Agenda 12/09/2008 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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November 24,2008 A special called joint work session of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia and Martinsville City School Board was held on November 24, 2008 in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, at 7:30 PM, with Mayor Kathy Lawson presiding. Council Members pre~ent included: Kathy Lawson, Kimble Reynolds, Jr., Gene Teague, Mark Stroud, Sr., and Danny Turner. Representatives from School Board included: Jim Johnson, Bill Manning, Robert Williams, Sandra Haley, and Nancy Baker. Also, Dr. Scott Kizner and numerous school staff and principals were present. City staff present included: Clarence Monday, Eric Monday, and Leon Towarnicki. Mayor Lawson called the Council meeting to order and School Board Chairman Jim Johnson called the School Board meeting to order. Amanda Witt of the Chamber of Commerce gave Council an overvIew of the Chamber's legislative items. On a motion by Gene Teague, seconded by Kimble Reynolds, with a 5-0 vote, Council approved the Chamber's legislative items. Copies of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission's legislative package were distributed to Council for review. The WPPDC legislative package will be on the WPPDC agenda for their next board meeting in early December. Once the WPPDC board approves their legislative package, then it will come to Council for approval. Dr. Kizner gave an overview of school priorities, noting that the majority of the school budget goes for Standards of Quality and at-risk standards. He emphasized that school funding is important due to demographics and economics of this area which is reflected in this area's composite index. Dr. Kizner also gave an overview of the seven school legislative priorities noting that the 1 % state cut on education amounts to $140,000-$190,000 loss of revenue by the city. He said the schools will do everything within their power to reduce the impact on children. On a motion by Gene Teague, seconded by Mark Stroud, with a 5-0 vote, Council approved the schools legislative priorities as follows: I. Funding - Martinsvilk City Public Schools supports full fLmding for the General Assembly's minimum fowldation school finance program fin K-12 public education. · MCPS supports the General Assemblv fully funding the rebenchmarking of the SOQ so the standards are "realistic in relation to the Commonwealth's current education needs and practices." · MCPS supports the General Assembly funding] 2-month raises using the linear weighted average andreal inflation figures derived from annual reports tram the divisions. MCPS opposes the continued use of the Literary Fund fi)r purposes other tharl school construction. 2. Tax Dollars - Martinsville City Public Schools supports the position that public tax dollars should be spent only on K-12 public schools. · MCPS opposes tuition tax credits, scholarships, vouchers, and other like attcmpts to divert funds from K-12 public education. 3. AT-Risk Programs for Achievement