 Just a little bit past 5.30. We'll call the meeting to order at 5.33 and First off we'll have reception of guests. So a few folks would like to introduce yourselves Rosemary Morris down clerk And just so that you all know us up here Maybe very do you want to just introduce yourself you're a fresher Peter Schober Chris Winters and the three of us are board members Great, thanks everybody and just to point out at the start of the meeting We're kind of forced into having an articles committee meeting tonight at seven o'clock So we're going to do our best to move this meeting along very quickly. So our goal here is to be finished by By seven so forgive me if I try to move rapidly through some of these items on the agenda so item 1.2 is agenda review and revisions Does anybody have anything to add to the agenda tonight? I go 1.3 public comments and correspondence any of the folks attending tonight wish to make any public comments, right? 1.4 is future meetings just pointing out that we have an articles of agreement hearing It's a public hearing Wednesday night at 6 p.m. At U 32 and That's to consider Some articles of agreement Potentially being proposed by an act 49 committee which is meeting after this meeting tonight And that would be on some articles of agreement to put before the potentially put before the voters in February So getting those articles ready to be warned before then We have on Monday night The Organizational meeting Was scheduled We have information that leads us to believe that that will be Postponed because the parties to the lawsuit We have heard have come to an agreement to postpone all organizational meetings until a time later in February So that's hot breaking news off the fresh off the presses We've received that email just recently this afternoon that that may be happening. We haven't confirmed that I don't think no We just told us to hold right now So we're on hold the Monday night organizational meeting will not be happening Sure Like so the lawsuit is where so the lawsuit has been filed The state board We are one of the parties to the lawsuit Sure, I'll tell you the best that I know We are a part of that law a party to that lawsuit The state is defending that lawsuit the Attorney General's office. So the attorneys representing the towns are Filing have filed a motion for a stay with the judge That stay has not been granted But the party on the other side the Attorney General's office representing the state As I understand it has been speaking to the plaintiffs Attorneys and they have agreed that there would be no action on the organizational meetings for I don't know what the date is yet, but sometime in mid-February Putting it off, you know Five weeks or so to let them work out the perhaps the stay perhaps some other issues In any case they they have agreed not to For that the state has agreed not to the school Has agreed the school districts have agreed not to go ahead I guess it's the state the state as a party has agreed not to go ahead with any of the organizational meetings Those are the ones that are called by the secretary of education For purposes of organizing the merged boards We don't know I understand right somebody gets a very tight timeline with the meeting on Monday And there are all kinds of revifications and dominoes that fall because of warnings and and public meetings and Hopefully we'll know more in the next couple of days as they try to sort this out Again, we're all kind of victims of a very tight timeline and perhaps a knock well thought-out process Here we are and we're gonna do our best to deal with it The other meeting just to be aware of is February 20th our Carousel meetings at you 32 2.0 the consent agenda approval of the minutes dated the minutes from December 10th If everyone's had a chance to look at those any Okay, is there a second Any She does abstains it's a majority of those present in voting so we'll be No, it's not a problem and you should abstain if you weren't there so Are there any it's been made and seconded are there any Changes to the agenda any comments? I mean sorry to the minutes All right those in favor signify by saying aye Those opposed no and abstentions one On to the discussion agenda item 3.1 is the town sewer easement Thank you for joining us Come on up This is route 62 paint turnpike north down paint turnpike north Down to the Chamber of Commerce building here What this what this allows the town to do it eliminates a sewage pump station here behind the Honda dealership that all Sewage that's currently Being collected the upper part of the town here. It's pumped to a manhole over here by Carol concrete it'll eliminate the pump station requirement for the Existing at the firehouse and would eliminate the pump station here at the school And so I'm gonna put this down now So The 62 paint turnpike north going forward towards the chamber The sort the town is asking the school because this school was the parcel that fire station and this building is on this is for Right for a couple easements The first one is up near the fire station This is a water line that we would relocate on the fire station property the second is Right now your sewage is coming out of the back of the back of the building and being pumped over to the Berlin Mall Never eliminate that pump station We would we would at our cost put this gravity line in It's gravity all the way to this point here, and it's then it's called an aerial line. It actually comes out of the ground Duel insulated and then comes back up here to paint turnpike north This location right here right next to the fire station It's quite two million dollar project the voters in August Pass the bond boat to do this project. We are now in the process of it going through Four properties that we're looking to get easements from one of them. This is this property At the end of the day, I think it's a fairly decent cost savings for the school You're no longer have to maintain Your municipal pump station that you have here now that's conveyed by gravity The fire station gets a benefit because they eliminate their pump station and the town itself Eliminates a 35 plus zero pump station out there behind the Honda dealership, which is If that had to be replaced it's several hundred thousand dollars for that So I'm here asked for your consideration Chris I gave you a copy of a draft easement. It's a 25. We're looking for a 25 foot easement Plan is to go down that easement It's this line right here Next to this other page here Where we would put in at our cost Questions for Tom when you say our cost. This is the town cost right now Maintain by the school district I understand that I'm the cost of the project or the cost of the town of the cost of the bond Our cost would be covered by our cost So in rough terms Tom is kind of describing it coming out of the woods going behind the building over here across those underground Near the gardens the garden goes under the garden we'll put it underneath the garden. Yeah come to this man It's a manhole here And here's your driveway. Yeah, right in here. That's where Right where Bob right where our fingers where it becomes aerial goes above ground And I have no idea what kind of Disturbance are you talking about to put a pipe in like that? We're asked for 25 foot easement Ideally, you know, we're operating in a trench like this. You're digging a foot wide trench or something