Finance Committee gets some financial good and bad news before taking a deep dive into the Schools budget (audio)

FM #895 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 895 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Finance Committee meeting held on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2022. 

Seven members of the Finance Committee participated (2 absent); 6 present in the Council Chambers, 1 remote. Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Assistant Administrator Alecia Alleyne, Comptroller Chris Sandini and Treasurer/Collector Kerri Bertone. 

Quick recap:

• Out to bid for the bond for the Schmidt’s Farm resulted in maintaining the Triple AAA rating, receiving 7 bids, and yielded a 3.44% rate (good)

• Stabilization funds review shows the market impact as many of the totals declined vs. the prior year and there were no authorized withdrawals. These are called unrealized losses (not so good)

• The electric rate contract for the Town results in an increase of $200K impact for this fiscal year. DPW snow and ice presentation scheduled for the 12/14/22 Town Council meeting. Some facility projects and repairs being held due to the increases being seen to avoid a significant financial impact. Do use a utility consultant on the electricity contract, spent about a month watching rates before settling on this deal. Storm water fee implementation in July 2023 will also have an effect on the Town budget (not so good)

• School budget “deep dive” - Superintendent Lucas Giguere, Business administrator Miriam Goodman, School Committee Chair Denise Spencer and School Committee member and Budget subcommittee Chair David McNeill presented. Asst Superintendent Paula Marano and School Committee members Elise Stokes and Dave Callaghan were also in the audience for support.

• Chair Conley opened with the major question with declining enrollment and rising budget how is that explained? The remainder of the presentation and discussion attempted to answer the question from multiple points of view. I can not do justice and simplify it. The discussion is too complex. The audio and video of the meeting is available for you to listen and follow along

• I can say that the School Committee and Central office can do better in helping to explain the cost drivers. They do cover a bunch of the details in their main meetings and subcommittee meetings but have not been successful in articulating the story, hence the questions remain 

The meeting recording runs 2 hours and 35 minutes, so let’s listen to the Finance Committee meeting Dec 7, 2022.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-895-franklin-ma-finance-cmte-mtg-12-07-22

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Meeting agenda document ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/12-07-2022_finance_committee_agenda.pdf

My notes ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gVLpYnd6sOfNA7Phl0p176OhHViQsL7e/view?usp=share_link 

Link to Finance Committee => https://www.franklinma.gov/finance-committee 

YouTube recording =>   https://youtu.be/o4vY1ekbk10

Photos captured during the meeting can be found in one album -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/q6YyoS5wPbe7m86j6

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

L-R: Budget subcommittee Chair David McNeill, School Committee Chair Denise Spencer,  Superintendent Lucas Giguere, Business administrator Miriam Goodman

Space Needs Subcmte to recommend vendor for analysis work on redistricting (audio)

FM #843 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 843 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the School Committee - Space Needs Subcommittee meeting held in the 3rd floor conference room on Tuesday, Sep 13, 2022. 

 

SubCmte Chair - Al Charles; committee members - Denise Spencer, Elise Stokes; Central office support - Supt Lucas Giguere, Business Manager Miriam Goodman

 

The meeting reviewed their analysis of the proposal received from the potential consultants for the re-districting work to be done. One vendor AppGeo stood out from the other two. Discussion on pros and cons of the vendors; recommendation to be made to the full School Committee at the regularly scheduled meeting of Sep 27, 2022. Assuming recommendation approved, the vendor contract can then be set up through Procurement and some time thereafter, work could begin.

 

They also discussed the form and wordsmithed it for use it to gather folks from the stakeholder groups (parents, teachers/staff, community, etc.) for the Advisory Committee to help this subcommittee and the vendor prepare the proposal and plan for re-districting. 

 

Communications will be key, overcommunication is not bad to ensure everyone gets the word. Aside from those on the Advisory Committee, there will be options (forums, etc.) for others to provide input, ask questions, etc. as the process develops.

 

Next meeting set as placeholder for Oct 3, 4 PM.

 

The recording runs about 35 minutes, so let’s listen to the Space Needs discussion on Sep 13, 2022.  Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-843-fps-space-needs-subcmte-09-13-22

 

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Meeting agenda =>    https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/spaceneedssubcom-9_13_22.pdf 

 

My notes for the meeting captured via Twitter and then combined in one PDF =>  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1edLAJ6ibNdaTAkCk_--0AIVWdvCb7MyE/view?usp=sharing 

 

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

With Davis Thayer closed the next analysis step is to consider redistricting

FPS: Comprehensive Facility Analysis Report from Franklin Matters

FY 2023 School Budget hearing (audio & transcript) - 03/22/22

FM #757 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 757 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the School Committee meeting held Tuesday, March 22, 2022. 

