So it's an evolving um you know an evolving issue. Um there's so much uncertainty relating to this though um in terms of the impact on the overall budget and the town's budget moving forward and tax revenue um local local receipt revenue. There's it's there's so much that we don't know yet. Um and the duration of this is going to play a big role in the impact long term. So, um, we've at at this point we don't have a whole lot of answers from the state as to how u they are going what what pronouncements they're going to make on school finance. Um, they're trying to work through this like we're trying to work through this. Um, so there's a lot to be determined and a lot to tune in uh, you know, later for, but I do think that we do have resources available to allocate to make sure we can stay in touch with kids and provide uh, educational opportunities um, through this crisis.
Now, the FY21 budget doesn't really uh, you know, hopefully we're long past this by then. Um, but it isn't targeted to do that. Any other questions come through, Kate? Uh, no. Okay. 711. at this point. Do you think it would be appropriate to make a motion to close the budget hearing? Um, I I I would say so. Uh, how do the other committee members feel? I think personally I think we could close it and if a question came up, we could always answer it the best we could. Agree. Certainly um it's um under public um under old business anyway a discussion of the budget specifically. So if we we already agreed to have public comment at the end for a few moments and that would be appropriate. But again anything anything goes tonight it seems. Absolutely. Oh, well, if that's the case, Madame Chair, I would like to make a motion that we close uh the FY21 public budget hearing.
Uh the time is now 7:12. Second that. Okay. Any discussion? All in favor of that a roll call. Or is that am I doing that right? Was it a roll call or was Yeah, I can't hurt to do a roll call. Okay. Roll call. Kathleen Amal. Yes. Chris Oliver. Yes. Carol Kapotus. Yes. Shannon Jenkins. Yes. John Nunes. Well, we lost John. He's still He's still not back. Oh, there he is. No, he's there. But he's on mute. You're on. You're on mute. You're on mute. There you go. You're a pro. No, I've got uh the u I keep for whatever reason, and we had this issue yesterday is my internet keeps dropping off. I keep losing my connection. So, I'll lose out very quickly come back because all of a sudden somebody what will happen seriously is somebody's face will freeze and I'll know I've got a problem.
We're back to our open meeting and we will go to the next item on the agenda which is old business the discussion on the fiscal year 21 budget. I know we kind of talked about it. I don't know if there's anyone has any other comments. I'll turn it over to you first Jim. Um thank you. So um so at this point you know Mr. Nunes asked about the town. Um we we really don't have any further information at this point from them. Uh so and given that you know there are a lot of uh a lot of other issues that um you know the the the town is is dealing with here um I don't necessarily anticipate having good information from them anytime you know within the ne immediate future here. So, um, at this point, I would say that my recommendation would be that we continue the process, continue, um, to move forward with our proposed budget, which is 45,586,736, 3.2% budget increase.
So, I I would um at this point just recommend that we continue pushing forward with that. Um, and as things develop, we'll we'll adjust. Um, there's a lot to be determined. I know the state is talking about possibly extending deadlines and town meetings and lots of different things. Fortunately, our town meeting is out of ways. So, hopefully hopefully we can resolve all this long before then. Um, but uh, you know, at this point, I I wouldn't recommend any change. Shannon. Yeah. I was just going to ask Mr. Kylie about sort of extensions to the budget timeline given just I mean how much uncertainty, right? On on Monday there was as many unemployment claims filed as there were in the entire month of February. This is going to blow a hole in the state budget. Um then the longer it goes, the bigger that hole is going to be.
um given that you know I'm even wondering if this binder that you I mean we're all we can do is move forward what we have right um but I don't wonder if I mean I don't even know how we can have a plan a budget right because things have changed so dramatically so I I would hope I mean I' I've had some good conversations with I've touched base with our state legislative delegation both Senator Montigy and Representative Marky They've both been very responsive. Um, do we should we be asking them to ask this, you know, to extend the timeline? Do you think that is do we need that extra time to figure this out? I I would say that um, you know, it depends. I I think it depends how long this goes. um if we're able in the next month to begin to move past this and um then it's possible that we'll be fine with the with the current uh timeline.
