 Northborough,
Massachusetts
WORKING GROUP
Working
Group
MEETING NOTICE
REGIONAL
SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREEMENT
WORKING
GROUP
Wednesday, January 3, 2001
7:00
p.m.
Algonquin
Regional High School Library
79
Bartlett Street, Northborough
AGENDA
1.
Continue review and approve the draft of the dissolution
initiation language. (Mr. Healey)
2.
Continue review and approve the definitions to be used in the
agreement (Ms. Gadbois and Ms. Sartori).
3.
Continue discussion of the process to determine the value of the
Regional District assets and the process to allocate those assets.
4. Any other business to come before the Group.
  
Section
_______ :
Dissolution of the
Regional School District
(a)The
District may be dissolved in accordance with the terms of either
section
(b)
or section (c), below.
Upon
an affirmative vote(s) to dissolve the District in accordance with the
terms of either section (b) or section (c), below, the following shall
take place:
1)
the
Boards of Selectmen for Northborough and Southborough shall appoint a
Transition Committee consisting of seven members from each town;
2)
the
Transition Committee shall within 90 days prepare and submit to the
Boards of Selectmen a report, including a time line and a transition
flan for the dissolution of the District and for the creation of two
K‑12 school systems, one in Northborough and one in
Southborough;
3)
upon
approval of the time line and transition plan by both Boards of
Selectmen the Transition Committee shall implement the transition
plan;
4)
each
town shall remain liable for any operating costs incurred prior to the
affirmative vote(s) for dissolution and during the transition plan,
according to the existing terms of this Regional Agreement;
5)
each
town shall remain liable for its share of the indebtedness of the
District outstanding at the time of dissolution of the District,
according to the existing terms of this Regional Agreement;
6)
the
existing assets of the District shall be apportioned equitably between
the two towns; and,
7)
upon
completion of the transition plan the Transition Committee shall
present to the towns of Northborough and Southborough a warrant
articles) formally dissolving the District.
(b)
One member town of the district unilaterally may cause the
dissolution of the District provided that, within any twelve month
period, the member town:
( 1 ) by an affirmative
vote of at least 2/3 of the voters present, approve at an annual or
special town meeting a warrant article in favor of dissolution
according to the terms of this section, and
(2)
by an affirmative vote of at least 3/5 of voters casting
ballots, approve a ballot question in favor of dissolution according
to the terms of this section.
(c)
The two member towns of' the district may, through joint
action, cause the dissolution of the District provided that, within
any twelve month period, both member towns approve at annual or
special town meetings warrant articles in favor of dissolution
according to the terms of this section.
(d) No vote or other action by
the Committee shall be required under this section.
REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREEMENT
WORKING GROUP
MEETING
MINUTES
November 29, 2000
Draft prepared by Marty Healey
MEMBERS
PRESENT: Dawn Rand (7:15 p.m.), David Coombs, Fred George, Jeff
Amberson, John Boiardi, Elaine Kelly, Lynne Winter, Charles Millett,
Martin Healey, Susan Sartori, Karen Gadbois.
There
were no changes suggested to the minutes of the November 8, 2000
meeting.
Fred
George convened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Library of the
Algonquin Regional High School.
Report
‑ Definitions to be used in the Agreement. Karen Gadbois and Susan Sartori distributed a
draft of the definitions and asked for comments by the Working Group
for the Working Group's next meeting.
Report
‑ Information on Study Reports prepared by other Regional School
Districts considering dissolution. Martin Healey indicated he had received a copy of the Pembroke and
Wachusetts Regional School Districts' Study Reports and will have
photocopies prepared for the Working Group.
Martin
Healey in reviewing the Wachusetts Report and in discussions with
Sterling & Holden
concerning
building value indicates that he now agrees with Dawn Land that the
current
Algonquin
High School Building has no value. For the short term there would be a
significant
amount
of work necessary for the current building or a new school would need
to be constructed.
Martin
Healey indicated the non‑fixed assets of the High~School would
have value and the land would have value.
Dawn
Rand arrived at 7:15 p.m.
Martin
Healey reviewed his previous points for Dawn Rand.
John
Boiardi indicated that he wants to know the value of the existing High
School Building.
Elaine
Kelly shared information on valuing the land and building prepared by
Mary Jane Mastrangelo.
Elaine
Kelly asked if the Working Group will allow audience participation.
The Working Group agreed to allow participation at the end of the
meeting if time is available.
The
Northborough Town Administrator distributed copies of the Northborough
High School Study Committee Report to the Working Group as requested
at the Working Group's last meeting.
The
Working Group continued discussion of the dissolution section including
initiation of the dissolution process by 1 town or 2 towns.
Martin
Healey suggested either a Town Meeting vote or Board of Selectmen vote
of any 1 town to initiate a study of dissolution including
costs/benefits. Martin Healey referenced the Wachusetts Report.
Dawn
Rand indicated she was more comfortable with a Town Meeting vote rather
than just a Board of Selectmen vote to initiate the process.
David
Coombs suggested a joint study committee of both Towns to conduct a
study similar to Wachusetts.
The
current Agreement requires both Towns to agree to dissolve. The Working
Group agreed to the following process to initiate dissolution:
A.
1 Town may initiate process by a Town Meeting vote (2/3rds) then
having a Town Ballot vote
(60 %) to dissolve.
B.
If both Towns wish to dissolve then there would be majority vote
of each town at a Town Meeting followed by a Town Ballot vote
(majority).
For
the next meeting Martin Healey will draft language concerning
dissolution initiation. The agenda for the next meeting will also
discuss asset valuation and allocation.
The
Working Group discussed and agreed to send a letter to the Regional
School Committee explaining the charge of the Working Group which is to
draft amendments to the Regional Agreement as originally charged by the
Boards of Selectmen of both towns.
The
Working Group cancelled it's December 27th meeting and scheduled
meetings for December 13 (Southborough) and December 20 (Northborough).
The
meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
The
next meeting is December 13 at the Southborough Town house.
Respectfully submitted,
Barry M. Brenner
Town
Administrator
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