like that When would the turn this over the summer? Ideally want to go to bid here in into this month, February you get pricing for this Later construction in 2019 There any connection fees or anything to get it connected I just think about what went through the water system here So we had some extra work that had to be done on our end No, we this is all gonna be under article to get you And can I get a copy of this so I can send to the district's attorney? Actually, do you have one Tom? That would be When you've chosen a contractor is it possible that we can Coordinate with them to in hopes of doing work during the summer It would be a disruption, I'm sure of that's playground And it's that that This explanation shouldn't take that long at all. It's good digging here There's no classes So bill I don't have any experience with this for the school. You would typically have I Would have Scott Cameron's office his attorney that does real estate needs and easements Look at this and say does this convey and what other questions might we have? So you got the underground pipe but then I know Well, you typically see these pipes aerial pipes crossing bridges and Like a four-inch pipe their sleeves are connected, but this won't be above ground on stanchions And therefore insulated correct Any other questions I would just echo what Aaron said I think even if it meant a way to delay Summertime installation with the use of the playground the garden get And Tom what do you what kind of a time frame are you're looking like that for a decision from us? So maybe we could put this on for our February agenda Yeah, I don't see a problem with it. I mean, I'm all in favor of it. It's just it's just the coordination It's just having our attorney Look at the easement probably have to go pull the deeds at the state at the town offices Okay, I don't hear anyone with any objections. It sounds like it's a Winning for everybody here. I think so. So maybe we could have a vote on it in February He's been reviewed Thanks for coming Item 3.2 is the budget draft number three. So I just want to give you the draft we talked about last time Really, it's just a point of information for the board to have the draft that we concluded on last time I really just wanted to give it to you in a final version So you receive that in there that included the changes that we had for the For the grant funding that we were fearful to go might go away And changes in some personnel that we talked about And did not include the Anyone have Questions on the budget I think my biggest question on the budget and it's more a clarification bill is the schedule You know what where we are with that? And I think as much as anything to talk to the down clerk and the assistant down clerk as lightning rods, but Today we stand today today. I'm still on course I haven't heard anything that's taken us off a course to do a budget election at a different place As I said back in I don't think I said it to the Berlin board because so early Rosemary's heard this from me because we talked in a meeting we were at back in December We've already left our timeline to be ready to prepare a budget for town meeting day if we were to do it by six separate districts So we need a special election either way So we're not looking for a town meeting vote that doesn't mean that it couldn't be impossible to do But it would be really hard to do because of the reports that we had to generate For the town report. We have stopped we had stopped doing much of the town report pieces Back in December for the individual districts because three-quarters of the town report is Preparing for the budget. Sure Do you anticipate? Talk about Berlin now a conversation debate on Our portion of the budget at our town meeting No, I do not It'll just be an unknown. They'll be an unknown at that point. Sorry. I wish I had more no news for you And I don't mean to shoot the messenger. I just yeah, I'm just still shaking my head I Understand it's part of one of the things I said to Krista today and she was like, okay So which thing do I do? I said, I don't know and maybe we'll know more tomorrow So that's just kind of how I'm how I'm rolling these days, which is not Does not instill confidence in either boards or the electorate? No, and how we're trying to move forward, but you know, we have a budget put together here We have what I think is a very reasonable budget The tax I mean I can tell you the tax increases either way they you know, they're not that that Astronomical they're more astronomical and emerged than they aren't emerged budget as I told you back in December So Okay, well that is just my question for the moment Yeah, and it's and as I've been doing Peter with my videos and trying to get information I know I'll be doing one at the end of this week And I was doing every two weeks, but since I did one on Friday, I'll be doing the one this Friday We're all following the Where I am go. Well, thank you Any comments from the public either with your town hat on or with your Berlin resident hat on It'll be to not have that information available to folks, but Well, that's kind of where my question is coming from and I think the information will be available It's just whether it'll be a moot point to have the discussion, but I think the information In some form will be available It won't be For the purposes of voting on it at that point as it usually is So I'm also wondering What will from the school be put in the time report because even if you're not going to put a budget in there It would seem like there needs to be something to address what's going on and that not having one We're telling people how they can go about getting that information Realizing that not everybody has internet access so you can't just Say and you can go see this link because a lot of the people that Get a time report and vote Do not have email or internet access I'm also wondering if there's going to be any questions To the voters Carl had brought up something recently But now this goes back a few weeks ago about potentially having a question to put out to the voters and I'm wondering If we might see something like that Did you want to say something? No, so at the last meeting Karen? We went through what was going to be on In the town report for this year and we're currently putting that together Which are anything that has to do with this fiscal year or the previous fiscal year as in the audit Berlin's the one town that publishes the whole entire audit in the town report So we'll have that information while the reports from the chair the principal the superintendent I know on my report and usually I suggest to the chair some things they might have about where we currently are in act 46 I started writing some of that You know how that's affecting this year So in addition to your report bill my report's mainly going to be on Tapping with the transition and why they're act 46, you know what what isn't in here and what it you know because two-thirds of the Of the material I can look through my bag But I don't think I have it with me which I did last time is carrying around because we talked about in December all the different parts of The town report and that about two-thirds to seventy five percent of it was for the next year's budget So I mean some of the things that aren't that aren't in there that one things It's in there that's not part of the