uh skilled lawyers can convert their cross-examination question into a declarative statement and uh that's what I would like to see rather than and if there are any questions please present them to me and I'll direct them to the appropriate person but in terms of asking pointed questions town meeting is not the place for that make the declarative statement and uh make your point and then move on Um it it's uh it's more congenial. It's more respectful. People who are being asked questions do not have the privilege of having representation by their own counsel. I am acting as the moderator. I cannot act as their counsel. So I much prefer that when we're proceeding if you have questions that are really rhetorical in nature make the statement and direct the questions to me if you do have questions. [clears throat] Okay. So, are we all on board on this?
Okay, great. Well, I appreciate that data and if you could divide it by uh school sites and divide it by intra- and inter-district transfers, I would appreciate it. Anybody else have any other items? All right, there being no further business to come before the Board of Trustees, I move that this meeting be adjourned. I get a second? I'll second that. All right, roll call vote, Mrs. Longshore. I. Mr. Rowley. I. Ms. Akpan. I. And Ms. Buchanan, I I adjourn this meeting at 1:23.
>> You're good. She'll get us. Okay. Congratulations, Highland Pomier. And last, but definitely not least, will the Mosqu High School girls 4A state champions in basketball please come up? Head coach Candace Gonzalez. >> Hi Candace. >> Back again. I love to see that year after year. So you guys played Paradise Honors, correct? In the championship. Was it close? >> We won by one point. >> One point. It was a great game. It was a great You guys Well done. Well done. Um I just want to congratulate you. I know that Mosqu High basketball has a tradition and it and it it starts with a lot of hard work, a lot of determination, and um it it truly has started with the head coach who has dedicated your time uh for all of these young ladies and their families. So, congratulations. Candace, you want to talk about the year?
Draft budgets were prepared by budget makers and submitted to the town administrator and finance director. The advisory committee and select board reviewed and vetted draft budgets over the course of many meetings leading up to the advisory public hearing held March 21st. This process developed consensus level service budgets for the operation of the town and school departments. Through the hard work of the budget makers in the advisory committee, a balanced omnimous budget uh has been prepared for fiscal year 2027 and is presented for your approval at town meeting. The budget is balanced in that it as presented it would not require a so-called proposition 2 and a half override vote at the ballot. Next slide, please. There are three main components of the town budget, including education, general town government, and undistributed expenses. Both town and schools have costs included in the undistri undistributed expenses. For instance, the health insurance for Pineh Hill school educators and property insurance for the Pinehill School Building is included in the undistributed expenses.
Uh in similar to my tree contract, they actually held pricing for all three years, which is um >> and yeah, so um if there's any questions with that, >> I always wondered who took care of the Highlands and as I was reading through the packet, I'm like, well, oh, I thought there were some garden clubs that I I show. >> Yeah. So, in in the bid, there's 11 locations. So, actually one of them we're going to um take out um which is uh Claybrook in Center Street. So, until the day that that stops being maintained, but it'll be covered uh in this bid. Um so, I believe Garden Consortium out of Medfield uh is the one that does that. But any of the other garden clubs, they they don't do anything on these islands. So, um Park and Wreck used to do a few and then we, you know, and then we would uh we had a local contractor maintain them.
Should be. Yeah. John, >> Jim, two two questions. Michael, do you have a a slide on the free cash that shows what free cash was a [clears throat] year ago, two years ago, this year, there's been a lot of use of cash over the past two or three years. Can you speak to that? We have that slide. >> We We don't currently have a slide. Uh we certainly could or we could just present that. >> Well, it was it was part of the Warren Committee. We could turn that into a slide. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah, we could do that. >> And so that Thank you. And then Jim, the my question earlier has to do with the three motions, the three articles that are studies. You have three separate study articles. >> They total $400,000. Are you going to keep the order of which they appear here for those three study articles?
>> Sure. First, we want to give best to you. So, thank you. Thanks for having us. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Um, obviously you can see not all of us are here, but I have my I have two of my three coaches at the end, Coach Lauren and Coach Bowers. Uh, Coach Campbell isn't here. Obviously, we wouldn't be who we are without our coaching staff. Uh, they help me. They're amazing. So, I'm grateful for them. Um, we have some of the girls here tonight that could make it. And these girls have put in so much work into the the game of basketball morning, night, after games, before games, on the weekends since they were just little. They've dedicated their their heart and soul to the game of basketball, which makes me very happy because I have done the same as a player and as a coach.
