Sam Bridge imp- exemplifies professionalism, integrity, humility, and excellence in service. He is a steady presence, a trusted problem-solver, and an important part of what helps Covington run well each day. We are grateful for his work, and he is highly deserving of this recognition as Covington's Stellar Employee for May. YOU WANT TO CLAP? >> [applause] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. SURE. All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> [clears throat] >> Yeah, well, I was going Did you do that or do that? It should go through pretty quick. You have to do that at the very end when we have board coming. Want to do that? Yeah. Look, good. Got to be in this spot. Run through it. Okay. Do it pretty quick. Yes. All right, which brings us to our next segment, which is retirement recognition for Mr. Scott Myers. This is a sad one, but a great one, too.
So we put a requirement out there of what they need to bid. Okay. >> And then Andy will put it out there to have anybody can bid it and then we take the best option. >> Is there like a website that other people find it on to bid on or do we send it to people? I believe I believe it's a public notice that they put out, but I'm not 100% sure. You might know more than me. >> No. Okay. >> Yeah. Through city hall, right? >> Through Andy. >> Not always from sometimes through city hall. >> So, does it depend like what it is? Like for example, if we're talking something that would be like in house like the HVAC that we're talking about HVAC, >> it's all based up. >> So, the H I'm just let me finish. The HVAC is done inhouse, but when we were talking about like the grounds at the high school, which is a hot topic right now, that is put out by the city, >> right?
We are the advisory steering committee. Um we would like to solicit an additional 10 advisory committee members drawn from parents, staff, students, and other members of the community. um these additional members will be solicited by us through a self-nomination process and I had sort of put in there as one that is similar uh similarly that was used by the ad hoc superintendent search because that seemed to actually go pretty well of creating a way for people to nominate themselves um and then for us to to go through the process of um like reviewing all of those and then choosing the the final group that we Ed. Um any uh also can we just have a vote to suspend Robert's rules for a minute? >> Motion. >> Great. Thank you. >> Second. >> Great. Uh we have to do a roll call vote technically since we're all online, I believe.
Um Tonight, it is my honor to recognize Mr. Myers as he retires after 38 years of dedicated service to our district. 38 years is more than a career. It's a legacy. It represents generations of students, countless lessons taught, and early mornings, late nights, contest, projects, and meaningful field trips and conversations, and moments that may have seemed ordinary at the time, but became lasting memories for students who experienced them. Mr. Myers has gone above and beyond in every sense of that phrase. Through his leadership, his student-centered mindset, and his genuine love for teaching, he helped build our agriculture program into one of the most popular and respected programs we offer. He created a place where students could really learn skills, take pride in their work, and feel connected to something bigger than themselves. One of the most meaningful parts of Mr. Myers' work has been the opportunities created for students beyond the classroom.
We don't do it HVAC in house. >> I understand that. So, we put that we put that out to bid. It doesn't go through the state to go out to bid. >> So, the question is, how do we decide who does what? It may be as simple as that. When does Andy step up and when does the city step up? Who makes that decision? >> You might not know that. We're not sure who puts it out the benefit if it's Andy or the city. They put it up to bid. They get the results. They bring it to the school. I review it with the business manager andor the superintendent. We go over the quotes, make sure they're they're all quoting the same thing, and then we typically go for the lowest price one as long as their references and things check out >> and that's the correct process.
>> Uh [laughter] >> are you all set? >> Yes. >> All right. I'm a yes. And member Webb, are you a yes? Yes. >> Great. All right. Robert's rules is suspended. So, um, >> basically I had sort of said it seemed to work well when we did it for the superintendent search. Let's do it for this one. Um, any thoughts about the particular makeup of the like 10 additional people? >> What was the makeup for the superintendent search? Like how many staff versus parents versus community members? >> Yeah, we ended up having I think everybody who was on it ended up either being a parent or a staff member or sometimes both. Um I don't think we had I don't think we ended up with anyone who was like a general community member who wasn't some way very directly connected with the schools. >> I'm just wondering if we'd like to have, you know, a community member on this maybe that doesn't have a child in the schools or as a staff member.
