WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Agenda and Minutes

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Windham Southeast School District
Finance Committee Meeting – Tuesday 8/9/2022
5:00pm @ BUHS Multi-Purpose Room


Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81665187756?pwd=T3d4a0NLOTBzZWEralN5Tmh5V1Nkdz09
Meeting ID: 816 6518 7756
Passcode: 1qx00x
Members: Shaun Murphy – Chairperson, Michelle Luetjen Green, Anne Beekman,
David Schoales
Board Recorder: Wendy Levy


Agenda
1. Approval of Minutes
2. FY22 Fiscal Year End Preliminary Financial Statement
3. WRCC Whetstone Village Property transfer update
4. Recommendation to Board to Approve Warrants and Payrolls
5. Other


Meeting is scheduled to adjourn at 5:50pm
cc.SM, 8.3.22

….

Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the
board at a future meeting.
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) FINANCE COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2022
REGULAR MEETING – 5:00PM
HYBRID MEETING: WRCC CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM & ZOOM
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Finance Committee Members Present: Chairperson Shaun Murphy (SM), Anne Beekman
(AB), David Schoales (DSC)
WSESD Finance Committee Members Absent: Michelle Luetjen Green
WSESU/SD Administrators Present: WSESU Business Administrator Frank Rucker
Others Present: Wendy M. Levy (Board Recorder), Kristina Naylor
Please note: Because of Zoom’s attendance format, this attendance record may be incomplete.


CALL TO ORDER:

Chair SM called the meeting to order at 5:07pm.

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION BY AB TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 17, 2022 FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. DSC SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

II. FY22 FISCAL YEAR END REVENUE PROJECTIONS
Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document, “WSESD FY22 Spreadsheet from the Annual Report, Pages 6-7.” Highlights included:
• This in a continuation of the last meeting’s review, which was about expenses.
• The fiscal year is almost over.
Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document, “WSESD Year-to-Date Revenue Comparisons: 4 Fiscal Years.” Highlights included:
• There were no dramatic changes year-to-year until FY23 with fully-addressed ESSER 2 and 3 funding, which brought in a substantial amount of revenue.
• An explanation of how to read the spreadsheet.
• How the state educational tax rates are set.
• Where the funding comes from.
• An explanation of some of the figures and funding still to come, including a receivable from the state, tuition from Vernon, ESSER money, Title I, and Windham Regional Career Center grants.
• An explanation of variances.
• These revenues stick fairly close to the budget plan. There are no surprises, and Frank anticipates ending the Fiscal Year in good shape.
• The budget is $55,255,000, and the District has, as of the date of the meeting, received $51,619,000.

DS asked about moving surplus money to the Capital Fund, and if it requires a special meeting. Frank responded: No, because the Board has the authority to spend; if the District is under-budget, they can transfer the surplus. A special meeting only needs to be called if the budget goes beyond the authorized budget amount.


Kristina Naylor asked about the line item for the small schools grant. Frank responded: the Legislature had conflicting information, and as of May, they had not figured it out, so Frank did not include it as revenue. Frank noted the District did get the grant, and he expects it to come in FY23, too.

III. CAPITAL PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE (OAK GROVE & DUMMERSTON SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS, GUILFORD / ACADEMY HVAC PROJECT / BID AWARD)

and

IV. CAPITAL PROJECT BID AWARD PROTOCOLS FOR SUMMER SCHEDULE

Frank shared and reviewed a document, “FY23 WSESD Capital Plan Overview.” Highlights included:
• An explanation of the revenue that pays for capital plans—much of it from ESSER.
• The administration has affiliated the two projects to maintain consistency, even though they are separate projects.
• This document is on the website.
• There are delays in projects because of contractor availability.
• Frank expects to receive funding for the Guilford project.
• There are new requirements for testing in schools for environmental contaminants. Some were found at Oak Grove. The administration met with federal agencies to continue plans for testing and remediation.
• An update on the Academy projects.

SM noted the three proposed motions on the agenda will be presented and voted on at the Board meeting. The motions are:

Motion to award the Guilford HVAC bid to BG Mechanical in the amount of $225,860.

Motion to award the Academy HVAC bid to BG Mechanical in the amount of $374,988.

Motion to authorize the Finance Committee to act on the Board’s behalf to award FY23 Capital Plan project bids during the months of July & August 2022.

Frank noted the time and sequencing of these projects can be complicated, but so far things are going well.

A discussion ensued on the heating and air-handling systems in schools.

Frank mentioned the great benefit of having Facilities Manager Robert Clark on staff for these projects.

VI. OTHER

DSC said that in the next few years, with less revenue coming in from ESSER, the District’s electric bills will go up because of the new projects. A possible way to mitigate this increase is for the District to look into energy production—perhaps through purchasing a solar array—to decrease the amount of electricity the District has to buy from another entity. The only other way to save money, said DSC, is to increase efficiency. He anticipates that in FY25, or sooner, the electric bills could be unpleasant, so the District needs to start looking at this soon.

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