Attendees

Donna Goodrich – Gorham, chairperson

Michael Waddell – Gorham

Leona Guay – Gorham

Carol Gagnon – Randolph

Robert Leclerc - Randolph

Wendy Niskanen – Shelburne

Others

Patrick Low – Superintendent, SAU #20

Pauline Plourde – Business Administrator, SAU #20

Barbara Loughman – Attorney

Sarah Browning – Attorney

Jacqueline Tetreault – Recording Secretary

ITEM I – CALL TO ORDER

Donna Goodrich, chairperson of the Board, called the meeting to order at 6:42 pm.

ITEM II – REVIEW AND APPROVE MINUTES OF 9/15

Motion by M. Waddell, second by W. Niskanen

Motion: to approve the September 15^th minutes as presented.

Vote on motion: all were in favor; motion carried.

ITEM III – BUY-IN LEGALITY

Ms. Goodrich introduced Barbara Loughman and Sarah Browning. Ms. Loughman had spoken with Barbara Reid from the Department of Revenue Administration regarding the Board’s proposal on Article 5, and the ‘buying-in’ of the Randolph and Shelburne districts for the ‘fair market value’ or the possibility of Gorham donating the building. Regarding Randolph and Shelburne paying their share into a trust fund, both attorneys agreed that this would require special legislation, which would need to have the support of the Department of Revenue Administration as well as the Department of Education.

This fund would be used for future building construction needs.

Regarding the capital reserve currently held by the Gorham School District, both attorneys recommended coming up with special legislation so this capital reserve would be able to be ‘carried on’ the cooperative district ledgers, and would be used to off-set Gorham’s share of renovation or new building costs. Both attorneys commented that timing was important, and there was a ‘mild risk’ that the legislature would not go along with the special legislation.

Ms. Browning recommended that the cooperative planning board put forward the current plan with an effective date for the special legislation. It would also need to contain a provision for a self-repeal which would become effective when the bill is passed, and should the cooperative district vote not pass, the bill would self-repeal or ‘undo’ itself.

D. Carlisle entered the meeting at 6:56 pm.

Both attorneys shared that the legislature would ‘be more comfortable’ if they knew that a cooperative district was the direction that all towns were in agreement to. If special legislation was to be submitted, it would need to be in to the legislature by the second week of November to be put on the December agenda. The articles of agreement would need to be approved by the communities at a special hearing fairly soon. Each pre-existing district will then need to have a warrant article to vote on the formation of the cooperative; if all three districts vote in the affirmative, a certificate would then be issued to form a cooperative district. Ms. Browning will review the district’s proposed articles of agreement, and then will do an executive summary and make a recommendation to the legislature.

Ms. Browning stated that the disparity in taxes is generally in smaller communities with small equalized valuation, as the towns believe they may be taken advantage of because they do not have enough votes to override the other communities at a cooperative district meeting. She also shared that there is new legislation in which towns in a cooperative district can decide on a town by town basis by a majority vote that some portion of the state aid will go directly to the bottom line of the cooperative district’s budget and the remaining percentage would go to the pre-existing districts. In any case, the apportionment formula that is voted on would have to remain in effect for five years before any changes can be made. Ms. Loughman suggested eliminating the proposed Article 23 (risk article).

Regarding Article of Agreement #5 which refers to the ‘buy-in’, the attorneys recommended drafting special legislation for a method by which Randolph and Shelburne would be contributing into a capital reserve, or would have ‘equitable ownership’.

After some further discussion, Ms. Loughman was hired to put together the special legislation for the capital reserve for Gorham that would be transferred to the cooperative school district. Some of the further language recommended was “Shelburne’s equitable contribution will be (amount here), and it will be paid into a cooperative capital reserve fund for new building construction or renovation”.

C. Gagnon left the meeting at 7:54 pm.

ITEM IV – ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT

The following articles were reviewed and action taken:

Article 18 – Capital Reserve Funds – will need to be written to include special legislation to provide that existing fund balances would transfer into a coop capital reserve fund – Barbara Loughman will rewrite this article.

Article 5 – Purchase of Real Property – Barbara Loughman will work with Barbara Reid from the Department of Revenue Administration to re-write this article

Article 17 – Trust Funds – needs to include language for maintenance expendable trust funds and tuition expendable trust funds.

ITEM V – JOINT MEETING DATE

Board members authorized Barbara Loughman to share information with Sarah Browning, and board members will proceed to get in touch with local government representatives to seek support for the cooperative district and possible special legislation. Members of the Board in attendance were reminded of the joint meeting with the Gorham, Randolph, and Shelburne school boards on Tuesday, October 19^th from 7 – 9 pm. It was also recommended that a small committee comprised of cooperative board members meet with the selectmen in each town to review the Articles of Agreement with them after the joint meeting. After some discussion when the public hearings would need to be properly posted, it was recommended to hold one public hearing on November 4^th at 6:30 pm at the Gorham Town Hall in the old library, which will be followed by a regular cooperative meeting.

ITEM VI – PUBLICITY

Ms. Niskanen and Ms. Goodrich shared some Editorial Process Overviews that had been written to explain the cooperative district to the general public. These would be submitted to the local newspapers as ‘Letters to the Editor’ for publication. Ms. Niskanen asked that if anyone had feedback on these, to please get in touch with her ASAP.

ITEM VII – OTHER

All of the articles of agreement will be gone over one last time to fix any wording or legal interpretations as need, and be reviewed one last time at the October 14^th meeting.

ITEM VIII – AGENDA & NEXT MEETING

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Gorham-Randolph-Shelburne Cooperative School District Planning Board will be Thursday, October 14^th at 6:30 pm at the Gorham Middle High School.

ITEM IX – ADJOURNMENT

Motion by Wendy Niskanen, second by Leona Guay

Motion: to adjourn the September 30^th meeting.

Vote on motion: all were in favor; motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted

Jacqueline Tetreault

Recording Secretary