He uh resigned in January because he was appointed uh as the director of technology for the Nagatuck public schools. Congratulations to him. Uh so the position's been vacant for several months. Uh we're excited that Kyle Kohl's who was a technology specialist at Cheshure High School has been with us for 12 years uh and has been appointed to this position just in the nick of time as we start uh state testing which is online um next month. So we're excited for for Kyle. He does a great job. Um the promotion and graduation schedule will be published tomorrow. Just a sneak peek. All of our elementary promotions are uh during the day on June 9th uh on June 10th at 8:30 at Cheshire High School. We'll hold the um Dodd Middle School uh promotion ceremony. Hummingist will be at 1:30 at St. Peter's Church. And uh it's 6 p.m.
I guess the thing that goes through my mind for both the loading dock and the turf is or the fe the track and field is for me to support it. I just need to know we have a real plan to actually explain this to people. >> Yeah. and like like >> which we talked about in planning last year, but it never all of a sudden do anything with the turf and >> all of a sudden it's going out to referendum and I I didn't know it was going to be on referendum until I got the little thing flyer in the mail. >> Yeah, it would because that's not the that's not the standard operating procedure that this stuff goes to the council picks it up and runs with it. It's just not. So, it's really frustrating, but I I really want to know that >> I think if we're proactive about >> getting the word out there, >> I I do I agree.
The audits that Lori deals with are probably no fun. They're time consuming. Yeah, >> time consuming. Next slide. Just lastly, um next slide. Um from this point, ongoing discussions with staff. We we have met with um co-op staff, all of our special ed staff, and I will tell you that Kelly Hudson, she's our boots on the ground. She's she's interacting, talking with our special education staff often, probably daily. and so she's able to relay a lot of information back to us. Um, so we we have had a lot of communication from current staff, both co-op and CAP central staff.
And all important victory for Ashlin. Particularly when they're short-handed. So, good for them playing without three normal starters and still able to come away with the victory. Great game today. Good big day for Ashlin Lacrosse. Boys won 12-3. Girls won 11-7. So, special thanks to Town Hall Pizza for some delicious food today. Go check them out. Buy some food from them cuz they're great sponsors. We appreciate them. And Kevin, great job today as usual. You're you're amazing at this. I'm absolutely looking forward to next time. All right. Thank you. >> Until then. Good night. >> Oh, yeah. Give me that pizza right now. >> Brought to you in part by Town House. Pizza, subs, roast beef and more. Be sure to fill up on the buffalo chicken calzone that's been called one of the best in the area.
Cheshire High School uh on the 10th. So, we're excited about that. It's uh you know it is spring when we're talking about those ceremonies. Um, we're in the process of trying to figure out how to move uh about a hundred teachers from their current classroom to a new building. Um, it's extensive uh particularly given the fact that we're going to demolish Norton shortly after it closes. Um, and it looks like, you know, my hope was to be able to pay people extended hours um to do that, but unfortunately, uh, given the snow we've had this year, it doesn't look like, you know, we're going to be able to cover that. Um, so, uh, I'm going to seek to do an early dismissal day on Monday, June 8th, uh, for the elementary schools only. Uh, so I'm going to want to get that information out ASAP um to try and help our teachers facilitate uh the biggest move that we've ever had is for sure um uh the school budget.
I think that that could happen. And I guess the thing for me is that I need to know that I want to know that there is a plan to explain this to people, including like a road show like Jeff did with the schools. >> Yeah. like actually go to the PTAs, go to Rotary, go to whoever it might be that's willing to listen to us, listen to an explanation on why this needs >> all the sports, all the music programs, you know, all the band kids that are going to be out there. >> Yeah. Everybody else, too. I mean, it's we if it's just if it's just the school kids, it's that's not a majority of the town. Like >> the track, you know, how many people are down there walking on that track? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's heavily used. >> Yeah, >> I think that I think that it I do think that it it with better awareness of the board's concerns that you and I share that staff share.
