Um, I don't know if that had to be in there. Um, but it seems like if we want to look at the bylaws, we can. We don't need to make ourselves do it on an annual basis. Um, and then the other Oh, there's a paragraph added in the meetings. Um and then the other big change was around um so previously we had article 8 and article 9 which was the agenda and order of business which was removed and then the committees and workg groups were just reworked a little bit here. Um, so that's the other big I would say area of change. And so this is where kind of it gets into the details of the work plan and how working groups will be kind of formed around the work plan. Um, and there is yeah so um I did try to tweak it. So I I heard the feedback from the last meeting about like there needs to be it's very the way it was presented was it was very top down with like staff kind of telling the commission what to do and so it's not meant to be that way.
I want to get this right. Um, so yes to everything except 10.16. Correct. No to 10.16. Yes to the rest, Mr. Dearcy. No to 10.15 and 10.16. Yes to everything [Applause] else. No to 10.15 and 10.16. Yes to the rest. Mrs. No, no to 10:15 and no to 10:16. [Applause] Oh, I'm sorry. And yes to the rest. I'm sorry. So, no to 1015 and 1016. Yes to the rest. Mr. Thompson. Yes. The hall, Mr. Peeleman. No to 1016. Yes to the rest. Mr. Bach, uh, excuse me, no to 10.16, yes to the rest, Mr. Bach, no to 10.16, yes to the rest. No to 10.16. Yes to the rest. Mr. Compton. Yes to all with the exception of 10.16. Uh regarding 10.16, the board is still interested in pursuing additional negotiations with the collective bargaining unit regarding the transportation department. No to 10.16. Yes to the rest.
So I guess in in maybe an answer to your question as well that like we don't um in a way we we don't have an opportunity to have the project presented to us or to see it. All we can do is discuss it amongst ourselves and try to look at our zoning and see things that we we would might want to question if we could, right? And put those in a letter and and send it to the So it doesn't it doesn't necessarily I don't think anyone we're not taking a vote. So, no one's making a judgment if we're against it or not, but it's about being able to have some kind of input as it goes to the state. Otherwise, except for going to zoning board of appeals meetings and talking as a as just as a resident, the board doesn't have really a voice in that at this point that in that process.
You all have been a true blessing to our district and our students. I would also like to give a shout out to Raven's Donuts. They have been making and decorating some amazing donuts for our Voodoo members. They go in at 2:00 a.m. just to decorate them. So, please stop by and tell them thank you. As always, it's such a pleasure to go out to the schools and be able to celebrate our certificated staff. I appreciate Miss Longshore and Miss Tucker for joining me on Monday doing just that. The members really appreciated seeing you and having you help hand out the gifts to them. I also want to thank the students in Miss Corrin's class for putting everything together in the cups. That helped so much and I'm glad they really enjoyed that. I want to address something from the last board meeting. I asked a question during speaking time and it was said that staff should give advanced notice and ask ahead of time rather than putting someone on the spot.
Um I I I agree that there should be a mechanism for feedback and so um I tried to kind of include some of that language that yes like and I'm happy like we staff is happy to have feedback on what might go into the work plan and we'd love to make that work if possible. And then that those are the I would say those three sections are the big changes.
All motions carry with the exception of 10.16. Thank you, Mr. Yates. Moving to item 11, personnel. We need a motion to approve items 11.1 through 11.11. Do we have a motion? Motion by Mrs. Null, seconded by Mr. Thompson.
Does that make sense? Yeah, that makes sense. I just I I get the feeling that all of the 40B projects that are going over us are all universally seen negatively in the town. And I what I'm trying to find out is are they really seen negatively on the holistic part of the town? Um Jones idea sounded really good, right? Like you know they got a lawyer and they pushed back and got some changes made. But is that something like are we pushing back because we just don't want anything there? Are we pushing back because we really want it to be a smaller project or a less dense project or like what is our what's our real goal and feeling behind this? But what I can tell you what I can tell you, Scott, is that during the comprehensive plan process, we had multiple public forums on what the public sees as the way planning should work for Ashland.
While I understand this perspective, I believe the question was fair and important and I didn't expect to receive an answer at that time. After receiving the response, it was brought to my attention I became concerned about the accuracy of the information that was shared, specifically regarding the AB1200 report and the insurance figures. We were told that only members receiving the insurance package were counted as a $20,000 level for projections for the upcoming year. What needs to be clear is this. The additional 2,300 that went toward each member's benefits came from Avuda funds, specifically the dental reserve, not from the district. The way the report was presented implied otherwise. Those savings were made on our side, not the district's side. And it's important that this distinction is accurately understood and communicated as we wrap up. another school year. I want to take a moment to personally thank each and every one of you, our certificated staff, for your incredible dedication, hard work, and unwavering support.
