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COLCHESTER BOARD OF EDUCATION
SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET WORIGHOP 2
Saturday March 9,2024 6
9:00 AM
Colchester Elementary School Caf6 =o .: r-l
(Livestream on YouTube Channel) (,t '.,]
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BOARJ MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Alexander Oliphant, Vice-Chair Christopher Rive rs, $Lretary
Margo Gignac, Donna Antonacci, Michelle Millington, Rosemary Gignac and Stefanie Trac ey-Calash.
ADMINISTRATION PRESENT: Superintendent Daniel P. Sullivan, III, Assistant Superintendent
Jessica L. Kuckel, Director ofPupil Services Eve Hurley, Assistant Direct ofPupil Services Rebecca
Tedesco, Bacon Academy (BA) Principal Amy Begu6, BA Assistant Principal Melissa Cry, BA
Assistant Principal Michael Mal, William J Johnston Middle School (WJJMS) Principal Christopher
Bennet, WJJMS Assistant Principal Stacy Ewing, Jack Jackter Intermediate School (JJIS) Principal
Elise Butson, JJIS Assistant Principal Jennifer Reynolds, Colchester Elementary School (CES) Principal
Judy O'Meara and CES Assistant Principal Megan Adamo.
OTHERS PRESENT: Business Director Rachel Linkkila and Instructional Technology Coordinator
Barbara Johnson
I. MEETING OPENINC
I .1 Call to Order
Chair Alexander Oliphant called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM
1.2 Roll Call
Chair Oliphant conducted a roll call of the Board
L3 Pledge of Allegiance
2. *PRIO RITY DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
2.1 *Principal and Directors Presentation
Superintendent Sullivan introduced Assistant Superintendent Jessica Kuckel to start the presentation.
Asiistant Superintendent Kuckel spoke to district goals, budget drivers, class size and academic
performance. Director ofPupil Services Eve Hurley spoke about pupil services priorities and needs
including quality IEPs, practices and procedures, specialized programming and professional
development. She also spoke to Colchester's High Need Learners scores and the comparison of their
scores to the scores of other districts within Colchester's DRG. CES Principal Judy O'Meara talked
about eruollment and its effects on staffing and the rigorous regular education in reading and math
instnrction. She also spoke on initiatives to make sure that all members of the school system feel,
valued accepted and connected. Principal O'Meara also shared the academic achievement for a1l
students through the implementation ofhigh-quality curriculum and programs to meet high standards
for individual growth and school programs that encouage involvement and foster community pride.
JJIS Principat Elise Butson spoke about enrollment and its effect on staffing, JJIS priorities including
achievement and impacts, connected community of leamers and impacts, and the overall growth of
students at JJIS. WJJMS Principal Christopher Bennet shared highlights from 23-24, WJJMS
anticipated projections, student achievement and impacts, and connected community of leamers. BA
Principal Amy Begu6 spoke to BA projections, budget priorities, student progress and the graduate
profi1e.
2.2 +Discussion Regarding Budget Workshop Meeting 1212712024
C. Nvers question how the workshop would be organized. Superintendent Sullivan explained that 2.2
is for discussion, 2.3 is for if a motion is to be maid and 2.4 is for more discussion. M. Millington
thanked administrators for the presentation and their efforts. She also spoke to school safety, student
achievement and staffing. D. Antonacci asked when the public would get a chance to speak.
Superintendent Sullivan explained that because it is a special meeting addition to the agendas can not
be done however the reorder of the agenda could be done.
Motion by: M. Gignac
To move 3.1 public cornments be moved to 2.2a.
