>> I hear what you're saying. I could just go again not saying that history should be even here. This has been this been left at the central office of St. and I checking I have Becky. >> Oh yeah, nobody does it. >> Nobody knows that. >> It's all going to be online. It's it's a thing. >> So for the budget book, the process that uh member Martini started because I know we were talking about having an executive summary. Is there any motion there? >> I think based on what we just heard with those three categories, if we could explain why they've increased, that would be a good place to put that, too. >> For the Yeah. >> I mean, really. I mean, you're you're talking about a 7% increase. That is hard to hear in today's world. I mean, I've been reading who just was it Gil Monagu, one of them.
It was like 6% or something. But I I mean it's just hard for all of us to hear, especially our taxes just got um raised. I mean I just got a water bill, an excise bill, and the dog needs a license. I mean, we're giving our cities thousands of dollars it feels like every month. >> So it sounds like what we are looking for from the executive summary is the explanation of the 3% ra but with steps. So why that is the percentage it is uh the tech expenditure the sped moveins and sped transportation that those narrative explanations are what we're looking for in the executive summary. The other thing we talked about was wanting to link it to class sizes and the amount of kids served. >> So if there was a way we could fit that into the executive summary that would fit what we discussed in December.
So I guess the question I have is do these numbers right now represent small class sizes and >> they represent a continuation of this year. >> Okay. So we need to see class sizes and that should be in our budget. Like I think people want to see this but what they really want to see is what's in a school. That's as basic as it is because that's what they're paying for. So, you know, Federal Street has two first grade teachers, two kindergarten, and in each class there are so many students. That's really what they want to know. I mean, it's it's as a senior citizen who's paying her taxes, I want to know what those children what's in that building. Um, in this building, we had somebody actually peep in the windows once and said he always wanted to know what was inside and it was a big to-do.
Okay. But what I'm saying is I don't think people realize what things cost in our schools anymore. Everybody knows that the grocery store prices have gone up. Everybody knows that the gas station prices go up. In our schools, you get back to it was good enough for me. should be >> right. >> So, if we have to replace furniture >> because we're sitting in 70s chairs, >> what you know, do if we have to replace technology because it breaks. I mean, all of that. >> Green field, and this should be in there, has always maintained that we would not charge children fees. And that was a thing that we did and that cost us as >> a community, you know, and so that is a something >> and I believe for context that would be like sports fees because we want our sports programs >> to to be open for kids of all socioeconomic levels and not just excluded.
>> No. And there were principles, myself and others in this district, many who are retired, who fought at the state house for free food. >> I went every year to Boston for free breakfast, breakfast in the classroom. I mean, we we really went no more food shaming. Um, all of that. I mean, there were there's many battles to make sure everything was free in Greenfield. Um, and I think that is a theme of the city budget as well as the school budget. So I think as we >> go to the askations, right, >> as the ask that is something Greenfield has been proud of in the past. The number one negative thing from this community is how much we spend on special ed. people feel that that's something that's really seems overthe-top and I can say how many superintendents back five six that's where they hid money was insp so that is a given and then there was one who used to hide money in libraries books and we never got library books so everybody hides money somewhere that seems to be the American way but it also When I was knocking on doors, I think the number one thing that hurt me as an educator was to hear people believe our schools are the tail that drives our dog is special ed, which >> right, >> I think it's something we need to when we talk about our school budget, we really have to we're still trying to maintain small class sizes.
We're still trying to keep the arts. We're still trying to the positives versus the that one kid who moves into town. I mean, that story is giving us a bad rep. >> Well, also we don't want to blame financial problems on the one kid who moves. Exactly. >> I think we should be careful not >> to blame any one person for a complicated budget year. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Yeah. And this is not specific. It didn't fit in previous districts. >> No, >> we had a couple residential placements. It was for a very very small number of students, less than five. It was over $800,000. >> Yep. And something that I like to bring, >> we have nothing we can do about that price tag. It's set for us and then they send you the bill. >> Like the gallon you buy at the store, you don't get an option.
>> Right. We'll just take Yeah, >> we'll just take half of this half. >> Go get a cow. >> So, the state does act like economy of scale is universal and no point in fixed cost that won't change even if numbers go down >> in Springfield. That would not be such a big impact like it would be in Green. I think people also want to see um like what money we're using for and I is a city side upkeep of our buildings city that >> outside. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Or what we're buying for like not just like classroom materials but like the enrichment opportunities like we're providing for >> So would that be instructional supplies >> maybe? Okay. It's >> But like like you were saying like I want to know like oh did we get new wobbly seats you know or things like that like so I think a lot of that today I may be wrong I don't know I mean the Greenfield Educational Foundation you know they raise about 60 to $80,000 a year and teachers can write projects for that.
