Um so there's really no no way to tell if they would or wouldn't, but they would um entertain that. I have a statement and a question. So years prior to ever knowing I would be in public service, I learned about the concepts of tiffs at my parents' kitchen table because my father poured over the tiff for Lake Katherine for hours. He probably would have been a public speaker tonight if he were here. Um my question to you is you said there's when we vote they our vote is really meaningless. They can go on with the 12-year extension without us. What happens if we don't vote for it? >> Yeah. When when it comes to an extension, they would need all voting, all public bodies, all taxing bodies. >> Okay. For the extension >> for an extension. What you said is accurate for the original tiff.
And um some of that training involves classroom management, right? So, it's kind of like that thought of um well, I'm at this teacher table. What are the other kids doing? Right? So, that they're engaged and all that. So, um we typically will have smaller win class sizes. and that that makes that a lot more manageable as well. But it's a it's an intentional plan that we're carrying out a lot of times in a workshop type of model. So am I am I simplifying this way too far by saying the student focus for the student that's falling behind happening currently in team >> is now pulled out into this model >> if kid needs to come in the team >> something that they need to think about now instead they come in and they're doing this in a >> I would say I would say if that's a true or false question I would say And I think >> I'm not proposing you right now.
Um, basically the approved budget for fiscal year 202526 is as I imagine everybody knows this number but maybe not 93,124,314 and as of February 28th 2026 um 89.4% 4% has been encumbered and expended which is um really on par with February of 2025. So um you know I think we're chugging along under normal circumstances and I will pass along to Miss Emily Taylor who will report on maybe some of the financial highlights and uh take us into the report on the medical benefits. Great. >> Thank you. >> So, as um we are 89.4% expended or encumbered, I want to uh flag that three accounts or actually four accounts. Um we have we've spent over 100%. Those are reflected in the variance in the top of the table. You'll see this is the first month where the variance is not 0% for all of those budget categories.
>> How much more is the shock bet? >> Let's just say $150 a square foot. >> How many square feet? >> Yeah, I think we're with the DZone being turf. Uh I think this is 95,000. >> So 150,000 to the project. >> Okay. And do you have any idea what our field is at with GMAX right now? >> Uh so we test that in August. RG uh >> so the average the average was surprisingly good. >> Yeah, I would say >> one spot hit >> somewhere like 180 field hit 180. >> But that's that's where um you're having all your lacrosse face offs. So the kids are digging in and that crumb rubber is coming out. So we addressed that >> um >> by having maintenance come in, use the electric broom, raise the fibers, and we added a bunch of crumb rubber for this year.
However, and I think the presentation tonight underlined the many and large variables that are beyond a district's control, Evans is more valuable to us for its revenue, right? So, we are continuing to seek additional revenue through Evans and we are opening Evans Preschool Center in a portion the portion that's like pointing towards 73 if you're there where Sequoia is currently some portion of that. We anticipate generating additional revenue through leasing more of it in the coming year and uh so no back to your question no plan to reopen it. That I would also add that that number 4700 reflects the growth of preschool. Our K5 and our K8 enrollment is static. Little ups and downs here but basically like bounces along in the same zone. the growth is through preK and we have numerous private providers that we work with in town. So, so there's a a good number of those kids aren't in our our schools.
>> Got it. >> But not for an extension. extension requires all all public bodies to to sign either a letter of of support or a letter of not I can't remember the term but essentially letter that we won't challenge it >> right the the biggest thing when you establish a tiff it doesn't necessarily need a legislative um action by the state like Dr. Ulting stated, >> okay, >> it just needs kind of a public or a local approval by all the members of the joint review board, uh, which is the the taxing bodies that would be affected by this tiff being enacted. Um, this is a case where there would be legislative need by down by the state. So the the Palos Heights is looking to gather some support that they can bring down uh as part of their case to say we have local support.
>> I think the focus is broader than in the in the when time the focus is broader than just um lack of engagement or behavior or um I'm trying to think of some of the other or making a coordinated phone call to parents because we're all struggling with in class. I mean, he is just really having a hard time and focus seems to be an issue. And so, there will still need to be some conversations during PLC. If we are all struggling with Bill as a student, can a couple of us make that phone call together so that the parents are hearing that it's not just happening in math class, but we're seeing that behavior in multiple classrooms. So, those those coordinated calls can still be made. um start I think your question though is the teams don't they rarely bring kids into their team meeting >> they get discussed >> they might yeah but but they're still getting their their remediation in the win class >> so it's not they're not >> today >> their team time is for the teachers to talk >> here's here's a comparison gives you an idea of the time so >> um >> can I ask a Oh yeah, definitely.
