It was at 8 a.m. on a Friday morning. So it was an early session uh which was just fantastic. But uh it was it was really good. And I think the reflection I had when we were all done was people that are now knowing Knox or knowing what we're about and what we're doing. Um, and I think that's that's that's awesome. That's a big step for us to for people to know where we are at and what we're doing. Um, and that shows just the good work that that you guys have done. I think one of my goals also um is at the schoolboard association conference in the fall time to present also about our strategic plan. Um, so I think that's something that we can kind of foreshadow that I'd like to be able to make make happen in the future. Um, so you know, a lot of a lot of great things going on.
We have juris hold on one second. We don't have jurisdiction over public health, but we do have jurisdiction over environmental health. And if there's contamination in the flood plane and it's going to be moved or altered, we have to know that. And we're going to have to know that in order for this to to proceed. Well, Mr. Chairman, I'll confer with my team and we can provide a response for tomorrow. >> Okay. >> But the the other peer review that that's one item of several. There's there's plenty for peer reviewers to chew on. So, we're asking for you to provide the scopes and the names of the the consultants that you've reached out to to peer review the other disciplines and they they you know we're like to review that. We'll get back in due time. We don't have any interest in dragging this out.
It was certainly what we all say and not you know you hear us talking about historic snow snow storm blizzard. We say that word. I heard you say it earlier Mr. Nunes. Like was there a blizzard? There was an actual blizzard. And um and you can't thank the folks enough who really stepped in to to help the community and really the state through the process. And really what you should know is the and I'm sure you do know from um paying attention to local news is the south coast got hit particularly hard. I think Dartmouth was one of the jackpot areas. So it's no surprise that we ended up having to close schools for an entire week. And in fact if the on Thursday as Mr. Kylie and I were talking we weren't sure we were going to be able to get back in on Monday.
So, we'll take a quick look at that. Just reminder, any questions on that bylaw now that you actually can see it? >> You've seen it before. >> Yeah. >> Couple of times, but I still feel bad I wasn't sharing screen. This is what I was talking about before. Strongly recommended. evaluation could be completed and reviewed in a retreat. >> Yep. >> Okay, >> cool. >> No questions on that one. >> All right. >> And all of those are coming up for a third reading. Correct. >> Right. >> And a vote. >> So, I'll show you the uh so it makes it easier to make a motion. Throw that up there. Um, can I just clarify? So, the second reading is a new policy, the protection of undocumented students. Is that correct? >> Yes. Yes. >> And we've just agreed that we're going to have a full board discussion of it at the next full board meeting, general meeting.
If they're disrupting learning, the AirPods or a watch or any electronic device would be covered by our policy. >> Yeah. And >> so you notice in in the classrooms when they're in >> Yeah. These are coming out. >> They're definitely not allowed during in pivotal moments in the classroom, especially during instruction time whether you're working with people. Romina, have you seen a little bit of that? Um, I've seen it again, but as soon as it's like a problem or the teacher notices or it's just not the appropriate time for those things, it's immediately like a quick, "Hey, can you take out your AirPod?" And it goes away immediately. There's no retaliation. There's no time. It's like immediately goes away. >> Yeah. And I I think it's important to recognize that that's just something that people like to do and feel comfortable with. And there's a time and place for it, right?
Uh, do we have any discussion, any questions? We can move on to a vote. Uh, all in favor of approval as recommended by administration, please say aye. Aye. >> Aye.
So, we'll have if we do not exceed the 15.6 cent rate under the current referendum even though that 15.6 cents will generate a lower levy than it currently does. If we don't exceed that, we are allowed to ask use the the version of the the referendum question that starts with do you agree to continue to increase property taxes. But if you choose that option the um the negative of that is towards the end of the question that looks like a paragraph because it is a paragraph. The end of the question concludes with actually I think it's the second to last sentence concludes with if you vote no then your property taxes will decrease by some amount. So, because they're saying it, you know, with that 15.6 is in place now. So, if you say no, that 15.6 is going to go away. The other form of the question and I'll send you all both of those those forms of the question.
