maine consolidated school

Maine Consolidated School District #10
Regular Meeting Minutes July 12, 2021

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Board Members in Attendance: Scott McClung, Brienne McDowell, Kirsten Ironside, Raena Woods, and Katie Cloud.
Minutes by: Kayla Besler

Start Time: 4:00

1. Call to Order:
   • a. Scott McClung called the meeting to order.
2. Adoption of the Agenda:
   • a. Motion to adopt the agenda by Raena Woods and seconded by Katie Cloud. 5-0 motion carries.
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Moment of Silence
5. Board Meeting Minutes not Previously Approved
   • a. Scott asked for approval of the minutes on pervious approved. Katie motioned and then Brienne McDowell seconded. 5-0 motion carries.
6. Presentations:
   • a. Kay Peterson addressed the board concerning her work on creating a community project that could take place at the school. She stated her mission statement, that she has been working on this project since October of 2020, and that no money would be taken from the school. This project is looking for grants and donations from outside the school district. Kay Peterson is looking for board approval in using the school as a community space as well as asking for a shared work space. She then addressed the board asking if there were any questions. Katie Cloud asked where this work space would be, as there are many spaces in the school that have classified documents pertaining to student and staff. Dr. Williams answered this by suggesting using the old EDCP room where no classes are held at this time. a public attendee asked how long this contract with the school would be for. Kay Peterson responded that the school could ask for their removal at any time.
   • b. Dr. Williams presented to the board, as well as to the public, the adopted, revised, and proposed budget. He discussed that monies come from taxpayers, and invited parents and community to come see how their taxes are spent at the school. He stated that the adopted budget is 2.276 million to 2.501 million, state aid is 500k, that budgets may change, and the tax levy is static. In his presentation he then moved on to talk about the reopening of school. He mentioned that school will be reopening with no masks but that temperature checks will still be asked for, and that classrooms can break “bubbles”. He explained this in that the past school year, classrooms could only interact with their own classes, and that this upcoming year, classes can now mingle with each other. He then asked for questions. Brienne McDowell asked a question regarding budget and why the administration budget line went up from 250 thousand to 428 thousand. Dr. Williams stated that administration should be going down and that question would be for Mel, and that the state just redid the budget configuration code and that could be the issue.
7. Information and discussion items
   • a. Statements from the governing board members:
     • i. Scott McClung stated that Melani Velazco removed herself from the board recorder position and then explained the details that went into being a board recorder. He then spoke to the public, asking if they knew anyone interested that they should contact the board. Brienne McDowell then apologized to the internal candidates looking at the leadership position, that they had to find out the position was filled through a Facebook post and that they were not notified individually. Katie Cloud then went to address the community, stating that even will be attending a trailing on August 16 to gain ground in knowledge.” Raena Woods, Brienne McDowell, and Kirsten Ironside also stated that they would be attending this training. Next Kirsten Ironside also apologized for the lack in communication with the internal candidates. She also apologies for the school’s lack of HR. She gives thanks to Scott for working with the board during the hiring process and she thanks Rebecca Cauthen in her help with the hiring committee.
   • b. Summer work update:
     • • i. Dr. Williams spoke to the board about updates to the school. He mentioned that the Mary Beam building, the Kindergarten classroom and other rooms were getting new carpet. He publicly thanked multiple staff members for being on campus and helping with renovations. Some of those staff members include; Scott Silverman, Melissa Graves, Chetney Garrison, Hattie Smith, Charlie, and Phyllis. He then went on to talk about the exterior of building being repainted and how Scott Silverman attended a one-day course on how to remove old lead paint from buildings, as the old SPED building had.
   • c. BUD 25:
     • i. Dr. Williams spoke to the board about how the state requires the school to submit a budget, then the state makes their assessments, and then send the needed changes back to the school. Dr. Williams stated that the school did well and that they are in the black about 200 thousand.
   • d. Legislative Updates:
