MINUTES
Meeting of August 1, 1997
The Oversight Committee on Restructuring Education met at 10:30 a.m. in Room 11 of the State House, Montpelier, Vermont.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Sens. Cheryl P. Rivers, Chair; Nancy I. Chard; James H. Greenwood; Peter E. Shumlin; Reps. Paul A. Cillo; John S. Freidin; David C. Hathaway; Martha P. Heath; Karen M. Lafayette. Sen. Helen S. Riehle participated via telephone.
STAFF PRESENT: Bill Russell and Rachel Levin of the Legislative Council; Steve Klein and Catherine Benham of the Joint Fiscal Office.
Senator Shumlin called the committee to order and suggested the committee begin with agenda item number 2.
2. COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DEADLINES
Bill Russell of the Legislative Council reviewed committee responsibilities and deadlines.
Committee members outlined their views of the direction the committee should take.
3. STATUS REPORTS ON IMPLEMENTATION
Kathy Hoyt, Secretary of Administration, reviewed 7/31/97 memo to the committee and gave an overview of the status of implementation. Secretary Hoyt noted that Department of Finance and Management personnel would attend the next meeting. She also said that at the time her Deputy is appointed that person will be the contact person for the committee.
Ed Haase, Commissioner of Taxes and Bill Hayden, Director of Property Valuation and Review outlined the Department of Taxes plans for implementation. Commissioner Haase reviewed a 8/1/97 memo with the committee. He also announced that as of 8/30/97 Bill Johnson will become the Director of Property Valuation and Review and Bill Hayden will join the tax policy group.
1. COMMITTEE FORMATION
Senator Shumlin nominated Rep. Freidin and Sen. Rivers to chair the committee and that Sen. Rivers chair the committee for the first half of the period between the current date and January 1999 and that Rep. Freidin chair the committee for the second half. Senator Chard seconded Senator Shumlin’s nomination. Passed on unanimous vote.
Senator Rivers chaired the remainder of the meeting.
3. RESUME STATUS REPORTS ON IMPLEMENTATION
Marc Hull, Commissioner of Education reviewed an 8/1/97 status report as well as an 8/2/97 document developed for the purpose of aiding presentations to groups.
Diane Wolk, Chair, State Board of Education, reviewed Board’s responsibilities, stating that the Board is taking direct responsibility for governance.
4. DISCUSSION AND WORK PLAN DEVELOPMENT
Committee discussion focused on how to best facilitate good communication between Act 60 implementers, local officials, the committee and the public. Diane Wolk stated that a State Board of Education member would attend each meeting of the committee.
A committee work plan will be developed over the coming weeks.
5. AGENDA, SCHEDULE, HEARINGS
Agenda for the 8/26/97 meeting is attached. Meetings were scheduled for 8/26/97 and 9/9/97 to begin at 9:30 a.m. The committee tentatively agreed that when it meets, it will try to meet on Tuesdays.
The committee noted that it would schedule public hearings as it has access to and develops informational materials.
The committee agreed to send a letter from the chair of the committee to local town and school officials to provide an opportunity for written statements to the committee on areas which need to be addressed as well as questions which need to be answered.
The meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rachel Levin