>> Uh so it's one motion for all the revolving funds as presented. >> All right, good. Um so uh article three will be one motion on a revolving funds. Um Gavin will be making a motion. And who will be seconding? Marty. >> Marty. Okay. >> Oh, really? Okay. Oh, great. Thank you. Okay. Article four will be the operating budget. After the motion is made and after it's seconded, uh who will be making a presentation on behalf of the warrant committee? Uh Woody, will you be making a presentation on on behalf of the warrant committee? Okay. How long do you think it's going to take, Woody? Roughly. >> Five months. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Great. Good. >> We're going to use a solo wood. Great. Thank you. Um, article five, capital budget. Um, I'll be Now, we're going to Some of these are going to be separate motions.
Is that true? We were going to try and get the information on I can't remember his name, Rick. Um Yeah, it's on the tip of my tongue. >> three letters. >> Dr. They did they did reach out to me a couple of times, but I told them that I was no longer the president and that they wanted to follow up with us uh to go over the results >> Yeah, but it was just I think it was just kind of the timeline on it with with Amanda coming up with a time to get [clears throat] it done. So, I think we got a pretty full plate in the next couple of months, but I agree that I think it would be good to hear from them one more time. The Organizational Network is the Is that correct, Kylie? The Organizational Network is the the company.
It's our honor as the Gilbert Rotary Club um to present this evening to retiring Superintendent uh Shane McCord. Um a a an award that is given across the world. Rotary is an international organization. And for those people who physically demonstrated, they don't have to be Rotarians. We can do this on our own. For those who have physically demonstrated throughout their professional career a commitment to service above self and a commitment to community, there is an award that's called the Paul Harris Fellowship. And this evening, I want to be able to present to retiring Superintendent Shane McCord a Paul Harris Fellowship which includes See, now I can't How am I supposed to do this? >> That's all right. >> Um, I'll hold that. >> All right. Thank you. A Paul Harris Fellowship. Um there you are joining a very distinguished group to be able to do this.
the the the numbers just don't work. Um, so I did want to warn everybody that next year is going to look a lot worse. Um, but I do want to highlight some of the uh sort of larger projects that have been going on since this time last year. Um, first of course anybody who has gone by the uh old tennis court area has seen that the new tennis and pickle ball court renovation project is underway. Uh in addition, the Sherborn historical display project in the lower level of the library is also officially underway and we are hoping that uh uh both of those projects should be completed this summer and open for public enjoyment. Both projects are currently on schedule. Um, also the Pineh Hill Elementary School got a muchneeded HVAC upgrade over the summer and now has air conditioning in both the cafeteria and the library and also improved uh ventilation in the auditorium.
My name again is Jennifer Thompson. I'm one of the partners of the firm and um prior to like I said working as a consultant I was um a town manager for seven years for the time of playing. Before that, I was the assistant town manager in what used to be a very large town and is now a city of Framingham. Um, and worked in many roles there before I was the assistant town manager, including um some HR work, some procurement work, some finance work um in various departments and I was there for 16 years total. also um was a former CFO of Newsville County Sheriff's Office and again um spent the majority of my career in the public sector before just recently um in the last four years moving over uh CSS and becoming a partner. I will just introduce you and give her background as well.
>> Yep. So, there there'll be three motions for article five. >> Okay. >> And they're laid out. >> Okay. Great. Okay. And um, very good. And I know that there's going to be a hold. Nicole, are you here? Nicole, you'll be you're all set for your presentation and your hold. Okay. >> So, just for Nicole to know, she doesn't have to hold. So, um the article for the fuel island is a separate motion. Okay. Great. >> And so, we've incorporated that. She will make that presentation. >> So, we'll have that motion, then we'll have the proponent of the motion make a presentation and then Nicole, you'll make the presentation in opposition and then we'll open it up for discussion. Okay. Great. Okay. Article six, the regional school. Meech will be making a main motion. Uh Sarah will be seconding. Um is anybody here tonight from the regional school committee?
