Staff Writer
Members of the Eastern Aroostook RSU School Board met Jan. 6 for a regular meeting. In attendance were Katherine Anderson, Michelle Albert, Kent Forbes, Dale Gordon, George O’Bar, David Strainge and Scott Willey, chairman. The RSU board members were reminded by Superintendent Frank McElwain that the meeting was considered an organizational meeting for the new year and called for election of a board chairperson. Dale Gordon nominated Scott Willey to continue as chairperson for the board of education, seconded by David Strainge, and with no other nominations offered, the panel voted to re-elect Willey. Anderson nominated and Strainge seconded Gordon as board vice chairperson. There were no other nomination and all members voted in favor of Gordon to be vice chairperson of the RSU board.
Also during the organizational meeting the chair appointed board members to the following committees: Finance, Forbes, Albert and Strainge; negotiations, Forbes, Gordon and O’Bar; facilities, Willey, Strainge and O’Bar; curriculum, Gordon and Albert; policy, Strainge, Albert and Anderson.
Katherine Anderson was appointed Legislative contact person for the Maine School Board Association.
In other business RSU board members voted unanimously to adopt five policies including: school board legal status; school board powers and responsibilities; board-declared vacancy caused by absenteeism; unexpired term fulfillment/vacancies; and quorum. Each of these adopted policies had previously been presented to board members for discussion and consideration.
Following a two-year comprehensive energy conservation study at the Limestone Community School, during which time TRANE Associates compiled options that would be cost saving at the school, a motion was made by Gordon and seconded by Strainge to accept the proposed energy conservation measures excluding the installation of a woodchip boiler. This motioned passed by a unanimous vote.
The reasoning behind the exclusion of a new woodchip boiler at the community school stemmed from the fact that the facility does have two boilers that are in working condition at this time and the chance that in a future round of stimulus money destined for this type of improvement, it is possible that the project would get the nod for a $700,000 grant to go ahead with the woodchip boiler purchase and installation.
Sherrie Black, adviser to the Caribou High School French Club, addressed the board regarding a trip to Quebec City. A motion by Gordon, seconded by Anderson to approve the request passed unanimously.
Other RSU board action included a motion by Gordon, seconded by Michelle Albert to approve policies board member compensation and expenses for a second reading passed by unanimous vote. Also passed by unanimous votes to be considered for a second reading were: dismissal for storms days; budget adoption process and audits/financial monitoring.
RSU board members also authorized the acceptance of the federal Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant in the amount of $498,943 administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or its affiliates to implement a distance learning program, authorizing the superintendent to execute and deliver in the name and on behalf of the RSU all necessary documentation and certificates required.
Superintendent McElwain informed the board he had accepted the resignation of Dana Doody, bus driver/mechanic and also Norma Michaud, executive secretary. McElwain presented the RSU board members with copies of the audit reports from both Caribou and Stockholm and requested the board to consider budget goals for 2010-11.
Eastern Aroostook RSU administrators present at the regular board meeting gave updates pertinent to their individual buildings to the board members. Superintendent McElwain also requested the board consider budget goals for the 2010-11 year and it was agreed to conduct a budget workshop following the next regular board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 20.
At 8:09 p.m. a motion was made by Albert, seconded by Strainge to enter executive session to consider one agenda item; at 8:48 p.m. the panel returned to open session followed by once again entering executive session at 8:50 to discuss teacher contract negotiations. Board members returned to the open session at 9 p.m. at which time the motion to adjourn was made and passed.
The next meeting is scheduled to be held Jan.20, at 7 p.m.
