Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee

Meeting of January 28, 2008 

Combined Meeting
January 28, 2008
Dover-Sherborn Middle School Library
6:00 P.M.
Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee
Dover Selectmen
Sherborn Selectmen
Dover Warrant Committee
Sherborn Advisory Committee 

Present:

Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee
           Shelley Poulsen
           Mark Linehan
           Rainie Pearson
           Ellen Williamson
           Susan Anderson
           Beverly N. Madden

Dover Selectmen:

           David Heinlein
            Carol Lisbon

Sherborn Selectmen:

          Ronald Fernandes
           Christopher Peck
           Paul DeRensis

Dover Warrant Committee:

          Allen Goldberg
           Robyn Hunter
           David Stapleton
           Joseph Melican
           Arthur Meehan
           Caroline White
           Nancy Weinstein
           Scott Seidman

Sherborn Advisory Committee:

          Graham Luce
           Barbara Wands
           Kitty Sturgis
           Gwen Ortmeyer
           Ruth Chamberlin
           Peter Caruso
           Chris Browne

Others:         Bill Lahey, Dover Town Counsel
                       J. Raymond Miyares, Sherborn Town Counsel
                       John J. Ryan, Jr., Regional School Counsel
                       Robert Couture, Interim Superintendent of Schools
                       Richard Mathieu, School Business Manager
                       David Ramsay, Dover Town Administrator
                       Ruth Hohenschau, Sherborn Town Accountant
                       Jolanta Eckert, Sherborn Capital Budget
                       Libby Yon, DSBC Co-Chair
                       David Chase, Dover
                       Nancy Hess, Sherborn
                       Frank Hess, Sherborn
                       Richard Robinson, Sherborn   

1.       Call to Order—The meeting was called to order at 6:05 P.M. by Shelley Poulsen, Chairperson of the Dover-Sherborn Regional School Committee.  

2.       MSBA Reimbursement Issue—Those present engaged in an extensive discussion of the issue especially the planning of the compromises reached by the Study Committee that drafted the Warrant Article that was voted at the 2007 Town Meetings of Dover and Sherborn, an article that passed in Sherborn and failed in Dover.  The concern expressed by Sherborn representatives was that they were extremely disappointed that those who represented Dover in the formulation of the failed 2007 Town Meeting article did not support the article (that they helped to draft) when it was presented to the Dover Town Meeting.  Dover’s response was that full support of the article was not assured by them from Dover who helped to draft it.  

Attorney John J. Ryan, representing the Regional School Committee offered an overview of the issue emphasizing that the legislation that created MSBA and the new reimbursement methodology created the conflict.  Sherborn Town Counsel, J. Raymond Miyares, asserted that the language in the statute has never changed and that the courts can stipulate a solution that would extend throughout the life of the bonds floated to pay for the Middle/High School project.  He further commented that from his perspective the distribution of the financial responsibility for the project neither conforms with the statute nor with the Regional Agreement.  Dover Town Counsel, William Lahey, and Regional Counsel, John Ryan, did not agree with Attorney Miyares' interpretation.  

Dover Selectmen stated that to bring a warrant article that was defeated in 2007 back to the table in 2008 would almost guarantee defeat, even with additional discussion and support.  

It was not clear how to proceed beyond the present meeting.  Several suggestions included having an impartial arbitrator hear the arguments, legislate a solution, reach agreement between the parties, do nothing, go to litigation.  The sense of the meeting was that litigating the issue was not desirable but not excluded if all else fails. 

3.       Regional Assessment Formulas—School Business Manager, Richard Mathieu presented a comparative analysis of the new statutory assessment formula and the Regional Agreement Formula. 

 Mr. Mathieu also indicated that he would clarify the town meeting budget approval process and the procedures that would follow if there was not agreement between the towns about the FY’09 proposal.  

Some discussion also occurred about the assessment formula used last year that was approved by the Advisory and Warrant Committees.  

Selectmen and legal counsel left the meeting at the completion of the agenda items noted above. 

4.       FY’09 Regional Budget—Business Manager Richard Mathieu presented an outline of the Regional School Budget process.  He noted the goals and assumptions related to the process and highlighted the new expenditures included in the FY '09 proposal.  He will provide Warrant and Advisory Committees with a break-out of the level service and new expenditure elements of the budget. 

Motion to adjourn at 8:45 p.m. by Ms. Anderson, seconded by Ms. Pearson.  Vote:  Unanimous  

Respectfully submitted, 

Robert E. Couture

Interim Superintendent of Schools