The point was that the behavior of the staff and administration was offensive at the least. It is their behavior that the 1312 was addressing. It is the job of the board to hear when a problem is not being solved by anyone under the board. When the chain of command does not work, it is the job of the board to ensure that every child gets a free and appropriate education and feels safe. The board has the responsibility when parents go to the top with no resolve. It's a district issue. Aaron stated that each child deserves to be safe and was shut down last meeting to make it about one student. I'm asking the board to listen to the 1312 and read it. Is it really how our district wants our students to feel? Is this really how the board wants to act? Constantly shutting down conversation to protect administration going up the chain.
Um we we moved several folks out of the general fund into alliance this year um which will create a positive variance at the end of the year. Um additionally, as you mentioned, Rich, we're we're working with human resources to identify um all of the open positions and the rates um that are driving that. And um as you may or may not suspect, when we budget for salaries for for open positions, we also budget for those benefits, right? It would be silly for us to benefit for salaries and not the benefits if we believe we're going to hire them. So we should see uh the trend uh if it's favorable in salaries due to open positions there should be um a favorable component to um health dental and vision as well for those positions that are uh are not open I mean that are not filled at at a later date when Kim is available I would like to request the number that you feel at the date we discussed this uh that is still in the budget that is available for open position and then have Kim talk about the the the situation currently nationally in terms of the supply and demand and and the the hiring and retention stuff like that.
Yeah. So Arush, as you've played like out of all three of us, you've probably played the highest level of cricket. Um you've been to nationals as he said earlier and you've also played high level cricket and MSEL. So from what you've seen, do you think the um do you think like what do you think makes a what do you think makes a winning team? Like what are the qualities that you've seen? A winning team is having really that grit to win at first. If you don't want to win, obviously you're never going to win. If you don't believe you're going to win, no matter when the game's going, you're not going to win. So, you first have to have that belief in you and your team. You got to believe in your team as well that all of you guys can perform to your highest potential to win against any team.
Um this certificate of recognition is awarded to Clock Tower Pickle Ball in honor of their official ribbon cutting on on this day. The Ashley Business Association is extends its best wishes for continued success. Welcome to Ashlin. Thank you. And then one last um Yolanda, you want to just speak on behalf of the board. Sure. Congratulations. Uh I'm Yolanda Greaves. I'm the current chair of the Ashton Select Board. to say that because we rotate every year and people walk up to me and go, "Are you still chair?" I'm like, "Yeah, now I am." Um, but in a few months I will be. Uh, it's always great to see the work that Beth and Michael and the rest of our town staff do to support businesses like this. Uh, I tell this quick story that my husband's first time here in Ashland was probably in like 1982 or 1983, somewhere around there.
If it happened to hurt, it's most definitely not an isolated incident. If you feel it is, then it would be admitting retaliation. It's time the board realized that when things get escalated the way to the top, no reasonable solution, they need to step in. You are the top of the chain when all else fails. Not only for the sake of one student, for the sake of all the students in the district. Why would a district be mad at a student for recording a restorative meeting if it was done properly? It's about time to hold people accountable. Thank you. It's important for the public to know that there are um processes within our policy manual that allow for formal complaints uh as has been alluded to um for appeals where applicable and for the mature resolution of conflict. For most of these processes, the superintendent is and should be the last stop.
So we'll put that off you know in terms of number discussions at a time when you could agree on and could be here to discuss that. Rich, I see that Teresa has her hand up. Hi, Teresa. Hi. Uh quite I just want to point out uh when we had the ESER grant and we we were allowed to charge positions to that grant. So calling it so bringing them back to the correct place, I find it kind of um almost insulting. Uh I think it would be a better word to maybe back to the original place. uh but a lot of the monies were transferred because of that uh the COVID relief funds. So I just want to point out it wasn't uh any monkey business. It was uh essentially the monies we got from Esser that we had a right to charge to. So and now we're charging other positions to the alliance grant.
