GILFORD BUDGET COMMITTEE MINUTES
SCHOOL PUBLIC HEARING
January 10, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Gilford High School Auditorium
Members Present: John O’Brien, Bob Brent, Sue Greene, Dick Hickok, Bill Phillips,
Margo Weeks, Gus Benavides, Dale Dormody, Terry Stewart,
Phyllis Corrigan, Skip Murphy, and Doug Lambert
Members Absent: None
Also in attendance was School Superintendent Dr. Paul DeMinico, Assistant Superintendent for Business Scott Isabelle, Town Administrator Evans Juris, Assistant Town Administrator Debra Shackett and Recording Secretary Melinda Ferreira.
About two dozen taxpayers were present in the audience including several School District, School Board and staff members.
The Budget Committee recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Chairman Hickok opened the public hearing by welcoming members and the audience to the evening’s session. He outlined that the intent of the evening was to invite and listen to public input on the proposed budget for the school district which was made available at the auditorium entrance.
Chairman Hickok proceeded with a summary contained on the first two pages of the handouts provided and then an overview of the proposed budgets themselves for the elementary, middle and high schools. He noted the low increase in the budget this year and the conscious efforts by all to keep increases as low as possible. The following five pages were data on what was expended, what the old budget was and what was proposed. Dick Hickok then overviewed the general, federal and food service funds followed by warrant articles.
At this point in the hearing, Joe Hoffman appeared as Chairman Hickok was speaking, and he proceeded to pass out to Committee members and some members of the audience, propaganda of unknown subject matter. Chairman Hickok continued to review the revenue and credit pages of the budget on page nine, followed by the four School Board Proposed Warrant Articles on pages 10 & 11, noting that Article V for boiler replacement was to be removed. Citizen Petition Warrant Articles for Football and Robotics on pages 12 & 18 were also reviewed.
Jack Stephenson inquired as to the square footage of the roof area to be replaced in Article III to which Buildings & Grounds Supervisor, Tim Bartlett, responded the high school was 85,000sqft and the elementary school was 72,000sqft. He went on to explain the project was for the old portion of the high school roof only; and that roof replacement costs had come substantially down since last year due to collaborative efforts with DPW to retain the stone ballast currently on the roof which would be used for other Town projects. In addition, the roof would not be stripped down to bare deck; and roof leaks, which are difficult to see under the stone, would be replaced with mechanically fastened roofing (no stone).
Absent further discussion on any issues, Chairman Hickok stated the last pages of the handout reflected the default budget, noting its definition and how it was calculated.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melinda N. Ferreira
Recording Secretary
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