     • i. Dr. Williams spoke of the state mandating that a school can old recommend masks on campus and cannot mandate them. He then moved on to tell that the state has prohibitions on CRT (Critical Race Theory), and they also prohibit teaching anything controversial. Dr, Williams then went on to speak about the school website and that it should be transferring platforms in about two months. Next he spoke on test scores that will be coming out. He stated that the school did great in so and not as great in others. He says that we need to ask questions on how we can better ourselves, not make excuses. He stated that when our test scores are put up against the states scores, we are still above average. Dr. Williams went on to talk about the county offering training on Robert’s Rules of Order. Scott McClung asked the question if this training can be added to the retreat day that has already been planned. It has been stated that they would need to ask county. Kirsten Ironside asked if the retreat day can be moved, and Scott McClung said yes, they can discuss at a later date.
8. Call to the Public
   • a. A few corrections were asked of the board before the start of the presentation: Scott McClung will have been on the board for going on 10 years after the end of this term. Kirsten Ironside stated her change in years on the board to 4 years instead of 5. She stated that starting in January was the beginning of her term for the next two years. Pete Asmus spoke to the board concerning questions that he had. He typed up a paper addressing these questions. Summary: Pete Asmus had questions pertaining to the last meeting regarding the negotiations of the new superintendent/principal, and past actions of a board member. (The paper that was distributed to the board was sent via email so that it could be attached to the minutes)
9. Action Items:
   • a. Consent agenda: Kirsten Ironside makes a motion and Katie Cloud seconds it. 5-0 motion carries.
   • b. Specific Items of District Business:
     • i. Consideration and adoption of accepted budget for SY 2021-2022 1. Brienne McDowell does not want to move forward with this adoption until there is an answer on the discrepancies. Public voices out saying they would also like to be viewable online before adopting. The public says that it is not appearing online, as well as the meeting minutes. Scott asked the timeline needed to approve the budget. Kirsten Ironside says she believes it is a discrepancy due to the new coding. Dr. Williams states that sometimes the budget and the minutes cannot be seen on a mobile phone, they must be looked at on a desktop computer. The public asked for this to be noted on the website. Scott McClung begins talk of creating an executive meeting, before the 15th, to adopt the budget in time. the board asks who signs the budget in the case that Dr. Williams will be removing himself from the position and the Dr. Roberson will be stepping in. The board settles on an executive meeting for Wednesday the 14th at 4 o’clock. Katie Cloud said that she will need to phone in since she will be at work. The board agreed to this. Motion has been tabled for executive meeting.
     • ii. Consideration and approval of community resource center.
       • 1. Kirsten Ironside makes a motion and Katie Cloud seconds it. 5-0 motion carries.
     • iii. Consideration and discussion of bus safety during pick-up
       • 1. The public speaks to the board and asks why they back up the buses instead of pulling through and Dr. Williams states that the buses park right in front of the bus barn and that they would have to back up. Brienne McDowell suggests that the bus drivers “spot” each other before backing up. Dr. Williams also adds that the bus drivers could back up and pull into the bus lane a few minutes early before pick up time. Scott McClung states that this needs to be a change in school policy, not just a new rules spoken to bus drivers. Katie Cloud agreed with Scott McClung. Katie Cloud expressed concern that this would be asking bus drivers to come in earlier than contacted time, ad Dr. Williams spoke that it would not. Scott McClung motions this to be adopted on the next agenda, Katie Cloud seconds this motion. 5-0 motion carries.
10. Requests for Future Agenda:
    • a. Brienne McDowell suggests adding a public discussion/work session with the board. Dr. Williams states that if there is a set meeting with no agenda items the public can speak for open discussion. The board can then put some of those topics on a future agenda. He reminds the board that this cannot be a legal change to things. Brienne suggests the public have an input on when this meeting can be, she suggests a survey.
    • b. Kirsten Ironside states that Kay Peterson has a background of facilitating and that she has offered her services free of charge.
    • c. Scott McClung reminds the new school board members that they are able to communicate directly with the superintendent, that they do not always have to go to him directly as the board president.
11. Adjournment:
    • a. Scott McClung states that we need a motion to adjourn. makes the motion, and Kirsten
    • b. Adjourned at 5:10 Ironside seconds it. 50 Katie Cloud motion carries.