No matter who you're playing, even if it's like Indian national team, if you don't believe you're going to beat them, for sure you're not going to win. But if you have that determination, one good ball, boom, Kohi's gone. And now you have like the momentum to keep on going. Just like that. The main part is to have that grit to win, but also believing in everyone else um your whole teammates and also having each one of your players have a specific role on your team and making sure they complete that task. And even if one fails, it always happens. Everyone has a bad day. uh there's always people who can um who can really uh protect them as in uh replace them and fill in that role. So basically with this type of team it's like you cannot lose. Yeah. Yeah. I think I think um India also had a really good uh team bonding as I said before.
he actually came into this building and put in a theater like lights and stuff for for a theater. Um, and he went to Dairy Queen. So to Michael's to Michael's comment, the transformation that Steve and his team, because it's always a team, it's never one person that has done to this building and the businesses that have come here into Ashland that are transforming our town and making people want to live here and be here and become community members is what really makes Ashland Ashland. So, thank you all for being here. Congratulations, Steven. Congratulations, Beth, your team, Michael. Um, I just want to thank Claudia and Brandy for being here as well, my fellow board members. And let's cut a ribbon because that's all that standing between me and that. So, here we go. And one last thing, we are actually going live. So, if you want to let people know if they want to watch the ribbon cutting, they can go to the Around the Clock Facebook page.
The board is not an appellet body for everything people are dissatisfied with. We have a very narrow scope and a very narrow appeals purview. The board does not have a role in undermining the superintendent or school administration on student discipline matters. If legal charges are filed, the board would become involved in evaluating the superintendent's handling of the situation. Mr. Korea, uh, Andy Korea, a Brookfield resident. Um, what was just said is entirely not true. Um, I'm here today to highlight the serious concerns enumerated in my policy 1312 complaint against the respondent and the potential conflict of interest among certain board members identified in my email to the BOE last night. Specifically, these board members have consistently demonstrated a pattern of behavior that suggests a personal conflict of interest in their failure to hold the respondent accountable in their position in the district. Their actions consistently have strayed from expected BOE governance norms and in fact subverting and perverting governance.
So you know what happens down the line if that changes? So I I would like a better terminology. That's all. Yeah. No, that that is 100% um correct and thank you for pointing that out. The the um area on this particular uh uh summary where I call out Esser um refers specifically to um I'm I'm not sure I'm going to test your memory a little bit, but in the beginning of the year, we had a line. It was a salary line. Um and the the line was part-time printing. And for for better or worse when people came um out of the esser and as you pointed out put correctly back into the general fund um I guess John didn't know exactly where to stick them so he put them in this part-time or PT printing um as kind of a placeholder until we figured out where they belonged.
I think everyone in the whole team kind of played their played their role and and collectively if you look at maybe some stats if you look at um the like standings of players I think India had players that were on the top of those standings but I think that as um collectively they had they did better because that's what made them win. So exactly just like my point, everyone played their role on the team which is why they went so far and even won the finals. Yeah. And if we're I think if we're talking about India's like success in this tournament, we've only talked about the batter so far, but I don't think we can count the spinners out like I thought on those Dubai pitches, obviously it was hard to play spin, but even um disregarding that fact of the pitch conditions and stuff like that, I thought they were bowling really well.
And we're live on Facebook right now. So, we have one more thing, I think, and that's to hear from clock tower pickle ball team. So, so people have asked, "Haven't they been open for a while?" And it's been a year since the courts have been open. Um, and Steve a year ago said, "Let's just wait. We'll get the bar and the restaurant open, and then we'll do a ribbon cutting." So, here we are, year later. Uh, the bar is open now. Um, they just got their occupancies a couple weeks ago, a month ago. Yeah. Um, so I'm going to turn it over to you to introduce your team maybe and tell us a little bit about this place. Sure. Thanks. You guys come on up here. All the partners. Jake, get up here. Macy, get in there. So, um, first of all, we have a lot of partners.
My complaint details the respondents fail failure to uphold BOE policy and comply with legal requirements particularly concerning the retaliation harassment to process and the BOE's lack of oversight. I want to be unequivocally clear. Characterizing this as a mere student issue would be a gross and deliberate manipulation. This is about systematic failures of administration at the building and central office levels. The board's complicity and even board officer participation. The respondents impending departure does not absolve the BOE of its responsibility to address these serious issues. It is critical to document these concerns for future employers and most importantly for the protection of students. Furthermore, a thorough investigation will reveal a deeply troubling pattern of retaliation by administration. This retaliation is not limited to a single incident. Extends to my children and others identified by the administration to the BOE as a small vocal group of parents daring to exercise the right to question district policies and practices.