Um a lot of communities have a much earlier town meeting than us. So they are in a they are in a much more difficult uh situation. I I think that the uncertainty right now um it could have a profound impact on the town. Um the as you know our budget is based on um revenue and then uh essentially the the sort of formula that currently exists is we look at total revenue and then we back out um sort of fixed items like fixed or known items that are sort of outside of our control like health insurance and retirement assessments and assess ments from um from um Bristol Aggie and Greater New Bedford Vog Tech. And then we have a pool of money and that money is divided amongst the departments and to serve our all of our needs in town. And if the top line um changes significantly, it could have a dramatic impact on the whole rest of the calculation and ultimately a dramatic impact on us.
So um there's a lot that we don't know at this point. Okay, John, anybody? John, did you raise your hand? No, that that answered that answered my question. I mean, I realize there's a lot going on, but you know, there's a lot of things that still have to be done too. Mhm. The town still has to operate and you know with all the you know I mean you you think of a couple of things that we get uh you know per say besides motor vehicle excise the uh local receipts being meals tax and hotel tax and nobody traveling and all the restaurants for the most part shut down. Uh, we've got an issue and you know that's going to hurt. Okay. Anyone else? No. Well, thank you. Um, at this point, uh, what time is it? 7:19. And I apologize. We may have three kids home.
I just had one trying to come say hi. So, um, okay. I'm back. I don't know. I don't know how far I got my Sorry, my internet connection keeps dropping for whatever reason. That's okay. You didn't miss anything. It's me babbling. No, but I don't know how much I don't know how far I got with mine that you guys didn't hear. So, I think we heard it all. Yeah, we heard it all. All right. Good. You're good. So, I I think um we discussed everything else except um we'll go to the discussion of the district's plan concerning COVID19. Um Dr. Gford. Sure. Um so I think at this point we're we're getting between a little bit of overwhelming everyone with the amount of information we're sending out. Um, so we're trying to maintain a balance on that. Um, but, uh, as far as updates go, I'll go over some of the things for folks that may I can't imagine anyone not being aware of what's going on at this point, but we did have a DT or district leadership team meeting this morning where we reviewed and updated and um, talked about phase two of our learning plan.
So, just a couple of things. Um, I'll just go over some of the agenda items. The as far as building access and grounds, some of you have seen uh where the kids have been congregating on grounds, which we've put out as many notices as we can. Um, the AD did send notices to the coaches just before we get out of school or about when we get out of school. Um, so we're continuing to try to be vigilant on that, warning people, just giving them advice to stay away from congregations. The buildings will be accessed. If folks need to grab something, they are to contact their principles to make arrangements for that. The technology crew has been working very hard, even on Saturday with Mr. Galashaw to round up extra Chromebooks, those that have maybe have been on carts because, as you know, being on carts, they didn't have to have charges to them.
So, they've been matching charges with Chromebooks. Surveys were sent out to families um by grade level, knowing that our 8th to 12 should have their Chromebooks, but uh a couple kids may have forgotten them. um the other grade levels and the plan is to begin dissemination as far as when we left the meeting today that was going to happen tomorrow with folks that needed a device at home at least one device at home so that their students could be accessing the online resources that we have put up. Um, so I want to thank those folks for working for the last week really getting that ready to go. As you know, the extended learning page went up immediately upon hearing that we were going to be closed for the week anyway. Um, since then there have been 9,000 sessions of activities put up and 4,500 users have been accessing that site uh that enrichment site.
our phase two of that which has been involving lots of um folks uh brainstorming ideas about this and we did have as I said a meeting with the DT this morning and also we met with um Miss Vieira and Miss Martino with the union this afternoon to kind of let them know of our phase two and that will include people are already working on that. They're collaborating across the district by grade levels and content areas and creating at least three lessons a week. That was this week for enrichment activities. Next week, although some have already been doing it, we didn't require it or expect it, but by next week and um I'll back up a little bit. All the staffs will be having meetings, zoom meetings tomorrow, every schools to go over more details so people if they have questions uh they can ask so people can be very clear about what's happening.
So uh we're going to be asking teachers to make sure that those lessons that they're creating are around new content, new content uh to enrich students learning. people have been doing. They've also being asked to um for example the elementary schools we're asking them to do at least an ELA, a math and a history or a science activity lesson so that we can begin to touch all content areas. They will also be holding morning and afternoon meetings whether it be we're calling it consult time office hours excuse me um where they're touching base and again I know teachers are already doing this they're holding a morning meeting giving kids the objectives for the day asking kids how they're doing people are very happy to be together and then sending them off for the day to do their lessons as you know the high school have lots to do because All of their content teachers will be posting lessons and then checking in at the end of the day.
