Central Lincoln County School System

Plan to Reorganize as an Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS)

 

School  Administrative Units (SAUs) submitting: Bremen School Department, Bristol School Department, Damariscotta School Department, Newcastle School Department, Nobleboro School Department, South Bristol School Department, Great Salt Bay Community School District, Jefferson School Department, Edgecomb School Department, Southport School Department, and Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District (hereinafter collectively ÒMember School UnitsÓ).

 

Contact information:  F. Parker Renelt (RPC Chair) 563-3044, Stephen Ward (RPC Co-Chair) 563-3195, Eileen King (School Union 49 Superintendent) 633-2874, Robert Bouchard (School Union 74 Superintendent) 563-3044, Frank Boynton (Jefferson Superintendent) 549-1010.

 

Date submitted by SAUs:  ________, 2008

 

Proposed operational date of the Central Lincoln County School  System:  July 1, 2009

 

1. The units of school administration to be included in the proposed Central Lincoln County School System.

Bremen School Department

Bristol School Department

Damariscotta School Department

Newcastle School Department

Nobleboro School Department

Great Salt Bay Community School District

Jefferson School Department

Edgecomb School Department

South Bristol School Department

Southport School Department

Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District

 

2. The size, composition and apportionment of the governing body. 

 

The Central Lincoln County School System shall be governed by an AOS school committee consisting of representatives of the school committees of each of the three towns within the Great Salt Bay Community School District, being the Towns of Bremen, Damariscotta, and Newcastle; the school committee members from each of the two towns within the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District, being the Towns of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor; and the school committees of the Towns of Bristol, Nobleboro, Jefferson, Edgecomb, South Bristol, and Southport as follows:

 

            Municipality                                      Number of Representatives

            Bremen                                                                        1         

            Bristol                                                                         1         

            Damariscotta                                                               1         

            Edgecomb                                                                   1         

            Jefferson                                                                     1         

            Newcastle                                                                    1         

            Nobleboro                                                                   1         

            South Bristol                                                               1         

            Southport                                                                    1         

            Boothbay________________                         ______1_____

Boothbay Harbor ­­­­_________                                     1         

           

 

The school committee of each municipality in the AOS shall choose from its membership the representatives to the AOS school committee to which that municipality is entitled, except that in the case of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor which do not have local school committees, the members of the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District (ÒBB-BBH CSDÓ)  school committee from Boothbay shall select the AOS school committee representative from Boothbay and the members of the BB-BBH CSD school committee from Boothbay Harbor shall select the AOS school committee representative from Boothbay Harbor. 

 

3.  The method of voting of the governing body. 

 

The votes of the individual members of the AOS school committee shall be cast on a weighted basis in accordance with the Interlocal Agreement.

4. The composition, powers and duties of local school committees

 

The composition, powers and duties of the school committees of the Member School Units shall remain unchanged except as specifically modified by the attached Interlocal Agreement or as otherwise provided in this plan.

 

5.  The disposition of real and personal school property. 

 

School Union 49 personal property will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.   School Union 74 personal property will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.  School Union 49 has no real property at this time.  School Union 74 has no real property at this time.   Real and personal school property of the Member School Units will remain with them.

 

6.  The disposition of existing school indebtedness and lease-purchase obligations if the parties elect not to use the provisions of Section 1506 regarding the disposition of debt obligations.  

 

School Union 49 indebtedness and lease-purchase obligations will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.  School Union 74 indebtedness and lease-purchase obligations will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.  The indebtedness and lease-purchase obligations of the Member School Units will remain with them. 

 

7.  The assignment of school personnel contracts, school collective bargaining agreements and other school contractual obligations. 

 

School Union 49 personnel, personnel contracts, and other contractual obligations will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System. School Union 74 personnel, personnel contracts, and other contractual obligations will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.  Personnel contracts, school collective bargaining agreements and other school contractual agreements of the Member School Units will remain with them.  The contracts between the superintendents and school administrative units within the AOS are transferred on the date established to the AOS. The AOS school committee shall determine the superintendentsÕ duties within the AOS.

 

 

8.  The disposition of existing school funds and existing financial obligations, including undesignated fund balances, trust funds, reserve funds and other funds appropriated for school purposes. 