The school department will provide a budget summary after my my words, but it's worth noting that they are implementing accounting changes for out of district costs, moving some of those costs from the local school budget to the regional school budget. Though this slide may appear to show a decrease in local school funding, that's just a reflection of the accounting change. In fact, there is a proposed increase in both the local school and regional school budgets. Overall, the education budget would increase 5% and the general town government would increase 5 and a.5%. The total town budget increase for for the town from FY26 to FY27 would be slightly more than 5%. For context, the budget approved at last year's town meeting for fiscal year 26 was an increase of three and a half%. Next slide, please. About 60% of the town's operating budget directly funds the school school budgets.
Um, and then we just kind of put them all under our umbrella. And >> so they're going to get weeded, they're going to get some flowers, they're gonna be maintained. And um, Mark, I know you're really really upset that you're going to be losing this work, but um, I just want to add to I appreciate uh, Kevin, this was a legal thing we had to do now that we've exceeded the threshold, but um, well, it's always nice to see some of the local this fine savings over what we have been doing. Correct. >> Yeah. So, um, basically the last two fiscal years, uh, was around 42,38 the year fiscal year prior to that. So, it'll be around a $14,000 operational savings. So, that's >> Yeah, >> we had to do it, but it's also a nice side benefit. >> We'll take it. But >> I was surprised we had so many islands.
>> Is there a reason that we shouldn't, John? >> No. In the past, in your opinion to make things move faster, >> we have put articles of like kind, >> right? >> And we >> these are three study articles. >> Yeah. And I think there will be there's going to be a lot of redundant questions, >> okay, >> in the auditorium to make your life and the and the >> John, are you are you suggesting that maybe we should do them as a consent a consent motion, do you think? Or >> Yeah. I I'm sorry. I'm Are you suggesting that we do it as a consent motion? Maybe do you consider all three together or >> I it it would make sense if you had three motions of similar >> Yeah. >> study, >> right? >> Well, we we spent a lot >> put them together.
And so to see them enjoy and love the game as much as I do, it's been amazing. We have um 14 girls um on our varsity roster. 12 are returning. So, we have a great group of girls coming back next year with eight juniors, two sophomores, and two freshman graduating two seniors. Um Avery is one of our seniors. She's going to go on and play at U Mesa Community College. And the other one's not going to go on and play. Mariah, she's going to be at UVA. But, um with all of their leadership and the things that they have helped us do as a team has made a huge difference this year. Our road to the state championship was not easy. Um, we ended up playing our first round at home. Then we had to travel down to Micah Mountain in Tucson, um, and beat them on their own home court.
About one quarter of the budget funds town departments such as police, fire, public works, and general government. And about 17% of the town's budget funds employee, retirey benefits, principal, and interest on the town's debt and other miscellaneous expenses. Approximately 45% of the costs for uh employee insurance and benefits are attributable to the educators at Pineh Hill Elementary School and school projects account for approximately 25% of the town's debt payments. Next slide. Another way to look at the town's budget is by expense category. The detail of the school and general town budget show that over 70% of the budget is attributable to personnel salaries and uh and benefits for employees. About 23% is attributable to things like supplies, equipment, vendors, consultants, utilities, and fuel. And about 6% of 6% of the town budget pays the principal in interest on the town's debt. Next slide. Uh here's a summary of the major budget drivers for the town government side of the budget and uh understood unallocated expenses.
>> Well, I was looking at the list and I'm like, that's right. There, too. So, yes, they're check. They're all there. Uh >> yeah. So with your approval tonight, we're uh uh Bob Toss has been in contact with them. So uh we're hoping that they'll they'll gear up and come to town and and you know, you'll see those the spring refresh, if you will, at at the townwide island. So that's great. >> Next as early as next week. >> All right. So I'm going to move to award the bid for townwide landscaping island maintenance. Okay. How do you say that? Kira, >> I believe so. Yes. >> Hiro Carboni and Sons of Newtonville, Mass for the first year of a renewable three-year contract at a cost of $28,765. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I love this. >> We should leave together. >> All right, hold on.
>> Okay. >> You to take them out of order to move the process along. >> Yeah, that's an interesting idea. Let me let me ask the other people here to see what their perspective is. What? I'm sorry, Robin, you were going to suggest that there. >> Well, a lot of thought went into >> Okay. >> the the warrant and how we were going to group things together. So, prior to coming up with the warrant, we spoke to the various committees and the approach that we have put in the warrant and the blue book was based upon discussions with with everybody and we thought this would make the meeting flow best. Okay. >> You know, we could certainly take a look at it again. >> All right. >> But the objective was not to make changes. We got feedback that it people found it confusing. So, we tried so we worked with all boards and committees.
