The Yes/No numbers at the end of the articles are the results of Australian ballot voting
which occurred on March 1, 2010.

Moderator Graham Hunter called the Annual Town School Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and he welcomed everyone.

Graham C. Hunter read the warning as follows:

The legal voters of the Weathersfield School District, Weathersfield, Vermont are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Weathersfield School in Ascutney, Town of Weathersfield, Vermont, on Monday, March 1, 2010, at 6:30 pm in the evening to transact any business not involving voting by Australian ballot or any voting required by law to be by ballot, such meeting so started shall be adjourned to Tuesday, March 2, 2010.

The legal votes of the Weathersfield School District, are further notified and warned to meet at the Martin Memorial Hall in Ascutney, Vermont, on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 10:00 in the forenoon to act on any business involving voting by Australian ballot or any voting required by law to be by ballot. Polls open at 10:00 am and close at 7:00 pm.

Moderator Graham C. Hunter said if there were on objections, he would like to allow non-residents Mario Bevaqua, Interim Principal Don Hart, and Business Manager Ed Connors to speak. There were no objections.

Article 1: To act on the reports of the School District Officers for the period from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.
Roald Cann made a motion to accept the article as read; Mike Stankevich seconded the motion.
No discussion.
Voting on the Article; Unanimous, motion passed.

Article 2: To see if the School District will vote to authorize the School Board to borrow money in anticipation of taxes to meet the requirements of the School District for the ensuing year and to authorize the execution and delivery of notes or orders to the School District.
Roald Cann made a motion to accept the article as read; Betty Jo Esty seconded the motion.
No discussion.
Voting on the Article; Unanimous, motion passed.

Article 3: To elect all School District Officers as required by law. (By Australian Ballot.)
Moderator Graham Hunter read the names of people who had filed.

Election Results from the voting on March 2, 2010 appear at the end of these minutes.

Article 4: Shall the voters of the Weathersfield School district approve, by Australian Ballot, a total budget in the amount of $5,441,007.00, to provide grade k-12 education for the year beginning July 1, 2010?

YES: 484 NO: 337

Preliminary Presentation: School board chairperson Stephen Walasewicz welcomed back Principal Mario Bevacqua, Mario returned in February 2010 after an extended medical leave. Steve Walasewicz thanked Interim Principal Don Hart for the great job preformed while Mario was out. Happy to have Mario back but Don Hart will be missed. Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union extensive search failed to yield a candidate for superintendent. Donna Moyer hired as Interim Superintendent for 2009-2010, has agreed to stay on for a second year. Interim superintendent Donna Moyer could not attend tonight's annual school meeting.
Budget Presentation: Steve Walasewicz used a power point presentation to explain the proposed budget of $5,441,007.00 (a $164,285.00, or 2.93% decrease from the current year budget). The current student enrollment (K-12) for the 2009-2010 school year is 313; the projected enrollment for 2010-2011 is 317. K-8 projected class size is 15.4 students. High school tuition rates vary from $12,750-$17,585 with Springfield being the lowest and Hanover the highest.
Total construction bond payment in the proposed budget is $517,344. Savings from the consolidation ranges from $40,000-$50,000 due to changing from heating with oil to burning wood chips. Due to the school being new, maintenance cost is practically eliminated. Cost for transportation cut by $55,000 per year.
Education tax rate is based on the CLA (common level of appraisal). Weathersfield CLA for year of 2011 is 88.69% an increase from 85.83% this year.
Chairperson Stephen Walasewicz presented the pie chart for the proposed budget, most of the cost being tuition at 33.32%, wages at 30.31%, benefits at 11.68% and debt & interest at 9.69%.
To keep the education portion of tax rate down, Chairperson Stephen Walasewicz presented the additional reductions for 2011 budget. Much of the reduction came from the elimination of five positions and reduce hours on four positions, for an anticipated savings of $145,842.
John Arrison questioned Special Education budget: from $400,000 down to $50,000 doesn't seem reasonable. Business manager Ed Conners referred to pages 33,35 & 40 in the Town Report.
Budget is now broken into elementary, secondary sections also each year students needs change. John Arrison also referred to page 33, did state pay 1.5 million toward the principal on the bond loan, if so savings on interest should be around $55,000? Ed Conners stated correct amount to be 1.49 million, loan payments also include prior loans the interest saved is $23,000.
Peter Korbet asked about the design capacity for amount of students in the Weathersfield School. Allowed amount between 280-300.
Charles Horton questioned how the board arrived at the $1.70 tax rate, same as last year, with reduction of $164,285 on the budget. Chairperson Stephen Walasewicz replied that is has to due with the CLA (common level of appraisal), last year CLA was at 85% this year it is at 88% which helps on the tax rate. If at 100% CLA the town would see a decrease on the tax rate.
Marilyn Houghton questioned the superintendent and secretary wages both at $96,000 on page 50, Ed Connors replied that the chart was wrong, did not have correct figure.
John Arrison asked what the per pupil cost is, "complicated formula" Ed Connors stated.
Formula includes amount of budget, local revenues, reimbursement for special education, grants and student enrollment.
Glenn Fisher asked how the state arrives at their average per pupil cost which is listed at $8, 544. Ed Connors remarked that this is also another complicated formula, if state cost was actual average, tax rate would be $0.88. State estimates cost to educate pupil is at $12,500, state can only afford to finance $8,544 per pupil. State will reimburse school $0.57 on dollar.
Moderator Graham C. Hunter read the report of the Budget Committee.

