NEWTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING

EDUCATION CENTER, FRAZIER ROOM

APRIL 7, 2005, 8:30 A.M.

PRESENT: Chairperson Anne Larner, Vice-Chairperson Dori Zaleznik, Gail Glick, Susan Heyman, Patricia Kellogg, Marc Laredo, Reenie Murphy, Mayor David Cohen

ALSO PRESENT: Superintendent Jeffrey Young

ABSENT: Nancy Levine, Mayor David Cohen

CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson Anne Larner convened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. and noted that this is a special meeting regarding the process and procedures to finish the FY06 budget. She asked for a discussion to identify and schedule the issues that remained open. It was decided that utilities would be on the April 25_th agenda and unemployment on the May 23_rd agenda. 

Marc Laredo and Dori Zaleznik agreed to confer with the Superintendent on how best to follow up on issues they both had on curriculum & instruction. 

The Committee asked the Superintendent to revisit the budget as a whole to see whether additional cuts might be made – especially in light of a growing sense that additional state aid is less likely than originally thought.  Failure to secure additional aid will necessitate cuts in the approved FY06 budget of approximately $900,000. They agreed to meet in executive session the week of April 18_th to consider possible cuts/actions that might affect collective bargaining or other salary negotiations and to docket for the June 13_th meeting a discussion on planning for the FY07 budget.

 ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 am.