So, we'll take care of those later. Meanwhile, in go the zucchini and the summer squash. Keep the Okay, now I'm going to mix these up because we want to make, you know, blend them so they're Okay. And I'm going to add another green vegetable because here we go. It's broccoli. Now, broccoli doesn't roast very well. That sort of tends to burn, too. I wish I had thought of that when I was cooking the asparagus, but the broccoli adds a nice green flavor. And I just blanch them a little bit. They're not hard, but they will add a nice a nice green touch to them. Now, before I add this to my pasta, I want to make sure that it's salted very well. I don't have a salt shaker, so and I I don't know where the pepper is. see if we can find some pepper.
One dealt with the the aquifer areas themselves. Um from the old plan, we had a 1,000 ft radius. This is now a half mile radius. It's it's increased um in terms of these areas. In addition, the Spring Street Well area and the House Street areas have been mapped in terms of the zone one, zone two, and zone three. So those were the basic mapping changes and in addition to that there was a concern here about the number of um the areas of increased however we have duly notified according to law all the appropriate agencies and posted it accordingly and and basically the plane board's recommendation on the permit fees is that logistically it would be easier for the plane board to be the administrator of the fees on the permits rather than make the town clerk. So that's the reason for the substitute motion. So the recommendation is to approve the substitute motion.
Uh our comprehensive plan committee might uh have an update as well. So I think that's still to be determined. But um yes, that's article one. I would assume there's no questions about article one. Some shaking heads. Okay, great. Um, moving on to some of the more meteor articles. Uh, this article number two is a transfer from the general stabilization fund. Uh, in the amount of $2,256,000, a little bit more than that actually, but um big number. Um, and our general stabilization fund is what we also call our rainy day fund. We use this to basically the way our policies are set up is when we have reductions in revenue, we have the ability to access this fund to make up the gap and make up some of that missing revenue so we don't have to cut into services. So unfortunately, even though we don't have a reduction in revenue this year, what has happened is that we've seen an increase in expenses that exceeded the revenue that we're going to get by quite a bit.
And we'll continue going down this process until we feel like we're until we're reaching certain goals of um student achievement on the state assessment scores. So when are we going to do this? We have to submit our current plan to the state by May 26th. We'll have our six-month check-in in September, our one-year update next May. And then we'll submit a new plan and new goal and continue that uh path of growth. And then we'll start measuring outcomes. So, we'll start using student assessment data in the 2627 school year to start measuring the effectiveness of those goals. And then we're going to be able to have the opportunity to make sure that we're continuing to improve those goals or we're meeting certain thresholds of the amount of students in levels uh three and four. So, as we do this, we're really looking at our goal is probably going to be centered around balanced assessments and making sure that we're providing good assessments for our students that are focused on um good screening data like FastBridge, good formative assessment data, which is kind of a daily check for understanding, and then good summitive data or benchmark assessments, which would be uh what we'd be used to as like uh unit test or um semester test and finals, things like that.
Obviously, you can see um tuition and regular education um costs make up the bulk of our um budget. Um regular education, this is our teacher salaries for general education. It's our basic skills program, which is RTI. It's our instructional supplies. It's our textbooks and curriculum. It's any co-curricular activities, so all of our clubs and our sports. It's media services, so that's library. Um, it's guidance, it's technology, Chromebooks, it's health services, it's professional development, and it's instructional um improvement. So, that makes up 26% of our budget. Uh, just over $5 million. Tuition makes up 20% of our uh budget and that's our students who attend Overbrook in grades 9 through 12 as well as our students who attend Camden County Technical School um in grades 9 to 12. It's our all of our out of district placements which make up a bulk of that um amount.
Nice. Another round of applause for Sophia. And next up from Community Middle School, Dr. Santa [Applause] Surma. Hello everyone. The Community Middle School is proud to recognize as its seventh grade nominee as student of the month, Martin LE Torres. Martin. Martin was nominated by his teacher, Mr. Marcus. Uh, has one sibling. Favorite subject is math. Very good. Enjoys cycling. And when you grow up, you want to become an engineer. Nice [Applause] plans. Another round of applause for [Applause] Martin. The eighth grade selection for student of the month, Daniels Herado Gorotita. Daniel. Okay. Daniels was nominated by Miss Caesar Boyd, his math teacher. Has one sibling. Favorite subject is math. Good job. We're going to kill it with math scores. I'm just telling you, it's obvious. Enjoys playing and watching soccer. Favorite team, Barcelona SC. And grows up. Wants to also become an engineer in construction.
