Um I think Mr. Again, the reason why this policy is being brought up is that there were some other groups that presented and provided uh benches uh donated benches in people's names in in memory of or in honor of and um one they have to be ADA compliant. The the area that these benches need to be uh placed have to they have to be installed correctly. They have to be ADA compliant. uh if not then the town becomes liable for the the installation that or installation that wasn't done properly and that there's a liability matter that that comes with that. So that that would be one of the answers to that. Um actually when we discussed this a little bit last week one of the one of the questions that I had asked was you know uh we don't we I would have loved to seen local vendors be you know get involved in this because we try to keep businesses local and and support local businesses and yet we have uh approved uh b uh approved bench sales from a company in California and another one in Indiana.
Any questions related to that? Yeah. So, we're looking to raise property taxes. But yet we want to make this a Mhm. It's pretty heavy-handed to go with an eminent domain. You know, we don't like it when the state does it to the town. But yet Well, ultimately um it's a town So, the question um and the comment which is a fair point. Um is first of all, I'll I'll start with the eminent domain piece. You know, we talk about the state being able to override local laws and everything. And here you have a situation where the town has the ability to take a property by eminent domain um I I guess potentially against a property owner's uh wishes. Um Uh and you could see some similar parallels to that. Um I think from our perspective, that piece of property is so important um that we feel like we need to acquire it some way.
Spalding to Sachs. Sachs to Schneider. To Motley. Oh, little fake pass almost fake me out. Is it crazy to say that the Raiders haven't scored in this quarter yet? They're just like really just working the ball around. More than they usually do. They've only given up one goal but they haven't gotten one yet. Oh my, look at that. What a save from Lacy as Spalding let off a quality shot point blank. Just hit off her shins. Yeah, Cam but what I was what you were saying is for some reason I I have a good feeling that Aaron Messini, their coach, probably told them to just pass it a bunch of times before shooting. Sometimes you get that, you know, it really trains you. Oh, pass a little behind but Williams >> All right, we are back for some fourth quarter action now. Running clock 12 to 5.
We're going to let them tie dye their own academy shirt to build community. Um do a just a fun event with teachers and students together. Um just trying to make them feel connected to the school. >> Hi everybody. Good evening. All right. Um so I'm Melissa Teal. I'm the academy director for art, engineering, and design. Um, there are essentially three pathways that our kids get to focus on. Architecture, manufacturing, and engineering. Um, our academy focus uh focused predominantly on hands-on experiences, which we've been able to provide a lot of for students this year. Um, starting in the fall where we held an AED carnival um where students in the applied engineering pathway actually got to build carnival games from scratch. um they got to go through the process like an actual engineer would where they designed everything and then um got to build the actual equipment and then we invited um freshmen from Karina's academy um to come in and actually play the games which immediately built some interest in what was happening in our academy.
Now, if you have an immediate family member or relative that works outside the district, it may be a bit different. So, if you have a relative, usually if you have a relative or a spouse that works outside the district and is in a union, you typically can't be on the negotiations committee, but you may be able to vote to approve or ratify the contract when it gets up for the MOA. So, there's a different there are different rules depending on the situation. If you're a board member that is in the union outside of the district, again, sometimes it's dependent on if you're a teacher and you don't have any heightened union activity, which would mean being a building rep or a leader in the union outside of your school district, you may not be able to be involved or hear about negotiations at all. You may or may not be able to vote um to ratify the contract depending on the case.
Um and yes, that is because, you know, health care is going up. But, you know, the a 10% increase in tuition is is significant and, you know, it did pose a challenge for us in making all these pieces work for our budget, too. Appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right. That brings us to visitors business. Visitors are permitted to comment on agenda items only at this time. Oh, please just state your name and address just for the And that mic's more for people at home. Yeah, we can hear YOU FINE. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING on YouTube. You're on YouTube. You look great. >> Yeah, I was going to say. Uh George Spivak, 636 Susan Lane. I got a question. Can I only ask about budget now, right? Uh just any items on the agenda. Oh, okay. Um in terms of the enrollment just a couple questions.
Um, I questioned that myself, but I don't know if there other bench companies that that are available or meet the the criteria uh on that. So, I can I >> I can kind of pop in a little bit because the reason that um as when we talked about at the last meeting, so >> it's to be consistent. So, it's to be consistent with the benches that we have in our downtown. So, it's we literally um I think I think the vendors are the same vendors that were used for for the downtown project. Am I correct? And we have and the two benches are I think one of them is a um is like like onroad and one is off-road or something similar to that. Katherine probably I know Katherine probably has better better intel than I do or maybe not. or maybe not. Who knows?
