And now So, anyways, it's just fantastic. And they give you all kinds of information. I think it comes out every other week. It might be every week, but it's every other week. And it is I just kudos to them. Cuz it's fantastic. I I don't know what their budget is. Um oh, do you want to mention this Framingham thing before you forget? Cuz they they don't have town meeting anymore, but they have So they went to a city government with counselors, but I definitely applaud them because there's a ballot question coming from the counselors, which would be like our citizens petition to have more citizen involvement in the budget. And what they don't want to happen, which is typically what we see is at the end we vote. Do we accept the budget or not? But we don't have input going into the budget. Uh the departments do, town government does, but citizens don't.
Yeah, we typically don't do policies that way. Just Yeah, whenever we've had policies to remove, we've actually listed them. Yeah, with prior spend more time talking about it now than we will then, right? >> [laughter] >> True. Yeah, yeah, fair enough. But but [snorts] it it does just uh you know Fair point. Sure, sure. I highlight it, you know. Right. Okay, the director of student services job search policy CBD central office. We're looking to appoint a member for to the job search and the timeline of the search. >> Yeah, so as you know, um Britney Hawkins has put forth her resignation as the director of student services effective August 14th. Uh it's a big loss for the district, uh but it's it as she and I had these conversations, it's it's a challenge. It's been a challenge 3-plus hours commuting uh every day. Um new baby.
Honestly, and then we're able to switch like all like the vice versa. You took your mic off. You turned your mic off. And that takes time, but that's the goal. You work as a crew and you all communicate together and you get on the radio together. YEAH! >> [cheering] >> OH, YEAH! WOO! YEAH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN THE REF MAKES A CALL Nice job, Brody! that's a good thing for camera two to get it in there. Did you guys see a flash light? I have a feeling Harrison natural play He's either a control freak or an anal prick. I don't know. Well, I'm going to have to channel the energy. I like to keep it light, so Yeah, I make fun of you guys. Just I'm an easy going guy. I have a sense of humor. You know, I like to bust on everybody. So, you just have to get used to my humor.
Now there's a ref in the middle talking to Arabella. Some people aren't happy about it. All right Bobby Olsen with it in the corner dishes it up to Atwood Atwood to Hartnett to Fowler to Cavalero working the ball up and around back to center Fowler to Cavalero to Fowler Oh to Hartnett oh Hartnett shot I think it hit the a stick and a post on that one. Perella just on his game today. Montemora to Cavalero. Cavalero up. Hartnett fires it over to Atwood. Atwood to Fowler. Fowler trying to come in. Fowler switches oh, Fowler's pass just couldn't connect with Cavalero, but does get Atwood way in the back. Atwood marching up right up to Olson. Olson to Fowler. Fowler oh, thought about it. Fowler gets a shot up. Bounce wide though. And still going to be Raider Yeah, it's still going to be Raider ball.
And then what you do as the customer is that you set however much uh kilowatt hour you would like to charge them and then that would re uh that would create the the revenue. So it's sort of like going to the gas station. You know you're you're paying somebody for the gas >> but you're supplying the power. >> Okay. >> So this sounds wonderful. We get a lot of asks for where the chargers are. >> Sure. >> Um I have a question about the actual obtaining of the grant. Then does you your company will do all the paperwork that's associated >> with that. Okay. >> Yep. We will take care of all of that on behalf of the the district for you. So you wouldn't have to see any of that. you would be a part of that um email thread specifically or whoever will be the admin who will kind of be maintaining the the project throughout.
And then what you do as the customer is that you set however much uh kilowatt hour you would like to charge them. And then that would uh that would create the the revenue. So it's sort of like going to the gas station. You know, you're you're paying somebody for the gas, >> but you're supplying the power. >> Okay. So, this sounds wonderful. We get a lot of asks for where the chargers are. Sure. >> Um, I have a question about the actual >> obtaining of the grant. Then does your company will do all the paperwork that's associated >> with that? Okay. >> Yep. We will take care of all of that on behalf of the the district for you. So, you wouldn't have to see any of that. You would be a part of that. um email thread specifically or whoever will be the admin who will kind of be maintaining the the project throughout.