So yeah, any any questions, thoughts? Commissioner Mitchell. Thanks. Um, Erin, I'm not sure I quite understand the um work plan design because it looks the same to me and maybe I just didn't read it correctly. There was a line in there that they would get um input from the commissioners before um on the annual basis before the new work plans was developed that was missing before. Okay. So, it's not solely um staff organized. The staff should be asking for our feedback. I mean, they might reject our feedback, but at least we'll be asked for our feedback. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Graham. Well, I'm not sure that goes quite far enough. Uh we wouldn't have a climate action plan if the energy commission hadn't out of their own initiative suggested doing it. and really fought to make it happen. We wouldn't have an operating MRF in the city if the environmental commission hadn't intervened in what was a disastrous end of our blast facility.
Any questions or comments from the board? Seeing no, Mr. Yates, roll call, please. On personnel, Miss Bramitz, yes. Garbage. Mr. Dearcy. 11. That's what we're voting on. 11. Personnel. Yes. Yes. Mrs. Null. Yes. Mr. Thompson. Yes. Mr. Peeleman. Yes. Mr. Bach. Yes. Mr. Con. Yes. That motion carries. Thank you, Mr. Yates. Moving to item 12, policy. We have no policy. Moving to item 13, committee reports. Do any committee chairs like to share a report? Miss Moes. Yes. So, I want to speak on behalf of the curriculum, sorry, the curriculum committee. Um Tracy Fox is the chair of that committee. Um and she this is a statement that she had prepared for the last meeting that she didn't have with her. So, I'm going to read it tonight. This is a report from what came out of the meeting two meetings ago and then I'll talk about this current meeting in a second.
And there was quite a bit of feedback from the public of concern about resources, density, and um essentially growth without planning. The problem with 40BB projects in general is they tend to um come into into a community without much choice. And so you're absolutely right. Sometimes the public just doesn't like that idea rather than uh really looking at a project in a unique way. I I don't think this planning board has taken a policy position of rejecting every single 4B. I think what this planning board has tried to do is ref be reflective to the public's concern that these projects should be more sensitive to the town's uh developmental needs to our lacking resources and to design elements and density elements that are more congruent to what uh fits into Ashland. Um because the town of Ashland is not Framingham. It's not nic. It's its own historic place with uh people moving here for a particular kind of lifestyle and generally the comprehensive plan process underlined that that is the public's concern.
This year has not been without its challenges. We've navigated uncertainty, increased demands, and the continued frustration of feeling undervalued. And yet through it all, you showed up for your students, for each other, and for this community. I know how tired many of you are. I also know how fiercely committed you remain to your students in your profession. This isn't easy, always an easy role. There are moments when challenges are feeling overwhelming. When I visit schools, when I talk to the members, I'm reminded why we fight. Not just for fair compensation and benefits, but for respect, recognition, and the kind of working conditions that allow you to thrive, not just survive. Your strength, your unity, and your passion for what you do bring everything back into focus. As Leslie stated earlier, we have great things happening in this district. We have great certificated staff in this district who make those great things happen.
We initiated that. I It's not just feedback to uh city staffs telling us what to do. We have we we should have absolute freedom built into the bylaws to initiate um items of discussion and items for the work plan. Yeah, I understand that. I think the intention was that I think there's been a lot of instances where a lot of hard work has been put into something and then the city hasn't been able to implement it. And I think that's what we're trying to avoid. Um, we're really trying to leverage the work that the commissions are doing in a way that can be used in the city and I think finding the balance. Um, I I I guess we'll need to strike a good balance there. And so I'm happy to take feedback on language. I would I'll I'll say that the first so the the sections um section three the purpose objectives and duties and then the membership are the pieces that are going to go into like the ordinance and then the remaining sections of the bylaws are like more flexible too.
