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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 03/18/1993 (2)STEERING COMMITTEE 18 MARCH 1993 The South Burlington Steering Committee held a meeting on Thursday, 18 March 1993, at 7:30 p.m., in the Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street. Members Present City Council: Michael Flaherty, John Dinklage, William Cimonetti; Robert Chittenden, Charles Hafter, City Manager School Board: Dennis Snyder, Julie Duppstadt, Theodore Manazir, Frank Murray, Lawrence Lecours, Superintendent Also Present Leo Brown, School District; Sandy Greiner, Free Press, Bruce O'Neill, Recreation Dept; Margaret Picard, City Attorney, Peg Strait, Asst. City Manager; Bill Szymanski, Bruce Chattman, Linus Leavens, Jerry Silverstein; Mike Sheridan, Channel 17, Karen Shilgalis 1. Approval of Minutes: February 4, 1993 It was noted that Mr. Lecours is Superintendent, not Acting Superintendent. Mr. Condos moved to approve the Minutes as amended. Mr. Dinklage seconded. Motion passed unanimously. 2. Review of City and School Budgets: Mr. Hafter noted the Annual Report is out. It will not be mailed this year in order to save money. Copies are available at City Hall, the schools, and the Library. This will save $3000. The budget book will be mailed to all. Mr. Hafter then reviewed Charter limitations. There was a 1% growth in the Grand List. The Charter thus allows a 1% growth in the operating budget. The budget being presented meets this qualification. The total operating budget is $24,000 less than last year, but revenues are $260,000 less than last year due to the closing of the landfill ($100,000 of this was offset by landfill expenses, so there is $160,000 to be made up). The tax rate increase will be .6%. Mr. Hafter noted that since 1990-1, the total increase has been 3.4%. The Water Pollution Control budget is being driven by the sludge management problem. A sludge pelletizing plant is being built. This is more expensive than other methods of dealing with sludge, but in the long term it will provide an environmentally safe way to handle the problem. Under Water Pollution Control, the bonded debt tax rate is being changed to a user fee. South Burlington will have the lowest sewer rate in Chittenden County, and the city is working to make the figure even lower. The bonded debt rate is up 1.9¢ due to voter approved projects. The total city tax rate is 79.9¢. The average home in South Burlington would pay about $18.98 more for the year, 14.60 of which is voter approved capital debt. In the 10-year capital plan, there is no intended debt to be approved this year except for the possibility of expansion of the Bartlett Bay Sewage Treatment plant. Mr. Hafter then reviewed specific budget highlights: Recreation: work will be done at JC Park, including the purchase of new playground equipment. Police: A Traffic Safety Division will be established with one full-time officer. There will be an educational component as well as enforcement. Costs will be paid for by fines and drug forfeiture monies. The DARE program, Kids and Kops, the sex crime unit, drug enforcement task force, Rec Path patrol (2 college students hired for the summer) will all be continued. Highway: A new tractor will be purchased. Roadwork will include San Remo Dr., Brookwood, Shamrock Rd., Country Club Estates, East Terrace, Williston Rd/Kennedy Drive intersection. Construction will begin on the Brand Farm park. This will include baseball and soccer fields, 2 tennis courts, picnic shelter, and infrastructure. Fields will be ready for play in spring, 1994. Mr. Hafter showed a chart of average property taxes paid on single family homes. South Burlington is fifth lowest out of 14 area communities. Before the school budget was presented, Mr. Flaherty introduced the newly appointed Superintendent of Schools, Bruce Chattman. Mr. Lecours directed attention to the cover of the school budget book which speaks of the partnership between the schools and the city. He noted that in recent times, school and city have gotten together to address the drug issue with very significant results. He said that this relationship should continue to be nurtured. Mr. Lecours noted the schools will be going to the citizens to ask for funds in excess of budget limitations. Since the fund balance was expended last year, this source is no longer available. Two years ago, the schools got $379,000 in State Aid, now they are down to $19,000. Current enrollment is 2070 with 2100 projected for next year. Increased enrollment is not the reason the schools are asking for additional funds. The issue of contract negotiations is very important. Fact finding is set for 9 June. The Teachers Association has