By Nick Mattera
A special meeting of the Lewiston-Porter school board was almost over before it began Tuesday, following public criticism of the board’s review of election polices and procedures.
An expected vote on several election-related polices was abruptly interrupted when district resident Alan Ward harshly criticized the board and Superintendent R. Christopher Roser for not using a recording device during the session, as well as a number of minute details surrounding the proposed policy changes.
The criticism forced Roser to ask the board to call an end to the meeting.
“I am not going to sit here and let anyone question the ethics of this board,” Roser said in response to Ward’s criticism. “I would suggest the board consider calling the special meeting to an end.”
A motion by board President Keith Fox to close the special session failed by a 4-3 vote, with board members April Fideli, Mike Gentile and Jim Sperduti voting to close the meeting.
“If a tape recorder isn’t required by law, I don’t think that is any reason to hold up this meeting,” board member Ed Waller said.
Waller then facilitated a discussion on the proposed policy changes, questioning why the district waited until two months prior to the election to propose the changes.
“Quite frankly it was an oversight,” Roser said in response. “Our committee for elections began meeting in February, and we wanted to do this over the course of the year, but it didn’t work out that way.”
Roser said the polices are a key way of letting voters know as far in advance as possible of what will be on the ballot.
Waller then made a motion to table the polices until after the election to allow for public review and comment. That measure was defeated 5-2, with Waller and board member Robert Weller voting in favor of tabling the policies.
The board then approved the policy changes by the same vote of 5-2.
Changes made:
• 50 DAYS— The amount of time prior to the election certain voter or board referendums must be submitted prior to the election as required by law.
• 45 DAYS — The amount of time prior to an election a voter referendum must be submitted.
• 30 DAYS — The amount of time a board-sponsored referendum must be submitted prior to the election.
The board said it was establishing these polices to ensure it doesn’t have a repeat of last year’s election time uncertainties. Twenty-eight days prior to last year’s election, former board member Ed Lilly proposed a referendum that would reduce the size of the school board from seven members to five.
Fox said at next week’s regular board meeting members will vote on a hotly contended “cost control” referendum that Fox “believes will pass.”
In other meeting-related issues Roser laid out hypothetical cost saving measures that could be implemented on non-mandated programs to help bridge an expected $1.8 million budget gap.
Roser outlined savings districtwide that would cut 28.5 teachers and 11 aides, coming with a savings of $1.25 million.
In the elementary schools, Roser said the district could cut pre-kindergarten completely as it is not required by the state. That measure would cut three half-day teachers, four half-day aides and funds normally used for supplies.
In grades one through six, technology, accelerated reading and counseling programs would be cut, adding up to a savings of more than $600,000.
At the middle school level, just $114,816 in possible savings was found, by eliminating two band and orchestra positions.
At the high school level, Roser found about $510,000 in savings through cutting art, advanced placement, business and technology electives.
Roser said even with all of the cuts to teachers they still do not completely eliminate the expected budget deficit.
“Just getting rid of staff obviously isn’t the answer,” Roser said. “It’s too cliché, everyone thinks there’s just so much fluff in schools and when you start looking, it just isn’t true.”
Roser said the non-mandated programs are what make Lewiston-Porter stand out and reiterated the cuts are solely hypothetical.
“These decisions are hard to make,” Roser said. “They are hard for the board to make and we will have to digest this over the next two or three weeks and find the best possible solution there is.”
