Town of Watertown

Joint Meeting
Town Council Committee of the Budget & Fiscal Oversight
Town Council Committee on Education & School System Matters

Report
May 25, 2010

The Committee convened on May 20, 2010 at 6:34 pm. Present at the meeting were Vincent Piccirilli,
chair, Budget & Fiscal Oversight; Cecilia Lenk, chair, Education & School System Matters; Joint
Committee members, Councilors Angie Kounelis and John Lawn; Council President Mark Sideris;
Town Manager Michael Driscoll; Town Auditor Tom Tracy; Treasurer/Collector Phyllis Marshall. The
following representatives of the Watertown Public Schools were present: Anthony Paolillo, School
Committee chair; Superintendent Ann Koufman-Frederick; School Committee members David Leon,
John Portz, and Laurie McManus; Allie Altman, Director of Business Services; and Jay Francione,
Director of Facilities and Transportation. Also present were Arlene Smith, Coordinator Watertown
Family Network (WFN) and Joe Previtera, WFN Parent Council. Councilor Anthony Palombo joined
the meeting at 7:00 pm.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss: 1) the proposal to move the Watertown Family Network to
the Phillips School and the required renovations; and 2) a pending $600,000 loan order for summer
2010 school capital improvement projects in preparation for a first reading at the Town Council on May
25th.

1. Budget and plans for the renovation of space at the Phillips School for WFN.

School Committee Chair Anthony Paolillo and Superintendent Kaufman presented a budget of $104,460
for the proposed renovations of the first floor of the Phillips School and the required move of the
Robotics Club from the Phillips School to Watertown High School (see attached). The School
Committee and Administration proposed that Phillips School space be renovated to house both WFN
and a possible day care center (budget $56,860). The area at the Phillips School proposed for
renovation currently houses the Robotics Club. The School Administration had also planned to move
Technical Services to this area. In order to facilitate WFN and the day care, the Robotics Club facility
will move to the former electronics classroom on the first floor of the High School (budget $16,500);
Technical Services will also move the first floor of the High School (budget $31,100).

Recognizing the importance WFN to families and children in Watertown and that state and grant
funding to this organization had been cut dramatically, the Joint Committee raised two key issues for
discussion: understanding how the proposed renovations, both at the Phillips School and WHS, fit into
the School Administration’s long range plans; and the commitment of the WFN to moving into the
proposed space at the Phillips School.

Arlene Smith noted that although she had not seen the plans for the space and the square footage was
smaller than desirable, she was committed to moving into the Phillips School and would contribute
funds to support the renovations. Superintendent Kaufman spoke to the possible use of part of the
Phillips School space for a future day care center for school employees. She said that a survey of school
employees had shown that they would like a day care center, however actual planning/implementation
of such a facility was at least a year away. Superintendent Kaufman mentioned the creation of an
Advisory Committee to develop long-range plans for family and children’s programs within the school
system. Superintendent Kaufman and members of the School Committee noted that the renovations
would make this area appropriate for children’s programs in the future.

The Joint Committee discussed whether a memorandum of understanding was in place with WFN; the
impact of this move on the students participating on Robotics; and requested assurance that these
renovations fit into the School Administration’s long-range plans. The Joint Committee also noted that
several items included in the budget were not capital expenses and would need to be funded out of other
line items.

The Joint Committee voted unanimously to approve the conceptual plan for the renovations to the first
floor of the Phillips School and related areas, subject to the condition that the School Committee and
WFN have a signed memorandum of understanding in place before the vote on the loan order on June
8th. School Chairman Anthony Paolillo said the memorandum would be in place prior to the next
School Committee Meeting on June 7th for a vote by the School Committee.

2. Final list of summer 2010 projects to recommend for the $600K loan order for the first
reading on May 25.

Auditor Tom Tracy presented the Joint Committee with the available funds for school capital projects as
of May 20th (see attached). Although there is currently an outstanding balance of $572,868, discussion
between Ms. Altman and Mr. Tracy agreed that this balance included funding for committed projects
and summer 2010 school technology purchases of $351K. The remaining balance is approximately
$190K. The Joint Committee indicated that Ms. Altman and Mr. Tracy resolve the outstanding balance.

Mr. Paolillo and Superintendent Kaufman presented the Capitol Improvements Summer Schedule (see
attached) totaling $604,000.

The Joint Committee requested that $103K be removed from the schedule for items related to energy
and lighting because these would be addressed under the pending ESCO agreement. The Joint
Committee was concerned that some of these projects could not be completed in summer 2010 given the
projects already scheduled, and that funds should not be borrowed in 2010 if the work could not be
completed in summer 2010. In addition, although recognizing the need, the Committee questioned
whether such items as security cameras and the projection system for WHS fit under capital
expenditures because the lifespan of these items was less than the required 5 years. The Joint
Committee made the following decisions regarding this request:

• Mr. Francione and Ms. Altman would review the schedule to determine which projects could be
completed in summer 2010.
• Ms. Marshall, Mr. Tracy, and Ms. Altman would meet on Friday, May 21st to determine the
final projects and budget for the loan order.

Recognizing the importance of protecting the Town’s capital investment in its school buildings by
appropriating funds for annual maintenance, the Joint Committee unanimously voted that the proposed
$600,000 loan order be revised as recommended above, and be brought forward for a first reading on
May 25th.

The meeting adjourned at 8:06 pm.

Prepared by Cecilia Lenk