We'll talk a little more specifically when we get to certain things that I'm going to point out. Diane, were any of these things proportionally out of whack for this year versus previous years? % change. I think it was pretty much in line. Health benefits actually went I think we were expecting a bigger increase than we ended up with. They told me to budget for 15% and it came in at 9 and a half. I think electricity our ACES group person told me 20 to 25% it came in at 15. So there were some initial budget numbers. Even Madison's tuition, I was told to raise it higher. When it came in lower, I was very happy and can use it elsewhere. These are just summing up what we had increases on our out of district tuition and related services. The increase for transportation through MOEC is looking at 3.5% 3.57.
But if I don't have that, I do have and then Robin, you can open these tomatoes. All right. Here's something that I add that that people will say, "Hm, what is that flavor?" It's a little mint. and it it definitely will go with this recipe. So, I'm going to mix all of that up. Did we find the pepper? Yes. Okay, let me have some pepper. And actually, I'm going to instead of the pepper, I'm gonna add some Hidden Valley Ranch. Uh, this is what you would use for dressing, but it has so many herbs and spices in here. So, I'm that's what I'm going to add, and I think it'll give it a lot of flavor. Okay. All righty. Let's see if the magic happens. I'm going to add this to my pasta. Now, I kept water in there because this is how you're going to make the sauce.
Further discussion, Mr. Fabry, Mr. Moderator, Michael Fabry, Finance Committee. uh with reference to the memo of November 21st. Um on the third page, the text makes reference to subsection 292-43. I'm assuming that that's a typographical error since the article makes reference to 282.43. I just wanted the record to reflect that. uh number one and number two uh the finance committee has voted to recommend approval of the proposed bylaw as amended further [Music] discussion that case I'd like to um take two votes first a vote uh strictly on the amendment that has been proposed uh which will be simply a majority vote. Uh then we'll vote on the entire article. Because this is a zoning article, it will require a 2/3 vote. So first uh on the amendment offered by the planning board, all those in favor, please say I. I. And all those opposed, no.
We'll take we'll talk a little bit more about the expenses when we get to the budget, but long story short, this is what is needed. This amount uh is what is needed to help balance the budget. Now, I do anticipate that this would all be replenished when free cash is appropriated in the fall. Um, but that being said, it's a pretty large number, which again, I I'll get to more of when we get to the budget, but um I'll explain a little bit more about just kind of the situation, the budgetary situation, but that is article two. Want to add JB?
and using all of that data to make sure that we're teaching um our students at the level we need them to be taught. So, as we finish, we just want to make sure that everyone's updated and and has some communication about what accreditation is in Kansas now and what specifically accreditation looks like for USD264. So, we're excited about finishing up this year and getting next year started and start working on some of that balanced assessment work that we're going to focus on and being that one degree more, making sure that we're coming to work each day, turning it up one degree more for our students. um that way they are getting the full opportunities to be the most successful that they can be.
It is uh charter school placements which we don't have any for 2526. There's a program within um our home room which is where we go for all of our uh apps and and um our portal that we use. We don't have any charter school um being reported for 2526. We did have one for 2425. This is also other special ed high school placements um for special ed students that are placed in um high schools as opposed to out of district placements. And that's 20% makes up over four, it's over $4 million. Oopsie. Uh special education. This is um all in-house pretty much special education. Uh 14% of our budget. That's our teacher salaries, their supplies, and all those related services. So occupational therapy, physical therapy, uh speech therapy, all of our child study team members and uh their related services and the extended school year program um all fall fall under special education.
Nice. Congratulations. Another round of applause. Good job. Next, we have from Brown High School, filling in for Mr. Smith, we have Mr. Ross. [Applause] Congratulations to our ninth grade student of the month, Sonia Hanawi. Sonia. So Sonia has one sister. Her favorite subject is a STEM subject. So we're still in the math science area, right? Science. Yay. And then we're looking at Oh, your hobbies is building Legos. And with that, you're going to go to college and probably do something. Yay. Thank you. Congratulations. Where are we going to college? Yeah, here we go. This is for you and we're going to see you about where you go to school. Remembering. All right. Next, our 10th grade student of the month is Ela Vasquez. Elsa. Elsa. So, the favorite subject is math. Math. Thank you. We are doing very well on our math this year. Um, your favorite hobbits are being uh athletic, working out, doing runs, and spending time with people she loves.