budget But it's this current year salaries for all the staff at U32 Berlin Washington Central So we'll put all that information in it's just what we have towards the budget for FY 19 There's no good answer Everybody's got except for Vera's got to run again if you're gonna You got to maybe not Well, there was elected in for two years, so she's all set for one more year Here's your transition board He's got to run. He's got to run everybody else. I don't have to run You'll see and I want to look at this. I don't think this is correct on our draft Because I But we do have a draft warning Yeah, I got the draft warning And it's not it's not correct. That's the two three years are right, right the other one's not Because you've got a one of a one of a two year and then three a One of a two and a two of a three a one of a two and a Okay, why don't you give them the names? Okay, Chris is three years Yeah, and the current position Peter's holding the three year are both up The position Carl is holding goes to a one of a two and then the vacant position is two of three And Vera's is the two year. It's not up All right back to the budget Well, we are going to get to further board communication and that warning a little bit further on in the agenda and the agenda But I'm comparing we were I 2% 2.7% increase And now we're up to a 3.9, which I get where those are coming from. Okay, I don't Necessarily I'm missing the background on the discussion About the retirement and so we anticipate a retirement And that retirement potentially could bring more costs in and we're having a teacher return That's been on leave which will bring more costs in as well and Then we have a teacher that's currently funded by grants that we're trying to Increase flexibility as well as we're anticipating loss of federal dollars To be able to get have more flexibility in our work That's our math specialist to help support math Because we're getting more and more we get the strict federal restrictions become stricter So those all basically get to those differences in the increases So I'm sure by reading the minutes that there was much Conversation about the increase because back here it was at 7.5% right was and that we had we'd also put in there an extra Interventionist for math because we've heard from the board to increase the math and you know it was like Which way do you just what I heard from the board that night was we can't support the extra interventionist We can support the extra time freeing up the time from the math interventionist to be more flexible our current one and We understand the staff changes that We had a really interesting discussion about the interventionist and The cost spreading that would happen under a merger and whether we were voting on a district-wide budget or we were voting on a Berlin budget and How we felt the Berlin voters would not have a tolerance for a 7% increase And so we ended up not Not supporting the interventionist position other we you know did have some we have had a lot of information about how we're lagging in math scores Which I totally I get that and I support whatever we can do to help the kids teacher staff whatever get this work out And I realize it comes out of cost. It just I think we're asking our town for To understand a lot in a very short of a time whether it be the budget The act 46 the merging the I just I Have a hard time I do understand it I do get it I know I'm one that wants to do more with the math Okay Do you need any more action? I don't need more action I mean, I thought I heard from you and we had a great discussion I think last time about the difference between a merged budget and what it looked like for per people's expenditure of Berlin compared to the rest of the district and Resources that kids and other schools have compared to Berlin and that was a fascinating discussion and Illuminating for me it was All right, anything else on the budget from anyone? 11 cent sorry 11 cent increase in Berlin on top of what a normal school increase in town increase would be No, yeah, you want to it's a five 107 cents. Yeah, that's incorrect. We've run it now with CLA's for the CLA's being in and it's a Maybe make sure I get the most recent document the one I had December was five point five cents for Berlin And that's is that overall or that's on top of whatever we approved in that's No, your budget For 11 cents in one of their headings, but maybe that was at the time our budget that we were working with yeah So no, I know merge budget would be a dollar sixty nine four and a merged tax rate under Hold on. I'm just going to go to what's better a better document So it's a difference of six point seven cents. It's a four cent increase. This is including you thirty two right now It was a dollar sixty nine last year and it would be Make sure I'm reading the right pieces here. I think it's a set that's six point seven cents increase overall after last year I want to check that Korean worry got so many figures go on here because of Different ways we've looked at this So the other question I have that is Why is it? That each of the towns wouldn't be looking at Presenting their own budgets as have been happening for many years and then if and when the merge happens Merging it together in that I I Thought there wouldn't be much of an increase in cost if anything Supposedly cost would be neutral or down. So wouldn't we be covered by passing? By putting forth our own budget and hopefully having it pass I think some of that is a matter of what we're asking the central office to focus on And there are a lot of unknowns I can tell you a little bit more as I've been advised from the agency of education things change daily, but as of right now The action that was taken by the state board on November 28th 2018 Told us that we were in a merged state going forth from that day So there hasn't been I haven't had anything officially telling me we aren't doing that And so that Requires a district meeting of all five towns. It doesn't require individual meetings of each town to pass a budget To pass a budget or to elect people for that next year anything that the district operate That was an order from the state board as we're following act 46 and 49 Yet still individually the schools Know what their costs are certainly And what we would like to propose And in reality the new budget may be those budgets Consolidated because the interim board Will have little time or energy to create a whole new district budget And I'm not sure I think it's their responsibility to implement a new budget is not it not to implement Is theirs to recommend to a new board like a new board's responsibility have to present that to the electorate So and we were at the executive committee in August Asked us to put it together from the local school composition and then just bring it all together So we have done that since our plan in August as the executive committee advised so are you guys looking at recommending this three point eight nine percent budget that is that where you're at right now whether or not you're recommending this as it stands to whomever Yeah, I think that's accurate right any other comments on the budget That kind of also works into the board communication plan Bill can you refresh my memory here and is that are we talking about budget communication here? I don't think so I know that I think it's very different. What's going