Wednesday, January 24, 2001

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 January 24, 2001

 

MEMBERS PRESENT: Dawn Rand, David Coombs, Fred George, Jeff Amberson, John Boiardi, Elaine Kelly, Lynne Winter, Charles Millett, Martin Healey.

 

David Coombs convened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Second Floor Hearing Room of the Southborough Town House.

 

Martin Healey distributed a revised draft section on dissolution (copy attached to these minutes).

 

John Boiardi distributed a hand‑out on Asset Allocation (copy attached to these minutes).

 

Fred George discussed the approaching deadlines for Town Meetings relative to the efforts of the Working Group and asked for the Working Group's thoughts relative to these deadlines.

 

Elaine Kelly believed it was important not to rush the Working Group's efforts.

 

Charlie Millett indicated he had spoken with Christine Lynch of the State Dept. of Education who is willing to review the Working Group's draft concerning dissolution.

 

There was discussion as to a piecemeal versus entire Agreement approach.

 

Dawn Rand expressed concern about the Town Meetings deadlines and suggested a piecemeal approach to try for the deadlines using consensus.

 

Dawn Rand indicated with respect to dissolution that value would need to be evaluated presently as well as in the future. If Southborough were to leave the District it would need to set forth that the land and the building would go to Northborough.

 

Martin Healey indicated that Wachusetts Regional District placed a $1.00 value on their .,,present building.

 

John Boiardi stated that the $1.00 value in Wachusetts was only if the building was not reused.

 

David Coombs indicated that the present building does not have value.

 

Dawn Rand indicated that the existing building value could be arrived at by consensus.

 

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