She's the head of it. Um, but yeah. Awesome. Okay. Um, so now we're on to the consent agenda. Sorry. Oh yeah, sorry. Um Erin mentioned do they have to be a certain grade? I know currently they're all high school students. Um I know Liam has um ventured into the middle school in the past, so I'm sure it's not out of the realm of possibility to take on I don't know how they would coordinate that, but that'd be neat. That's just a thought. Absolutely. I'll bring it back to them. Thank you. Yeah. Great. I move that the board approve the items on the consent agenda as recommended. New hires resignations April 2025 financials policies for a first read 5131.912 restorative practices 3281 fundraising 3452 student activities and policy bylaws for a final read 9211 35 24.1 3120 second is there. Uh discussion on the consent agenda.
Are there any questions on that item? So I just wanted to ask you mentioned a a deadline or the end of the 2024 audit projected end. Uh I think the draft um we were looking for uh a copy by August August 1st. Yes. So um in order to get the um the report completed I I that's my target. Um but we should have more final numbers um earlier than that because the compilation of the report does take some time. Um so that means we would need to be completed with the audit testing by July sometime. Um I think that's possible. I mean two two full months um but but understanding that um a lot of what the city has to get through right is not it's not stuff you see on this side right so schools kind of has to move with us um and we've got things like pension and debt and um you know more complex topics um from a county um disclosure um requirement that we're not going to see the full right the full report and know that we're we're closed down on any adjustments um until we until we get to that stage.
Um and also um saw some areas that we also think are promising places where we can um consider growing and expanding the program and making future investments. So, we are really excited about uh that news and all the work that's being done by our staff, our administrators um in the preschool programming. Lots of good things coming uh from that program. We also talked about uh the KOGAT administration. So, KOAT is an assessment that we can use to identify students who may be gifted or talented. Um and we were really excited about the results. The results show that we're um having a broader way to identify kids who um maybe have not been identified before. Um kids who may be multilingual learners, kids who may have um a learning disability or an IEP, um kids who may need a 504 plan. Um a lot of those kids have a lot of talents and the deeper we look at them, the deeper we can uh nurture those talents.
Yeah, that was basically what he said. And council push right back and council push back which I was glad to see. Um and because right now this the sighteline is a minimum. It's it's and and um you know it's he said there there's no way that they're ever going to um change the uh entry and exit to align with Pleasant Street because it would be cost prohibitive which is makes sense. So that cost right so that cost is going to be a burden to the town but it might be cost prohibitive for the number of units that they want. Yeah. Um so that there was definitely a little it got a little contentious. Um and then you know we waverly wave street waverly street. Did did you did you have you seen the videos? I have not watched the videos from Mr. Johnson. Are you getting those emails?
Okay. Um all in favor of approving the consent agenda, please indicate by saying I. I. Any opposed? That's right. It seems to be 70. Great. Um is that about the uh youth commission? The the charter probably states literally They have to be between 12 and 18. Oh, thank you. Thank you for that information. Okay, great. Realistically, right? So, yeah, depends. Okay, so moving on to new business. Um, all right. Uh, you guys will need to probably get into your um into the exhibits and look at exhibit I. Uh this is the subcommittee meeting schedule for July through December. So no I can see it but nothing changed right the standing days. Yeah because those are the one about Yamapore facilities meeting on Yamapore and then a facilities meeting that had been scheduled on the same night as K12 conferences. Okay. So otherwise things uh seem to be um as we expected.
So, so about generally the end of August. Yeah, I think August and and maybe um maybe by July. I don't want to commit to that, right? Because it summer's coming up too, right? So, be honest. September or October? No. Um because um we're we're going to be in a different place if it is and we we can't be um in that place, right? We don't want to go back to that. So um so we're trying very hard to um to fulfill everything that the auditors need. Um you know we've got project management built in from the city side, the external auditor side, from the consultant side. Um so we're all just um trying to um to really help this. I think a big thing that we looked at was something called we call lead time, right? So on the student activity funds and on the pension, they have the longest lead times.
