Northfield/Williamstown Merger Study Committee agenda
6:00pm, December 21st, 2016
Northfield Middle/High School Library
On the web at NorthfieldWilliamstownMerger.us
Goals of this meeting: Receive clarifying information regarding supervisory structures (supervisory union vs supervisory district) and related legal questions; determine committee positions regarding pursuing articles of merger with intent to present to public for vote, supervisory structure, district assets and debts, school board size and process of electing, and final time frame for public vote (if necessary); and create a schedule of meetings intended to meet future needs.
6:00 - Agenda revisions
6:01 - Approval of previous minutes
6:02 - Public and committee comment
The public and committee members will have an opportunity to present statements relevant to the work of the committee. This comment section will not extend beyond 6:15 due to time limitations for the following agenda item.
6:15 - Agency of Education attorney Donna Russo-Savage
Ms. Russo-Savage will present information regarding supervisory unions and supervisory districts and take questions from the committee. This item will last no more then one hour, and public visitors will be given an opportunity to ask questions only after the committee has finished doing so.
7:15 - The committee will consider and decide on the following motions (please see notes below):
1) The committee will continue creation of articles of merger and the attending report with the intention of presenting such articles to the communities of Northfield and Williamstown for a public vote.
2) The committee will submit articles of merger requesting a preference for the new unified district to be considered for a "side by side" regional education district per Act 156 of 2012 with a new unified Orange/Washington district.
3) The committee will submit articles of merger that will include the new unified district assuming ownership of all participating district assets and liabilities.
4) The committee will submit articles of merger that will include a nine member board in the proportional model that will have five members nominated and voted on by Northfield and four members nominated and voted on by Williamstown.
5) The committee will submit articles of merger that will leave final decisions regarding the location and makeup of classes to the new unified district board.
6) The committee intends such articles of merger to presented to the public for a vote no later then the first week of April, 2017.
All motions must be expressed to accomplish an outcome - ie a motion to NOT do something is not a proper motion because it has the same effect as voting against a moved item. Amendments will be accepted and voted on. These five motions, including amendments, will be recorded by roll call vote.
7:45 - Meeting schedule
The committee will set a meeting schedule suitable for achieving whatever goals come from tonight's meeting.
8:00 - Adjournment
Next meting: ??
Future items: Receive feedback from local boards. Reaction to feed back from the VT AOE and committee attorney; refine proposal as desired or needed.
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