on with that? I think it's very different from other years I think it's communications about what the elections are and I did that this past week in a video that I sent out to everybody About what is the perfect? What is the local? Warning and the merge warning that will happen on town meeting day I believe from what we heard today But I do not have it confirmed that we probably will not have anything on town meeting day for the merge district But I don't have that confirmed And we'll I mean if you think about 30 days and district authorization, I've got to imagine we're outside of that But I just it was it as you saw as the board members is all you saw the email I sent you about 440 this afternoon It was about five lines So and they said more to hold on for more to come so But we will be having our local our regular local board elections local board elections Yep, I think if you look at article 4 in the way that We wrote this up. I see how Rosemary is looking at that And we can talk about that a little bit No, it's okay. We could move ahead to that right now. I think that's your the board communication plan It's really just updating where we're at and so people are as they're confused but keeping them Understand what we're working on and then so you see the warning there We had three school directors for a three-year three-year terms. I Can understand the piece of ones at two or for a three-year term and one is the second year two of the three-year term so We can do a better job of piecing that out because We're actually merged doesn't ever happen. That's what we need Either way, that's what we need Either way, that's what we need Because the work of this board continues through the end of the year through the end of the year. Yeah And Responsibility for operations like here for audit so when the transitional board starts This board is still in place until June 30, so this board has Authorational authority of the school until June 30 is 2019 And this board that means this board has to accept the audit and the way it was currently written in the In the articles of agreement that we've been given by the agency is that the trend that this board Must approve the audit and if the audits any letter later than December 31st 2019 then the new merge board can accept it, but I doubt that that will happen the way our audit schedules Yeah, we're usually in November when audits come back So you don't think that there will be any Maybe one thing for the board to do after July first after July first I think there'll be one meeting for that to accept the audit and to dissolve Okay, and just You don't say I do not and I apologize if that's the first time some of you are hearing that but I don't plan to run again in March. I don't plan to run for the The newly formed board. I will be a part of the transition I guess but if I'm not The transition board, but if I'm not running in March Right now that usually the only way I know what that means knowing now is a still part of the transition board Okay, that's what I know So and Carl, I don't know what he plans to do so you're the One person who doesn't have to run again Peter. I don't know what your plans might be You don't know feel like you have to make an announcement here good But chances are good, we're gonna be sure-handed unless we find some people who want to run So I think part of our board communication plan should be that we're gonna have these vacancies and encourage some people to to run for both the local school board To finish up this work through July 1st and maybe one meeting after and then the new board our two representatives there will be very important to To the continued operation of this district assuming a merger So if it comes to a pointing after March when your terms run out How does that work if I'm the only one left on the board to The select board appoints until there's a quorum of the board The select board doesn't I mean it is the only that's the only authority they have With that it's been asked before in other towns where they've had that problem Where they've gotten below a minority, so they only go until there's three members To get to the majority Well, I can say is that the town of Berlin deserves better than that and I Don't know if that will affect my decision or not It's crunch time. It's it's a it's a unique time in The town of Berlin for the Berlin elementary school Education for our town. We're all shaking our heads and But but I don't think we can throw up our hands. I just I Was not the time no all times to we might not like it We might not agree with that but we somebody still needs to do it the town deserves better than that and This is a very important time. I think that the town be represented. I Personally feel Less than qualified to represent the town Just given the newness of the whole act 46, you know, I've been getting up to speed as much as I possibly can but Given the difficulty we've had or you've had getting board members or the town The school has had getting board members. I I would be surprised if someone would Volunteer jump into this mess now So I'm not saying no I guess Now that I know And I do just want to say that I'm not not running Out of frustration or some sort of Opposition or protest Although I am frustrated That's not the reason why it's more about just time commitment and other obligations. I Agree with you all that it's really important that we have great representation and Peter, I think you sell yourself short and saying you don't know much about this process Not a lot of people are able to figure this at this very complicated process out And I would say you're ahead of the curve But we should all think about maybe doing some personal recruitment in case people don't step up Maybe finding people we think would be Up to the task and good to represent our town at this really important time If we can explain exactly what they would be doing. All right I Feeling like it's very difficult for two people To really represent our town and that's my struggle with At the other time or on the other side, I feel like I at least have been on the board and been through this Process Funky as the process has been So I'm not sure and I There's a lot of unknown as far as like time commitment and How often the board is good like they think there's still a lot of things to figure out on how that board's gonna work and on the committees I So those first two terms are one and two Yeah Right Alright On the warning itself, so we have a slight change there too. Well, I yeah, I mean technically from it went by our Attorney I hear I hear what Rosemary saying it could be clearer So we can amend it if you'd like as a board Or we can leave it the way it is which would the one amendment we would say two three-year school directors and then one Two of three-year school director Yeah, there's five right and there are four listed up there one Term It's a two or three-year terms two three-year terms right and One two of the third this last year of the three-year term And then you're saying the one year the one two-year term is a one of a two, right? Right, and that's the and that's Vera no one of two is Finishing my first year of a two-year term so mine is you're good. Okay. Mine is not on there at all Carl is the one of the two The one it's Chris's is a three-year. Yeah Peters is Three years Carl is one of two. Yeah, and the vacant one from my