We're going to continue to field any questions that come from parents, of course, in that way as well. We are committed to be transparent. Um, we're sharing a lot of information with you this evening. Um uh we're live streamed. We're recorded. So any information we're sharing with you tonight is is out there and it's just uh to share with you guys and to share with our community so that they know we're doing our due diligence to make sure that the [clears throat] decision that we bring as a recommendation has been thought about and has been scrutinized over and over and over. Uh certainly open lines of communication and uh I do want to commend the leadership at the co-op. Uh Katie Odor, the director uh at the co-op, has been great to work with and I've met with her and have spoken to her multiple times and probably will continue to do so uh until we make an ultimate decision.
I just want to update everybody uh that yesterday we um presented to the town council. I gave a brief presentation to the town council a quick overview. This was the um 12 slide presentation. Um the one thing I I do want to kind of highlight, obviously I talked a little bit about uh the painstaking efforts that you have made uh throughout the month of January to reduce uh the the proposed budget by $1.2 million and the numerous uh reductions that came with that. Thank you. Um, and obviously there was a proposal on the table to reduce our uh our budget by another $300,000. Uh, one of the things that I pointed out is on page five, the top slide talks about medical benefits. Uh, you heard Emily indicate that we're 2.31 months of claims available at this point. Our target is two months of claims.
Um I think it could pass, but I need to know that we're going to make something and I'm I'm okay participating in it, too. >> Y >> but it's >> Yeah, >> I need to know that there's some sort of plan. Otherwise, I think it's like >> I'm not going to say it. >> Yeah. So, what I'll do for our our next meeting where we hopefully put a motion forward. I'll put two potential plans forward. One where we've deferred this year and one where this is in year one as a referendum item. Um I do think this is a really tricky year for like a road show with all of the redistricting um and retirements. And so I I I certainly do not want to overcommit and say like I'm I but I just think it's a really tricky year for us to do that.
Um, [clears throat] but I can't I can't commend her enough for being open and helping with uh information requests that we have about just, you know, you think about co-op, you know, furniture in the classroom that [cough] they're co-op classrooms, it's not the district's furniture, it's the co-op's furniture. Okay? So, we got we have to account that we're going to have to replace furniture or buy the furniture from the co-op if so. I can't say enough about Katie OD and her staff and they've just been very good to work with. an opportunity for recruiting. >> That's what I was gonna say. What has the feedback from the staff been thus far? >> Um, I would I would say overall the Cal Central uh special education staff, it's been wellreceived about the possibility of leaving. Um, not as much from co-op staff. Um, a lot of anxiety because if we leave the co-op, all of those all of those um positions gets vacated.
If we were to reduce that balance by $300,000, we would still have in excess of uh two months in reserve. That's a calculated gamble. Um you know, it's it's hard. We we swore let's let's not do that again uh several years ago, but uh when we reach real pain points like this, uh I think everything's kind of on the table again. Uh so you know that was one potential but the next slide indicates how lean we are. Uh there isn't flexibility anymore in other areas to make significant reductions. If if we were to forego the medical benefits strategy and look to reduce another $300,000. These would be areas that I would be um looking at um with, you know, earnestly looking at because there really isn't much else to do that that won't impact classroom activities. Um and those do impact student experiences and classroom activities obviously.
And so if the strategy is let's push this off a year and then let's let's sit with the turf and let that be the referendum item. Um, I think that there is more support for the turf from other organizations that can can help here and put us in a different position. So, what I'll do is I'll just put two different like cost models together. So, >> so so split the the voting dock and the turf >> that I'm saying I'll show both, right? So, like one wherever we get to next time, we're both on the referendum. I will say on here I did like a very rough like referendum items and kind of wrote the details. Um I we're not going to have time because we got probably like about five minutes before we have to adjourn. But uh a question that you all asked was what is the overall val what is the cost of the taxpayer um mill rates?
we create the posting for it and people have to apply for a position. So definitely an opport opportunity for >> I was thinking more of the director [laughter] >> coming [laughter] director. I won't speak for I won't speak for Katie or any of >> I'm just >> I didn't say she got um >> the people I've talked to I think it's just the unknown I think right now and I mean this is all I know and this is how it's worked for so long and you know I think they just have a lot of questions and um you know I've invited people to listen or shared this link um or I told them they could come but they're welcome to come too.