suggested one more round of mediation. Mr. Lecours said he hoped this would be before 4/8. He said that citizens have expressed the need to see a contract figure before the 5/18 vote. With regard to tuition students, Mr. Lecours noted the High School has ample room and this is a good source of income. Many tuition students come from the Islands, and other schools are "courting" them and offering to provide transportation. South Burlington officials met with Island people and decided to provide free transportation. This will increase the number of tuition students significantly. Mr. Lecours noted the District received over $1,000,000. from tuitions. The pupil-teacher ratio has been between 18-21 to 1. The current budget is based on a 19-1 average. The per pupil cost in the city is $7717. Mr. Lecours noted some achievements for city schools. The High School received PS Approval, and all five city schools have now passed this process. Chamberlin School became the third city school to receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon School award. Restructuring: Mr. Lecours noted that block scheduling is being employed in the high school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This involves double-length periods. The Middle School has gone from departmentalization to a team concept. Central School has a model multi-age program. A citizens group has been looking at the schools and has made 26 major recommendations, 2 critical ones. A committee is now reexamining districting and will present a plan soon. An effort will be made not to disrupt families. Central School is bursting at the seams while Orchard has room. Elementary school will be retrofitted to add capacity for 4 classrooms. The gross budget is up 1.84% with the operating budget up 2.08%. The voters will be asked to approve $376,000 in excess of Charter limitations. For the average city home this would cost $38.00 for the year. Teachers have been asked not to take sabbaticals next year. Two retiring employees will not be replaced. Mr. Lecours was asked what would be cut out if the request for added funds is not approved. The following cuts were indicated: Elementary School: enrichment teachers in each school, support materials, 1/2 custodian in each school, a classroom teacher. Middle School: Language Arts teachers, 1/2 custodian, all inter-school athletics, media. High School: 3 sections of foreign language, jazz band, the Nordic Ski program, a reduction in math/science to State minimum requirements, 1 section art, 1 section Family Living, 1 section Business Ed, 1/2 of the field trip program, the speech and forensic program; Mr. Lecours said they are hoping for a reduction in the residential placement area of special Ed. In addition, buses would be paid for on time payments instead of cash. The asbestos program (not in a dangerous area) would be delayed a year. If the vote passes, these programs and personnel would all be retained. Mr. Lecours stressed that even with the cuts, there would still be a solid school district. What would be lost is enrichment. Mr. Murray explained it as a "chipping away of the quality of the school's programs." Mr. Brown then gave budget specifics. The gross budget is $17,127,709. The net cost of operations is $14,880,809. The operating tax rate is 1.976, up 1%, the required operating tax rate is 2.029, up 3.373%. Debt service is down approximately $40,000. Mr. Brown noted that 94% of the budget must be raised locally. In the capital budget, elementary school additions are probable in 1995-6. Money has been saved by re-funding bonds. In comparison to other Chittenden County schools, S. Burlington is just about in the middle, budget-wise. This year, there are 110 students from the Islands on a tuition basis. Mr. Brown estimated that providing buses will probably result in 20 more students. The rate paid for tuition at the High School is $6900. Even providing a new bus and driver will result in a net gain of about $60,000. Mr. Lecours added that the district will also retain those students it might lose by not providing transportation. He felt the mix with Island students benefits both communities. Mr. Cimonetti noted that a statewide comparison of average property tax and median household income, with property tax taken as a percentage of median income shows that of 248 communities, S. Burlington ranks 120th. Mr. Dinklage then moved that the Steering Committee approve the City and School budgets for publication. Mr. Snyder seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Other Business: No issues were raised. As there was no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Clerk Published by ClerkBase ©2019 by Clerkbase. No Claim to Original Government Works.