 

Existing school funds and financial obligations of School Union 49, including undesignated fund balances, trust funds, reserve funds and other funds appropriated for school purposes will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.  Existing school funds and financial obligations of School Union 74, including undesignated fund balances, trust funds, reserve funds and other funds appropriated for school purposes will be transferred to the Central Lincoln County School System.  Existing school funds and existing financial obligations of the Member School Units will remain with them.  

 

9.  A transition plan that addresses the development of a budget for the first school year of the reorganized unit and interim personnel policies. 

 

The School Union 49, 74 and Jefferson Reorganization Planning Committee shall dissolve on the date that the Central Lincoln County School System  isSystem is approved by the voters as specified in Section 11 herein or on June 30, 2009, whichever occurs first.

 

The Central Lincoln County School System school committee shall be appointed by February 15, 2009 and shall develop the budget for the Central Lincoln County School System for FY 2009-10.  The Central Lincoln County School System budget for FY 2009-10 shall be adopted by the voters in accordance with the budget meeting and budget validation referendum procedures applicable to regional school units as provided in the Interlocal Agreement.  The Central Lincoln County School System school committee shall employ  a Central Lincoln County School System school superintendent and make all other necessary decisions in order for the Central Lincoln County School System to become operational.  Present Union No. 74 personnel policies shall serve as the interim policies for the Central Lincoln County School System.

á      Following its appointment in February 2009, the AOS board shall develop an initial AOS budget for adoption in accordance with the AOS plan. 

á      The superintendents of the member units of the AOS shall submit a plan for central office organization to the AOS board for approval by June 1, 2009.  This plan shall include assignment of duties of central office personnel and plans for integration of back office functions.  The plan shall also include assignment of duties for special education administration, transportation administration, and maintenance administration. 

á      The AOS board shall implement an AOS budget effective July 1, 2009.

á      The AOS board will develop in 2009-2010 a common school calendar and set of consistent school polices for implementation in 2010-2011.

 

 

           

10.  Documentation of the public meeting or public meetings held to prepare or review the reorganization plan.   

 

See attached list of RPC meetings.  All RPC meetings are public and at each meeting the public is allowed to comment.  All meeting agendas, minutes and related documents are available at Office of the Superintendent, 767 Main Street, Damariscotta.  A public forum on the proposed Reorganization Plan was will be  held on ________________, January 14,  20089.  Prior to referendum a public forum shall be held in each town to review the reorganization plan.

 

 

11.  An explanation of how units that approve the reorganization plan will proceed if one or more of the proposed members of the AOS fail to approve the plan.  

 

If the plan is approved by the voters of Bremen, Damariscotta, Newcastle and the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD, then Central Lincoln County School System shall be formed under this plan with those SAUs and with the SAUs of each of the following municipalities whose voters also approve the plan: Bristol, South Bristol, Nobleboro, Jefferson, Edgecomb and/or Southport.

 

If the plan is approved by the voters of Bremen, Damariscotta, Newcastle and the voters of enough of the following municipalities to reach 1200 students: Bristol, South Bristol, Edgecomb, Nobleboro and/or Jefferson, but the plan is not approved by the voters of the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD, then the Central Lincoln County School System  shall be formed under this plan with the SAUs of the above mentioned municipalities whose voters approved the plan, but Central Lincoln County School System  shall not include the SAU of Southport. 

 

If the plan is not approved in one of the manners specified above, then Central Lincoln County School System shall not be formed under this plan, and the SAUs shall re-start the process to form an AOS with the same or other SAUs.               

 

 

12.  An estimate of the cost savings to be achieved by the formation of an Alternative Operating Structure and how these savings will be achieved.  

 

Some savings due to efficiency of scale are anticipated, although startup processes will delay any immediate savings.  The consolidation of central office functions will provide savings through elimination of duplicated functions.  The consolidation of special education administration will provide savings through the consolidation of clerical functions and through increased cooperative efforts.  The consolidation of transportation administration will provide savings through consolidated buying efforts (Union 74 already has a bus contract with First Student which provides for busses to cross town lines and pick up students through the most efficient routing).  We estimate savings of $65,000 in the first year through the closing of the Union 132 Central Office (Jefferson).  These savings will be offset by $75,000 in estimated additional expenses the first year for start up costs and legal fees as well as the loss of state subsidy.