Um, the sess the legislative session did not yield a change in that formula just yet, but there is a new uh, blue ribbon commission that has been established to look at the the formula. So there was a push to change the formula in this session but um because it is so complex and there was a lot of folks waiting they decided to stop and and kind of really study it. So hopefully uh in the next round we'll get some movement on that which could bring additional dollars per student to Danberry uh in the form of ECS dollars. So more to come on that. Um and then there was this was a very very busy legislative session. There was a lot of updates against we are still unpacking all of that because the session just ended. Uh we have plans to bring in Lindsay Jacobs who's um one of our lobbyists and helps us with uh advocating at different levels and we've collaborated on different pieces of legislation.
Um I've met with Greg the principal over there and and we're on the paint schemes and I think we're putting in some pickle ball courts and and um numbers for emergency um lineups and all that good stuff. The Vincy Park door and window project um is in progress. We are going to be taking delivery of those doors and windows because they're coming in as a section pretty soon and we're going to actually be storing those at our old district office until the summertime in the warehouse portion of the building. And the storage shelvings for all elementary school portables. We're going to be walking with um the team and meeting with the teachers and principles in those portables to decide and basically do a layout of where these uh storage shelves are going to be placed and to best position them in the classroom where they work out the best.
Class of 2026, in just a few moments, you will walk across the stage and receive the diplomas you worked so hard to earn. The achievement of earning a high school diploma is not an easy task. It took perseverance, resilience, and determination to keep going. As you prepare for this next chapter of your life, you will hear a lot of advice about the future. Today, I want to leave you with one simple idea that I hope stays with you long after graduation, gratitude. Choosing gratitude can change the way you experience life, helping you focus on what is possible rather than what is missing. As you walk across the stage today, I hope you carry gratitude for your time at Village High School. Here, you earned your diplomas in a learning environment that values relationships and flexibility, rooted in the understanding that every student's educational journey looks different, and that's okay.
>> Okay. >> The uh department position CIA, there'll be another reduction of another position. That one's uh still up in the air exactly what it's going to be. We know uh and and Mr. Hogan has been part of all of these um conversations. So this is not my budget because obviously I'm not going to be here but please understand that this has been in consultation with leadership with um cabinet with Mr. Hogan as we talk about the things we need to do. Uh HR will not be replaced. Uh CIA will pick up um oversight of that much like um HR right now is picking up oversight of facilities. Just a slight different adjustment of how they're going to who's going to take a look at what the facilities it says to be determined. Um we are looking at two or three different options. We have talked to SSC as a possible option or to replace the person.
I know last week was the appreciation and thank you Mr. Becket for your service. That's all I have. Thank you. I am so humbled just to listen to this board how active you all are um at our events and it is so great to hear because we all can't be at all the events all the time together and it just it humbles me that we're such a great community oriented board and so thank you board members as well. Um I was uh one of the activities that came up uh that I was able to attend was um Desert Sunrise High School had college decision day. >> Um and that was a really cool event. It wasn't for kids. Well, one one student did sign um an athletic uh commitment letter uh letter, but most of it was just the kids that decided what schools they were going to go to.
They spend less time on phonics because we're hoping by the time they get to third grade, they're getting that. So, we include morphology, the study of how words are formed. They also spend a little bit longer in their benchmark advance where they're working on comprehension, vocabulary, background knowledge, and oral language. And then they too spend about 30 minutes on skill groups as needed. We know how important reading is because if a student is struggling in reading, it's going to affect the other areas as well. You have to read in math, you have to read in science, and you have to read in social studies. And so if they're struggling in reading, that's going to cause issues in the other curricular areas as well. So we want to make sure that we have a strong tier one reading program where the kids are purposely reading, discussing, and writing.
We're doing a lot of the leg work. We're working with our residents. So >> well there's still some more work to be done there, >> you know, and it's really apparent at this point in time, right? Many many commu communities are going for operational overrides, right? And >> many are I would say most that I've seen are all well over $2.75 million. >> And it's because every community is faced with these same challenges, right? I mean, our tax levy allows us to raise 2.4 mil I mean, yeah, $1.4 million. Our our health and insurance and benefits number is increasing by $1.2 million this year. The salaries line for the school department is increasing by $1.5 million this year. >> We don't have the new growth that we've had in in recent years either, which also is a huge help to um you know, our coppers.
So that is the actual ballot question to have early on citizens participate in budget before it gets voted on. And I think Ashland could easily improve our process, migrate to something like that as well. Um it's we could bring it to the select board if and I think they're pretty open-minded. If they don't want to do it, somebody could do a citizen's petition. But it's it's so vital for the citizens to have a say in the budget when it starts. What happens with us is a bunch very small group of people um decide where everything's going to go. And then by the time you get to town meeting, and of course our we'll be talking about finance at the next the next public cast conversation. Um because without a film finance committee, we are like the only town that doesn't have one. Cuz I can watch them in every town but this one.
