SPECIAL MEETING
May 31, 2006
Present was James C. Lehan, Jonathan P. Smith and Ramesh H. Advani.
Also present were School Committee members Kim Williams, Sally Grant, John Olivieri and Dean Manning.
Jim Lehan called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the Norfolk Public Library. Jim explained that the Boards are here tonight to jointly appoint a member to the School Committee to replace Maureen Howard who was elected to the King Philip School Committee. Jim said we will interview seven (7) candidates and explained the interview process which will be followed.
Jim introduced the members of the Board of Selectmen, and then Kim Williams introduced the members of the School Committee.
Jim Lehan said that before we begin interviews, the School Committee has a little bit of business that they would like to take care of. He turned the meeting over to Kim Williams for their business.
At 6:14 p.m., Kim called the meeting to order. They did a roll call for member: Kim Williams, here, Sally Grant, here, Dean Manning, here and John Olivieri, here. Kim said the Holmes Bus Company has been a transportation provider for a number of years. They are located in town on Myrtle Street. Their four (4) year contract with us has expired. We recently sent this contract out to bid, and the Holmes’ was the lowest bidder again. We are happy to continue that relationship with them. As the Superintendent reports, they are very service oriented and an easy company to work with and we are happy to continue the relationship. Kim said that they need to award the bus bid, which will begin the contract negotiation process with the Holmes’. Kim asked for a motion from a School
Committee member.
Sally Grant moved to recommend that the School Committee award the school transportation services contract Alternate A for three (3) years as specified to the Holmes Transportation Company, 98 Myrtle Street, Norfolk, MA for three years for a total of $1,179,900. Dean Manning seconded, and Sally said she would like discussion and discussed that a lot of research has been conducted on transportation services. Dean said that it is his understanding that the award of this bid is to start the negotiation process and not the final contract. Kim said it is the final and the Committee has to work out language with the Holmes’. John Olivieri said that hybrid school buses are two to three years away. You can get a 40% reduction, but it won’t happen this year or next year. There is some hope.
Kim asked if the Board of Selectmen had questions. The reply was no. With no further discussion, Kim conducted a Roll Call vote: Kim Williams, aye; Sally Grant, aye; John Olivieri, aye; and Dean Manning, aye. It was a unanimous vote. This part of the meeting finished at 6:17 p.m.
Kim then turned the meeting back to Jim. Jim explained the interview process, and reminded everyone they are on live television.
The first candidate interviewed was Pat Mulcahy, 33 Stanhope Drive. Ms. Mulcahy has four children who went through the school system; her youngest finishing sixth grade at the Centennial School. She is a realtor.
The second candidate was Frederick Meda III, 64 Grove Street. Mr. Meda is a custodian at the school and said he was interested in becoming a member because he wanted to fix the morale issues within the staff. Mr. Meda has a daughter.
The third candidate was Wendy Wagner Robeson, 2 Montauk Avenue. Ms. Robeson has two children who have passed through the school system, and is very active in Girl Scouts. She is employed at Wellesley College.
The fourth candidate was Lori Hurley, 14 Overlea Road. Ms. Hurley has two sons who are in the school system and one son who just entered King Philip. Ms. Hurley is a homemaker.
At this point the Boards took a small recess as the room was extremely hot and the air conditioning was not working. Upon returning, they continued with the interviews.
The fifth candidate was Danielle Rochefort, 10 Churchill Road. Ms. Rochefort has children in the school system. She has been involved in many sub-committees within the schools.
The sixth candidate was Ross Gilleland, 20 Chickadee Drive. Mr. Gilleland has two children in the school system. Mr. Gilleland has been doing substitute teaching. He previously worked 17 years with the U.S. EPA.
The seventh candidate was Maryann Smith, 24 Freedom Trail. She has a child entering the school system in the Fall. She has a strong financial background.
Jim Lehan stated that interviewing was the easy part. Now for the hard part; the voting. The Board members wrote their top three choices on a worksheet.
Jim noted that there were four people who got the largest vote count: Maryann Smith, Danielle Rochefort, and Pat Mulcahy and Ross Gilleland tied.
The Board of Selectmen and School Committee discussed these four individuals and why they liked them. They stated their top two choices.
Ramesh Advani said he preferred Danielle Rochefort and Maryann Smith.
Dean Manning said that his choices were Danielle Rochefort and Maryann Smith.
Jonathan Smith chose Pat Mulcahy and Maryann Smith.
John Olivieri said his choices were Maryann Smith and Wendy Robeson.
Sally Grant said Danielle Rochefort.
Kim Williams said Danielle Rochefort and Ross Gilleland.
Jim Lehan said Danielle Rochefort and Maryann Smith.
Jim then asked everyone to vote for one. This had to be an oral vote as they had already done a silent vote, which can only be done once. Dean Manning said Maryann Smith. John Olivieri said Danielle Rochefort. Sally Grant said Danielle Rochefort. Kim Williams said Danielle Rochefort. Jim Lehan said Danielle Rochefort. Ramesh Advani said Maryann Smith, and Jonathan Smith said Maryann Smith.
Sally Grant moved to appoint Danielle Rochefort to Norfolk School District K-6, for an unexpired term for one year. Ramesh Advani seconded, and it was a roll call vote: Jonathan Smith, aye; Ramesh Advani, aye; Jim Lehan, aye; Kim Williams, aye; Sally Grant, aye; John Olivieri, aye; and Dean Manning, aye. It is a vote.
At 9:27 p.m., Ramesh Advani moved to adjourn the meeting. Sally Grant seconded, and it was so voted.
This was a true and accurate report of the Selectmen’s Meeting of May 31, 2006.
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Jonathan P. Smith, Clerk
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