I was trying to move them to go to donor's choose because of the double days so that they could double that money. >> I don't think anyone's really doing donors. How many donor choose requests have we seen this year? >> I have not seen any. >> That's super good at it. >> We all We are already at the hour mark into the meeting. So, we should probably focus in on if we have any other questions about this proposed budget or if the administration has questions for us on any areas in order to be ready for that budget posting on Wednesday and presentation. >> I guess my suggestion since as much as this has worked in the past and since this was kind of thrown on us at the let's say the 11th hour by the city >> that we kind of keep this use this for Wednesday with the understanding and again say like we're all this 7 we we recognize and I'm going to say because committee members I think one of the things that we didn't do a good job of last year is like we recognize that we're not going to get 7.46%.
But this is the starting point. This is you know just like the city side has just begun. We have also just begun. So, you know, but this is, you know, the first step of a multi-step process of this is phase one. This is superintendent proposed level service, but you know, so that I would say and I I don't want to belittle the charter or anything, but in a sense, we're just checking off a box. You know, the mayor was nice enough to give everybody a month's extension, but this year to some extent is just to meet the deadline of the x number of days before that it's required. And a lot of thought and effort has been put into this, >> you know, I mean, because we did we met with every administrator, every program director >> to go over what it is they were requesting, pushed back on things, and then came back with the level service plus some of the other thing that have come in that we we factored in here.
Um, but you know, there is still this is we've only just begun, >> right? There are still going to be choices to be made, right? You talk about class sizes. Well, we'll give you all of that. You'll see. Exactly. Right. I mean, I've mentioned to some of the group many times that you think about we run generally in the elementary levels from KF or two classes in every school, two two classrooms, what you would call traditional classroom, right? Two grade twos everywhere. So, we're running sixth grade two teachers right now, right? We'll get you numbers. It's going to be pretty. I say the word simple, but choices then have to be made. Okay. Do you want your class, you know, I have 44 kids at a school? Oh, is that two 22s? Okay. Yep. >> I have um I'm making this up. 28. >> I don't know if it' be that forever that low, but is that two 14s or is that a 28?
Okay. I mean, but people think that it's they're hard choices. No. I mean, or if we have 50, is that two 25s or is that three 17s you get. Okay. Well, but so when you go to the third, which I don't have a problem doing, right? >> Yeah. >> That's a dollar. >> I know. >> So, so when you add $75,000 because you want small class sizes, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. >> No. >> Something else has to give, right? >> Absolutely. >> Can we run like uh combo grades with our current curriculum? >> It's a it's a question. ELA, you could probably get away with it because ELA, those grades are typically clumped together. >> Math would be a little bit more challenging, >> but manageable, >> but we could look at we could look at it. Math, >> we've all been trained to do groups.
That's like a thing. That's elementary. We do groups. That's who we are. >> Right. The push back you would hear from our classroom teachers would be that sometime their traditional one grade classrooms are pretty diverse >> and um spread if that's the the right language >> never mind putting two there now can you do anything you probably can do anything right and ask people to do more and those are some things >> well >> um >> I mean I was a product of combo classes so >> so going back to this so the executive summary we're looking for. I think I'm hearing that there is not enough time to have an executive summary that we can attach to this for Wednesday, but would we be able to get that executive summary with what we're looking for at the presentation on the what was it the 16th?
>> Yes, >> absolutely. >> You think you could just put together like those little those areas with the narrative? So I guess I'm going maybe I'm misunderstood. No, that I'm thinking when I think of the executive summary, I'm thinking of what was like the samples that were shared >> by K like you know that were I mean if we're talking to them I say an executive summary of the executive summary for Wednesday then then maybe we could actually but I you know and I can try putting something together share with you >> that's you know but it's just I would you know I want to make sure that it's one of the things that I get worried about when we share this and it it's it's never going to be enough for everybody, you know, but it's still a thing of if we put it together, you know, just making sure that it it's fruitful enough for people that should they come and pick it up that they they are able to look at it and say, "Oh, I get it.