vacancy is two of three So what we would need to add there is we would have we would have it be one two-year term two three-year terms and one One of a two-year term No, I've got it. I missed it I had one of a one of a two-year term Right Rosemary. Yeah, you got and two three-year terms and one of a one Two of a three-year. Ah, okay Got it, and that's based on all your on all your comings and goings a lot of comings and goings Speaking of which welcome Nicole Do we need to do anything else on the on the warning no, but we'll have to schedule a meeting somehow to adopt this Okay, I was trying to have this adopted tonight, and I know We can't adopt as amended You could and we can what we had to have you just come in and sign it. Oh Right it's up to you Technically you are correct Chris, and then we could sign it at different times as we come in It's fine with me, okay, because So Vera would you be comfortable as Adopting this as amended, and then we could each come in and sign it when we get a chance. Yes Do we think we're clear on the amendment? Bill's got it. Is there a motion? Second Is there any discussion? Those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye Those opposed no the eyes have it and we've adopted the warning as amended and we'll each need to come in At some point in the very near future Okay, come in and Next on the agenda is 3.4 board member vacancy update Nicole would you like to join us at the table or you can do it from there I am so our we have a we still have a vacancy on the board and as I understand it You may be interested in that vacancy and If you would like the board to Consider you for that position and just ask you to maybe speak to the board members you and I have met and talked Maybe speak to the board members just a little bit on Why you're interested and what you could bring to the board okay, so I recently moved here I'm here to stay bought a home here. I have three children here at the school. I'm but I have five and Things I could bring to the table. I've been on PTO board for five years at the previous school I volunteered a lot Also, I do construction so maybe I could help with anything do that but a Lot of good ideas I come from District so the school that I used to help had 650 kids So kinder through eighth grade so any decisions we made It was a Montessori school a charter school Was for them, but I am familiar with the district But I've never been on an actual board Like this, but more of a PTO board and different committees on the board I ran all kinds of committees Good, thank you Does anybody have any questions for Nicole? We haven't scared you away yet We will take any help we can get Put it that way So I guess what we would need is a motion from the board to appoint Nicole Farrier To the vacant position If the board feels like you want further discussion, we could go into executive session to do that or we can vote right now I Would make that motion that we appoint Nicole Farrier and say at the same time that I Think you come with the experience that all of us have come to this board with when we first came to this board and mostly as parents and with some experience with some PTA or Coaching or what have you but I think you will find that you're qualified and that there's In this particularly you're a big learning curve just because of what we're all experiencing and learning about but we'll have a new configuration but our schools still be here our Principal will still be here and will our kids will still be here and that's What it's all about So I'm looking for a second All right, is there any further discussion? Those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye aye Opposed no the ayes have it in the motion carries and welcome and thank you Yeah, so you'll need to visit the town clerk's office to fill out an oath We get to make you official And then we welcome you to our next meeting as an official board member. Thank you Nicole 3.5 is the act 46 update and we've hit on a number of things already regarding act 46 We mentioned the articles committee that's meeting tonight the articles public hearing that's happening Wednesday the organizational meeting that has been postponed for the moment The status of the lawsuit I do have something to bring up in that respect. I've been asked to All the boards have been asked to sign a waiver to have Judge teach out participate As the judge assigned to this lawsuit Mary Miles teach out Is is a sign I'm forgetting what even whatever district. This is in Windsor. I think that's in Washington Oh, it's in Washington. So she's in Washington Superior Court She has What could be perceived as a conflict of interest in this case? So she wanted to make that clear to all the parties and get the parties to sign off and say that they're okay with her participating as the presiding judge and I'll read to you What that disclosure is? She's stated that prior to participating in the three in the three cases Represented above referenced above the undersigned hereby discloses the following Circumstances pursuant to rule 40 E of the Vermont rules of civil procedure and Canon 3 E of the code of judicial conduct Found in administrative order 10 the purpose of this disclosure is to give the parties and lawyers in each of the above cases an opportunity to consider whether to waive disqualification One of the plaintiffs in this case is the Middlesex school district My daughter woden teach out is a member of that board She was elected in March 2017 to a two-year term That ends as of March 1st 2019 and she's not sought re-election She has children in the Romney School in Middlesex and U32 and Middle and high schools. Well, it has a lot of children Other children of mine have children in the callous elementary school the Newton School in Stratford and U32 middle school I've not discussed any of these lawsuits with any of my children While the general issue of consolidation has been a subject of public concern since act 46 was passed I have not discussed the legal issues raised by these lawsuits with my children The plaintiff in this case is represented by attorneys in the law firm of Terent Gillis and Richardson One of the lawyers is Paul Gillis Berlin resident my husband Peter teach out a professor of Constitutional law Vermont law school has recently undertaken a joint project with mr. Gillis They're working on a proposal to update the Vermont Constitution Volume in the Oxford series on state constitutional law Work on the proposal has begun the proposal has not yet been submitted to Oxford and needs to be approved for the project to go forward If further information about these circumstances is requested or if there's any request for me to be disqualified From the cases on these grounds Please file a written request by January 11th of 2019 All parties who do not object to my participation are requested to file a written waiver of my participation This includes in addition to attorneys and individual parties Resolutions adopted by all school boards and other boards that are parties to any of the law lawsuits Such waivers are also do no later than January 11th Because of the time-sensitive nature of these cases Electronic copies of waivers and requests will be accepted. They should be emailed to Donna waters at vermont.gov so what we have is a disclosure of This judges Relationship to a middle-sex school board member children in the