March 11, 2010, page 5

School Board reorganized at March 3 meeting. The board elected Lynne Jaunich as chair, Sue Thibault as vice-chair, and new board member Kristin Wright as clerk. The board representatives to the Chittenden South Supervisory District Board are Sue Thibault, Dan Luce and Lynne Jaunich. The teacher negotiation team representatives will continue to be Lynne Jaunich and retired board member Patrice Machavern.

In reflecting about the budget since its defeat, Machavern said her initial reaction was “disappointment and disbelief." We entered into budget development knowing full well there was a fiscal storm brewing and took seriously the challenge from Montpelier to flatline school spending. Total reductions in spending were in the $340,000 range in order to accomplish this task, and every stone was turned over and evaluated. This year the disconnect between the spending at a local level and the revenues generated based on a funding formula that has many patches became very apparent as the local school board worked diligently to present a budget that was 1.65% less than last year (recall last year was flatlined), yet the tax impact was significant in the other direction. My hope is that voters will support the quality of the education being provided to the children of Charlotte when the school board presents its revised budget.”

A special school district meeting will be held Tuesday, April 6, for the Australian ballot vote on a revised budget.