Present: Board members Asmus, Carter, Chamberlin, Pilchman, Segal; Administrators Greenbaum, Aubin, Weissmann, Williams; and five members of the public.

1. Call to order

Vice Chair Carter called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

2. Chair's report

Ms. Carter announced the dates for the Annual Hanover School District Meeting as Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., in the Richmond School Gymnasium, for all day voting for Hanover District Officers and Wednesday, March 10, 7:30 p.m., at the Bernice A. Ray School Music Room, for the Hanover District Meeting, with voting on the budget.

Ms. Carter reminded everyone that the filing period for the Hanover School District began on Wednesday, January 14, and extends through 5:00 p.m., Friday, January 23. Filing for School District Officers can be done with either the School District Clerk, Mitsu Chobanian, or at the SAU Office, 45 Lyme Road, Room 207, Hanover. There is a $1 filing fee. Positions open are Moderator for one year, Clerk for one year, Treasurer for one year, 2 - three year positions for School Board, and 1 - one year position for School Board.

Ms. Carter also announced that the Dresden School District has filing dates from Monday, January 12 through 5:00 p.m., Monday, February 2. Filing for School District Officers can be done with either the School District Clerk, Deborah Carter, or at the SAU Office, 45 Lyme Road, Room 207, Hanover. Positions open are Moderator for one year, Clerk for one year, Treasurer for one year, and Auditor for three years.

3. Approval of collective bargaining agreement

Assistant Superintendent for Business John Aubin reported that the Hanover/Dresden teachers contract expires in June, 2003. He said that the negotiating teams have met several times since September including an all day session with a mediator on January 13, resulting in a three year agreement which is expected to be ratified by the teachers on January 22. This agreement includes a 3.5 % increase to the base salary for 2004-05 and amounts necessary to level the various steps in the pay schedule. In years 2005-06 and 2006-07, the increase will be the NE CPI plus 1% with a linkage to the increase in the health insurance costs. If the health insurance increases by more than 15%, the salary increase will be reduced by 1/8% per each 1% increase in the health insurance costs (not to exceed a 1% salary reduction). Another change agreed upon was an increase to the insurance co-payment. Teachers would now pay a 20% co-pay under this agreement. Mr. Aubin said that the result of the agreement is an average 5.02% increase in salary and step for a total of $162,426 for 2004-05. The increases for 2005-06 and 2006-07 were estimated to be slightly less.

Board members and the public asked clarifying questions. Nick Harvey, speaking on behalf of the Hanover Finance Committee, expressed concern about a three year commitment, as he said that the Finance Committee is working on plans to bring an independent consultant to evaluate the budget.

Anne Segal moved and John Chamberlin seconded a motion to approve the three (3) year (2004-05, 2005-06, and 2006-07) collective bargaining agreement between the Hanover School District and the Hanover Education Association, NEA-NH, as proposed and attached to the original minutes of the meeting. The motion passed, 4 yes, 1 no (Asmus).

4. Public Hearing on Proposed 2004-05 Budget (RSA 32:5)

Vice Chair Carter opened the Public Hearing stating, "I open the Public Hearing on the budget for the Hanover School District in accordance with NH RSA 32:5. Included in the public packets is a line item budget which contains all purposes and amounts of appropriations to be included for proposed 2004-05 expenditures. A notice for this Public Hearing was published in the Valley News on Tuesday, January 13, 2004."

John Aubin began the discussion by reviewing the budget changes, summary information, and the revised line item budget with changes made since the January 14 meeting. Mr. Aubin highlighted a number of changes to the proposed budget. Items that will increase are annuity ($3,559), teacher settlement ($162,426), and stabilization fund ($339,767), items that will decrease are special education reserve ($25,000), equipment ($4,000), sixth grade tuition ($9,569), for a total change of $467,183. Mr. Aubin then reviewed all purposes and amounts of the appropriations to be included in the budget. The new proposed budget amount is $9,054,597, which represents a budget to budget change of $1,154,882 (14.62%).

Board members and the public then expressed concerns about the feasibility of self insuring the health insurance, the ratio of regular education teachers to special education teachers, the rate of return that would be realized from investing the proposed tax stabilization fund, and the process and guidelines for developing the budget.

Ms. Carter closed the Public Hearing at 9:05 p.m.

5. Business requiring discussion

a) Adoption of 2004-05 Budget

John Chamberlin moved and Anne Segal seconded a motion to adopt the 2004-05 budget in the amount of $9,054,597 to be placed on the warrant and voted on at the Hanover School District meeting on March 10, 2004. The motion passed unanimously.

b) Approval of Warrants

John Chamberlin moved and Anne Segal seconded a motion to approve the March 10 School District Warrant and the March 2 Special (Election) Warrant as proposed by the Administration, as attached to the original minutes of this meeting, and to authorize the Administration to make whatever technical changes that might be necessary in order to ensure that Warrants are legal and accurately address the intent of the School Board.

Discussion then centered around the wording for Article 4. Consensus was to amend the wording to read, "...for the purpose of partially offsetting Hanover's future Dresden assessment related to the 2003 Dresden building project."

The motion passed unanimously.

6. Adjournment

Anne Segal moved and Kari Asmus seconded a motion to adjourn at 9:38 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 9:38 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary B. Davis
Recording Secretary