OTTER VALLEY UNIFIED UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT

February 27, 2019 at 6:30 p.m.

The legal voters of the Otter Valley Unified Union School District (Unified Union District) comprising the voters of the Towns of Brandon, Goshen, Leicester, Pittsford, Sudbury and Whiting are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Otter Valley Union High School, on February 27, 2019, in the auditorium of said school, at 6:30 p.m. to conduct the following business:

Article 1: To elect the following officers to serve from their election and qualification until the next Annual District Meeting of 2020 following the election and qualification of their successors:
1. Moderator
2. Clerk
3. Treasurer

Article 2: To approve the minutes from the Unified Union District meetings held on March 1, 2017, February 28, 2018 and November 5, 2018.

Article 3: To hear the Board of School Directors of the Unified Union District present its estimate of expenses for the ensuing year.

Article 4: To determine and approve compensation, if any, to be paid to Unified Union District Officers.

Article 5: To hear the Board of School Directors’ of the Unified Union District present its proposed construction projects to improve School Safety, Security and Operations at Lothrop Elementary, Neshobe Elementary, and Otter Valley Union High School Buildings.

Article 6: To authorize the Unified Union District to borrow money pending receipt of payments from the State Education Fund or Town Tax Funds by the issuance of its notes or orders payable not later than one year from date provided, however, that the Unified Union District is authorized by Vermont Statutes to borrow sufficient funds to meet pending obligations.

Article 7: To transact any other school business thought proper when met.

The meeting shall then be recessed to Tuesday, March 5, 2019, for the purpose of voting the following articles at the usual polling places in the member districts by Australian ballot, said ballots being brought to Brandon Town Hall following the closing of the polls in the member districts where they will be commingled and counted by the Board of Civil Authority of the constituent districts.

The Town polls will be opened as follows:

Town of Brandon 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Brandon Town Hall
Town of Goshen 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM Goshen Town Hall
Town of Leicester 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Leicester Town Office
Town of Pittsford 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Pittsford Town Office
Town of Sudbury 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sudbury Town Hall
Town of Whiting 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Whiting Town Hall

Article 8: To elect the following officers to serve from their election and qualification until March following the election and qualification of their successors:
A. School Director, Brandon for one (1) year of a three (3) year term
B. School Director, Brandon for a term of three (3) years
C. School Director, Goshen for two (2) years of a three (3) year term
D. School Director, Pittsford for a term of three (3) years
E. School Director, Sudbury for a term of three (3) years
F. School Director, At-Large for a term of three (3) years

Article 9: Shall the voters of the school district approve the school board to expend Nineteen Million Nine Hundred Thirty-five Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-seven Dollars ($19,935,847) which is the amount the school board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year? It is estimated that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $14,826 per equalized pupil. This projected spending per equalized pupil is 2.08% greater than spending for the current year.

Article 10: Shall the voters authorize bonds of the Unified Union District in an amount not to exceed Two Million Nine Hundred Thirty-four Thousand Dollars ($2,934,000) be issued for the following purpose:

• Safety, security and operations improvements at Lothrop Elementary school renovating a classroom for the front office, waiting area, and school nurse space ($120,000) and renovating the balcony in the Lothrop Town Hall Building to meet life safety regulations allowing full utilization of the balcony ($74,000)
• Safety, security, and operations improvements to the Neshobe and Forestdale School Buildings by constructing a connection link between the two buildings creating a new front entrance with a security air-lock system and relocating the main office, school nurse and classrooms that are displaced by construction. ($2,015,000)
• Security safety and operations improvements to the Otter Valley Union High School including re-designing existing air lock, adding a Student Resources Officer space, creating a secure waiting area at the main entrance, renovating lobby bathrooms for accessibility and gender neutrality ($725,000)

There are no school projects eligible for Vermont school construction funds as the legislature had not appropriated any resources for school construction. However bonding statute still requires the following notice to be included on the warning:

State funds may not be available at the time this project is
otherwise eligible to receive state school construction aid. The
district is responsible for all costs incurred in connection with
any borrowing done in anticipation of state school construction
aid.

Printed and Signed Warning

OVUUSD Budget and Annual District Meeting

(Full text HERE.)

• Whiting Polls Open March 6th from 7am – 7pm at the Whiting Town Hall

Budget Goal: Maintain and improve comprehensive equitable educational opportunities within a level funded budget.

Budget Facts: The board approved a budget with the following changes:

1. Reduce 2.5 teachers at OVUHS
2. Merge the 3 small schools, reducing 3 teachers
3. Institute multi-age grades at Lothrop, reducing one teacher
4. Move PreK program to Lothrop and reduce .40 PreK at Lothrop due to declining enrollment
5. Eliminate .50 principal at small schools
6. Share art and a nurse between Lothrop and the small schools
7. Eliminate 1.0 paraprofessional at Neshobe
8. Reduce .50 clerical support services
9. Provide Spanish Language across all elementary schools, now starting with grades 5 and 6
10. Update debt services per amortization schedules
11. Reduce RNESU assessment with 4 FTE reductions in special education
12. Centralize technology services in RNESU budget

Considerations of Budget Proposal:

● The budget proposal is $19,223,835.00, which is down ($548,773) from the current year budget of $19,772,608
● Net Education Spending – (our taxable budget) is down by (1.01%) or ($192,162)
● Equalized pupils are up by 2.80 students or 0.22%
● Result: Education Spending per Equalized pupils is down ($179) or (1.22%)

State Impact on Budget Proposal:

● Announced State Tax Yield is down (3.13%) or ($318) per student
● Year 3 Act 46 tax incentives drops to $0.04 (from $0.06) – thus, $0.02 tax increase
● Result: Anticipated Homestead Tax Rate BEFORE applying Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) is up 3.50%

Local Community Impact from Budget Proposal after State Impact and Common Level of Appraisal Anticipated individual Town Homestead Tax Rates, note CLA’s vary by town resulting in different Homestead Tax Rates by town.

Brandon: +0.01 or $10 per $100,000 home site value
Goshen: +0.06 or $60 per $100,000 home site value
Leicester: +0.07 or $70 per $100,000 home site value
Pittsford: -(0.02) or ($20) per $100,000 home site value
Sudbury: -(0.09) or ($90) per $100,000 home site value
Whiting: +0.07 or $70 per $100,000 home site value

FULL TEXT OF FLYER

Good Afternoon,

Below is a link to the blank petition for an OVUUSD At-Large seat to complete the remaining two years of a three year term.

At this point in time, we have the following seats available on the OVUU Board:
• 2 – At-Large Seats (3 year term)
• 1 – At-Large Seat (Remaining 2 years of a 3 year term)
• 1 – Brandon Seat (3 year term)
• 1 – Leicester Seat (3 year term)
For your convenience, below are links to blank petitions for all of the above openings. These must be returned by January 31st, 2017 to your town clerk.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Information provided by:
Melinda Piper
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent
Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union
49 Court Drive
Brandon, Vermont 05733
P: (802) 247-5757 Ext. 22
F: (802) 247-5548
mpiper@rnesu.org

*Information edited for use on website