And we would love to have an agreement uh with the owner as opposed to go through the eminent domain route. What this does though is it gives us the opportunity to um to go either direction. We could do a regular transaction or we could do eminent domain if if necessary, if we need to. And that ultimately, what this does, the mechanics of it, this actually authorizes the select board to make that decision. So, that's the that's the eminent domain piece. The money piece. So, there's also a question um out there, uh, and again, completely understandable. We're talking about an override. Um, so, talking about raising taxes in order to pay operating expenses. And here we have an 800, potentially an $845,000 purchase for a piece of property. Um, and the short answer is that CPA funds can't be used for operating expenses. They can be used for open space acquisition.
Wait, running clock? >> Wait, no, it's third quarter. It is running clock, though. No, well, the clock will start running. >> [laughter] >> That's what I'm saying, man. Get with the program. Yeah, it's uh We're having a funny day here. Having a day, folks. >> We are having a day. Schneider pass gets intercepted. This is Raskin getting chased down the sideline. >> sticking with it, though. Getting help now. Yeah, Ursuline actually has a chance to come back. Now. What's the difference from when I said it? I think it was >> Big difference, man. >> I think it was a less of a deficit, if I'm not mistaken. >> Well, you know, look at this girl. >> Now you're seeing the Lubov, though, has has started heating up. That's the big Morrow with the big save. Look. That's what happened. Lubov >> Wait, are you wearing my glasses all of a sudden?
Um we also held an engineering day um right before Christmas break where we were able to invite industry partners in. Shout out to Mike Sleek for help making that happen. um to come in and help students. We gave a design challenge um to essentially pick up this pingpong ball with this mechanism that they had to create from scratch. They were given these random supplies, masking tape, sticks, cotton, like just random supplies. And it was really cool to watch the innovation that happened while they were trying to um create their design and build to win because that's essentially what they wanted to do was to win and the natural competition that happened in the community um for AED that day. Um there's been a very natural scaffold of the experiences in the academy this year in terms of things that happened in the classroom and the hands-on projects and then getting to go see those things in action through some of the partners that we've been able to work with this year.
Ask if this can help you. As far as campaigns and collective uh bargaining. So, board members who receive union endorsements you may be conflicted from collective bargaining if negotiations begin within a year of the election. Um it's not a conflict per se unless a financial contribution is given with the intent to influence and again there are some advisory opinions there that you may want to go on and read. Volunteering, we get a lot of questions about volunteering too because usually board members are really really involved in their school and their community and they tend to volunteer for a lot of different organizations and things which is really great. Um you're limited when you're a board member from the ways that you can volunteer in your school building. Now, if you're a parent you can typically do all the things that a typical parent would do.
Why did the special ed fix this big drop? You mean cost? No, in other words, I'm looking at the numbers Oh, okay. Um I think a big part of it has to do um with the early intervention that we have put in place at the K-3 grade level. Um I've been here 3 years and well, this is the end of my third year. Um and there were many students I think who during COVID, right, had some lapses and and maybe some gaps. I can't say because I wasn't here, but it we do have an eighth grade and um that has a higher percentage of students who have IEPs than what we have coming down the pipe in K123. Okay. And so this number 459 is that the total number of kids that are physically in the school? Yes. Okay. So in light of what was talked about Mine mine is kindergarten, right?
>> But we but we're trying to be consistent with with what we have and have a process in place so that um if people want benches in the name of whomver that there's a process in place and so that's that's why we're doing this and I think it's I think it's good to be consistent. >> Yeah. I I think um I certainly understand all that. I think that Mr. U Gath here has a couple of questions regarding ventures that were already either placed and or ordered and paid for. Is that true, Mr. Gath? That the concern is >> installed and weren't ordered by a line. >> Yeah. Why don't you come back up to the microphone just so we can >> folks the folks that are listening and can hear a little better. So, previously there's been a bench that was bought and paid for and it was already installed at the arboritum.