So, um the council's still deliberating. There'll be a meeting next Thursday uh at 6:30 which I will attend. Um, and we'll we'll hopefully um they'll start to get a clearer picture of what the budget will look like and we will um they'll they'll determine a budget April 28th or 29th. Um the plan is the 28th, but if they can't, they'll do it on the 29th. Um excuse me. The last item here, excuse me, is a article that read uh ran in the OMG newsletter. I think we've talked before about Excuse me. I've been sick for a week or so. Anyway, the uh OMG builds program at Norton School. Our students um get to engage in a variety of different um construction activities. It's been phenomenal. Thank you. And uh so this is the most recent where they did electrical work, life safety systems, and it's just so cool that our kids get to this exposure.
I use this year's mill rates because we have not finalized next year. >> Um but the you know assuming this year's mill rate of 29.74 if we're talking about the loading dock that's the cost to the taxpayer is about $22 for every um 100k assessed. Um, and for the turf, if we approved for $2 million, it's about $50 for every 100k assessed. So, you got a $400,000 house, you're paying about $200 for the the turf. >> So, one question on that. Uh, the $400,000 house, is that the 70% or the 100%. Do you know what I'm talking about? >> Sorry. What? >> The assessed value of the house. Yeah, the assessment. >> Just want to make sure. So, so if that's the what's the assess? >> Yeah, I would think it's assessed. That's what she used. No, I'm using just the no rate. Like I I like this is this is a I would say this is a very like rough like kind of the back of the napkin like this is not like with bonding and all of all of that considered but like you know when we talk about the grants with like the budget workshop where we say you know the value of the grants is this is the value to the taxpayer that's the same modeling I used here.
So, but um any questions or um if we didn't address anything, I hope that they reach out. [clears throat] >> And same for the board. If there's any piece of information that you need to see for when we ultimately get to the recommendation, we want to make sure we provide you everything that you need. And so, if people reach out to you, certainly send them our way. Um we'll continue the process and uh get to the point where we're giving you more detailed information for the recommendation that we're we'll make. I think the initial announcement was a big buzz. >> Yeah. >> It was like like everyone said, it's just uncertain what's going on. The unified program, I said, it's not going away. That's it's has nothing to do with it. Just just relax. So, there's a lot of people doing a lot of research.
Um we're going to continue our work with the trades and I know Marlene shared that, you know, we're working on aviation as well. So continuing to look at at broadening our our scope and and exposing our kids to different uh opportunities. So that concludes my report. Thank you.
Um okay but so like I don't want these to be like words to live by. This is I'm not signing this in blood, but just as a general, >> it's a better description than what orig $200 to you. >> So, what's the average house in Cheshure now? 500,000. >> I think four I mean I've heard four, but I I can check with Sean Kimble about. >> So, I'm just I'm just going to go with 500,000 to keep it simple. >> 410 last night. >> Is that the assessed value? That's the medium house value. So no, >> so assessed value is going to be less than 70%. So that's times 120. So that's like 290. Call it 300 300,000. >> So for the track it would be $150 per year, an extra 10, 12, 13 bucks. >> So they're looking at a mill three almost 33 almost 33.
So, when we know you'll not just be patient >> and it impacts everybody differently. >> It does. It does. I'll say I I probably have a little different take because I have family members that utilize not necessarily in our district, but Sure. And I'm confident enough with [clears throat] the reputation that we have with education that either decision you guys make, whether it's bringing in house, I feel that our staff will take care [clears throat] of that in the right way. And if we decided to just stay in the car because maybe it's too much of a financial risk, I get that too. So again, I appreciate that. >> Yeah, I think I think our staff will do a really good job. [clears throat] >> I think nobody can argue with the amount of research that has gone into this and the time that you guys have put into it and we really appreciate that.
Any questions from the board for Dr. Soulen? Seeing none, let's uh move on. Let's bring it all home. Um there is no old business that I'm aware of. Uh new business. Um I believe I've said my piece um on the policy. So, I will announce upcoming meetings. On Monday, April 20th, there is a curriculum committee meeting at 7 p.m. On Monday, May 4th, a policy committee meeting at 7 p.m. Those are both at the Humon boardroom. On Thursday, May 7th is the high school showcase meeting. Uh, do we know what that is? >> Yes, we do. And I cannot remember We do, but we're not going to tell you. We want to keep the suspense high. >> We're afraid you won't come. >> I'm so sorry. That's That's my bad >> to be surprised. >> Look, a good lawyer never asks a question he doesn't know the answer to.