Board Members Present: Aimee Menard, Dan Newton, Steve Chella

Administration Present: Mark MacLean, Randy Wormald, Dennis Dobe, Kathleen Boucher, Hilary Denoncourt, Beth Page, Dennis Audet

Public Present: Donna Crisp Duclos, Dana Swenson

Finance Report: Some lines will clear after funds are transferred. Most of the overages are due to contracted special education costs.
Principal’s Report
Dobe reported that the basketball teams are up and running. AE/MS’s Holiday Concert will be taking place tomorrow on December 8, to include the elementary grades and the middle school chorus.

Page spoke of the Special Education Department holding steady. The FTA has received some AE/MS swag; pre-orders will be distributed later this week. The Outing Club has an overwhelming interest; we had to break up the student body into three groups to be able to have all students interested in the hike participate. The next activity, indoor rock climbing, will be available on a lottery basis.

Audet is getting pricing for gas line trenching and removal of underground oil tanks, which will be a part of the boiler replacement process. AE/MS did receive a grant for the lock systems; hopefully that process will be up and running soon.

Superintendent’s Report
The SAU is bringing a candidate for the assistant superintendent role to the SAU Board this evening (following the ASB Budget Work Session). The applicant process went very well.

Action From Non-Public Session
Chella motioned to accept the negotiated agreement with the AESS, Newton made the second. All were in favor, the motion passed.

Work Session
MacLean provided an overview of the proposed Andover School District budget.

Denoncourt began reviewing the proposed budget line by line. There is a not-to-exceed increase for health/dental of 11.1%. Other increases and decreases were briefly reviewed by Denoncourt.

MacLean spoke to summary numbers at the end of the drafted budget, to include retirement decreases, health increases, transportation, and special education increases. 

Dobe spoke of some positions that are being reduced due to enrollment declining. The positions being reduced include three teacher positions. The District does not expect to reduce positions again for a number of years.

Estimated revenues were reviewed by MacLean. The adequacy education grant and statewide property tax revenues were discussed. 

The fund balance was reviewed, as it is very large in comparison to the overall budget. Some Andover students did not ultimately attend MVHS, which impacted what ASD was charged for tuition. Other factors to this balance include the budget for snow plowing and vacancies in staffing.

Menard suggested creating a warrant article to use some money from the estimated fund balance to add to the boiler reserve. The board will plan to do this.