So, it's not like we can take the 845 and use it for what we were going to use the override for. I know there's all these different buckets, um, that have restrictions and, um, >> Yeah, these are finances. Finances aren't new to Okay. So, um, so that >> a hefty purchase for raising taxes Well, and I think the the comment was made it seems like a hefty purchase when we're raising taxes for the town. Um, I can understand why people would have that viewpoint. Um, again, I would just really want to make the point that we can't use the CPA funds for any for the operating expenses that we were using the override for. Um, so, um, and and I do think this is a personally, I do think this is an important, um, important acquisition. But again, it's up to town meeting. It would need to pass.
Here, take these back. Can't see anything in these. Now, here comes Hartnett. Well, like right there, if Lubov got that goal, that was something. And the Raiders, I mean, they're just really passing a lot, so they're not trying to just like run up the score, so Yeah, is that the strategy or is that Ursuline No, not anymore. You know? It's not like substitutions are in or nothing. No. No, it's still interesting. Still the same players on the field. Just uh you're looking at a different game, almost. >> Sometimes when you think you know, might have no idea. Uh uh Big post. >> Yeah, that was a big one. Goalie's best friend, if they if you will. And this is the one right here, Maddie Lubov. Passing it off to Luber. Luber going to get a foul called on her. >> 16 seconds on the clock, the ref says.
Um, in the fall we got to go some of those pictures that you see there like that robot in the bottom right. We went to the um Southwest Road Show at the University of Bridgeport um where they had some hands-on experiences for the kids where they got to use um an Xbox remote control to operate engineering equipment and we we we learned as teachers too um that that's actually what's happening in the engineering world. So that they're it's really opening the doors for a lot of students because it feels like a very unique skill, but it's expanding on what it looks like in the real world. Um they got to work with 3D printers and um our kids were so great on that trip that UB actually invited us back um to come back and do a our own tour of UB and their tech lab because when we were there, we were there with about 20 30 other schools.
You can shop for a field trip once in a while. You can come in and read. I mean you can come in and read on Read Across America for a day. What the SCC will look at is the frequency and the extent of contact with students and staff. So, you have to be really really mindful of not directing staff or directing students because it's beyond your role as a board member. So, you can volunteer you just can't be doing that things in can't be in the building very very frequently. They'll look at how frequently you're in the building, frequently enmeshed in the building. So, you can't again administer schools or be do things that would typically be the role of a staff member. And we always advise that if you are visiting the building as a board member just to give your superintendent a heads up if you are invited in to read or something just let your superintendent know hey I'm coming in to read or I'm coming in to volunteer in this capacity, but I'm here as a volunteer.
Anticipated Yes. Uh that's projected. So okay. Yes. So in light of two things going on in the town, the one is the higher assessment due to smaller houses being torn down and bigger ones being built. And all the proposed development uh on Higgins Road and Rapture Woods, uh the affordable housing, etc. You're going to see within 3 to 5 years a heck of a lot more people. I don't know if that translates into students. What Have we looked at that? Number one. So, before I came, there was a 5-year projection enrollment done, study done, and they believed that our enrollment would stay steady even in light of that. Um many years before my time, my understanding is that this school had 750 students. So Okay. Um Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um Kind of. Yeah. Yeah. You know, just in my kids' time frame, there there was that high number.
Is that what I understand? >> Yes. >> Okay. And and who um I guess >> DBW notified the Lion I am just >> Yeah, I know you are. I know. >> But u notified the Lions that they pulled it out because it didn't adhere to their bench policy. Did Did the Lions get permission before they put the bench in? >> Lions get permission before they do everything. >> Okay. >> And I would point out there's a bench by the post office. Been there for years. Doesn't deteriorate. All the m composite materials. Um the explanation that uh there was a problem with the bench and wasn't handicapped accessible. I believe was the bench in memory of Izzy that was supposed to be placed on the patio at the community center. The patio got delayed. So, we were told to place it where it is at the moment.
Um, article nine is to amend the building construction bylaw. Um, and this adds the what they call a secondary suite. Uh, ensure that we have that, um, and defines what a secondary suite is. Um, and I will just very, uh, just read the definition here. It's a room or rooms within which a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen facility are located, which is a part of a single-family dwelling, but which is not an accessory dwelling unit as defined in 7.6 of our bony zoning laws. So, this is essentially in-laws, in-law apartments. It's This is a very It's a very fancy way of saying in-law We're allowing in-law apartments as required by state law. Oh my gosh, and we are at the last one. Um Article 10, um which is another bylaw amendment which changes uh the process that the design plan review committee does their work. Um currently, there it's a standing committee that reviews different projects as referred by the planning board.