The bulk of the meeting was the official public hearing for the FY 2023 school budget. 

Superintendent Sara Ahern, Asst Supt Lucas Giguere, and Business Manager Miriam Goodman were the primary presenters for the overview of the budget. School Committee Chair Denise Spencer then read the budget major lines, recording ‘holds’ along the way which then lead to the question period by the committee and then the public. The budget will come to the Committee at the Apr 12 meeting when they will vote on it.

NEW: A transcript of the recording is available. The transcript is part of a pilot by Franklin Matters using the transcription service provided by Otter.ai https://otter.ai/ 

The meeting opened at 7 PM and ran approx. 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Audio file ->  https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-757-school-cmte-mtg-fy-2023-budget-hearing-03-22-22

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Meeting packet folder ->   https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee/pages/march-22-2022-school-committee-meeting-packet 

 

Budget tab (with this proposed budget and prior budgets) ->   https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget

Meeting transcript ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZJGhMT7D0A5kkrWVSB-fvrQgwril-lDX/view?usp=sharing

My notes -> 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18oZq9R2K7-viFx3WMI5-lcDumfgBdpZf/view?usp=sharing 

Photos captured during the meeting can be found in one album ->   https://photos.app.goo.gl/VgonZCSdb6Jn3EYz9

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FY 2023 School Budget hearing (audio & transcript) - 03/22/22

Recap: School Committee hears of budget and asks good questions

Quick recap:

• Sara Ahern and Miriam Goodman presented the Superintendent's recommended budget to the School Committee on Tuesday. An increase of approx. $2.4M over prior year, also the lowest amount recommended due to use of revolving funds and prepaying some expenses
• Multiple rounds of questions were asked by the committee and answered for most part right then (some answers to be provided in the next meeting)
• Community gets to participate in the budget hearing scheduled for next meeting March 22
• Budget documents and presentation copies found in agenda packet and in Budget tab on Schools page

Review all my notes taken during the meeting in one document

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BlZ3HbwBxRkDbcyRu6GKp6GpflnW2Tfs/view?usp=sharing

Meeting packet folder ->   https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/march-8-2022-school-committee-meeting

Budget tab (with this proposed budget and prior budgets) ->   https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget

Audio recording of meeting to be available Thursday. Pilot of meeting transcript scheduled for same posting.

1 slide from the presentation depicts enrollment declining, teachers declining and class size as stable 

Franklin, MA: Budget Update Memo to School Committee - Sep 3, 2020

To: Franklin School Committee

From: Miriam Goodman, School Business Administrator 

Date: September 3, 2020

Re: Updated Budget Information

Due to the pandemic, we find our budgetary needs changing rapidly. Concurrently, we find our revenue sources also changing. This memo is to provide you with some updated information relative to budget fluctuations based on the information that we know at this time.

Budgetary Savings:

We anticipate some favorability based on retirements and resignations that currently approximates $414,000. We are still filling some vacant positions as well, so this figure will change as the year progresses.

Midyear leaves of absences would be replaced by a substitute which would generate savings as well. Additionally, contract negotiations were favorable, and after school stipends are likely to be reduced due to the pandemic and the limitations of what we can provide for students.

We expect there will be some savings in transportation due to the reduction in the number of student in-person days by about 45 days. Additionally, there are fewer students being transported on any given day due to the AAXBB hybrid schedule. While there is still reduced capacity on buses, I expect that we will be able to reduce the number of buses used on our contract by at least ten. We will be negotiating with our vendor and will keep you apprised.

At the end of last year we were able to prepay additional tuition amounts in excess of the amount that was budgeted, so there is additional favorability there as well.

Changes to Revenue:

The local appropriation budget is currently approved at 65,658,500. As of now, we expect Chapter 70 funding to be fully funded.

We expect to see a reduction in transportation fees collected. The School Committee should consider a reduction in the fee based on the AAXBB hybrid schedule in place for the year. Most students will only be riding a bus 2 times per week. Some would ride more, many would ride fewer. None are riding until at least October 1, 2020. Additionally, based on current signups, we have about 30% fewer students riding.

We will see a reduction in Preschool Tuition revenue based on the current climate.

With changes to the Athletic program, we expect reduced revenue in this area.

Our Lifelong Learning program suffered significantly last year and will not be able to continue to support the cost of healthcare or central services as expected. This amount could approximate $200,000 and we are still working on finalizing this.