And then we had to travel to Prescott a day later, day and a half later. Um, and we beat Prescott in overtime, which was an amazing experience to be able to play in Prescott in that atmosphere with the pack gym and go into overtime. And then we got off to a little bit of a slow start, a little bit scary in the championship game, but these girls came out and did what they know what to do and we came home with the 4 state championship >> again. >> Yes. >> Congratulations, >> guys. If you'd like to introduce yourselves again. >> I'm Skylie Gonzalez and I'm a junior. >> I'm Jensen Cower and I'm a junior. I'm Lizzie Norton and I'm a junior. >> I'm Avery Melberg and I'm a senior. I'm Ruby Ricaro and I'm a junior. >> I'm Broo Anderson. I'm a junior. >> I'm Nalia Gry and I'm a junior.
Uh just to highlight a few, the budget provides for level service for all town departments. Funds the obligations of the police officer and public works union contracts. Funds a salary adjustment for non-union employees. That is the entirety of their adjustment. They do not receive salary steps. Uh the budget funds a mandatorial mandatory annual assessment for the middle middle sex county retirement system, adjusts town legal expenses to the three-year average and funds the agreement for regional emergency dispatch services. Regional dispatch services are under a multi-year agreement with the town of Hullbrook to participate in the Hullberrook Regional Dispatch Center. This agreement phases out state grant support with the town's obligation increasing each year of the contract. For fiscal year 27, there is an annual increase of $168,000. In fiscal uh 28, the town will see an additional increase of $83,000. If the increase in the regional dispatch expenses were excluded, town government budgets would only be increasing 3.6% 6% in total as opposed to the 5 a.5% shown on the screen.
Let me >> Now we can't advance on our computers. >> I know this is really hard. I was trying to be discreet about this. All right, here it is. >> There were a lot of islands. >> All right. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, now I'm going to turn this over to Mr. >> We are going to approve a scope of services between Dober and Tech for the Chering Elementary School pedestrian assessment. >> Oh, correct. So we've um any I haven't found the the point yet trying to work out what it is. >> Okay, you can use my >> Yeah, thank you. Um so so the um the working group public the transport safety working group um has been meeting to discuss various options in the way we can improve the safety around the schools. Uh and that schools is generic. It's not just um chering, but we're also uh taking a look at what at the middle school, >> the regional school campus.
Okay. >> Prior to putting the warrants out. >> Yeah. John, I do I do remember that after the open hearing, there was some discussion that people found the the uh the various studies as a little bit confusing and I and and Robin is saying that was one of the reasons that they decided to keep them separate rather than um put them all together. So, but they said they would reconsider. I'm happy to do whatever the collective group here wants me to do. >> Well, they are different. Yes, they're studies, but their their purposes are are quite different. That's right. >> And therefore, uh we wouldn't want to uh put at risk two of them because one is being defeated. So, keeping them separate. >> I'm David, I'm not saying separate them. I'm saying in the flow of the meeting. >> So, you're saying run them all three together, one after the other, John, is what you're trying to suggest, right?
>> I'm Coach Lauren. >> Coach Bowers, I've been there 19 years. >> 19 years. >> Wow. You know, uh in addition, um when good things happen to teams, it's because they truly do have really good coaches that care. and uh Candace uh received an honor this year. The McDonald's All-American Girls game took place on March 31st at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale and it aired nationally on ESPN 2. This event is one of the highest honors high school basketball showcasing the top 24 senior players in the country following a rigorous national nomination and selection process led by high school coaches, athletic directors, and the McDonald's All-American Selection Committee. and Candace Gonzalez, head coach of Mosqu High, was selected to serve as the head coach of the West team. It's pretty big honor. It's a significant recognition uh significant national recognition for her leadership, program success, and impact on student athletes.
Early in the budget development process, the cost of employee and retirey health insurance was projected to increase by 15%. That would equate to a budget increase of over $280,000. Under the direction of the school uh the select board, uh plan benefit changes were negotiated this winter and spring to be implemented July 1st. so that the health insurance budget line is now level funded for FY27. Following my overview presentation, the school committees will provide a summary of budget drivers for their budgets. Next slide, please. To fund the town's budget, there are three main sources of revenue. property taxes representing 91% of revenue, local receipts representing 5 and a half% of revenue, and state aid including school and general government aid representing three and a half% of revenue. Local receipts include things like auto exercise payments, permit fees, investment income, and earned interest. To fund the proposed budget, property taxes would increase a little over 5% on average.