1. Chair Joe Bierwirth called the Advisory Committee meeting to order at approximately 7:45 PM, in joint session with the Board of Selectmen for a School Department budget presentation.
2. School Department Budget Presentation
Members of the School Committee and the School Department presented the proposed School Department operating budget for FY '09. The proposed budget includes new initiatives (mostly personnel increases) that will cause an increase in the budget of approximately $540,000.00 over a level services amount, or a departmental budget growth over FY '08 of 6.57%; a level services budget would result in a departmental budget growth of 4.96%. A brief discussion followed the formal presentation, after which the Advisory Committee reconvened at approximately 9:30 in a separate room to continue its regular business. 
3. School Building Project
Members of the School Department and the School Building Committee presented an update on the new elementary school building project, the status of MSBA approval, and the status of the proposed override  process:
- The project has been advertised for bids. Filed sub-contractor bids will be opened on 3/5/08; these bids will represent approximately 50% of the value of the total project cost. The general bids will be opened on 3/19/08.
- The MSBA has not yet finalized any recommendations about reimbursement for the project. The working assumption is that these recommendations will be in hand prior to the Special Town Meeting (STM).
- The Selectmen have voted to schedule the STM for 3/3/08, and the override ballot vote for 3/8/08.
There was much discussion about the advisability of holding the STM prior to the opening of the Filed Sub-bids; however, the Advisory Committee's understanding is that once the STM has been scheduled by the Selectmen, it cannot be easily re-scheduled. 
The School Department confirmed that its recommendation will be to open the new school as a K-5 facility rather than a 5/6 academy, and the discussion at STM will be based on this recommendation. Ted Alexiades distributed a newly updated analysis of the tax impact of the probable 2009 operating cost override, showing the impact of extended-day kindergarten. 
Joe distributed copies of the two proposed articles for STM, with draft comments. Article 1 addresses the new elementary school debt exclusion of $25,160,000; Article 2 addresses the $7,700,000 debt exclusion for the work at Foster and Plymouth River, and for the 5 modular classrooms at the Middle School. After making a correction to the language of Article 1, the Advisory Committee voted unanimously in favor of recommending passage of both articles. Joe will re-draft the comments for each article in response to Committee members' suggestions.
4. Historical Commission Report and Budget
Amy Farrell introduced Alec MacMillan and Andrea Young of the Historical Commission. The Commission has requested additional funds for added personnel time; the staff has found its workload increasing, and it anticipates additional increases if the historic district extension is approved at Town Meeting. The Commission also requested additional funds for publishing and distributing the Historic Districts Handbook. The Advisory Committee recognizes that these are worthy requests, but the Committee remains concerned about the overall Town budget. The Committee voted 5 – 2 in favor of a level services payroll budget, with Tony Kiernan asking to be recorded, and the Committee voted 6 – 1 in favor of a level services expenses budget; approved amounts are as shown in Attachment A.
5. The Committee reviewed and approved the minutes from the 1/29/08 meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:45 PM.
The next Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for 2/12/08, 7:30 PM. Meetings will continue thereafter on a weekly basis, Tuesday evenings, 7:30 PM, unless otherwise scheduled.

Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Seelen, Secretary