bottom-line figure at $162,942,846 to be submitted to the City Manager; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas APPROVED (FY18 Approved Budget is actually $1 less than these budget notes report and the dollar will be added to the Suspense Account so it balances.) Mr. Gignac made a motion to close the Public Hearing; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 8 of 8) ADJOURNMENT Mr. Gignac made a motion to adjourn at 6:50 p.m.; seconded by Ms. Doherty 7 yeas Approved Respectfully submitted, Dr. Salah E. Khelfaoui, Superintendent and Secretary to the Lowell School Committee SEK/mes Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us