FINANCIAL REPORT … The Montpelier Board of Education was all ears while CFO / Treasurer Carla Rice gave her reports.
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
The Montpelier Board of Education held their regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on August 8, 2023.
Present were members Dunne Gambler, Nate Rose, Jeremy Klinger, Patti Rockey, and Shawn Owen. Also present were Principals Su Thorp and Lance Thorp, Superintendent Jamison Grime, and CFO / Treasurer Carla Rice.
A moment of silence was held after the pledge of allegiance was recited. The first item tackled by the board at this meeting was appointing a delegate and alternative delegate for the annual OSBA Capital Conference that will be held November 12-14.
The board appointed Nate Rose as delegate and Shawn Owen as alternate for this conference before Lance Thorp and Su Thorp shared that both the elementary and high school are hard at work preparing for school to start in the next couple of weeks.
The treasurer’s report entailed details of a larger carry-over balance than expected, as well as information about the November filing that will be used to factor eligibility for funding.
November is to see the filing of a 5-year financial forecast, and as next year is set for the reevaluation of taxes, it is expected that inflated home values will negatively impact the districts’ state financial aid eligibility.
July appropriations will be submitted at the next meeting once final collections are made. Rice also reported that there are growing costs related to special needs care.
Some students need specialized services that can run anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 per child per year, and the cost of these services are expected to increase even more.
After the treasurer’s report was accepted as presented, the board approved the minutes from the July 27, 2023 meeting as presented.
As part of the financial report, the board was happy to accept the following donations: Montpelier Rotary ($500) and St. Paul’s Methodist Church ($500).
The budget for next year was approved, as were all employment, staff, and business recommendations as made by Superintendent Grime.
Most notable of these recommendations were the hiring of Caitlyn Freese as school nurse, the 2023-2024 bus route, increasing substitute teacher pay to $125 a day, and a new payment schedule for those that work the concession stands during events.
The schedule is set to deliver $500 per varsity basketball game, $200 per all other games, and up to $750 for special events (specific amount is to be determined by the superintendent). The payments will be rendered from the general fund.
Seeing no reason to enter executive session, the Montpelier Exempted Village Board of Education adjourned at 5:48 p.m.
Anna can be reached at anna@thevillagereporter.com