school and her husband's work with one of the Law firms involved in the lawsuit and a request that each board Wave Any objection to her participating in this case Do we have any feedback from the attorney representing Berlin? Yeah, they're they're the ones that sent around and said please do this immediately The group representing the schools said please put this before your school board. It's they presented a document for us a resolution to waive objection to the presiding judge and it reads as follows the undersigned appellant Dash plaintiff in the above captioned action Upon receiving and reviewing information contained in the January 2nd 2019 disclosure, which I just read to you And upon receiving advice of counsel and the board upon considering the matter in due course Hereby resolves to waive any objection to judge teach out presiding over the above captioned matter on the basis of matters revealed in the January 2nd 2019 Disclosure So our options would be to say yet we waive the objection We don't have a problem with judge teach out Presiding and think that the judge will act in a fair and impartial manner or we could say we think there's a bias there That can't be overcome and we could object to the judge presiding over this matter What about the advice of counsel referenced in that Document that's they've sent us this and recommended that all board sign it So that's our our our counsel our pro bono counsel representing us in the lawsuit Do want all of the parties in the lawsuit to wave that objection And keep judge teach out on the case They want an adopted resolution So the board would vote and then the one signature is Looks like the board chair There were two things that they wanted submitted by the 11th I think it was one or the other Objections submitted by the 11th or waiver submitted by the 11th So essentially what I'm hearing is that our attorney the attorney or Burl in this case, it's a group of attorneys basically Is sending this document as their Recommendation advice of counsel that we sign it and wave This judge for our case that wave wave any objections. That's correct. I think that's the best advice We have at this point if I would think that if we Don't get the waiver or we decide to object that means it would be assigned to somewhere else Yeah, that's right. That's the consequence and I don't know if that means a delay or a different judge with different Positions Well, I don't have an opinion. I I don't know this person or judge and I'm just looking for Advice of counsel and you've said that that's that's what that is. So And that means that I would move to accept our counsel's advice and Authorize or it's the term you're looking for Just adopt a resolution to waive objection to the presiding judge The motion would be to resolve to waive objections to judge teach out And is there a second As representation Thank you any further discussion Those in favor of the motion signify by saying aye aye those opposed no and the motion carries and I will sign this and Send it back to the attorneys Any other items for update under Act 46 bill any communication or timeline updates or anything like that You know if you've been staying with the videos I've been producing just to try to keep I try to keep those out for anyone in Washington Central We put them out on Facebook and on Twitter and Everywhere else to try to stay up on those things You know if we have any questions as we said we made a web address is act 46 at u32.org So or send me an email I'm really trying to do updates as soon as I have new information that gives updates that gives More clarity I don't think they're on the page themselves Are there any other It's a good question we just learned about it Diligent about is until I have official information. I don't I understand that I mean once it becomes official. What's the plan as far as disseminating it? Anything before you know for sure I'm just wondering how As we have been using all the electronic forms we can Yeah, and there's the newspaper there's You know to the extent that Dave Delphoy does those articles on it. I understand there's some shortcomings to that but it's I don't know how else we get The word out I've been trying to be a little more diligent about putting some things out on front porch forum We haven't used the school email Much the school email list for that much. I don't know what you you all think about that I haven't discussed it with you but to keep people informed of what's going on Then hopefully something in the town report is another to the extent that the school report To the extent that we'll have some solid information on what's happening next. It's a it's a moving target constantly I do appreciate current that you whenever I Can I give you some updates and that you're able to put that in your news to know because I know that reaches a lot of people Yeah Is the time it print it won't be and it gets to the people things have changed right right? And that's a handout would probably be better than actually putting it in the family The town reports are back in time to go home with students before vacation Just to make sure you have that time in your mind Thank you, and we can I mean we one year we had to insert a budget So I mean we can do an insert before we ship the books over here to the school for the kids So so you can have it as of that day if you get the inserts printed up. We can do it. That's another big deal Thank you All right reports to the board Administration thanks Aaron. Good evening everybody. Happy new year Back this last week sitting staff and students refreshed from a long December break was was nice Everybody has a copy of my report. I'll highlight some of the things in it and share a couple of other additional things as Things always happen even after we submit reports Taking some time with with with staff as we're almost halfway through the school year the semester ending this month Kind of reflecting on what's going well, and what we can continue to work on and you know the share was everyone has felt really positive The culture has felt really supportive teachers feel supportive had a number of new teachers and staff this year Talking about you know feeling supported as a new a new employee here. So that's good Student behaviors, I think are doing well looking at some of our student behavior data compared to last year. We're in Better you know better shape in terms of some of those reports that we get Monthly that we can look at One of the things that came up that I think is just something good to echo is the I guess a number of years ago we implemented a writing program and 56th grade teachers talk about seeing the improvements in in writing Really attributing that to the fact that we have something that's consistent that was implemented and a number of years ago and Having that program conducted with with fidelity meaning done done properly They're seeing improvements at the upper grades in in writing, which is good One of the things that we're going to be doing as a staff this year, I know I've talked about it We get into the second half of the year definitely taking time to look at student work and student assessments and student data to help improve instruction I Continue to work with with teachers and staff on communication team building Norms and values. I don't if you can see in the report, but there's a picture of some teachers