Added Expenses:

Due to additional enrollments, which has increased class sizes at the elementary level, and significant space constraints due to physical distancing requirements, we need to hire three additional elementary teaching positions.

Of course, as you know, the School Committee’s budget is a bottom line budget, and we expect as usual, to stay within the constraints of this bottom line.

 GRANT FUNDING:

Entitlement Grants such as Title I, Title IIa, Title IV, IDEA and IDEA preschool have all been received as expected and the budget has been adjusted accordingly.

ESSER - Federal Grant - Allocation $123,235 - This grant was identified during the budgetary process and will support interventionists. The budget was already reduced accordingly.

CvRF - Federal Grant - Allocation $!,156,275 - This grant will support the addition of 3 Digital Learning Integrationists as well as monitors, long-term and permanent substitutes, ESPs, LPNs, and Crossing Guards through December, 2020. These will be strategically hired as the need arises. Additionally, these funds will be used for the rental of tents at each location to support outdoor mask breaks. Vendor professional development is included as well as additional software subscriptions to support learning in a remote environment. And finally, there is an allocation for personal protective equipment (PPE) also included in this grant.

Thank you for the opportunity to present this information to you. Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Memo PDF copy on the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/budget_update_for_school_committee_9_2_2020.pdf

School Committee agenda for Sep 8, 2020 meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/09/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-sep.html

Franklin, MA: Budget Update Memo to School Committee - Sep 3, 2020

Audit comes out clean and with praise

The text of this posted was updated and replaced by the text here:


http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/01/school-dept-fiscal-review-comes-out.html

live reporting - Miriam Goodman

Miriam provided an update on the following items.


1 - I recommend approval of the budget transfers as listed on the attached.
Approved 6-0

7 - I recommend approval of the authorization of the Superintendent to create and administer the FPS 403B Plan document in accordance with the IRS Regulations as detailed in the attached memo.

Approved 6-0

(will copy the details of the memo referenced later)

Live reporting - bus update, no late bus

Maureen Sabolinski - Central Office had only received one call about cross walks not being painted. They referred the call to the Town Administrator. Most of the calls to the schools were minor and overall this was one of the best openings.

If you hear of problems, please let us know. One crowded bus so far, at Annie Sullivan that will be addressed tomorrow.

Amount of transaction in the last couple of days has been busy with new enrollments.

Will need to provide an FY 09 bus update later. The most recent registrations have not yet been processed into the system to provide some output and look at what the impact would be.

Making bus adjustments, adding some spots for where folks moved into the area over the summer.

One of the most striking numbers is that what we budget for transportation is not what it costs. There is a gap for actual cost of transportation and what we budget.

Miriam Goodman:
Not all late enrollments are going to be pay-to-ride

Explains that some of the pay-to-ride money received in June was booked into FY 08. It is properly accounted for but will help to explain why the top line won't balance to the bottom line.

What extraordinary expenses can we face? How do we forecast that? Loss of power, i.e. Kennedy has experienced that. Those are generally separate charges for additional expenses. Holmes has been good and not charged in all instances.

Cora:
Fuel escalation?

Miriam:
First year of new contract. Only eight payments against the total seen.

Ed:
Contract started in 06-07 school year with options to extend. What was the price?

Miriam:
The fuel escalation does both ways, up and down. It is possible that we will see some decrease with the recent decreases. I would be happy if we don't have to pay that and I am sure you would be also. Would need to renew sometime before 2010.

Ed:
Clarification on which students go into which category? By virtue of who we have to pay for, where would we see them?

Miriam:
This is only pay-to-ride students. Students who are already riding are not included in this.

Maureen:
We can try to include the full ridership numbers in the next update.

Ed:
Shortfall of revenue to cost increasing each year.

Maureen:
Choice to cut other areas of the budget to subsidize this less or to increase the pay-to-ride to be more self-sufficient. No way to adjust re-routing to reduce buses. Could look at the start time to adjust as most high schools are not bus eligible but are pay-to-ride. Changing the start time has not been a palatable solution.

Ed:
Thanks for taking care of the Lincoln/Maple bend in the route.

Matt:
Can we ask the advertising subcommittee to look at the advertising option on the Holmes buses.

Ed:
We can add that to our agenda.

Jeff:
We had looked at funding the late bus, do we have an update?

Wayne:
The projections made in prior meetings were optimistic. The fuel escalation costs have increased. Due to some other factors, four in total. It would be unwise financially to do so (i.e. continue the late bus).

