Minutes: SIFT Committee October 12, 2010

Minutes:  SIFT Committee

October 12, 2010

Present:  Erika Haynes, Kevin Donohue, Muphy Sewall, Chuck Pennewill, Richard Bloomer

Absent: Mark Doyle, Jeff Smith

1. Call to order at 7:05
2. No presentations were made
3. Minutes.   Murphy Sewall moved and Richard Bloomer seconded a motion to accept the minutes of 9/28.  The motion carried with 4 in favor and 1 abstention. 
4. Old Business
1. Reviewed the presentation on data compiled at the 9/28/10 meeting and discussed the assumptions.  Healthcare projections were increased as was fuel based principally on information from Murphy Sewall and Chuck Pennewill.  Then the meeting undertook a detailed discussion of projections for school income.  These complete the projections will be compiled by Kevin and sent by email to all members before the next meeting.  They will then be reviewed, modified as needed and this should complete the financial projection work called for in SIFT’s charter.
2. Erika went over her meeting with the State Commissioner of Education, which was a fact finding meeting to answer a question about ARRA dollars.  There was a lively discussion and some members were concerned that they were not informed of the meeting.  Erika pointed out that she was assigned the task in the previous meeting and was completing it but said she would inform all members of meetings with State officials in the future.  Erika handed out a schedule from the Commissioner for the possible take-over of Windham Public Schools.  This included an audit to be conducted by the state starting immediately of a number of issues in Windham schools.  Erika noted that the audit would provide information useful for SIFT discussions.
5. New Business
1. Erika suggested in light of the State audit that the pace of SIFT be slowed. This would afford SIFT the opportunity to use the information coming out of the audit.  There was general consensus around this and Erika said that she would present this to the Town Council.
6. Future Agenda Items
1. The completion of the analysis of the financial projections
2. Starting presentations which will inject new ideas into the discussion
3. A proposed Blog which would allow SIFT discussion to be make transparent
7. Adjourned at 8:45