Um, and also a reminder to you guys, our regional meeting for the schoolboard association is April 8th. Um, if you could just let Billy know here um, by Billy sooner rather than later. >> At the end of the week, please. >> By the end of the week would be fantastic. That way she can get us reserved for that. Again, that's that's Swan Lake at 4:30 um on the 8th. >> That's all that I have. >> All right. Thank you. >> Uh 12, public comments uh on items not on the agenda. We have Jake. Thank you. >> Thanks. So, uh Mr. Coning gave gave a good update on the outdoor project, so this will be short and sweet, but um we're in the middle of fundraising or crowdfunding. Um, we have 30 days left. So, um, we're about, like I said, about 30,000 in. Um, and we still have 20,000 to raise in the next 30 days.
So, and we'll get back to you on the issue of peer review of uh the ramp plan or or certain parts of it. >> Yeah. Well, okay. Well, it's not unprecedented for conservation commissions to review those documents. Matter of fact, it's suggested. >> Did you want to speak to >> Yeah, I one of the reasons many one of the many reasons why we're interested in this is during constru we are responsible for ensuring that no contamination is moved into the river or into the wetlands adjacent to the site. Uh and since the entire site is flood plane, it's going to be excavated, dug up, it's going to be, you know, material is going to be handled. It's going to rain at some point during construction. We need to make sure that uh we are comfortable that the contamination that exists on this site is not being transported into the river or onto uh adjacent wetlands.
Uh so we're really thrilled to be able to say that we opened school today. Yes, it was a two-hour delay, but I think that gave everybody some uh confidence and around safety and security. Kind of let people roll in at different times and be ready to welcome our students back. Mr. Kylie, I know you were in touch with Tremble and Mr. Bernard out there in the field. We heard from all of our principles today. They all claim they all let us know that they had really um positive uh openings this morning. So, if you want to add anything to that, Mr. Kylie, >> I'd just like to to um reiterate what um Dr. S Magcguire said. I thank our staff for for you know, incredible job with a a very challenging circumstance with record snowfalls. Um Mr. afternoons. I don't know whether you predicted this because on our February 9th school committee, you were asking about how much money we had spent.
>> Yeah. >> Business meeting. I think that's the the conclusion of the that conversation was that we'll move it forward to have a a you know robust conversation about the necessity and and value of the policy and then you know we'll come back for the third reading and determine whether or not you guys actually want to adopt it or make adjustments based on that conversation anyway. And that conversation though will be in the board meeting this month, right? >> Later this month. Yeah, we have a board meeting Thursday. That's actually um the showcase, >> but the in the business meeting. Yeah, we'll discuss it. >> When is that business meeting? Like the third week. >> Yeah. Um so the board meeting this Thursday the 5th is the um >> it's on the 19th is the business meeting. >> Is the business Thank you, Carol. >> There's a planning committee meeting at six o'clock that night as well.
Um, and when our my teacher's up there presenting or teaching a lesson, OB, it should not obviously not be in. But if if you're sitting in class and it's it's there and you just put your AirPods in because you're working on homework, um, I think most teachers are kind of okay with that. >> Yeah. >> One question for both of you, and it's likely something you won't be able to answer tonight, but to think about for a while. Um, as you've been on this side of the board for the past couple of months and we're getting closer to the end of the year, um, if each of you could think about one policy that you would try and implement if you were an elected board member by by the end of your time on this board, like if you come back one of the last meetings, um, just sit and think >> about if you were in in our shoes, what would you try to advocate for?
Any opposed, same sign. Thank you very much, Dr. Phillips. We ready to go to number seven? >> [cough and clears throat] >> Oh, thank you. Uh, we did start doing roll call and I will do that. Uh That's that's my bad that I didn't do a roll call. It was uh 7-0 for the record. We did not have anybody vote against that item. Thank you. I now request approval of items 7A through 7I. Item 7A is a supplemental contracts, 7B field trips and professional leaves, item 7C school fundraisers. I will note that our team has identified the disproportionate number of school fundraisers that are being approved this time or requesting approval in arrears. And there are folks here in the audience today that are prepared to answer questions and we have some process changes in place to make sure that there's always going to be one or two that happen that you may be in an event comes up.