and they're Doing a teamwork game where they had to stack these cups using string and rubber bands They couldn't touch the cups so I continue to do some things like that that Keep us grounded to the fact that we're all here to work together work together for all kids Some highlights this past month that have been really wonderful in my opinion The U32 middle school orchestra came to Berlin last month and performed for the student body It was really wonderful to see some former students and just to see what some of our Future students could have the opportunity to do In regards to not just band but also stringed instruments We had Vermont violins stick around after the fact and 56 graders were able to Play with some of the try out some of the different stringed instruments. So we appreciate the U32 middle school for coming Fifth and sixth graders conducted what they call a genius hour in December and You know, they've been doing this for the last couple of years and that actually the came last last February The teachers reported out on what this genius hour is all about and what it does is it gives students a chance to Research a topic that they're that they're interested in so We had we had as many unique Presentations as we did students everything from Dinosaurs to to scorpions to Art and and careers for whatever students were interested in they Were self-directed in learning and then presenting their learning through through this this process. So it's pretty powerful As we You know kind of wrap up the the holiday season. I just wanted to recognize and just thank the Parents for putting on a really great holiday bizarre that we have every year and volunteers just the just the that The outpouring of support not just with something like the holiday bizarre But other things that we do here at the school with with mitten tree and and meals for for families just a tremendous amount of care and giving from from parents and staff and community members and kids so the holiday bizarre is a trick is an annual thing that See my you know being my first year here really really nice event where The smiles on the kids faces really told told told told all of it that They were happy to be thinking about others during during that time of year and Just a couple of other things Vince is participating again this year with with us Thanks to the support of our PTNA and this past this past Friday They came to work with fifth and sixth grade for a good part of the day did everything from erosion to Plants we have them coming this week when we're for kindergarten talking about Habitats with third fourth grade as well coming up soon, so we appreciate them coming and the support PTNA gives for them and Just something else that I've been keeping tabs on and speaking about communication and web web pages Have a number of things on our web page that encourage folks to look at we have a Twitter feed So I I try to post pictures throughout the week at least like to think maybe two or three a week just some really Exciting and different things that that our students are doing here So you know check out the web page check out the Twitter feed so you can see actual photos of things that that kids are doing here So even if you're not on Twitter, it shows up on the web page. You don't have to sign up. You don't have to you know Friend or whatever they call right So you can see what what's going on and there's actually two videos that I've I've created One about the genius hour one was more from the first the first week of school, but So you can actually see some of the things that we're doing through our web page That's it. That's anybody has any questions about things Thank You Aaron any questions Bill do you want to handle any of those reports there that you can under reports for the board? So I can I will do you finance for you right now, okay There is an action. I am to transfer funds from the general fund balance on page 12 You'll see we're well above our target of 4% 108,000 as I talked to you last month I was going to be recommending that this month that you move some of that in your capital fund as we've been talking in the Articles committee. It's the opinion of Chris Leopold that what articles what funds come in from into a merged district Will stay for the use of that fund. So if you put my funds into your capital project, it would stay for the use of Berlin elementary school So my recommendation is that and I'll probably recommend in June that you take some more of your general fund balance But until we get there, I would recommend that you move $108,000 to your capital fund as we all know we have a driveway and a few other things that didn't get done construction That could be tackled That wouldn't have to have a specific earmark just what what happened The opinion of Chris is that you don't need one as we talked about last week in the articles committee You could have an article, but you can't adjust article 5 According to the way the articles work, but his opinion is anything that has a restricted fund That's coming in from a merging a district together The objective of that all that money that's in that fund when it comes in has to be used for that objective We are currently we haven't as you know through budget season Lauren I were just talking about this today. She's wrapping up a summary of truing up all these We just went through open enrollment here January 1st. There were some changes We're gonna get you a Do you want me to just keep going down the list? Sure. Yeah, there's anything Executive committee hasn't met since beginning of December I was hoping that was a case because I couldn't remember. No, you're fine policy committee hasn't met since then School quality has admit since then in negotiations. We've had two negotiations beers on that So if you want to talk to that beer on myself I'll let you that way. I know what is said is Well, we've been working on we've been working on one on which I can't remember right now But we're making some progress on that and we're meeting here in late January first two We're on the same same topic is one topic. So it's taking some time. It's really trying to pull apart some of the working conditions Yeah, that's right. That's right But we're gonna have three meetings between now and But this next meeting that we were supposed to have his been postponed that was postponed because of the district meeting Let's the whole calendar is just like one of those moving targets Kind of stop looking every time Christa updated my thing on this like I'll wait until like yeah the week of the 14th We'll get on top of that So that's all those reports Chris I do have a question about the executive meeting coming up. Yep You can't make it. I'm I'd rather not make it right We have to give a game We have three important items Two of them are maternity leaves for special educators that need to be approved and was an acceptance of the audit for Washington Central So you just need to make sure you have a quorum. It's a central office at what time If you can cover for me, I would greatly appreciate it, but if you can't let me know and I'll if it's earlier It's better. It's not even in here, but I know it's on the 16th I'll check the crystal if it's like 430 to 6 It's literally like our meeting No, I don't think so we were making it like one of those quick meetings 530 usually yeah, let me look Let me get on top