He gave our students chances to compete, to represent our school, and to experience success at all levels, including the state level. He organized and led field trips that opened students' eyes to new possibilities, new careers, and new ways of seeing the world around them. Those experiences mattered. For many students, they became the moments that helped them discover what they were capable of doing. On a personal note, Mr. Myers was a teacher here when I was a student. I was not an ag girl, but I remember going over into that building and wondering what in the world they were doing in that other room. It always felt like a bit of a mystery to me. What I understand now though is what was happening in that room was much more than agriculture. Students were learning responsibility, leadership, problem-solving, work ethic, and confidence. They were learning from a teacher who believed in them.
Yes. So, you actually get to see you and the superintendent get to see the bids. >> Yes. And so are the bids kept here in files here? >> I don't know that. >> I don't have them for I have another but >> right import. So I'm assuming it was with the city. >> Those are good questions. >> So So >> we can get you an answer. Okay. >> We cannot get you an answer. Um like that is not here. Mom passed away last year. >> Oh, I'm sorry. That's awful. was here yesterday. >> So, we'll get you that answer as to where it actually sits, >> right? Because we're being asked a lot of questions and I know there are have been public record requests and other things about bids because there are local people who are wondering why um you know, they're not and I don't know if it's just not where it's posted um because there are local people who do HVAC.
Yeah, I mean I I think that um I I mean I I put that language in there. I think that it could be really worthwhile. I'm especially thinking of intentionally drawing maybe from our city councelor pool. >> Yeah. I was just thinking, you know, it's a different setup than, you know, hiring a staff person. >> Sure. Absolutely. and that the stakeholders for reinvisioning our schools might be a little broader than just people who are um in buildings. >> Yeah. Um and so right now Yeah. And so just to be clear, we're like thinking through who our ideal like recruitment pool is, like who we intend to send the notice of um hey, put your put your name in the hat, but that we can't control necessarily who actually nominates themselves um and who our final pool ends up being. But I think that's that's a good idea.
Mr. Myers also served as the district served the district beyond the classroom. As a leader for our local collective bargaining team, he's been a steady advocate for teachers across our corporation. He has used his voice not just for himself, but for others, and that speaks volumes about his character. There's a quote that says, "A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning." Mr. Myers has done that for 38 years. His impact will not end with retirement because the best teachers leave pieces of their wisdom, humor, patience, and belief in every student they teach. Mr. Myers, thank you for your years of service, your leadership, and your advocacy. Thank you for your heart for all of our students and our staff. You have made this district better, and your legacy will continue for many years to come. Congratulations on a well-earned retirement.
Um but I am questioning the amount for the high school. It's a brand new high school. Um, and I do know when you build a new school that fancy technology is put in it, but 20 grand for the HVAC. >> I think it's closer to 25. But um, >> the reason is there's so many units. There's like um there is more units at the high school than all the other schools added up or equal. >> So they're going into each room and opening up every blower. rooftop units alone there is like uh probably 20 rooftop units at the high school 25 rooftop units >> where we don't have that many all the other schools added up >> correct >> and then you have 16 mini splits at the high school we don't have that many and all the other schools add up okay >> and and suck like that so >> just the amount of hours it takes them to PM the high school >> is I believe it's like three and a half weeks working eight hours a day 40hour weeks for two to three guys or girls, technicians, >> humans, >> technicians.
Are there any particular like when you say general community member is there like a particular organization that you're wanting us to be like hey by the way any like community action for instance they work very closely with our families. Do we want us make make it a point to email them and say hey if anyone from your org even if you're not a parent we know you work like that you care about the kids and that you're very involved in the community you understand priorities. Are there other organizations or businesses like that that either of you can think of? >> I think you should email everyone and I think you should make it make it public. Put it out there. You don't know who you're going to get. I'm more concerned overall that we're going to have a lot of people who are going to bring up ideas that are not um legally feasible for us.
THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] >> I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS do because it's it's a challenge every day. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks, man. We taught four of us, I think, right? We tried. >> [laughter] >> Bring it. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. All those years of smelling the annex, and you still, you know, yeah. >> [laughter] [laughter] >> Well, congratulations. Uh moving on old business, the second reading and approval policy 6250. We had first reading uh last month, and basically what this is is is kind of changing what we consider, not changing, taking out something that we consider uh not usable for residency, which previously we said that people could use shot records for residency, but as Holly mentioned, her son had shot records from Florida, so that wouldn't prove that he was a resident of of our school corporation, so we removed that, and uh so we that's basically the only change on that uh policy there.
>> And they do that during school hours. >> They do that during summer break. So, we try to start it >> um by the 1 of July and have it done before school starts because the thought process behind this, most of it's heating. We have very little air conditioning. So, if they're changing air filters and all that stuff, the heating units are for the most part down during the summers. >> So, when they fire back up in the in the fall is when we want them to be clean and fresh. Correct. >> And then by the time they get running, a lot of the stuff in the air is is like dust and pollen and all that's not there. So, we can go through the winter months um with that and make it through into the spring. So, we're typically only eating four to five months.
Can you >> not for lack of excitement and enthusiasm and um the wonderfulness of their ideas but a lot of people don't understand that we are um legally bound to to more requirements than municipality than municipalities are. So from the school side, we have just far more constraints. And so I would really like to, if we're really going to do this, I'd like to get some options in place that are actually feasible that we know are going to legally fly before we get um members of the public who are not involved in school >> um in in school constraints to weigh in. Does that make sense? Um because we're going to get a lot of good ideas which I'm really excited about and I'm excited to hear what the community wants. I just often find that like it can be really jarring to go up against the wall of what you want to do versus what you're allowed to do in education.
So, I need a a motion and a second to approve policy 6250. I'll make a motion to approve policy number 6250. I'll second. I have a motion and a second.
So, only doing 1 PM. It'd be great to do two, one in like January, February, but if you did all the filters and another PM, you're probably going to add another 10 to 15,000 onto that. So, in good practice, you do twice a year, but we're doing once a year because of the cost of it. And then the once a year while they're in there, they're changing belts, checking belts. >> Okay. >> Um, and all the other mechanics and making sure everything's working, the gas, burning the right temperature, and things are checking, checking out. >> I get it. we all do as a homeowner, you know, >> right? So, but so the the second filter would be a lot less, but we don't even do that one. And see, we have a short window, we feel is always fine to do one. So, um it's just the amount of units we have.
>> And I don't want to get started on some great idea that we ended up not even being able to execute for some law or another. So that's why I'd like to kind of focus on maybe people with an education background um who can help help keep the conversation going in the direction of what is possible. Um first and foremost and of course parity. Having members of the community that don't have children in the schools is great. having members of the community that do that are active parents and caregivers, people who want to volunteer, um businesses who are affected by um the schools, all of that is really important. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I think in some ways we have actually the benefit of being a little constrained by the language or the proposal. So, like we can't just um go willy-nilly with our ideas, which is nice, I think, cuz that that I think helps us articulate to the public.
Any questions on that? All in favor? I. I. Uh none opposed. Moving on to new business. Uh review and approval of taxable GO bonds of 2026. You want to say something about that? So, I think um we've had a lot of conversation about um our financial situation and we were able to go back, I think I've shared this, and look at our um >> [clears throat] >> operations budget for the last 8 years. That was fun. Um we didn't have everything digital, so we spent some time in the basement, didn't we, Vicki? Um however, um we were able to find about $900,000 that could of things that could have been spent from bond money in the past and wasn't. So, we can take out what's called a taxable bond, which allows us to basically reimburse ourselves for those items that were purchased from our operations fund.
We have a lot of units. And then if you go to, for example, Federal Street School, a lot of them have the old units that in Newton Street and stuff have units that are up against the window. There's one for every single classroom. >> Correct. >> So, they go through every single classroom >> and the plants are on top. the motors and to change the filter and and go through the squirrel cage blower because pencils down there and >> and things like that. So um you know that takes some time too. So to do the whole PM process takes about two two and a half months. >> Um >> so I guess in my head um I know from living at Newton that that was done by some a city employee. Um, you know, George used um >> go through and do the second air filter change.