NOTES OF JUNE 15, 2017 RYE SCHOOL FEASIBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING
Final Revision B – Provided by the Rye Civic League
Present (clockwise around table): Member Gregg Mikolaities, Member Kathy Errecart (RES parent), SAU50 Business Manager Jim Katkin, Member Paula Tsetsilas (School Board), Member Jeanne Moynahan (School Board), Member Marc Sedam (RJH parent), Member Craig Musselman (Rye Board of Selectman), Member Paul Goldman, Sal Petralia (SAU 50 Superintendent), Member Doran Morford, Member Peggy Balboni, Member Andrea Papoutsy (music teacher, Rye Elementary School)
Also present and sitting in the audience: Rye Town Administrator Michael Magnant.
Persons present from the public included: Ray Jarvis
Video link: http://townhallstreams.com/stream.php?location_id=32&id=11978
Editor’s
note: For ease in finding particular
sections using the archived video and audio on the Town website, the elapsed
time is indicated. Use the slider and
the elapsed time indicated at the bottom of the video window to fast forward to
the desired section. Videos on the Town website may currently be accessed
at www.town.rye.nh.us by clicking on
“Town Hall Streaming” at the bottom left of the screen. Follow the link for “Town Hall Live
Streaming,” then find the meeting by date under “Previous.”
The video starts
at 8:32:13 a.m. (0:00 elapsed).
Summary
Review of warrant article (3:35 elapsed)
Superintendent Sal
Petralia opened the meeting and reviewed the warrant article. Possibilities to be studied include:
1.
Merging the two schools
2.
Other uses for the building
3.
Possible uses for the space by other SAU 50 member
districts
The Committee’s report is due December 1, 2017.
There was then a brief
discussion of the Committee’s goals.
Member Musselman said that their purpose was not to address the revenue
gap, but to deal effectively with the space that exists. Member Tsetsilas spoke about maintaining a
high standard of education in the face of declining enrollment.
Chairperson selection and preliminary organization
(11:33 elapsed)
Member Musselman
suggested that co-chairs be considered, with one person from the education side
and the other from the Budget Committee.
Paula Tsetsilas and Marc Sedam said that it is a school committee. Member Musselman disagreed, referring to the
statement in the warrant article that the report would be to the town. They will be reporting to the Board of
Selectmen, he said.
Member Musselman
suggested Peggy Balboni as the Budget Committee person. She was previously on the School Board, he
said.
Member Kathy Errecart
said that the quality of the education is first priority, the cost is second
priority.
Member Musselman said
that, from the Town’s perspective, the question is whether an interim use of
20-30 percent of the Junior High for town offices could be done without
impacting the education.
Member Jeanne Moynahan
nominated Paula Tsetsilas as Chairman.
Member Musselman nominated Peggy Balboni as co-Chairman. Member Goldman noted that Ms. Balboni had
been on the School Board for nine years.
Ray Jarvis, speaking
from the audience, asked whether there shouldn’t first be a vote on whether to
have co-chairmen. There was a show of
hands and only one person was in favor of a single chairman.
All voted in favor of
Ms. Tsetsilas and Ms. Balboni as co-chairs.
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
then spoke about the rules. There are 11
on the committee, so a quorum is 6. She
asked about meetings outside of a full session.
Member Musselman said that, while fewer than 6 could meet, it is
advisable not to operate in that manner.
Rye Town Administrator Mike Magnant noted that, if any subcommittee is
formed, that in itself would be a public body subject to the right-to-know
laws.
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
said that the minutes would be posted on the school website. Member Musselman said the town would provide
a link.
Mr. Magnant noted that
there are some non-voting members.
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas said that Mr. Magnant, SAU 50 Business Manager Jim
Katkin, Rye Junior High Principal Marie Soucy and Rye Elementary School
Principal Suzanne Lull are non-voting members.
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
noted that, while the warrant article defines three options, it does not limit
the Committee to those.
Initial Discussion (41:52 elapsed)
Ms. Tsetsilas said that
enrollment, not budgets, is driving the process. The issue is maintaining high standards in
the face of the enrollment decline.
Member Kathy Errecart
spoke about marketing to New Castle.
Member Marc Sedam said
that the term varying, not the term declining, should be used. He warned of what might happen if the space
is needed back.
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
said that there are 45, not 50, incoming Kindergartners for next year, compared
to 43 currently.
Member Marc Sedam said
that the live birth data does not capture people moving into Rye.