Um, so this is the first month where we're looking at those instructional programs, which is tuition and outplacements is why we have a variance, where we're looking at support services, transportation is why we have a variance there. Um, and we're offsetting that with some of our operations and maintenance. Um, so you can see where the projected year imbalances are negative for the instructional programs and support services, but being offset by the operations and maintenance. Um I think the the overall impact of that is when we're offsetting with operations and maintenance, it's a little less um work that we can do on our buildings at the end of the year. Um which means we really do need to prioritize the work that's being done in our buildings. Uh so those are the kind of the the variances I wanted to just make sure I I highlighted, but we are on track with the the spending that we had in February 2025.
But so we do look at the average, too. So >> because it I don't know if I put it in here. If a client came to me and said, "Oh, we we tested our 10-year-old field and averaged, you know, let's say with our current spec." We have put in a memo, you should shut your facility down until you rejuvenate or replace your field. And then, >> see, that's that's one of my fears is, you know, we're going to get to that point and then we're going to be standing here staring at each other saying, "What do we do now?" >> Yeah. So, how far out do we, you know, get to that point? >> That's the issue with it because the older it gets, the less predictable it's going to be because those >> you're not supposed to be able to go to a turf field, pull out the fibers, and they pull out.
They're with private providers. Okay. So, >> thank you very much. I appreciate. Also, I forgot I wanted to start with thanking you for live streaming your meetings because although I don't come anymore, I do watch all of them. So, thank you. who wishes to comment on any items of interest, please step forward and state your name and address. >> Hi, my name is Rosemary Bernardi, 10 Halifax Court East. Um, I apologize I'm late, so I didn't get to comment on the budget session, but um, I just want to uh, come forward and as a taxpayer say that I'm a little um, that that number that was presented is a little eye openening to me that you actually were thinking about going for a tax increase this year after the taxpayers gave a four 14.2 million tax levy. Um, so I hope that the board I don't know how you guys voted um that you uh it's tenative that between now and when you actually adopt the budget that it includes a 0% tax levy increase.
Can you please extend this by the the 12 years? >> Uh Jeff, we still have some big bills coming for the life and safety update. Is that true? >> Uh that is true. >> Uh and this uh this I this 150,000 of course in TIFF money is a rounding error on that, but in my mind it's still 150,000 or so. Um I don't I don't understand what's in it for us. Yeah, I I think that's obviously we we have to act in the best interest of 230. Um, you know, I want to be able to be, you know, working collaboratively obviously with uh, you know, the city of Palis Heights, you know, to help them accomplish growth for the community. It's part of our community as well. Um, but, you know, in the spirit of a tiff, um, you know, we have to understand what the, um, what the benefit is going to be to our district.
>> But it connects. >> Can we go back? >> No, no, no. This is actually a good number. >> I'm just trying to think of like because I think this is where you might have been going to a minute ago, Rob, is like I'm trying to think on the mental load of the wind teacher. If they have 37, they have 37 minutes or 37 kids. >> 37 minutes. Like roughly is it like 20 kids in a win? >> 22 is what it is at middle school central right now. So, you've got 22 kids who are your win class and let's say they're all non bills and they don't need to go anywhere else. They're just, you know, they're good students or they're high achievers or whatever. And then that teacher happens to be a math teacher and there's been some, you know, some new concepts have been taught this week and people are struggling and he or she gets like group A, they're having trouble with A and these having trouble B and these like do you end up with like a ton of kids in this class that you're trying to like supervise the ones who are over here and I got to teach these guys more about A and then more about B.
Um, and we'll continue to keep our eyes on those four accounts, especially if we're able to, you know, tuition or outplacement as if students are moving in or out is changing those incumbrances. Um, this is kind of a critical phase in the year to make sure that if we're able to free up funds, we're doing so, especially with transportation. Uh, I would say that tuition outplaced and transportation go hand inand because we are transporting kids to their outplacements. Um, so one affects the other. And in terms of financial highlights, I mentioned this last board meeting, but there is an insurance advisory study group. They've met three times, one of those being this past Monday. I have been in attendance for those meetings. They during the last meeting, we reviewed medical claim trends for both the town and the board of ed with our broker USI.