Article 5: Shall the voters of the Weathersfield School District approve the purchase of a new school bus for $88,202, to be funded through additional educational spending of $41,702 to be raised by taxes, $6,500 from the Transportation Bus Fund and $40,000 from a grant received by the district from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation? (By Australian Ballot.)
Chairperson Stephen Walasewicz explained the need to purchase bus, the School District currently has a grant of $40,000 toward a new school bus, if the grant is not used by June 30, 2010 will lose the funding. Cost to the town would be $41,702. Stephen emphasized the need to purchase a new bus every two years in order to keep the buses in safe and proper working order. Proposed school budget offers a 3% reduction; if school budget passes, tax rate would be set at $1.69. Approving the bus purchase increases the tax rate to $1.70.
Discussion: Elisha Jenks questioned the board if they looked into replacing buses with the more fuel efficient models. Would help in reductions of diesel fuel
Chairperson Walasewicz replied the board has yet to look into that style of buses.

YES: 472 NO: 349

Article 6: Shall the voters of the Weathersfield Town school District, pursuant to the provisions of16 VSA Sec. 562(7), Authorize the Board of School Directors to sell, or otherwise dispose of the school building and site known as the former Weathersfield Elementary School?

Chairperson Stephen Walasewicz stated right now the school district is responsible for maintaining the Perkinsville school, architectural study determined the building is suitable for Town Offices. The School Board needs the town approval to either dispose of property or explore other options.

Discussion: Moderator Graham C. Hunter re-read Article 6, he explained that the Town of Weathersfield had voted several years ago that all money articles are to be voted by Australian ballot, articles that do not involve money are to be a floor vote. Article 6 is not a money article, and yet it appears on the ballot that the voters shall be voting on tomorrow.

Discussion: Nancy Nutile-McMenemy questioned about making a motion to accept the Australian ballot voting. Susan Hunter stated that it is not allowable to be voted on Australian ballot and is needed to vote at a public meeting, should vote to postpone.
Michael Todd made a motion to postpone indefinitely, Susan Hunter seconded the motion.

Voice vote results: The motion to postpone indefinitely passed by voice vote, and consideration of Article 6 was postponed indefinitely.

Article 7: Transact any other business which may properly come before the meeting.
Discussion: Dave Fuller spoke on how he had not supported the consolidation of schools, but two weeks ago he finally took the tour of the school. The school is the future, very impressed with the building. Dave remarked he was wrong in not supporting the consolidation, everyone should take a tour. The school is fascinating.

Roald Cann made a motion to adjourn the Annual School meeting, Michael Todd seconded the motion.
The vote was unanimous, annual school meeting adjourned 7:30 p.m

Moderator:1 year Graham C. Hunter, II 733
School Director: 3 year Gloria J. Ballantine 714
School Director: 1 year Nathalie T. Whitney 685
School Director: 1 year Kelly Murphy 683

Respectfully submitted,

Marion J. Ballam, Assistant Town Clerk

Stephen Walasewicz, School Board Chairperson

Graham C. Hunter, Moderator