So we were excited about those results. Um, all promising things from uh, education. Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Dawson. Any questions for the education committee? All right. Hearing none. Miss Hy, not to put you on the spot, but since Mr. Bal is not here, would you mind doing an update for governance? Uh, I'll tell you in a second if I mind. Totally fine. I know I'm going out of order, but perhaps we could have Mr. Zepco do operations. Okay, you can throw it to me. That's fine. Okay. Well, operations was an exciting committee. We talked about a lot of different things. One of the things we spoke about which affects um going forward is going to affect some of our student body was the uh photos, the photo service, legacy studios about yearbook services, photo services. we uh that was brought up and added to the agenda and what we needed to talk about was uh basically looking at you know the bang for the buck the the pricing uh compared to last year.
Yes. Oh yes I am. You've got those. Okay. Yeah. So because he has traffic concerns that he has. Yeah. And he sent some videos too. Yes. Okay. All right. just to make sure u because I think that you know it's important I to and I trying to work out if time to go over there and stand on the corner and take some videos of maybe cars trying to take a right-hand turn or um whatever but there's certainly but uh I have grave concerns with 10 to 60 main and I know now they're coming with around the groundwater issues and um I did write a significant um email in terms of outlining What are we doing here? Right. Um it's in a flood plane. We're living in a time where um you know we don't the hundredyear storms happen much more frequently. Yeah. Yeah. And it's just crazy.
Yep. I move that the board approve the subcommittee meeting schedule from July through December 2025. So Sarah has seconded. Um is there any discussion on this? We are or we not meeting on the first. Yeah. Because that's conference star. I just want to know if that means that we are or it meant that was the date it was moved to but Oh no. Oh no, it means we have to move those. Yeah, that is there and the star is there to notify the committee to take a look at that next time meeting. Yeah, subilities committ makes sense. Okay, perfect. Um, so is is there other discussion on this? All right. Um, all in favor of approving the subcommittee meeting schedule, please indicate by saying I.
So, what could we do for this 24 audit that wasn't in place for the 23 audit? Um, to reduce that lead time. Um, and confirmations is one of them, right? Confirmations, pensions, um, and um, I I can't think of just my student activity funds was one of them, but it's not anymore. Um, so that was a good improvement, and we've actually gotten a very good handle on the pension census data um, as well. Thank you. Welcome. So, one of my objectives is to have a set of financial statements that we can actually rely on, you know, be proud of. Uh, but also in the interest of transparency to make the information that we have is a matter of record. But equally as important is to establish relationships that is with the city itself is to establish a relationship with the city so that we work together so that we understand each other's issues that that we have and work together to meet those challenges.
I know my son is a senior and the prices were um kind of high. So, uh, we just want to make it equitable for everybody when they, uh, because it's a special time of year and we want all of our parents and our students, uh, to enjoy, uh, uh, pictures that they're going to have for a lifetime. So, uh, we kind of went into that a little bit. We also talked about updates. We're excited to talk about the renovations for the weight room and new equipment uh, that was to go into the weight room. Um, there were a number of different types of equipment that were put in. are going to be put in. Uh I know that when I spoke to uh Mr. Gorski, uh the uh old equipment, we will uh make sure that it is safe and uh and and when we dispose of it or if we can recycle it, whatever the case may be.
Will be a good a good a good indicator of what happens. It's crazy to say that we're going to have a manager on site that and that our um I think it was our actually consultant who said that you know the good news is we get a couple of there would be notice about that kind of a storm so that you would have time to get people to move their vehicles out. Okay. You're going to get where do they move to? Yeah. Where are they going to move to? And that's and you're going to get everybody out. And then at what point do you say, "Okay, we gave you enough time. Now we're going to tow you out." Yeah. Um and then, you know, my concern too is if you bring that kind of flood water into into that, you know, what what do you what are you going to do to the surrounding properties, right?
Any opposed? Any abstensions? All right. 70. Great. Um, next item. Um please find exhibit J. So these this updated um these yeah dates let's see right the October dates are the ones that we had talked last meeting about changing and I I indicated in the weekend update for everybody on Friday that we had an oversight for October 1st. We have two meetings schedu at this point. The board adopted uh last time October 1st and October 15th for board meetings. Um and there was an oversight that the eve before Yan Kapor. So in honoring that the the thought process is like we did this year with two meetings in October. I think it was the 15th and the 30th this year. Um that October 1st meeting you can move to the 29th and go with the 15th and 29th. That'd be the only modification. And apologies for the oversight of what you were provided with last month.