Uh it's just been it's been difficult and um so we have to go through this process. The search process is very specific uh through policy uh in terms of who is on the um initial search committee. It is an appointed position by the school committee. But the initial search process does um allow for a school committee member to be a part of that initial process. Uh so I'm just looking for and you can see the the policy here. I'm just looking for school committee to either appoint someone now or if you feel more comfortable waiting until uh or after the elections next week, um we have time uh and the process will be as follows. Um So I plan on advertising the role uh on Friday starting in these areas. Uh confirm a search team. Originally I was going to do that tonight, but again I could push that back.
All right, then we'll be friends. You'll be all right. But, I know I I do expect a little professionalism and attention and do your best. That's what makes a good team. So, you guys can go video the soldiers. All right, so the normal call as a director is You would say, "Okay, cam one. Ready." And if you're not, I'd say, "Well, I'm ready." And I would say, "When I'm ready to take it, I'd say, 'Okay, take one.'" And because we don't have tally lights and some some fancy cameras, your screen lights up with a red box when you're recording or when I'm sending THAT TO YOU. WHICH MEANS AND THEN I'LL JUST SAY, "OKAY, CAM TWO, LET'S RECORD." AND SAY, "OKAY, READY, cam two, take two." And then I'll say, "Oh, no, that's your fault." Oh, they're like thinking out loud. What's going on? Uh, we got over there.
Cavalero has it. Cavalero sprinting around. Fires a centering pass. Hartnett does track it down. Hartnett bringing it in. Trying to spin for a shot opportunity. Oh, misses the target and still going to be white ball though. Cavalero bringing it in. Cavalero spinning trying to get by Bahan. Passes it up to Atwood. Oh, Atwood's pass gets tampered with. Fowler gets hit. Fowler now bringing it in. Fowler getting pushed off by the big man, Tate Logan. Olson with it now. Olsen looking for an option. Passes it to Atwood. Atwood trying to run it in. Atwood shot and he scores. That was a big goal right there. As DS is narrowing the margin down to one. So, it's two to three right now. Raiders still down. But, getting back in. Make keeping it exciting, I should say. 4:44 on the clock left in this half. >> [laughter] >> God bless you, Olsen.
So I don't know if that would be Roland or um somebody else within the district but we would have uh complete transparency between us, you and the mass department where we would just fill out the application for you. They will come back with questions. We answer them and then unfortunately that does take some time. it can take up to six months for the EVIP approval to go through. Uh but we are on top of that uh constantly. So, >> okay. Thank you very much. >> Remember to leave. >> Thank you for coming. I am an EV user, so I'm tooling around town and plugging in all over the place. And um I have a couple questions and also just a couple comments as an EV user in this town. I think it's a great idea. Um, I'd be really interested in us exploring. I don't know if it's within our purview as the committee, but I'd love to find out about the cost that we would charge the EV users because Greenfield charges more than any other cities around.
So I don't know if that would be Roland or um somebody else within the district but we would have uh complete transparency between us, you and the mass department where we would just fill out the application for you. They will come back with questions. We answer them and then unfortunately that does take some time. It can take up to six months for the EVIP approval to go through. uh but we are on top of that uh constantly. So, >> okay, thank you very much. >> Remember, >> thank you for coming. I am an EV user, so I'm tooling around town and plugging in all over the place. And um I have a couple questions and also just a couple comments as an EV user in this town. I think it's a great idea. Um, I'd be really interested in us exploring. I don't know if it's within our purview as the committee, but I'd love to find out about the cost that we would charge the EB users because Greenfield charges more than any other cities around.
Uh and so she serves as a little bit of a less to to our board. Um and we'll be bringing her in in a board meeting that's coming up um either the next board meeting or the very first one in June. We're still working out some of those dates. In the meantime, u Mike, if you want to, you know, fill in a few gaps for us on some of the maybe the bigger the bigger, more high-profile ones, just what you know about them, that'd be great. >> Sure. Thank you, Dr. So, uh, I I think that was really the headline was the $2.9 million that we were getting in supplemental education aid. Um, if you remember a couple meetings ago, I had mentioned there were there were two bills really pushing for an increased ECS. There was HP 50002 and SB7. Neither of those bills passed, but this supplemental aid was sort of a consolation prize.