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Molalla River
School District
Board of Education — Minutes
Regular Business Meeting
January 9, 2003
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Board
members present: Mary Beyer, Karyn Gibbons,
Ralph Gierke, Steve Kraxberger, Deneen
Munson, Jim Needham, Janette Palmer
Staff present:
Alice Ericksen/Superintendent, David Peterson/Business Manager, Pam
Monte/Administrative Assistant
Audience:
Chair Janette Palmer
called the meeting of the Molalla River School District Board of Education to
order at 7:35 p.m. and established that a quorum was present.
WELCOME/INTRODUCTIONS
Principal Larry Owings reported that things are great at Maple Grove Elementary
School. He stated that the staff there is without a doubt the best staff that he
has ever been associated with. Their latest project is working on writing skills
and one of the assignments is to write letters to veterans and our current armed
forces personnel. They are enclosing in their letters a 20-mmute phone card.
REVISIONS/ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
Information:
Cash
Flow Report
Budget
Reductions
January 23 Worksession - The agenda will include information on an energy saving
program
along with a session on systemic change
PUBLIC COMMENT
Joel Taylor, teacher
at Dickey Prairie, expressed his concerns over the upcoming budget cuts. Hi
stated that he had heard of two solutions, one to cut days and one to cut 29
teachers. He asked
what other solutions we might have? What other funds can we save? He asked the
Board to
revisit the proposal made by the MREA last spring and to try to find other
alternatives.
Susan O'Higgins,
teacher at Dickey Prairie, seconded Mr. Taylor's concerns on looking for
alternative ways to make the cuts. She stated that when a year is disrupted, it
is hard on the
children, their learning stops. She urged the Board to look for solutions to the
problem, keeping
the children in mind.
Jocelyn Gary,
teacher at Clarkes, announced that last night her building rep told her that she
would be getting a pink slip tomorrow. She asked the Board to think about how
much this will bi
affecting the children and the staff. Asked them to please consider all the
options and not just the
solutions presented.
Kathy Nickoloff
applauded the teachers who came tonight. She stated that we need to hear from
our teachers during this difficult time. She stated that some of the information
that they have
received is inaccurate and premature and that it did not come from the district
office, she
Molalla River School
District
Board of Education - Minutes
January 9, 2003
apologized
for that. She stated that we must accurately and appropriately disseminate any
information as soon as we can.
ACTION ITEMS
Second Reading/Adoption
of Policies
At the December 12, 2002 meeting the Board approved the following
policies for a first reading.
M02-44
A motion was made by Mr. Gierke, seconded by Mrs. Gibbons to approve the
following policies for a second reading/adoption:
2.
EFA - Nutrition Program
3.
IGAE - Health Education Program
4.
JGCG/JFCH/JFCI - Use of Tobacco, Alcohol or Drugs
Passed unanimously. 7-0
(The
following was amended to these minutes at the February meeting: Mr. Needham asked that the assurance of no additional district costs by approval of
these policies be entered into the record)
2002-2003 Standards Assurance
Report
School Districts are required
to file the Elementary and Secondary School Standards Assurance
Form with the Oregon Department of Education each year. In addition, OAR
Chapter 581,
Division 22 requires that the district superintendent make a report to the
community each year
assuring patrons that the district is in compliance with all Standards for
Public Elementary and
Secondary Schools. Dr. Ericksen reported that the district has corrected all
deficiencies stated
last year. We are in current compliance in all areas except one - we have not
adopted a guidance
and counseling curriculum. This will come before the Board at the February 13
meeting as an
information item and will be adopted in March.
2003-2004 MHS Program of Studies
Prior to Christmas Break, the
Board received a copy of the Molalla High School 2003-2004 Program
of Studies.
M02-46
A motion was made by Mrs. Gibbons, seconded by Mr. Gierke that the Board
of
Education approve the Molalla High School's 2003-2004 Program of Studies.
Passed unanimously. 7-0
PERS Liability Bonds
The rate to employers for participating in the Public Employees Retirement
System continues to
rise. With the last bond sale we dropped our rates from 12.73% to 8.14%. Had we
not sold
bonds, our rate would have escalated to 18.58%. If we do not sell these
additional bonds, our
rates will go up to an estimated rate of 13.99% on July 1, 2003. Dave Peterson,
business
manager, recommends that the District go for another bond sale. The first bond
sale saved the
district $105,000 for this year. Mr. Peterson expects that the District will see
a savings of
$160,000 per year with both bond sales over the next 26 years.
Molalla River School
District
Board of Education - Minutes
January 9, 2003
M02-47
A motion was made by Mrs. Beyer, seconded by Mrs. Gibbons that the Board
of
Education adopt Resolution R22-005 to participate in the OSBA Pooled Pension
Bond program. Motion passed 5-2 (Needham, Kraxberger opposing). Mr.
Kraxberger asked to go on record that this is in representation of the public,
out
of their disgust of this whole situation. He agrees that this is a good way to
take
care of it, it is too bad we are up against the wall. This should never have
happened.