á      Estimated savings in 2009-2010: none.

Estimated administrative savings in 2010-2011: $10,00075,000 from consolidated functions of central office and consolidation into a single central office in one location.

 

13. Other matters determined to be necessary.  

 

 

13-A.  Other School Union Assets and liabilities:

 

The Jefferson School Department will retain any assets and liabilities related to its prior association with School Union 132.

 

13-B.  Tuition Contracts and School Choice

 

1.              Tuition Contracts

As of the date of this plan, Member School Units are parties to the following tuition contracts:

a.     Edgecomb has a contract with Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD for the CSD to accept all students in grades 7 and 8 who wish to attend            .  This contract expires June 30, 2009.

b.     Southport has a contract with Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD for the CSD to accept all students in grades 7 and 8 who wish to attend            .  This contract expires June 30, 2013.

           

Nothing contained in this plan shall prevent Member School Units from contracting with other school administrative units for tuition students.

 

2.         School Choice

 

Nothing contained in this plan shall affect school choice within the member municipalities.

 

 

13-C.  Claims and Insurance

 

Continuity of insurance shall be maintained with the assistance of counsel.

 

13-D.  Plan for Consistent Collective Bargaining Agreements

 

 

Current background and context:

 

There are presently 2 types of collective bargaining agreements in place within the Member School Units.  The first type of agreement covers the support staff in the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor C.S.D. and Jefferson.  The Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor C.S.D. Support staff agreement expires August 31, 2011, and the Jefferson Support Staff agreement expires June 30, 2009.  The employment of all support staff in the other member school units are not presently covered by a collective bargaining contract.

 

The second type of collective bargaining agreement covers the teachers in each of the member unit towns. The existing collective bargaining agreements covering bargaining units of teachers and their expiration dates are as follows:

 

Jefferson:   Aug 31, 2009
Nobleboro:  Aug 31, 2009
Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD: Aug 31, 2009

Bristol:  Aug 31, 2010
Great Salt Bay CSD:   Aug 31, 2010
Edgecomb:   Aug 31, 2010
Southport:  Aug 31, 2010

South Bristol:  Aug 31, 2011.

 

 

The following plan applies to both types of collective bargaining agreements.

 

AOS School System plan to achieve consistent bargaining agreements:

 

1.         SAU school boards

            The school board of each school administrative unit shall appoint a negotiating committee that has the authority to bargain and to make tentative agreements with the bargaining agents. 

 

2.         AOS Joint Bargaining Advisory Committee

            The SAU negotiating committees shall together comprise an AOS-wide Joint Bargaining Advisory Committee.  The duties of the committee shall include:

 

á               to review and analyze differences and similarities among existing collective bargaining agreements;

á               to make recommendations to the school boards regarding contract provisions that can be made consistent, with a particular focus on non-salary contract language;

á               to make available information that should be shared between individual SAUÕs negotiating committees during the process of negotiating agreements ; 

á               to meet and consult with any joint bargaining committee formed by the bargaining agents of the local bargaining units;

á               such other duties and functions as may be assigned to them by the SAU school boards.

 

3.         Goals

            By working in consultation with the AOS Joint Bargaining Advisory Committee, the SAU school boards should aspire to the following goals intended to promote consistency among the collective bargaining agreements:

 

A.        to achieve a common expiration date for all collective bargaining agreements by August 31, 2013;

 

B.        To negotiate common non-salary language for all collective bargaining agreements by August 31, 2016;

 

C.        Subject to agreement and cooperation by the bargaining agents, to commence AOS-wide joint bargaining for non-financial issues by August 31, 2016;

 

D.        Consider the applicability of coordinating long term financial issues to reduce differences in collective bargaining agreements.

E.         Consistency shall not be construed to mean equal salary and benefits.

           

The plan for consistent collective bargaining agreements is subject to the duty of the school boards to negotiate in accordance with applicable law with the recognized bargaining agents of the bargaining units.  Therefore, the plan is subject to modification by the AOS school committee and the individual SAU school boards.

 

 

13-F:  Incorporation of Interlocal Agreement

 

The Interlocal Agreement for the Creation of Central Lincoln County School  System, attached to this Plan as Exhibit A, is expressly incorporated into and made a part of this Plan.