The other form of the question says do you agree to increase property taxes? It doesn't use the term continue but it doesn't have that statement at the end that if you vote no your your property taxes will decrease. Our contention and what we intend to do I know the survey didn't include it is through education through lots and lots of public work sessions and through lots of over communicating is to make sure that people understand that if you vote yes we will be collecting less property taxes than what we are today by an average of about a million dollars per year assuming that the board ends with a conclusion that we leave the referendum at that average of 9. 9.5 million dollars per year. And Mr. Schultz, I would just add as a reminder for folks on the 23rd, you all have a session that is scheduled specifically that is for training.
>> There's one in the >> Yeah, I know >> you guys have different groups each of you work with and advocates of the the school. So, if you know anybody that would like to donate or any groups, um, please spread the word and hoping to hit our goals. So fingers crossed. >> That's all I have. >> What happens if you guys don't? >> So if we don't, we don't get any match. We would just have to scale the project back. Um right now we're at 30,000. We have enough to complete the pavilion um engraved bricks and give recognition to those donors that have you know donated that level um the bricks. So we would just remove kind of the play equipment from the projects. >> Set the uh goal like is it is the state it has to be like 50,000 but like >> yeah it can be 50,000 is the max.
That is why we are concerned about what happens to this contamination on site and why we need to look at your RAM plan. I >> is not is D not charged with that identical thing >> perhaps, but so are we. We've got a we've got a responsibility to the Wetland Protection Act to do this. >> There's separate scopes. D is looking at the remediation. We're looking at the impact on the resource areas with >> All right. Well, we understand your your request and we will get back to you uh in due course right away. >> Okay. Thank you. And the last uh documents is kind of an encompassing all correspondence between the the applicant, the LSP, the D and the EPA uh that we may need with regard to the RAM report. We do have some of that that's public information. Uh but if they're subsequent, we would uh we may ask for those documents.
You know, it's changed a little since uh that next day I went and looked up the numbers. >> Yeah. >> I wish that's where what they still were, but um we uh effective this um effective today have spent $51,60.77 on snow removal. And I I mean we've ne we've never spent that much in my time here. Um so it's it's significant for sure. Um and that is the money spent over the budgeted amount. So for instance um you know our our staff, our custodial staff and our maintenance staff all worked full-time you know last week. I'm not counting those hours. Those are budgeted for. This is This is $51,000 above and beyond what we've what we budgeted for. It's It's Yeah. Astounding, really. >> This would be overtime. Yes. Renting equipment, salt, sand, etc., etc. >> Precisely. Yep. Yep. Overtime. 20 almost $28,000 this year between the different storms.
>> Our next policy meeting um was scheduled to be the 6th, but that is not going to happen. We had to move it to the 13th because of spring break on the 6th. >> I will not be in attendance on the 13th. >> Okay. Okay. Can we do this all in one motion? >> The second one and then the the third one can be its own motion. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, I move that we send policy 511.3 um, protection of undocumented students to the full board for a second reading. >> Second. >> Can I second it? >> Sure.
>> Yeah, I'll get back to you on that. >> I'm interested to see to think about. >> We'll think about it. >> There's so many different things we could talk about here. >> Yeah, >> me and Roina will collab. >> Yes, >> talk about it. >> Collaborate. >> Um, other than that, let us know if you have any other questions. >> Any other homework to be assigned to our business? >> Be careful. He's going to come back and give you homework. >> You need a matching set next time. >> You'll have to tell me what that is. >> All right, we're moving on to item number four for a workshop. All right. I invite members of the education foundation forward to present checks to grant recipients. Good >> evening. It's always a pleasure to be here and we have not been here too often, but we're here now.
The robotics competition, for example, may not um you know, they may qualify for a trip and they start a fundraiser and finish it before there's even an opportunity for the board to act. That has not been the case with all of these tonight, so >> [clears throat] >> um we we're working working to make sure that we correct that. Item 7D claims and payroll. We have two payrolls, February 6th and February 20th, of just over 7.6 million dollars. The pre-runs from January 24th to January 31st, 2026 of just over 2.8 million dollars. And then the docket claims for a March 2nd of just over 1.22 million dollars. Item 7E is the district calendar change. We over communicated this over the last few weeks as a result of the severe weather that we've had and cancellations. We are requesting that the board approve the same change this year that we made last year due to also excessive numbers of cancellations due to severe weather.