Are there questions? How are you doing? What do you need? Um the guidance counselors both at the high school and middle school have uh will be holding office hours every day. They can reach out via email, telephone call, whatever it might be to continue to touch base with kids, check transcripts. The middle school is just um finished creating their um schedule for that and that will be going out to parents as well. Um we have a few folks leading various teams such as the related service teams, the program special ed teacher teams and those meetings are ongoing um beginning. Some of them are beginning tomorrow, some have already been ongoing to facilitate just again the collaboration that's happening but also to be there to answer questions, help people wade through this. Um let's see. I'm looking at my notes here. We did have um Lori Jodwin and I have had a couple of meetings or virtual meetings, conference calls with our attorney, special education attorney Cat Lions.
Um she continues to update us um as to how we can best service all of our kids. And I believe Russell Johnston from DESIE has a conference call going out on Wednesday which we'll be attending. Also, as you know, we continue to meet with the commissioner and the other superintendent virtually and um hope for more updates this week. The de uh central office team is planning on holding a virtual public forum this week. We're thinking perhaps that will be aired on Thursday. we have posted where folks can send questions about this ongoing issue to us to an email address that we put on um our latest document, our latestformational document. We will be then be answering those questions kind of like you did tonight but not live it because the questions will have been sent prior. We have them. We'll be able to do a recorded Zoom meeting that we will then uh publicize.
So, we're calling it a virtual public forum. Um, let's see. We, as I said, tomorrow every single staff will be having a staff meeting which we are all will be boopping into to listen to make sure the message is continuing. Excuse me. Again, as you know, I've had a cold. um hear what everyone is hearing and to be able to answer questions as they come up. And um I just have to commend the the entire admin team and the entire district for everyone stepping up from every single aspect whether it's cleaning the buildings, the lunch program, uh the teachers, the secretary, whoever it might be have really come together uh to really try to um tackle this challenge together. And also we're asking that folks tune in and subscribe to the district's YouTube channel uh because you'll be getting you can get alerts through that.
One of the things we're thinking is uh Miss Miss Alivera has been updating folks every other day or so with emails and whatnot about what's new on the site. We're going to just limit that to a weekly email from now on to kind of cut down on the correspondence so folks can tune in to what's what's important and focus in. So with that, those are kind of the highlights of what's happening. Um, we'll take questions to go for raise your hand. I have no voice left. So Chris, thank you, Kathleen. Uh, just quick question, Dr. Gifford uh around uh seniors in high school, high school seniors and senior activities. I know there's a lot of angst amongst our high school seniors, not just Dartmouth, but everywhere. I have a high school senior in another district. It's coming up. You know, we're coming into April. There's a lot going on.
I know there's it's still too early. Can Can everyone hear me? Okay. I know it's still too early to to make any decisions or make any um you know even inferences, but I is the I just want to be assured uh that the district is and to let our public know that everything's still on the table. Nothing has changed. Um because as I hear from other friend from friends that have high school seniors in Dartmouth there there's a lot of uh nerves, a lot of ink angst amongst them and um they're just scared. A lot of them are scared. They're worried. This is their senior year, their last few months. They want to be spending it with their friends in school and attending all these great uh senior activities. Um, so at some point, um, you know, I I I would assume that if we're back in school on April 7th that this is going to be a non-issue.
However, if if the school year does continue to get postponed and we're we're continuing to work and learn from home, at some point will that conversation at the very least happen to say just because I think it's important and I know uh uh Ross has put out different YouTube videos at the high school and I haven't had a chance to watch them. I don't know if he's touched upon those on his YouTube channel. Um, however, I think it's important that we do at some point reach out to our seniors and, you know, make sure that they know that we know they're nervous and we're doing everything we can and all possibilities are on the table. Thank you, Chris. Um to that point, you're right and it is a little early, but um we did have a conversation with the high school obviously this morning and um I think on Friday if we hear any updates from the commissioner unless he comes on earlier um as it gets a little bit closer to that date um we'll be able to come up with more answers.