Healthcare was 09 and a half. Dental is 3%. And then here the tuition for Mass went up a little over $1,100 per student. And that's gened. We did have a little decrease in one of their programs that was budgeted higher and then it came in lower because they're utilizing a paraprofessional aid in other areas. So they were able to lower that tuition for us. And the tuition for Massond also includes their adjustment that we get every year. Some years we'll get a decrease and a credit. This year it was an increase of 114,000 and change and that's included in their overall tuition. Now, the tax impact for the school tax because the town has been evaluated at at a higher figure every year. This is the third year in a row that the school portion school tax impact actually has a decrease. The top number is the burrow average for an home in town.
And I'm going to put some uh goat cheese in there, too. So, maybe I should do the goat cheese first before I add the veggies. I'm just going to sprinkle it on the top or throughout the pasta. And I do have more pasta water. Hi. Hi. How are you? Oh, just ducky. This is Candy. Yes. She is the director. Yes. Of the senior center. How's it going? She loves to be filmed. Don't we all? Goat cheese will give it a little zing. You know, sometimes like pasta with no sauce can be a little boring. And you know me, I'm not boring. [Music] Don't anybody answer that. And you mix it up so it forms like a cream sauce. Although there's no cream in here, but it'll melt with the pasta and the water. I'm going to add a little more pasta water to it. But I'll finish with the cheese and just break it up a little bit.
That passes unanimously. Then we'll try a voice vote on the finance committee's recommendation of acceptance of the article as amended. All those in favor of the finance committee's recommendation for acceptance, please say I. I. All those opposed, no. And that passes unanimously sevens. Motion to dissolve this meeting having dealt with all matters on the warrant and a second. All those in favor and all those opposed, no. And I thank you all for your attendance here at tonight, for your attendance at all the meetings. Happy Thanksgiving. And this meeting is dissolved.
Any questions from the audience or uh here in the room or from Zoom? I will do that. So yeah, if you are on Zoom, I would just uh ask you to raise your hand so we know to unmute you. Um we'll call on you. All right, seeing no questions, uh we'll move on to article number three, which is a transfer from the special education stabilization fund uh to the general fund in the amount of $300,000. Again, this is uh money that is being transferred from the special education stabilization fund to help balance our FY26 budget. Part of the reason why our FY26 budget has such a deficit is because some of these special education costs or out of district special education costs that we are incurring as part of educating our children here in Ashland. So, um we have the special education stabilization fund set up to provide basically that type of support whenever we do encounter that.
As always, I always open up to be able to visit and communicate about any questions that you may have. If you want to schedule a meeting, call the office with the number listed here and we'll schedule a meeting to visit. If not, you can always send me an email or uh hit me up on social media. So again, thank you and we're looking forward to getting the opportunity to continue serving Clearwater and looking forward to finishing up this school year.
Our employee benefits are 16% uh over just over $3 million. That's our health insurance. That's the um pension contributions that we have to make annually. Social Security uh contributions, workman's comp uh insurance coverage, and tuition reimbursement all fall under uh employee benefits. And then we have administration and central services which make up 4% of our budget. We have all of our administrator and clerical salaries. And by administrator, it's principles, it's superintendent's office, business administrator's office. Um those are all like your central administration. Uh clerical salaries, so all of our uh secretaries and our administrative secretaries up here, the supplies, the communication system, so all of our phone systems, um administrative services, legal services, auditing services, and anything for the board of education. So if you go to workshop um the annual workshop meeting that's in there reimbursement for uh new members for criminal history things of that nature all fall under board of education as well as the amount that we pay for uh New Jersey school boards association annually for their services.
She's planning on going to Ruckers and entering the synography program. Well done. Nice. Another round of applause for [Applause] Elsa. Our 11th grade student of the month is Lilith Contraras. Lilith, Lilith, come on down. All right. So, Lilith's favorite subject is music production. A variation on that harmony of things. Good stuff. Favorite hobbies are drawing, listening to music, and baking. So, you're going to be um an artist. No, you're going to take it to be a college uh student for dental hygiene. Yes. Take a picture. [Music] Congratulations, Lilith. All right. Sorry. I'm just selling selling classes while we go here. All right. So, our just trying to make sure people are getting their right education as they move forward here. Our I don't believe he is here. I don't see him, but maybe he is. Our 12th grade senior um of the month is Diego Escobar.