So the committee uh curriculum committee in November um I'm sorry in April the committee members reviewed and discussed all the items up for approval at tonight's meeting as well as the district goals. The drafts of the new district goal for 25 through 28 that the board originally looked at during our annual winter retreat were revisited. Discussion on the final stages of the current ELA goal was also reviewed. As a reminder, the district finalized revisions to the updated ELA document in the September in the summer of 2024 and all updates are being fully implemented this school year. Revisions included increased opportunities for small group instruction through an emphasis in guided reading, word study, phonics, and book clubs to ensure the needs of all students are being met. These updates increase the amount of time the teachers have to address specific literacy concerns and provide targeted instruction.
I I would not describe it as an outright rejection. I would describe it as a concern about development that's not consistent with Ashlin's um aesthetic and planning. Yeah, like for instance, the 10 to 60 um main street project was actually in front of which is a 40B now was actually in front of the planning board for about a year. We talked about that project in a different form. Um and it had I think when it left us it had 184 housing units instead of 250. It had a big commercial component. It was being developed in a way that we felt pretty good about it and we were getting to some design elements that we felt pretty good about about that project. But in the end, the owner of the project uh found um that he couldn't get investors in it, that maybe it wasn't maybe it didn't pencil out.
Thank you for standing together. Thank you for standing strong. We are Ava and together we move forward. Thank you CSEA and President Scott for helping to build the relationship between AVDA and CSEA. We appreciate you and all the certificated staff as well. Have a great summer. Rest, relax, and get some quality family time together. And in solidarity, [Applause] Karen, thank you for your comments, Karen. Okay, we're moving on to item six is close session reports. Clerk will read out any action taken in close session. Amanda. All right. For item B1, conference on litigation. On a motion by Rick Raleigh and seconded by Amanda Buchanan, the board voted unanimously to authorize the director of risk management to approve the proposed settlement agreement regarding case number CIVS-2111303. Also, item B1, conference on litigation. On a motion by Renee Longshore, seconded by Anita Tucker, the board voted unanimously to authorize the director of risk management to approve the proposed settlement agreement regarding case number CIVDs 2011183.
So, like if we wanted to change some of that language at a later point, um we wouldn't have to necessarily change it in the ordinance because it would be like part of the bylaws. But I I hear what you're saying is my point. Um um Commissioner Mitchell, how do we assure that flexibility? It sounds like there's a a plan to have a work plan identified at the beginning of let's say whatever our term year is and then how much flexibility is is there in that in the work plan topics? Yeah, I I think staff is still kind of working on the logistics of that. Um, I think if if we move forward with the ordinance, the first reading of the ordinance in June, then essentially this would be kicking off in July. So staff would probably be coming with an idea of a work plan in at that time.
The word balanced, which continues to be used in the document, emphasizes that all five literacy blocks are important and are part of the ETSSD structure literacy program. Each block is designed to include explicit instruction via protocols and units of study that incorporate phonomic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Feedback on the updated word study, phonics resources from our teachers has been positive. These resources include an updated word wall, standard lessons, and assessments, parent communication, and a new primary word study program. The program includes a systematic sequence of whole class lessons, an implementation guide to asssure all 100 lessons per grade are taught, and a differentiated resource for word study to be implemented during guided reading. In addition, ETSSD students continue to have access to level texts as well as authentic literature which allows for teachers to see the application and transfer of isolated skills and context.
And so the project was pulled and then resubmitted as a very different 40B with very little commercial and a lot more residences, which the the project we worked on for a year, we thought was a obviously a lot better fit for Ashland and our our downtown area. So that's why we did have actually a good deal of feedback into that project. The second one at 61 Waverly and people correct me if I'm wrong. We had many fewer comments on that, but it was originally presented to us as three or four or buildings, many separate buildings on that site, which we thought it was used the site in in kind of a good way that it was probably an appropriate place for housing. We didn't have a lot of comment on it. Um but so we sent those to the we did send some comments to the state.
That's it. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] Okay. Item seven, adoption of the agenda. The board may approve the agenda as is or add and we'll pull items from consent calendar for discussion or action. So, we'll need a motion to approve adoption of the agenda. So moved. I'm sorry. Who? Anita. Yes. Okay. All right. Do I have a second? Oh, second. Second. Buchanan. Roll call. Uh, Anita. Yes. Tucker. I. Longshore I para yes I Raleigh I Okay, motion passes unanimously. Moving on to item E discussion information. Uh first up item one local control plan LCAP presentation from Patrick Slasher. Thank you. And I'll do this presentation from here and just kind of talk you through some of the items that have have been provided for you as we kind of go through this draft LCAP process. And um the slides are printed there, but they are two per page and they turned out kind of small, but you'll be able to see them.