Participation in OSBA's Appeal of PERS
Rates
The OSBA
Board at its November meeting agreed to legally challenge Public Employees
Retirement Board's (PERS) employer contribution. The OSBA Board is urging member
school
district and ESD Boards to challenge the rate increase order because those rates
do not reflect
Marion County Circuit Court Judge Paul Lipscomb's ruling on a recent lawsuit
filed by eight
public employers.
M02-48
A motion was made by Mr. Kraxberger,
seconded by Mr. Gierke that the Board
of Education approve Resolution R22-006 authorizing OSBA to appeal on its
behalf, through outside counsel and at OSBA's expense, the School
District's/ESD's notice of rate increase received from PERS. Passed
unanimously. 7-0
Sale
of Hwy 211 Property
Larry Owings, Special Projects
Manager, provided the Board with the history of the Hwy 211
property. It is a 4.54 acre piece that borders Hwy 211 and the Molalla River
Middle School. It
has been up for sale since July, 1998. The offer we have received is the only
solid offer since it
became available. The Silverton Hospital has offered the full price of $250,000.
The property
has been annexed into the City of Molalla and rezoned. A wetlands study and site
survey has
been completed.
M02-49
A motion was made by Mr. Kraxberger, seconded by Mr. Gierke that the
Board
of Education approve the sale of the property located on Highway 211 to
Silverton Hospital for the sum of $250,000.
INFORMATION/DISCUSSION
Cash Flow Projection
Dr.
Ericksen explained that with the December revenue shortfall and the possible
failure of
Measure 28, the district might be looking at a shortfall of $650,554 for this
year. This may force
the District to look at making mid year reductions. We started this school year
with a budget that
had already been reduced by $2 million. Knowing that we may be faced with making
further
reduction this year, last spring our staff and parents were surveyed to see if
they would rather see
cuts make in days or staff and/or programs. In June the Board agreed to go with
what the staff
and parents wanted - cutting of days. We may need to make cuts of $722,000.
Administrators
and confidential staff have agreed to give up days to make up the shortfall. We
have not had discussion with the classified union, but their leadership has said
that they would be
leaning towards cutting of days.
Molalla River School
District
Board of Education - Minutes
January
9, 2003
Because of
the contract language with the licensed staff, we must meet with them. A meeting
is
scheduled for January 30 to discuss cuts. But, in the meantime we must develop a
contingency
plan and be ready to implement it if need be. Unfortunately, the first step is
for the Board to
authorize a reduction in force (RIF). There are no names on the list presented
at this time, as
seniority and certification must be taken into account. Board action gives the
administration the
go ahead to begin working on the list. The longer we wait, the longer the list
will be.
It is the
hope of the administration that when we meet with the Association they will be
open to
cutting of days. We do not want to RIF people. If we cut days and funds become
available, we
can add some of those days back. Once people are RIFed, they are gone.
Nancy
Phillips, teacher, stated that teachers need to contract their rep and tell them
they want to cut days.
(The
following was omitted from these minutes: Mr. Needham reiterated his December
question of the Business Manager regarding whether the District would know what
the cash carryover would be before the end of the fiscal year. He also
inquired what alternatives to RIFs, or cuts in days the Board had considered.)
M02-50
A motion was made by Mr. Gierke, seconded by Mr. Kraxberger authorizing
the
process to begin on the development of a Reduction in Force list but to hold the
delivery of the layoff notices until January 21. Motion passed 6-1 (Needham
opposing stating that he will not endorse a mid-year reduction until
negotiations
take place).
INFORMATION
AND DISCUSSION
Metro
School Districts Resolution Regarding Stable K-12 Funding
Dr. Ericksen reported that when the OSBA held their annual convention in
November, board
chairs and superintendents from the metro districts met and discussed the
economic future of our
schools. School districts are being asked to stand together with those who are
prepared to work
together to challenge traditional practices, to speak hard truths, and to soften
ideological lines in
order to provide an adequate and stable funding system for K-12 education.
M02-51
A motion was made by Mr. Gierke, seconded by Mr. Needham that the Board
sign the statement whereas the Molalla River School District stands in unison
with the metro school districts. Motion passed. 6-1 (Kraxberger opposing
stating that he supports Sen. Roger Beyer's stand on this issue).
CONSENT
AGENDA
M02-52
A motion was made by Mr. Kraxberger, seconded by Mrs. Gibbons to approve
the consent agenda as presented:
A.
Approve Bills
B.
Approve Minutes -January 9, 2003 - Executive Session, Regular Meeting,
January 16, 2003 - Special Meeting, January 23, 2003 – Worksession
C.
Personnel Report
Passed
unanimously. 7-0
OLD
BUSINESS
Staff/Student
Roundtables
A list of
staff and student roundtable discussions was distributed to the Board and
assignments were made
for the various locations and dates.
Molalla
River School District
Board of Education - Minutes
January 9, 2003
PUBLIC
COMMENT
Norm Thomas
stated that he hopes information gets out as to what is best for kids, and that
is
cutting days rather than cutting staff.
Jennie Rice
stated that teachers must be told that nothing is written in stone until after
January 28.
Days are number one, not cutting of teachers.
ADJOURN
There being
no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 10:40 p.m.
Chair
Superintendent
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