These are the three cost drivers, you know, primarily." I mean, >> I mean, I don't know what the December meeting or what they're kind of talking about, but I think just like having a cover sheet >> is I think where I'm thinking like >> the cover sheet memos you give us each month just so that people know what to look at and what they're looking at. >> Yeah. >> So, I have a concern about process. >> Okay. >> Um because I don't want to be in the same position I was last year where I'm being asked to vote on something. that we haven't had a chance to actually understand what is in front of us. And so I appreciate all the work that goes into this. I as somebody who has spent too many hours in Munice and when I retired I was like goodbye but I'm back into Munice and looking at things.
I would say to you putting something in the paper which we have not said yes this is what we believe puts us in an awkward position as a school committee. Well, >> I don't think so because it's you're not it's not >> it's your ask I want that clear ask and it's required by the charter I believe >> correct the school committee >> you're the department head in your vote >> okay >> at the end of March let's say right I mean to go forward and present the budget to the mayor >> yeah the little piece in the paper is the administrative legal document this is what we're asking for for the community to see and then Monday, it's basically the administration pitching this to the school committee. >> Here here's the draft, right? Here's here's the outline, like an outline of the budget. You're public, right?
Here's where we are. So, we're we're transparent. There's no secrets, right? Is this final? Oh, no. It's not final because you haven't given your blessing in that sense, right? And even after you give, I say your blessing, >> it's still not done. is that without speaking to those going before us, but I I think you might be touching on to that meeting we had at the high school library where >> you know when that motion was made I was like you know we don't want a vote now >> there was nothing to vote on >> and and so you know you know I'm agree >> I was in pain >> so better I'm glad you were sleep >> but it it was not I mean it was definitely I'm going say a huge cart for the horse thing where there hasn't been you know so >> you know >> could we have I'm going to say as far as the notice could we have you know maybe parse the word someone said that what you're looking at is the super that's why I mean I was very I mean if you look at the title it's a draft superintendent proposed but I mean I can't stress enough that this is the first step in a law process that yes again >> yeah you're not signing off >> we're not we're not saying that this was done willy-nilly there was thought this is truly a level service budget.
We went through person by person, met with administrators and everything. So there there's thought that was a lot of thought put into y >> but it is just begun. But this is again and I don't want to be a little disturbed. We're really just checking off a box. >> Okay. And I guess I want to say there are positions in here I do not believe should be in here. >> Okay. Absolutely. >> There are positions that aren't in here that I believe should be. You can add a registar to my list. So, and there's stuff here too that I have I might have suggestions for you that eliminate. >> But we weren't doing that >> today >> because this is our starting. >> Yes. Because you have to start somewhere and show everybody. Yeah. >> Here's what last year I say last year. This current year, right?
This current year is >> and it's the thing. Yeah. Obviously, nothing saying that you know, you want to add positions, right? And something else is going to come up. It's still not going to change at 7.46% if we're starting to go down that road. If you think about some, >> right? needs and then you take something out, right? Absolutely. >> So, going to the timeline. So, the school committee will discuss this, advance this, the mayor will come back with her counter and then this subcommittee will meet again to go over the proposed cuts to get closer or try to meet the mayor's counter. That the process we're expecting >> pretty close. So timelinewise whenish >> ballpark do we think we'll be having that meeting >> where we >> that after the mayor gives her numbers when we're going back and starting to get more >> you prevent that to the city excuse me city council on April 22nd.
>> So it'll be so >> April >> late April meeting for us. No, because >> no. Well, you'll want to >> So, department heads of the city have already presented their budgets to the mayor. There are some, not all. That process has started city side. So, you know, the fire chief, the police chief, DBW, they all go in and with big dreams and come out crushed. So, that's that's why you get the big bucks, right? So, I that has already started. Okay. So the question I think is when you put that in the paper that's your ask correct just >> no no no no >> no >> that's a start because the school committee excuse me we'll meet two more times March 16th to have a public hearing and probably to have more questions like this where we'll answer and you revise then again on the 25th where you may have some more asks to put in or minuses, additions or deletions, right?
>> Yeah. >> That then on the after the 25th, that is what's going to the mayor by her April 1 deadline. >> So he >> and that's what departments have to submit. All departments, I'm not saying some aren't done now, but be pretty efficient, which is good if they're done now >> and they go to wave. >> They still have to wait until April 1st. The mayor then has I believe from the email we received, Dan, right? three weeks to look at it and do her presentation to the city council on the 22nd of April. I think that was the night. Right. >> So, I guess my thought is do subcommittee meeting between the budget hearing and the vote >> two between well the so 16th Monday budget hearing. Then the Wednesday the next week is our proposed day for when we'll be voting to send this to the mayor.