WSESD Finance Committee Agenda and Minutes

Windham Southeast School District
Finance Committee Meeting – Tuesday – April 12, 2022
4:30pm @ WRCC 2nd Floor Board Room (next to Cusick Conference Room)
Also via Zoom link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84791242220?pwd=K2llaU1QYXVyTTBRaGJwZWhtRDZCZz09
Meeting ID: 847 9124 2220
Passcode: 467DVR
Members: Shaun Murphy – Chairperson, Michelle Luetjen Green, TBD
Board Recorder: Wendy Levy

Agenda
1. Approval of Minutes
2. FY22 Fiscal Year to Date Financial Statement Review
3. Capital Project Implementation update (BUHS HVAC Mechanical /Control Systems Bid responses)
4. Update on discussions related to the Task Force on the Implementation of the Pupil Weighting Factors Report
5. Recommendation to Board to Approve Warrants and Payrolls
6. Other
Meeting is scheduled to adjourn at 5:50pm
…..

Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the
board at a future meeting.

WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) FINANCE COMMITTEE &
WSESD INDEPENDENT BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
REGULAR MEETING – 5PM
REMOTE MEETING
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Finance Committee Members Present: Chairperson Shaun Murphy (SM), Michelle Luetjen Green (MG)
WSESU/SD Administrators Present: WSESU Business Administrator Frank Rucker
Others Present: Wendy M. Levy (WSESD Board Recorder), Tim Maciel (WSESD Board Member), Deborah Stanford (WSESD Board Member)
Please note: Because of Zoom’s attendance format, this attendance record may be incomplete.

CALL TO ORDER:

Finance Committee Chairperson SM called the meeting to order at 5:03pm.

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Tabled.

II. CAPITAL PLAN PROJECT REVIEW & FUNDING SOURCES

Frank Rucker reviewed the Capital Plan. Highlights included:

• In order to apply the grant funds, the Board and Finance Committee have specific tasks to complete. One of them is for the Board to vote their approval to acknowledge they are pursuing ESSER funds. This is happening statewide; not just in the WSESD.
• ESSER 2 funds must be spent by September, 2023, or the funds must be returned.
• ESSER 3 funds must be spent by September, 2024.
• This is a very short timeline for capital plans.
• The application for Vermont ESSER 3 funds only opened last month.
• ESSER 2-funded projects are already underway.

MG asked Frank if the ESSER deadlines refer to the money actually being spent, or just contracted.

Frank responded: the funds must be spent, as in, disbursed. And ESSER allows for no carryovers.

Frank said he is confident the District will fully utilize these funds if everyone stays focused.

Frank shared a document, “WSESD Working Draft Capital Plan Fiscal Year 2023.”

A discussion ensued on what to do if capital plans are delayed because of unforeseen construction-related circumstances.

Frank noted they can pivot to other projects if it looks like construction will be delayed. He noted the recovery plan is their guiding principle.

TM asked a question about a line item relating to the Natowich Field project in the budget. SM asked TM to email him because the Finance Committee needs to focus on ESSER now, and TM’s question can be addressed at a future meeting.

SM spoke about the HVAC project at Guilford Central School, and the challenges the current HVAC system presents to the school’s learning environment.

Frank reviewed the Brattleboro Town School Sites Five-Year Capital Plan and its components, including: athletic locker room facilities, heating systems, exterior wall systems, and grounds.

Frank reviewed the progress of the Academy School construction project.

MG asked about funding the Academy project: it looks like ESSER is funding it, so will the District have to borrow any money for it? Frank responded: probably not, but the voters did authorize the District to borrow funds, if need be.

Frank reviewed some of the District’s school’s capital plans. Highlights included:
• Dummerston School’s five-year capital plan for heating systems. A discussion ensued on the price of different fuels, and on the campus’s grounds.
• Guilford Central School’s HVAC system.
• Putney Central School’s heating system, and outdoor learning spaces.

Frank noted the contractors are ready for these projects as soon as the Board approves the Capital Plan.

a. Consider the following motion: Motion to approve implementing FY23 capital improvements as presented in the amount of $3,347,500, of which it is estimated that $1,885,000 in federal ESSER grant funds will be applied for to support procurement of these improvements.

b. To satisfy grant requirements that extend the FY21 first phase of the Guilford School HVAC project previously approved by the Board, consider the proposed motion for phase 2 of the project:

Motion to approve completing the Guilford School Unit Ventilator replacement project for the remaining eight classrooms and moving forward in FY22 with the first phase of Guilford School window replacements at total estimated cost of $215,000, all of which will be applied for reimbursement by the ESSER Federal Grant

SM led a discussion on the Board’s procedure for reviewing and approving these motions. Highlights included:

• The next Board meeting, and getting the Capital Plan on the agenda.
• The process and the motions.
• The opening of ESSER 3 applications.
• How Board members who aren’t at Finance Committee meetings can get informed about the Capital Plan.
• Bringing new members onto the Finance Committee.
• Requirements for warning meetings.