Um Gotcha. Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah. No 100% right. Yes. Thank you. Yeah. It's not a matter of assuming funny business. It's just a matter of cleaning things up so it I understand. I I I'm sorry for the terminology. No problem. And the last thing, Mike, is I think on the last paragraph you you had where you you went through and explained the the the expenses. You and I understand it. And again, you know, without getting too too nerdy, um, if you can briefly help me out and try to interpret what what the the expenses are here that are not recorded, but have potential liability for. Yes. So, a as we um as we receive um expenses in that that we're obligated to pay, um we then um and only once we're obligated to pay, we'll put um a purchase order or the system automatically does it, I should say, but that a system will put in a purchase order um and that will be in our uh line that we often see as incumbrances.
And I don't know about you guys, but playing against good spinners that have good line and good length, it's it's hard to like it's hard to do anything with it. You have to create your own options. It's impossible. Actually, I've played against one of the best spinners ever. It was a left arm off spinner and on a pitch where the ball turned about like a solid like foot or two, it was impossible to play cuz his accuracy was like on point. He would he wouldn't miss unless he wanted to purposefully bowl the ball fuller maybe to make you hit. He keep on bowling that good length and if you'd step out I mean it was a risk it's spinning a whole foot away from you um easily a stumping opportunity. I think that's the discipline that the Indian bowlers had. So you both of you guys what are your opinions on this then?
We have 22 partners, um, that do this together and there's a lot of people that do a lot on a daily basis and they'll get an opportunity to talk. Apologize for my voice. I've learned. I'm not supposed to talk, but I'm going to talk anyway because that's all I do. Um, first of all, I want to take the thank the town. You guys have been awesome. Uh, Sue Roby is an absolute all-star. I don't think we'd be here without her. Just her guidance getting us through the permitting, the the liquor license, and all the different things. She's been great. Uh, Beth, you've been great. The whole town's been good. Um, and we want to thank the town obviously for all they've done. Michael is alluding to the fact, you know, the 10 years was um me and my partners owned this building uh from 2004 until 2020.
These efforts to silence disscent have not been have been coordinated among the respondent administration union officials into disturbingly certain board officers. This represents a serious breach of the tr public public trust in the portrayal of the community's best interest. I'm requesting that the board officers recuse themselves from all deliberations regarding the complaint. If they failed to do so, I will be compelled to file an ethics complaint against them on Monday. The board has a duty to act with integrity and address the concerns of retaliation and coordination efforts to silence parent voices. I urge you to take this matter with the utmost seriousness it deserves and address these issues outlined in my complaint uh thoroughly. Thank you, Mrs. case, you have signed up to talk about the resignation. Good evening, Deborah Casease, Brookfield resident. Last week, the board issued a statement in regard to the resignation of Mr.
Um there are expenses that will um most likely um come down to uh come coming down the line that will impact us, but we're not currently obligated to them. So we can't quite encumber them, if that makes sense. Um uh one of the examples that's frequently used is um graduation. So we know that there's going to be a graduating class. um we don't know exactly what that's going to look like as far as perhaps tent rentals and things like that. So, we know that there's going to be an expense for graduation, but we don't know exactly what it is and we're not legally obligated to it yet. Um so, I kind of just put that that last sentence in there just to say that there are going to be expenses down the road in addition to what we see um that aren't quite reflected yet, if that makes sense.
So obviously playing fast pace bowling that's coming short at your head. Is that type of stuff more scary or is it more scary to come up against a spinner who's making you look like an idiot and you if like you know the ball's turning, you can't pick him. What's more scary as a batsman to you? I think it's all personal. Uh, personally for me, I have issues with playing on the back foot or playing with short balls that come quick at me. Unlike how with spin, I actually enjoy playing against the spin. I feel like it's a challenge more than just like reading the ball and using my um muscle memory to like hit the ball. Yeah. The uh playing against spin is more of like a mental game than a physical game. So I just feel like it's just more interactive almost more fun to do so and like like take a step forwards or backwards to confuse a spinner and then score runs off of that.
And uh we did do a lot of transformation of this building. Some of the things I'm most proud about that we did was a lot of the local services like the fire the fire department used to not come in this building if there was a fire. They wouldn't come in here because it was so unsafe and we made it a very safe place and you know the doors weren't locked vagrants in this place. No one wanted to be in this in this building. So, we did transform it a lot. We did get a lot of good tenants in here and then we sold it to a to a friend of mine. So, I'm still uh operating the building, but just wanted to touch base on on what Michael was talking about for 10 years. The pickle ball started in 2023 at Del Frisco's. We had an idea.