The other thing we we we have to work on is the general public. A lot of the public doesn't understand what our plight is on the financials. And we've got to, you know, with the transparencies and the the better statements we have work to make in the general public more aware as to one, us being the custodians of this money, uh, and two, our polite in in terms of the finances. We seem to do this, you know, we do it at our meetings monthly and stuff like that, but there's, you know, as I said, a dozen people that attend this and we do make more of an effort once a year during the budget process to do the presentation. But I I think we have to to get more people involved and and by that I think being more transparent on these statements would would do that.
Um the installation they're expecting to uh you know uh be really quick uh put in there as repairs need to be done, painting. So the wait room is really going to look nice. Uh Mr. Skorski, do you have any additions you want to add to that or Dr. Freeman? No, sir. I think you covered it well. Okay. So, the and that's exciting because that's another issue that um you know, that's I I like to say things like that, you know, uh not a a pun towards what we're talking about, but that's a legacy issue. So, we have a wait room that will be enjoyed not just for, you know, the students now, but for the students in the future. And I want to thank the board wants to thank the administrative team for really getting behind that. Uh because I see, you know, uh it's it's it's such an important when you know our kids work out and they're really trying hard, they're performing to do the best they can and we want them to know that we support them um you know to have the right equipment.
What what is going to be unleashed from the super fund site aspect of it? Um where are they going to pump that water in the river? And is it going to then make that unlivable for another hundred years? I I mean the concerns are just and so one question I had about all of this is what what exactly does the ZBA get to push back on? because so far I haven't I haven't felt that kind of and I get no warm and fuzzies from I'm not getting any warm and fuzzies from a consultant who was doing the traffic study. I have some issues with him. Sorry, I have to add consultant or I have to say it like it is our peer reviewer or a consultant. Everything's like at a bare min the minimum standard. He doesn't go he doesn't take he doesn't take it to the the highest level that he should and then work down.
So, do you guys want to um uh weave in these changes into our um into our understanding of the document? Like we will approve this with the with the October changes. Okay. So, that leaves a month between the September and October meetings. Yes. Which is what we have this year. I just feel like that ends up being a lot. Well, we're also going to be um negotiations probably which is going to take I think a lot of afternoon evenings we don't start till after and one of the things again kudos to this board um this board is unafraid to have special meetings when there's a need and I say that with all kindness and respect when I say that um you work very hard as a group so you really do so um you can if you find in late September you need to have a meeting on a specific topic the schedule special meeting.
So that that's something that through community relations and finance that that we we could work as as an objective to to bridge some of these gaps that we haven't had in the past that would help us work uh work work uh work together. Moving on to the the next topic is the uh except I'm sorry is number four is the 2024 budget is a recommendation that a vote a motion uh be made that the finance committee recommend to the board of education uh to authorize the chief financial officer to make year end by number adjustments uh to the balance of need to make 425 budget. Cara and Mike, if you want to speak to that. Um, sure. So, um, you know, with so many moves that Mike needs to make, we just wanted to make sure that we had board approval, um, to authorize Mike to make those moves.
So that was really really exciting. Also talked about the bidding of custodial services. Bidding took place on Tuesday 29th of April. We had seven bidders that bid on the contractual services. The lowest was SJ services that won a bid at 999336. That's $999,936. Um do you Mr. Gorski, you want to go a little bit into that or because there were some specifics I know that you knew. There there are some developments that are um still materializing with that, but we are making the uh recommendation for the bid to be awarded tonight to SJ and we'll take it from there. Okay. So, that's something that's uh you know that'll be really comprehensive for next year. We also talked about lunches uh school uh lunches for uh this year for next year. Um apparently, you know, we've been doing really well. lunch prices are to remain the same for all schools.
It's hot. It's a lot harder to work up than it is to work down. But are you kidding me? And I sat there and listened to them and I'm saying and he represents us. I'm sorry. He may be a nice guy and everything, but I don't think he's doing justice to this town. Sorry. I have to say it say it out loud. But but so what would you just in terms of the ZBA? Yeah. Oh gosh. Well, um I I think you don't mind if if I would I could rephrase that. What can they push back on successfully? Um you know, they can push back on anything, right, at the at at the local level. Um of course, this is a chess match. So, you've got to think about, okay, if I put in this condition or if I deny it, it gets appealed to the to the hack HAC.