Okay, thanks The action agenda which I've as usual skipped around and already did we already did some of these 5.1 was a point a board member which we did Um 5.2 is what you mentioned bill approving transfer of reserve funds to capital fund Any further discussion those in favor say aye those opposed no and the motion carries 5.3 is recommend membership for an act 49 committee. That's what we forgot to talk about under act 46. Yeah update So the act 49 committee Which is some folks are wandering in for a wandering in for Is a representative membership Committee so it requires Instead of this mini small committee that we've been meeting under with one representative from each board to discuss articles The act 49 committee would have Proportional representation, which means three members from Berlin. Yes, right anything else we need to begin be Ellen He's one board member which Chris you make that remark either Peter was willing so we've got that The most important thing is that you'll point three members Yeah, really just after consulting with Chris Leopold. It's the appointment It's not to say they're in attendance because whenever that committee means as long as they have a majority they have a ruling of the membership And the work of that act 49 committee is expected to be brief That was the expectation that was the expectation. That's my expectation still I won't say that Because it was we were trying to hit a deadline for the end of this week And now that deadline may have moved some which would give more time for the Articles Committee to Where is that? Not where the location You guys have been meeting as a smaller group anyway. Yes, so some of the work has already been in process. Yes So what is the status of where you're at? We're at a handful of Peter you tell me if you think anything different after attending your first articles meeting but We're down to we're at a handful of articles that the that the committee would recommend There was some discussion and no final decision about whether It was either, you know put it in front of the board and put it in front of the voters in a hurry fashion whether that does more damage to the whole confusing mess In the first place or whether this is our only opportunity we need to do is the best job that we can to put some Statements of what we believe and some guardrails around this new board that's coming in While we can to put some, you know decent articles forward I won't go through all of the articles in detail, but they were between five and eight that We might settle on so and be able to agree upon And that work continues tonight In a few minutes if we can appoint two more members Well, it will continue anyway. That's right, and Peter you are willing Yes, I'm willing and even if we appoint someone and they can't attend we will at least have our our representation fulfilled for the foreseeable future What is the appointment process by this board like we need to appoint somebody tonight? If I have to be that person to appoint I also don't necessarily So maybe and I you two on the same boat, I guess Yeah, and I'll just say that's fair, and I think one of the articles is you know Do we put a statement in there that says? This voting on these articles in no way is a waiver of any rights to continue to contest this force merger It's not a statement that we're agreeing with the force merger So that's been a part of the discussion as well I To delay a greater committee has agreed to meet here tonight So that we could appoint and participate that's right Can it be changed? Can what be changed so say you appoint me tonight, and then I resign Oh, that's another good question. Can somebody else be appointed after Any thoughts on that bill did you or once I'm appointed I'm appointed and that's it I think you're pointing your point, and that's it and the I just have to I'm just gonna be really direct You need to appoint three people tonight. The committee has been waiting They haven't been able because they can't do anything with the articles So with Berlin not appointing they can't even amend them Okay, and so they were gracious enough to wait to tonight Do I need to make that motion Have you already been appointed or no, I'm already appointed. So why don't I make the motion? Well, am I appointed I'm your point in December to the act 49. Yeah Yeah, because that's when I this is the one board and I will apologize to you that in December I said, I think we can do it with one literally the next day. I was told no you Don't It does not know do we have any other volunteers in the audience Well, they can't think where they want we can appoint you if you'd like to Would you like to I can't stay for the meeting tonight, but I don't mind going forward doing it If there's not a conflict because I'm the town clerk I would have to go look at that because this town clerk you're not allowed to be on the school board I'd have to look at about that about appointments. I don't know the answer to that Is it a school board some committee? It is Yeah, it doesn't require school I just don't know the answer without without that I Just know that the answer is town clerk and school board I Think if someone resigned we could reappoint to the vacancy, but I think so too, but so if you're willing tonight if you need a name Let's let's do it because I know okay Then I will make paper Yep So you make the motion I will move to appoint Peter Schobert and Vera Frazier as the other two Act 49 articles committee Members I guess you can second sure help second and any further discussion that those in favor signify by saying hi Those opposed no, thank you very much for your welcome all the willingness to stand Step forward and volunteer. I don't necessarily And we've already approved the town district warning as amended One of the last items approved board orders. Do you have an amount there here? Would you like to make a motion to approve board orders? Okay any further discussion Those in favor signify by saying aye aye and those opposed no in the eyes have it in the board orders are approved We do have the town sewer easement as one future agenda Item anything else we want to make sure we place on there for our February 20th meeting Nothing specific if anything comes up. Please feel free to contact me We've spoken about communication. So is there anything else before we adjourn just one thing I think Throughout the budget season it would act 46 and Articles of agreement for act 49. I think that we have not done some of the things that Typically would be on our calendar to kind of touch base on so If we could and I'm not sure the time will allow in federal depending on where we're at If we could just look at the calendar and see what we have missed and what maybe Strikes out to us as importance Things we haven't talked about Or had reports of I know there's usually a Calendar of different reports that we get right. I think we've gotten at some of the full board meetings But I think there's other things at our local level that we haven't Right story of our lives for the last three years, but in particular the last several months So it's a great idea. I think you know the who knows what is going to happen. So we still have our local responsibilities to fulfill so Yeah, let's get that calendar planning on there for the next For the next agenda All right Motion to adjourn Okay, good. All right, we are adjourned it