OKs NMS Roof Project—

School Board Postpones

Fund Transfer Policy Decision

By Eliza Hallabeck

After deliberating the appropriate dollar amount for a transfer that would come before the Board of Education, members decided on Tuesday, April 5, to postpone approval of changes to the board’s budget transfer policy until its next scheduled meeting, Tuesday, April 12.

As the school board’s Policy Subcommittee chair, Andrew Buzzi presented his subcommittee’s findings after reviewing the board’s “Budget Transfer Policy 3-202.” While going through recommended changes made by the subcommittee, Mr Buzzi discussed those changes with the full board.

How the school board reports transfers was last discussed by the board in February, when it approved its revised FY 2009-10 Year-End Financial Report, following an audit report by Kostin, Ruffkess & Company, LLC. At the February 18 meeting Joseph Centofanti, a partner with Kostin, Ruffkess & Company, LLC, explained recommendations that the school board modify and comply its policies on budget transfers with state statutes.

“Finally we added that the year-end report should reflect all major object codes in a positive balance,” said Mr Buzzi, after noting other changes in the policy.

Mr Buzzi also said every dollar spent in the school district last year was approved by the school board, and he suggested the school board add that any object code that could result in a negative balance be preceded by a motion to transfer.

“That will keep everything in a positive balance,” said Mr Buzzi.

Board Vice Chair Debbie Leidlein asked whether a percentage or a dollar amount would be better to specify the cost of transfers that come before the school board.

School board member David Nanavaty said approving each transfer could hinder business in the school district.

“I don’t want to get a policy like this bogging us down so that our professionals cannot do their job without looking behind wondering how the board will second guess it,” said Mr Nanavaty.

Ms Leidlein said her intention was not to have the school board second guess decisions made by school district administrators.

“I’m saying that I think the board should be made aware when a certain dollar amount is being spent that is outside of the budget item, like we were not made aware of the lead teacher at Head O’ Meadow,” responded Ms Leidlein.

When Mr Nanavaty asked Ms Leidlein for an example of items that should be brought to the board’s attention, Ms Leidlein could not come up with an example.

Ms Leidlein continued that she agreed it would be problematic to approve a transfer every time something needs to be purchased by the school district, but, “I’m saying I’d like a cap on this.”

A decision on the policy was held until the school board’s next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, April 12.

Roof Plans Approved

Also during the meeting the school board approved plans for the Newtown Middle School roof project, as put forth by the Public Building and Site Commission.

“I’ve been very impressed with the work that has been done,” said Mr Nanavaty, who acts as the school board’s liaison with the Public Building and Site Commission.

Both the Public Building and Site Commission’s ad hoc committee overseer for the project, Robert Edwards, and Kaestle Boos Associates, Inc, principal Chuck Boos were present at Tuesday’s meeting to discuss the middle school roof project.

Mr Nanavaty said the school board was being asked simply to approve the project so it could move forward in the process, and eventually go out to bid.

As put forth by the Public Building and Site Commission during its meeting on March 22, the new estimate for the NMS roof project is  $2,103,270, up from the previously estimated $1.7 million, according to the Public Building and Site Commission’s minutes from the meeting.

With some of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in place at the school now scheduled in the project for replacement based on their proximity to the project, school board member Lillian Bittman asked why air conditioning was not scheduled to be added to the school’s B-Wing gym.

Mr Nanavaty said the project was for the roof alone, and the bond would not cover additional air conditioning projects. Any work to the HVAC systems at the school, he said, were going in the project as alternates to see how much they would cost the district to complete.

The motion to pass the middle school roof project as prepared by the Public Building and Site Commission to the next stage in the process passed unanimously.

Also during the meeting, the school board continued to hear presentations from each of the district’s public schools when Head O’ Meadow Principal Barbara Gasparine, staff, and students spoke regarding their school.

Following the meeting, Board of Education Chair William Hart began posting to his blog, www.learninginnewtown.org, where, he explained during the meeting, he will attempt to post information about the school district on a regular basis to communicate more with the public.