Ed:
All the parents I have talked with were glad to have saved to the late bus, to do otherwise now would not be good. I would strongly suggest to the committee to direct the administration to reconsider.

Cora:
Clubs start in Sep not Oct. I can't see keeping it considering the other reductions we have made.

Maureen:
We looked at that and the fee could be upwards of $300/student.

Wayne:
GATRA can provide some service to the high school and to those middle school students who walk over, at $.50 per student.

Ed:
Given the amount of adjustments we have made with the budget, moving funds around to balance, I can't see that we can't find something to continue this.

Jeff:
We had a long discussion on the budget subcommittee. We have some additional expenses coming at us, special education ($100,000 just for the transportation, doesn't include the actual special ed expense).

I would love to have it stay. The message was clear that the override failure would lead to this.

Ed:
It wasn't only parents that voted in the override. They would thank you for saving the late bus. It is not that we can't fund the clubs. It is just for the few tens of thousands that we should be able to fund this.

Jeff:
I hear you. If we don't identify this cut, then we would have to identify another cut to fund the late bus. I appreciate the need for the late bus. It is not something we can afford. Over 40 teachers, class sizes increased, how many over 30 per class.

Sue:
There has been sensitivity to the increase of the $100 fee. This is a difficult descision.

"there's a huge appetite for busing"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jul 16, 2008 @ 12:17 AM

---

FRANKLIN —

It looks like the School Department will be able to save the late bus, thanks to more students than expected paying to ride the regular bus.

The department's fiscal constraints had threatened to end late bus service this year, but school officials subsequently committed to finding a way to continue offering the popular bus.

At last night's School Committee meeting, Superintendent Wayne Ogden outlined four options regarding late bus service for middle and high school students: using a fee-based system in which all students pay about $10 per ride; partnering with GATRA; eliminating the late bus altogether; or funding the late bus through pay-to-ride bus fees. The late bus costs $40,000 a year to provide, and it runs from Monday to Friday.

Ogden recommended using pay-to-ride revenue to keep the service intact, to which the committee responded favorably.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

live update - audit update

Miriam Goodman talking about the Town Audit Report and impacts for the school department.

Town Comptroller will make the ledger entry for the School Department
The process currently is for the request to go from Miriam's office to the Comptroller's Office. This has been in place for some time (since last year). It continues under her role now. It will continue under her control.

The auditors findings are for the systematic access to be removed. That will not happen right away but should happen to be in compliance with the audit. The Town controls that overall access.

Overall the findings pertaining to the school department are minor. Amount was against this line item instead of that line item. Meeting to adjust as required to be in compliance going forward.

school committee - Live update

Approx $251,871 unencumbered at this time against the FY 08 budget. Some minor bills are still outstanding and normally will appear to be used against this amount.

Motion to accept line item transfers for FY 08 financial report.

Underbudgeted in classroom teachers, health insurance, maintenance (buildings and grounds and security), curriculum development...

Overbudgeted in substitutes, library media, guidance councilors, athletics...

Fee structure for community use of school facilities was underfunded for the use provided this year. This is on the agenda for discussion later.

Motion approved

live reporting - Superintendent's report, subcommittee reports

Superintendent’s Report - Maureen Sabolinski

a. Projected Enrollment - numbers in School Committee packet
b. School Choice - discussed previously
c. Ed Nets
becoming involved, contract still up in air, breaches of staff and student information still need to be reviewed

d. Bus Accident Update
one of the outcomes of the accident as previously reported was who was going to be in charge to avoid the situation where some students were not examined after the incident. Protocols being set up with a very productive meeting, will be updated into the crisis manual. Will come back with an update.

e. Traffic Study at High School/Horace Mann
The Town is initiating a traffic study in the area and engage a traffic engineer to study and report back.

MSBA opening a window to accept new statements of interest for building projects, need to submit by Sep 15

technically according to the statute don't need a building committee until the State says you are getting money for construction. Should not re-submit what we did previously, should get together to decide what should be re-submitted

Jeff Roy requesting that the audit copies be sent directly to the school committee as an internal control, should not have to go through either the Town or the Central Office. He has made the request before and will make it again

Subcommittee reports

Matt Kelly will be meeting with Miriam Goodman on a weekly basis to review and approve the bills on a timely basis

Contract Signings (audio)

Miriam Goodman, the new School Business Administrator, signs her contract to start working in Franklin April 29th.

There is also a contract signing for the School Nurses.

The committee breaks for two minutes to process the paperwork.

Time: 5 minutes, 6 seconds



MP3 File