Rockport Select Board has list of questions to ask Camden-Rockport school board members about money spent
ROCKPORT — The Select Board in Rockport has a fairly short agenda this evening, Oct. 26, but a long list of targeted questions for the Rockport representatives to the three School Administrative District 28 board members, including their decision to grant their superintendent a cash bonus.
The conversation follows a lengthy and litigious resolution process to the problem revealed last summer, when administrators revealed that Rockport had been inadvertently overcharged, and Camden undercharged, for more than a decade for its K-8 public education costs.
Camden and Rockport share almost the entire load of funding K-8 elementary and middle schools. This year, the $17 million budget falls primarily on the local property taxpayer, given that the state does not kick in sizable dollar funding to SAD 28.
The financial resolution to the problem has yet to be discussed amongst the three entities: Camden and Rockport select boards, with the SAD 28 school board.
Although a judge issued a 60- day stay (September) on the lawsuit proceedings filed in Knox County Superior Court by Rockport against Camden and SAD 28, there has been no talk amongst municipal and school leaders on the matter.
On Oct. 6, SAD 28 filed its response to the complaint, denying the Rockport allegations.
“MSAD 28 denies that Rockport’s alleged overpayment of its share of MSAD 28’s additional local revenue over a number of years due to MSAD’s incorrect assessment formula conferred significant benefits upon MSAD,” the response said.
The questions, which are included in the Select Board packet (see attached PDF), have been prepared for this evening’s conversation with school board members Marcia Dietrich, Brianna Gutierrez and Sarah Bradley Prindiville.
“The list of questions was compiled by me,” said Town Manager William Post, when queried about their origin. “Each Select Board member provided some questions to me, and at the prior meeting when this meeting was discussed.”
Questions for SAD 28 board members
1. It is reported the superintendent received a 3% raise and a $7,070 bonus, which is unusual for a government entity, raising these questions.
a. Are the above contractually required?
b. How was the 3% raise derived?
c. How was the $7,070 bonus derived?
d. What basis did the school board use to award a bonus knowing the funds are from taxpayer funds?
Did other employees receive bonuses? If so, what positions and what amounts?
2. What is the goal setting and review process for the school district/school board/superintendent? How does that correspond with salary increases and bonuses?
3. Is there any input sought from the towns when raises or bonuses are being considered?
4. It is reported that all the management positions received anywhere from a 2-7% raise. How were they derived? Was a wage study done to include the superintendent and, if so, how recent?
5. Given concerns in the spring arising from the pandemic about job losses and the ability of taxpayers to pay for anything ranging from taxes to groceries, did the school board consider requesting the superintendent to review the proposed budget after it was delivered to her for potential additional savings to help the tax payers? If so, what were the reductions in the budget? If not, why not?
6. Did the school district reduce expenses during March to June during the pandemic? If so, what was the savings and where is that funding now? Was it used to help offset the FY21 budget? If not, why not?
7. Will you as Rockport’s representatives on the school board instruct the superintendent to bring in a budget reflecting no increase for FY22?
8. Did MSAD 28/Five Towns CSD receive any federal/state funding due to the pandemic? If so, how much, what has it/will it be spent on? Does this help offset expenses that were in the FY21 budget?
9. In light of the fact that the assessments to Camden and Rockport for MSAD 28 have not been accurately calculated for years ( as early as early 2000s), what procedures are in place so that when administrations change (superintendents, business managers, etc.) we are assured this, or other errors, don’t happen again?
10. How can the school board representatives from Rockport and the select board better work together/maintain communications/better engage going forward to assure the best interests of students and taxpayers of Rockport are maintained?
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