Minutes – January 27, 2010

January 27, 2010 6:00 – 8:00 PM

MEETING MINUTES


Procedural Items:

1. Welcome/Call to Order : Meeting called to order by Pat Leahan at 6:08 PM

2. Establish quorum: Quorum established

3. In attendance: Cindy McLeod (Director), Governing Council members Caroline Garduño-Lopez (WLV School Board Rep.), Suzanne DeVos-Cole, Chris Cudia, Sally Flores (welcome to your first GC meeting!), Pat Leahan (hungry secretary), Kim Kirkpatrick (recently fed and appearing quite satisfied); Guests Dawn Biagianti (WLV Business Mgr.), Sebastian Flores (WLV High School Student)

Excused: Naomi Swinton, Diane Moore, Marisol Meyer

Absent: Cat Leger, Jaibo Bailey

4. Approval of Agenda: Motion by Suzanne, Second by Diana, all approved, motion passed

5. Approval of Minutes: Motion by Chris, Second by Caroline, all approved, motion passed

6. Confirm date of next regular meeting: Wed., Feb. 24, 2010, 6-8PM


Public Comments, Student and Amigos Reports:

7. Director’s Report: (see attached) Cindy McLeod

8. Budget/Auditor’s/Business Manager’s Report:

We welcomed Dawn, the new WLV Business Manager. She provided Cindy with the following handouts, which Cindy will disseminate to us: Revenue Report updated through today; Expenditure Report updated through today; Schedule for budget study sessions for the WLV School Board; List of areas to consider for WLV budget cuts submitted to Dr. Abreu by the Business Office for WLV; Mid-year spending and spring deadlines (deadlines on purchasing may be imposed, so please use March 15th as a deadline for out-of-town purchases, and March 31st as a deadline for in-town purchases – this will affect RGS); Updated purchasing policies to comply with procurement code to come into line with NM statutes; Local policies and procedures that needed to be updated to comply with the updated purchasing policies; Form for emergency procurement; WLV Schools Purchasing Procedures Flowchart; WLV School Site Budget Memorandum handed out to WLV School Board last week; Memo about the budget study sessions for WLV; Site Department Priorities Form; Request to Use School Facilities Form; Grant-writing procedures; Memo re: giving gifts to employees (e.g., avoid buying gifts of $25 or more per employee from school budget).

The WLV Business Manager wants to schedule a budget study session at each school site so parents, staff et al. can gain a better understanding of the schools’ budgetary matters.

Cindy requested that the salary schedule and calendar for RGS be able sync up with the WLV salary schedule. Dawn will look into that.

April 29th our budget is due to PED; May 13th is our technical review. Wed. March 3rd,, 6-7:30 PM will be our first RGS budget review work session (needs to be advertised). All Governing Council Members should plan to attend this first session, and Dawn will attend. The second budget meeting will be Wed. March 31 (needs to be advertised) to occur at the parent meeting — 5:30 for parent meeting and 6PM for budget discussion. Tue. April 20th (needs to be advertised) 6-7:30 PM will be the final budget review for RGS with Dawn. Sally and Pat will be unable to attend, and this meeting will not need a quorum.

May 13th will be the technical review for RGS with WLV School Board. Diana Whitten will attend to represent RGS.

9. Amigos de Rio Gallinas Report:

Feb. 2 Fundraiser: Ilfeld Auditorium, 6 pm

Burritos, Desserts, Silent Auction, April Verch Band

Plaza Hotel Fundraiser

SynergyFest Help Needed

10. Student Representatives Report (no student reps were present)


Executive Session: none needed


Action Items:

11. BAR Increase: $2097.00 from PED into program 27154 mentorship program

Motion by Kim, Second by Chris, all approved, motion passed

12. Budget Transfer:

71000 2600 54610 0000 068004 0000 to 71000 2600 51100 0000 068004 1615

Renting land and buildings to salaries expense for employee $11,000

Motion by Diana, Second by Kim, all approved, motion passed

13. Nepotism Waiver:

NMSA 1978 22-8B-10 B: “The head administrator of a charter school shall not initially employ or approve the initial employment in any capacity of a person who is the spouse, father, father-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, sister or sister-in-law of a member of the governing body or the head administrator.  The governing body may waive the nepotism rule for family members of a head administrator.”

Kim moved: “Per NMSA 1978 22-8B-10 B, the Governing Council of Rio Gallinas School hereby waives the nepotism rule regarding hiring specifically as it might apply to John McLeod, the spouse of the current Director Cindy McLeod.”

Second by Diana, all approved, motion passed


Old Business:

Outstanding Items from Previous Meetings:

14. Charter School Coalition Training Availability: Caroline, Diane, Suzanne, and Sally still need to attend; Cindy will let us know what trainings will be available.

15. Honoring Steve Flores: Suzanne will purchase a cherry tree (cherry was one of Steve’s favorite trees) to be planted in honor of the late Steve Flores, former Governing Council member who passed away Oct. 19, 2009. A granite stone will also be engraved with text decided upon by Steve’s family.

16. Governing Council Members are encouraged to visit the school: Lunch is at 11:30, and we are also welcome to come earlier and sit in on a class.

17. Grant Writing – Volunteer Involvement:

Naomi, Diana and Suzanne are working on this; some will be attending a grant training at NMHU Feb. 24th, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM with Martha Aragon; Dawn might attend too. Chris volunteered to help with grant-writing as well.


New Business:

18. Discussion “Charter School University Book Section 1: A New Kind of Accountability” –

Now that all of us have the book, as of tonight, we will read Sections 1 and 2 in preparation for a discussion at our next meeting.


Adjournment:

19. Motion by Suzanne, Second by Diana, all approved, motion passed

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM