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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/2/2000 - Special May 2, 2000 235 Roanoke County Administration Center 5204 Bernard Drive Roanoke, Virginia 24018 May 2, 2000 The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia, met this day at the Roanoke County School Administration Offices, this being an adjourned meeting from April 25, 2000 for the purpose of a joint work session with the School Board. INRE: CALL TO ORDER Chairman McNamara called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m. The roll call - was taken. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Joseph McNamara, Vice Chairman H. Odell "Fuzzy" Minnix, Supervisors Joseph B. "Butch" Church, Bob L. Johnson, Harry C. Nickens MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Elmer C. Hodge, County Administrator; Mary H. Allen, Clerk to the Board; Anne Marie Green, Community Relations; Brent Robertson, Budget Manager, Diane Hyatt, Finance Director, School Board Chairman Jerry Canada called the School Board meeting to order. SCHOOL BOARD PRESENT: Chairman Jerry Canada, Members Tom Leggette, Marion Roark, Mike Stovall, William Irvin 236 May 2, 2000 ABSENT: None SCHOOL STAFF: Linda Weber, School Superintendent; James Gallion, Deputy Superintendent; Richard Flora, Executive Assistant for Operations; Tom Hall, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, Penny Hodge, Director of Budget and Finance; Lorraine Lange, Associate Director of Instruction; Darlene Ratliff, School Board Deputy Clerk INRE: DISCUSSION OF SCHOOL ISSUES The purpose of the joint meeting was for the School Board to respond to questions that the Board of Supervisors may have regarding the School Board budget or other school issues. The following questions, developed by Supervisor Johnson, were discussed: 1. What is the lona ranae caDital Dlan for school buses? Richard Flora, Executive Assistant for Operations, presented a schedule for school bus replacement frorn fiscal year 1999 to 2011. In response to a question from Supervisor Johnson, School Superintendent Linda Weber advised that the year end surplus will cover the costs of the school buses. School Board Chairman Jerry Canada also advised that they are purchasing school buses out of saved personnel costs, and any remaining year-end funds will be used to meet other unforeseen needs. 2. Is there a Dlan or strateav reaardina uDaradina teachers' salaries? Tom Hall, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, presented a list of five year salary improvement goals. He advised that County teachers are above the national average but are behind the Cities of Salem and Roanoke for beginning teachers. May 2, 2000 237 - Supervisor Johnson responded that the most important issues should be class ratios and teacher salaries, not buildings. Dr. Weber also reported that they are about $3,000 off regional and state salaries. 3. Does the School Board consider the DroDosed Dlan for reducina class size in K throuah 2 usina assistant DrinciDals and sDecial teachers a Dermanent solution? Dr. Weber explained this was not a permanent solution. They looked at ways to reduce class size without affecting the budget, and the assistant principals and special teachers were already considered partial teachers. Mr. Hall advised that their future goal is a 20 to 1 student-teacher ratio. 4. What items were reduced or eliminated bv the $500.000 adjustment made several weeks aao in the School Board budaet? Penny Hodge, Director of Budget and Finance, presented a list of items that were reduced in the 2000-2001 Operating Budget. Mr. Hodge explained that the County will fund four School Resource Officers (SRO) and will apply for a grant for four new SRO's. Two positions will be transferred from the Sheriff's Office to the Police Department. If the grant is not approved, the DARE officers will move to the middle schools. There was a discussion on the use of DARE officers as SRO officers and using the SAP program for elementary schools. Mr. Canada advised that everything is still included in the budget but they 238 May 2, 2000 looked fur cost savings. Ms. Hodge reviewed the details of how (hey reduced the budget by $500,000. 5. How can the Schools exDlain the addition of more than 100 emDlovees over the Dast four vears in liaht of a static DUDii DoDulation? Mr. Hall reported that since 1996, they have added 52 special education teachers, 38 teachers for drug and safety programs, 4 technology teachers, 2 art teachers, 9 health nurses, 13 teachers to lower the pupil/teacher ratio, and 5 new teachers for Bonsack Elementary School that were needed because of the growth in the area. In response to a question from Supervisor Johnson, Mr. Hall advised that there are currently about 300 special education teachers. 6. How much is budaeted for leaal services/fees and does the School Board Dlan to continue the leaal arrangement with Mr. Lacv? Mr. Canada responded that they budget $56,000 for legal services and they plan to continue their arrangement with Mr. Lacy because of his experience regarding school issues which has resulted in more savings than the cost of his legal services. 7. Is it time to re-visit the oriainal Blue Ribbon Commission ReDort reaardina schedules and dollar fiaures? Mr. Flora responded that the report should be re-visited because the figures . - - '" are five years old and population shifts have affected the plan. He explained that they will May 2, 2000 239 = master plan every school in-house. Supervisor Johnson advised that he hoped that the School Board would include the Board of Supervisors when they refine the Blue Ribbon Commission Report. Mr. Canada again suggested that the Board of Supervisors attend the Construction Committee meetings. Supervisor Minnix suggested that the School Board and Board of Supervisors meet quarterly, and Supervisor McNamara pointed out that they will be meeting together at the end of May. He recommended that the Board of Supervisors provide the School Board with the funds they can afford and let them spend those funds as they see fit. Supervisor McNamara also recommended looking again at the Blue Ribbon Commission Report, deciding what the School Board and Board of Supervisors can afford, and then letting another group allocate those resources. IN RE: ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Supervisor Minnix moved to adjourn at 10:29 a.m. The motion carried by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Johnson, Minnix, Church, Nickens, McNamara NAYS: None The School Board also adjourned their meeting at 10:30 a.m. Submitted by: Approved by: ~~.~ Mary H. Allen, CMC/AAE Clerk to the Board M..~ ph P. McNamara airman 240 May 2, 2000 c:::::- This page left intentionally blank