Um Niles Clavin. Right. And I will likely bring to the second board meeting in May the contract with California School Boards Association to do governance training for next year so that we start the year off working through that and I think it would be powerful for them to have um whoever California School Boards Association recommends, I believe it'll be Jeff Person Crane is the consultant that they have recommended from CSBA actually hear that feedback so that they have some input as to what has already occurred. So, when we schedule, I think it would be best to have him available as well even if he has to just be on the phone to hear it. Okay. Maybe we we have to reach out to them and give them a heads up that we still want to So, what we want to do is just bring that to them.
And so there's a certificate suitable for framing. And you don't have any lapel pins, >> but here's the first one that you do now that includes the uh >> that includes the profile of Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary. And so on behalf of the Gilbert community, we appreciate your service, not just as superintendent because yes, I knew what you did 30 years ago, um, but your continuing commitment to the community and and all of the wonderful things that you've done. So Shane, thank you. >> Don't don't sit down yet. >> Don't run away. >> I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen. >> Yeah. No, it's all First of all, thank you for that. I had no idea that was happening. >> General idea. >> Jason, you're in trouble. Where are you? Uh-huh. >> Well, someone's going to get in trouble tomorrow.
Um, actually just yesterday a small group of uh select board members went to talk to the third grade class at Pine Hill as we do every year and uh many of those students uh very much appreciated the newly aironditioned library and cafeteria. Uh in addition, we asked them uh what they would uh like to see changed about the town of Sherborn and they said that they thought the voting age for town election should be reduced from 18 to 10 and they were serious about it. So they also had a follow-up question about um what it would take to make that happen. So uh look out for that citizens petition at this time next year. So um with that um again I want to welcome you to the town meeting. Um, I'm always amazed uh about the fact that this this is really just direct democracy in action.
>> Hello everyone, good evening. Um, as like Jen, I was the town manager previously. I wor in the town of River for close to 8 years as their town manager. Prior to that, I was a town administrator in Barry and um basically my whole career has been inspect uh similar to other work I did in my previous roles and again I really very thoroughly enjoy working with Robin in my project for great work and excellent work. >> Thanks. So just uh very quickly um just to give you a quick overview of what was the state of the slides. Um we'll do a quick introduction background which we just did. Um we'll tell you what the objectives were for the project um scope of work, the methodology that we used for the project and then we'll um go through some of the key findings as well as our recommendations and talk about next steps.
>> Um do we know how long a presentation they might want to make? To the best of my knowledge, I don't know they were planning a presentation. Okay. >> Yeah, we've not heard. >> All right. Good. Well, that would be great if there's no presentation.
Okay. I haven't heard from him for a while. He did reach out a couple of Okay. It would be good for us to get to know what their findings are. It's been a while since we did that. The interviews. We just want to know what did they find and what what did they suggest that we we do cuz just talking to people and not hearing what um you know, how they were able to pull the pieces together and put it and give us some input is is really difficult thing cuz we sit everybody's sitting in their little silo. Nobody knows exactly what what they were able to gather. Board gave me direction last board meeting to that I could bring a ratification for California School Boards Association and my recommendation because California School Boards Association recommended School Services of California to do the budget discussion with the board.
I don't know who. Um, but thank you guys for all of your service to our our school district, not just for the last 15 years, but since the inception. I know that Gilbert has grown to be a 300,000 person community. But what I love about that is that you've never forgotten about Gilbert Public Schools. you've always been there for us and so we truly appreciate you your service and on behalf of myself and the governing board. Thank you and personally thank you for this honor. Thank you guys. If you guys would shake hands with the board and then we'll take a picture. Thank you, sir. >> Good luck. >> Thank you so much. >> Congratulations. >> Right here in the middle, gentlemen. And ladies, >> you guys are right here. >> This is the center. >> And we'll uh crowd in around you. S for the Gilbert Rotary.
Uh, many of you know, but if any of you are at your first town meeting, you might not know that you are actually the legislative body for this uh town. And so without your votes tonight, this town cannot operate. Um, and actually we were very close to not having a quorum tonight. So, uh, again, thank you all very much for, uh, coming and, um, I guess it's time to get the business taken care of. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Sai. Uh, Mr. Bonder. >> Good evening. Put that on. >> Uh, my name is Steven Bonder, chair of the uh, advisory committee. On behalf of the committee, welcome to Sherbuin's 2026 annual town meeting, and thank you for being here. Before I begin, I want to recognize my colleagues on the committee. Uh, just raise your hands so you can be properly recognized. Vice Chair Norah Lynch, uh, Laura Howenstein, Divia Malloy, Adam Knee, Paul Pilot, George Pooie, and Alex Richie.
