Bd of Ed Updates August 2024

Welcome August!
It’s hard to believe that there are only 3 weeks left until the start of school and much is being done to welcome students with open arms! Currently rebranding is being
completed, finishing touches are being put on other building and property projects, and all spaces are coming close to being ready for the return of teachers and students.
While all this is happening, the board is also working hard as well. Below are a few highlights from our most recent board meetings on August 7 and 8th.

 The board participated in a board training for the new and veteran members. We reviewed how the board should function and our legal rights and responsibilities.
 We received a proposal from a local fiscal expert. The board approved an agreement to bring him in to do an independent review of our budget processes and procedures. The scope of work will include a review of the existing budget, analysis of grants and revenue sources, and identification of discrepancies. The report will be presented to the board and made public upon completion.

After careful consideration and review of the capital list, the board approved move forward with a referendum process to bond for the amount of 1.7 million dollars in capital and 1.8 million in debt service payments to Litchfield. The official referendum question will be finalized and a time table for the referendum hearings and vote will be forthcoming. The board plans to meet with town officials to
review this information. The board will be putting out a survey to the public to hear from the taxpayers and begin setting up town tours in order to present the details of the referendum to citizens.

The committee met to discuss the Arethusa Farm agreement. The farm is a wonderful opportunity but not something that the board can pursue for programming this year. At this time no tax payer money or referendum money will be used for the Arethusa Farm Foundation. It was recommended that talks continue with the Arethusa Foundation with the hopes of finding some grants or donations that can be used to maintain the farm and bring it up to a standard that could house ASTE classes. In the mean, the ASTE program on Lakeview campus will continue to meet the needs of the students and already planned expansion projects funded through SWAG will continue. In time proper programming can be built out that will take full advantage of the Arethusa property and hopefully in the near future that can still be a collaboration that comes to fruition.