Second: D. Antonacci
Further Discussion: None
RolI Call: All in favor
Vote: Motion carried
2.2a Brain Martin (34 Heatherwood Dr) thanked everyone for the presentation and shared his support for a
hrrf field. Vincent Rose (161 Shadbush Dr) spoke in support of the turffield. He asked that the school
be fully funded and pointed out that it is not going to get cheaper with declining enrollment. Susannah
Milner (200 Bulkeley Hill Rd) thanked the administrators for their time and spoke about opportunities
that are no longer offered at the schools, in particular theater and the importance oftheater in a school
setting. Nicole McKenzie (113 Bull Hill Rd) spoke about the why the school district needs a turf field
and the need to maintain the buildings including the Bacon Academy's roof. Christine Cemiglia (163
Arnston Rd) emailed about providing students with a safe place to play and supports a hrrf {ield.
William "Skip" Starks (712 Fieldstone Court) emailed about maintenance that needs to be done at the
schools and on the fields. Jeremy McKenzie (113 Bull Hill Rd) thanked everyone for the presentation
spoke to the need to do repats at the schools, the decrease in budgets over the years, the need for
better fields, after school buses for activities, funding for special education, and competitive salary
compensation. Kai Ruiuo (Bacon Academy Shtdent) spoke to how bad the frelds are and some events
have been cancelled because the fields were not useable. Luke Mccoy (141 Oak Farm Dr) spoke to the
grounds and maintenance and maintenance supplies line items in the proposed 2024-2025 btdget.
Karen Belding (45 Deer Run Dr) thanked the board for the hard work that they have done to make sure
that students are getting great opportunities. Jacob Cemiglia @acon Academy Student) spoke to the
poor condition of the fields and how important it is to get a turf field.
Motion by: M. Gipac
Moved to take a l0-minute recess
Second: S. Tracey-Calash
Further Discussion: None
Roll Call: All in favor
Vote: Motion carried
Recessed at 10:3 I am
Retumed to secession at 10:44am
2.2 (continued) C. fuvers asked if there are any large contracts outstanding. Superintendent Sullivan said
tlat there are not any outstanding contracts. C. fuvers stated that he doesn't think that the board should
adopt a budget without an approved Capital Plan. C. Rivers asked what the Registered Behavioral
Technician (RBT) are and why we need them. Director of Pupil Services Eve Hurley explained that
RBTs meet the needs of students with very complicated needs with in the school district in a very
creative and cost-effective way. C. fuvers wanted to confirm that the school district gets reimbursed
with excess cost for only costs over 4.5 that ofper pupil cost and at70%o.Eve Hurley confirmed that
this was correct and that we will receive excess cost for all students that are eligible. C. Rivers asked if
the State has published the rate for next year. Eve Hurley and Superintendent Sullivan both confirmed
that the school district does not have that number. C. fuvers explained that the excess cost goes to the
town as revonue and that number is needed to determine the mill rate. S. Tracey-Calash asked if the
per pupil cost was actually the Colchester's per pupil cost. Eve Hurley confirmed that it is our
district's per pupil cost. C. Rivers asked if students coming from other school districts pay for the
additional special educational services that they receive. Eve Hurley confirmed that out of district
students sending districts do pay for the additional special education costs. C. Rivers spoke to the
comprehensive capital plan that the Board of Education is presenti:rg on Tuesday along with the
maintenance issues including the Bacon Academy roof and Athletic Complex. C. Rivers asked if there
was any update on the HVAC grant. Superintendent Sullivan updated the board on the most recent
email he received from the state. C. Rivers asked why the overall maintenance budget and could there
be an explanation provided for this. Superintendent Sullivan explained that he had met a commitrnent
to the public to stay within the 3Yo to 4Yo range. C. Rivers asked what the budget would look like if
money was added back in. Superintendent Sullivan responded that it depended on which projects
within the Capital Improvement Plan they decided to take on. C. Rivers spoke to the savings that could
be found in Central Office with some restructuring should go towards the maintenance budget.