Member Balboni said
that the SAU office has years and years of data.
Member Marc Sedam
emphasized that the Committee is a school committee.
Member Musselman
reiterated that he has a differing view.
The report is to the town, not the School District.
Member Marc Sedam said
that it’s not just a building, it’s a school.
Of course the report is to the town, it’s a public record, he said.
Member Musselman said
that it is a joint decision. We’re not a
school, we’re a town, he said.
Member Doran Morford
said that he doesn’t care where the report goes. The issue is what is to be done with the schools that allows us to do everything that we want.
Member Goldman said
that he was concerned. He thought that a
broader systemic view was to be taken, not just a school focus. He is sensing a rift already, he said.
(65:12 elapsed)
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
said that all options would be identified.
Co-Chairman Balboni
said that the Committee is meeting due to all of the space needs of the
town. The question is,
if there is unused space, can it have other uses.
Member Marc Sedam spoke
about the bigger picture with the SAU.
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
spoke about the need to report to the town on enrollment trends.
Member Kathy Errecart
warned of too great a focus on town needs.
Discussion of objectives (76:22 elapsed)
SAU 50 Superintendent
Petralia warned about referring to the SAU and the School District
interchangeably.
SAU 50 Business Manager
Jim Katkin said that the School District owns the schools until it abandons
them. Editor’s note: They would then
revert to the Town. See N.H. Rev. Stat.
Ann. (“RSA”) 199:4, II.
Superintendent Petralia stated that the SAU
encompasses four districts. The needs of
the SAU may not be pertinent, he said. Editor’s note: New Castle, Newington and Greenland are also
part of SAU 50. Rye controls a minority
of the SAU 50 Board. He said that
each of the districts operates independently within the SAU. It might be wonderful to get all 49 students
from New Castle, but that is not Rye’s decision, he indicated.
Member Gregg
Mikolaities suggested that the Committee go back to the warrant article
bullets. Everything goes back to that,
he said. Member Doran Morford then moved
to accept the objectives, Sal Petralia seconded. All were in favor.
Research to be conducted (88:07 elapsed)
Co-Chairman Tsetsilas
then addressed the research. She
referred to a document that had been distributed. Some members appeared to have received it and
others had not.
Member Jeanne Moynahan
referred to the document that provides 40 years of data. Twenty-five years ago there were only 32 kids
at RJH, she said.
Co-Chairman Peggy
Balboni spoke about the need to identify how the buildings are currently used,
the Recreation Department’s needs, and the use of the pre-school in
Greenland. She asked how many classrooms
are being used.
Member Gregg
Mikolaities said that he would like to see data on the population of students
and the capacity for each of the SAU 50 schools. He would like to know how many students are
at private schools. He has heard that
there are 50 students eligible to attend Rye Junior High that are at private schools.
If that is true, what would happen if they come back?
Member Musselman said
that he would like to distribute to the group the information on the town’s
space needs, as well as the report of the Recreation Facilities Need Committee.
He added that, while it
may be premature, the feasibility of segregated entrances, vehicle access and
parking should be considered. There may
be a fatal flaw, he said. He suggested
that he and Member Mikolaities could be tasked with looking at the site
plan. Member Mikolaities said that he
had actually designed the school additions a number of years ago.
SAU 50 Business
Administrator Jim Katkin warned that cars impinging on the property may not
meet the criteria for school properties.
Member Jeanne Moynahan spoke about the possibility of access through the
recently acquired Wedgewood Farm land, but there are deed restrictions on that,
she said. Member Musselman said that he
would like to see the deed. It might be
possible to use 30 or 40 feet, he said. Editor’s note: The Wedgewood Farm land was acquired by the
School District using private donations in the last few years. The land is adjacent to Rye Junior High.
Ms. Tsetsilas said that she would call the
Department of Education regarding restrictions on dual uses of the
schools.
She said that she would
also get data on private school departures.
Member Musselman asked her to get several years of data. He said that he has heard that it has not
changed a lot, but what has changed is the destination
schools.
Member Musselman
asserted that combining of the schools could occur only at Rye Elementary
School due to site restrictions. He said
that he and Member Mikolaities will look at the site plan. SAU 50 Business Administrator Jim Katkin
spoke about the site being tight with respect to water and septic. There is a 10 acre
piece and a 30 acre piece, he said.
Next meeting and adjournment (108:13 elapsed)
The next meeting was
scheduled for August 3 at 8:30 a.m. The
meeting then adjourned.