>> Yeah. And I I tried that a few times today, but since it was just groomed, it probably took care of a lot of the loose fibers. Yeah. >> And I could didn't test every spot. Just >> now doesn't by putting a pad underneath too with the way the fibers are stitched in. They're stitched in underneath there and that >> does it lock it in. Well, if you're pulling fibers, your backing's deteriorating. >> Yeah. So, but doesn't it prevent a little bit of that the pad the friction out of those? >> You know, I haven't really thought about that. No one promotes it for that reason. >> Yeah. >> Um, but yeah, it's not sitting on angular stone. So, a little definitely abrasive. It's less less abrasive if there's movement depending on the pad too. Some have like almost a felt like layer on top to hold them together.
Um I wrote to you all ahead of time that we're walking into um you guys have additional re revenue since the budget was last adopted last year. Um also you have additional state aid. Um I do understand you have some you know uh expenses and the health benefits plan and also for out of district tuition. Um however uh 11% increase from expenses from last year this year is actually a lot. So I I encourage you all to really look at the budget. Um the other thing I will say from an advocacy perspective, I was very um disheartened to hear that, you know, the state was going to put the 6% cap because technically if you look behind the scenes, the state's holding back $2.2 million for uh special education, transportation, and security aid. So that is something that we echam township, everyone should be advocating for the lift of the 6% state aid cap because that's $2.2 $2 million that we are actually entitled to.
Is it going to increase the assessed value where it, you know, increases our our tax roles? Um, is it necessary too? Just like when a tip isn't initially established, you know, it's got to show need for it. You know, do do we really see essential need to extend this for another 12 12 years is another long time to do whatever it is that they're they're looking to do. >> Jeff, one last question. Is is there any did you get any information that would suggest that developing that area would raise other property tax values and then we sort of get our money back eventually? Did you get any kind of facts, any details on that? >> So, so how that would work is when the tiff was established, the EAV for that property was about $4 million. That's the base tiff. We still have the ability to tax against that.
I mean, how does that work or is that obviously I'm coming up with an extreme situation. when a student or when a teacher were were to let's say it's I'm a math teacher it's my day it's a Tuesday and we've started slope intercept form and I've identified these students in my courses throughout the day that need additional support with slope intercept so I'm going to tell the teachers on my team or on on the grade level I need these students today for win so they're going to come to me and I'm going to work with them rarely is there great disparity and what they're working on >> because they're all learning at the same >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I don't want to throw a rock in the fan, but um there's also a piece to this that um you know, some kids need breaks, >> right?
And there were a lot of questions from the insurance advisory group uh about BOE uh per person spend versus the town per person spend. And again, the the hope is that we get to a place where they are able to make a recommendation to the town council about ways in which we can economize our medical and property um insurance costs. I have flagged for them that a concern we have is stop loss. And so, you know, I' I've I've said that that's a thing that the board is interested in. Um, and I unfortunately did not get the the tail end of last meeting, but I know it it came up in the the end of the meeting, but they're meeting pretty regularly and the meetings last for about an hour and a half, two hours. Um, and we have two folks that are on the committee that are um I would say experts or their their uh careers are in medical insurance and then one is in property and liability insurance.
Um, none of them I would say are abrasive. So, yeah, that's a potential. Pads are great. And again, I can talk turf and products for hours and I'm happy to do it if you want. Um, moving on the running track again. >> Oh, yeah. Sorry. >> Oh, yeah. No. Um, so what I've heard you say is the field gets tested annually and it's a Gmax number or GMAC. I'm not >> Gmax number. >> You were saying 200's like concrete. You don't want to get above 180 or you didn't before. You prefer 165. >> So the lower the number, the softer. >> Yeah. um if we don't meet our test in August, we may not be able to use it anymore >> or >> we would we would do what we did this year for the SP. Even though we the field didn't fail, we still want to do the best by our kids, right?
So I hope you all will uh continue advocate for it. So again, I really hope that you will present a zero um tax levy increase for next year. Thank you. Seeing no more um people wanting to comment, we will move on to board member announcements. Do I have any board member who would like to make an announcement? >> Mr. Mass. Hi. >> As I do in typically every meeting, I like to be transparent and explain. Um so my abstensions were due to family conflict.