Superintendent Sullivan spoke to the possibility to use end ofyear funds towards maintenance
projects. C. Rivers wants to put as much money in the maintenance budget that we can. C. fuvers
asked about the application for Magnet Schools and wanted to make sure that we did not include the
reductions in this budget. Superintendent Sullivan spoke to the positives that the Magnet School is
going to have the financials for the district. C. Rivers spoke to bring keeping the budget as status quo
at this time but he would like to see in the future a budget that brings back programs that the districts
have lost from budget reductions. M. Millington asked about the decrease in line item 11 of the
Historical Budget Comparison Other Employee Benefits. Rachel Linkkila responded that the line item
is down because there is less teacher retirement payout this year then prior years. Superintendent
Sullivan explained that the sick time payout has been negotiated out of the contract. M. Millington
asked as to why line 19 Other Supplies/tr4aterials is up. Rachel Linkkila explained that other supplies
includes curriculum implementation and any supplies that are not instructional supplies. M. Millington
asked why Tech Transportation was up. Superintendent Sullivan said that it was purely contractual. M.
Millinglon asked why electricity has increased. Andrew Barillari Director of Educational Operations
explained that the increase was because of delivery. C. Rivers asked that in the future if we could look
at future he would appreciate it. C. fuvers asked about the last time we went out to bid for
transportation. Superintendent Sullivan explained that working with other Superintendents in the area
we were able to lock in a good price. C. Rivers also spoke to adding arts programs to all the schools il
the district. Assistant Superintendent Kuckel shared with the board that the district has applied for a
grant and if awarded it will be fully focused on the Bacon Academy theater to add projection,
streaming, revitalizing and audio. S. Tracey-Calash spoke to the historical line budget and how she is
not seeing a decrease in the maintenance supplies. M. Millington felt that maybe the line was misread
because the Textbook line is down $20,000.00. S. Tracey-Calash asked if line 31 Other Professional
and Technical Services could be elaborated on because it was up roughly $50k. Rachel Linkkila
explained that this line is used for any company that comes in and provides the district services such as
Apex who provides the technology support for the district instead of the district employing its own
staff. Barbara Johnson spoke to a switch project at Bacon Academy that is included in this district that
is not usually included in the contract. C. Rivers thanked Stephanie on the clarification on t}re
textbooks but still believes that any cost savings that can be found should be added to the maintenance
budget. D. Antonacci asked if we are talking about maintenance or capital outlay. C. fuvers explained
that he was talking about maintenance and not capital outlay. He believes that ifwe are seeing a
significant savings at the end ofyear we should try to encumber the funds and take care of some of the
projects in the Capital Ptan. He explained how in prior years capital outlay, unencumbered funds, the
capital reserve worked, and how upcoming projects are going to get paid. D. Antonacci doesn't
understand how the Bacon Academy Athletic Complex and the roof will get paid for. Superintendent
Sullivan spoke to house bond requests that were sent to Hartford for the district. C. Rivers spoke to his
concerns about how the town pays for larger projects within the Town. D. Antonacci said that the turf
field is not a Wishlist any more it is for the safety for the children. She also asked how soon would the
field be ready. Superintendent Sullivan explained that if it was approved in spring, if a referendum
went out in June and if it was for a turf field that the first field would be done in late September early
October and the second field by Thanksgiving. D. Antonacci thanked the administrators for everything
that they did for today and thanked the public for coming out and speaking. C. River thinks that there
is not enough time in this budget cycle. M. Gignac asked the process of the town referendum.
Superintendent Sullivan explained that the fields could be bonded or leased depending how the town
wants to go. C. Rivers spoke to what the referendum process is in town. S. Tracey-Calash asked if an
itemized list of the expenditures for the field. C. Rivers explained that the maintenance committee will
be bringing two requests to the board one a payment to have a company price out a total overhaul of
Bacon Academy and its systems and another an itemized list ofthe expenditures for the turffields.
2.3 *Superintendent Proposed Budget
2.4 *Discussion and Possible Action on the 2024-2025 B,tdget
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
3.1 For Public Comments, Please See Bylaw on Meeting Conduct- See 2.2a