So just as an introduction um as you know uh and again this is more for folks that may be watching this or learning about it for the first time we're engaged by the town to evaluate the classification and compensation structure. The major goals of this were to evaluate and make recommendations regarding internal equity between your positions, market competitiveness, making sure you're competitive um with your uh comparable communities and building some long-term sustainability for your employees and for the system that you'll have in place um because you'll have this model, you own it, and you'll be able to use it going forward. Um the study included 52 non-un positions and again we'll talk about this a little bit more but um your current system had five grades and we proposed for fiscal year 27 changing that to 10 and I'm going to go ahead. >> Thank you.
I think they they will be available to answer any questions. It's it's a roof replacement, >> right? By the way, the reason that we're being so such sticklers on time is that we really want to try to have the meeting in one night. The concern is that if we go to a second night, it's going to be really difficult to get a quorum and um and that would be a real problem for the town. So, um, you know, the I the idea is so far for the last 40 years since I've been in town, we've been able to get through in one night and, um, I'd like to continue that. It encourages people to come. They know that they're only going to have to put in three or four hours and it avoids the problem of having a quorum the second night. So, that's why we're being such uh, so difficult about the time requirements.
We have spoken with California School Boards um both California School Boards Association and um School Services of California um what worked through some concept of what the training could look like as far as a starting place um and I'm just waiting for consulting agreements. I don't think I'll have them for this board meeting that's coming up, but you had already agreed I can sign, so um obviously no work commences until they're ratified, but um that would get us to at least June and be able to do some scheduling and Thank you. Um so, I do >> [clears throat and cough] >> So sorry. I'm just making sure I have consensus to move forward to do that. Yeah. I think it's important we discuss something real quick. Um so, School Services of California I know was mentioned in conjunction with our um agreement with our certificated staff being able to piggyback on their desire to understand the budget.
Thank you guys. >> Well, thank you once again. Now it's time for wrestling. Travis Jackson from Desert Ridge High, where are you at? >> There you are. Come on up. And do we have some wrestlers? >> Desert Ridge High wrestlers come on up as well. >> Is in Tennessee on a college visit. >> Well, here's what I'm going to do. We We asked you guys to come up here because you guys did extremely well this season in wrestling and we just want to honor you. But I'm going to let Coach Jackson say a few words. Introduce yourselves and uh talk about what you won. >> All right, I'll let them talk. Athea is not here. She's a state champion. Um she's in a recruiting visit in Tennessee. So there's but three of them, but I'll let Alex go first. >> Um my name is Alex.
I'd also like to acknowledge Pen Young for his service earlier this year. This work requires real time and commitment, and I'm grateful to each of them for their participation. Tonight, we have important decisions to make together in a genuinely challenging financial environment. Sherban has always faced a fundamental balancing act, great schools, highquality services, and a preserve and a preserved rural character, all funded almost entirely by residential property taxes. The balance has never been easy and it's getting harder. Costs keep rising, infrastructure ages, demand for programs and services grows, and decisions about development and land use have lasting consequence for the town's character and its financial health, which is exactly why getting the budget and capital decisions right matters so much. On top of that, our excess levy capacity, the cushion that provides us with financial flexibility, has been steadily shrinking. The choices before us require more discipline and foresight than ever before.
This study was designed to make sure the town's classification and compensation system is fair, competitive, and sustainable. We looked at whether positions are aligned appropriately based on responsibilities, how do compares with similar communities, and whether the overall structure remains practical in the town moving forward. To do that, we review town positions across the organization. We looked at job descriptions and their responsibilities, evaluated how positions relate to one another internally. And we also compared diverse paid structure to similar municipalities and use that information to develop an updated compensation classification plan for FY27. The study followed a straightforward process. We began by meeting the town administration to confirm an also project. From there we identified comparable communities review positions using an objective evaluation system and combine that with market data to develop recommendations. >> So can I ask a question here? When when you look at market data, do you adjust it for the fact that we're a smaller town than some of the other towns or does that not come into play?