001Good evening everybody. Welcome to our second budget workshop. Mr. Angley, can you please call attendance? >> Joe Abdella >> here. >> Vicky Salem >> here. >> Stephanie Colnik here. >> Jesse Leeman here. >> Angela Machulo here. >> Alex Mcnautton here. >> Justin Angley here. Jen Pod here, >> Jane Sergeant, >> Pete Tagley, Mary Weber, >> and Christine Wig. >> Thank you. Okay, moving on to uh public comment. First, we ask that everybody will have three minutes to speak. And when you go up to the podium, just please um say your name and what town you're from. Nope, that's different. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Eric Sutbeer, Town of Bridgewwater, also an elected selectman from the town of Bridgewwater. Um, I'm going to be joined by Carolyn Dwire and Eric Gazelle, also that's okay. Um,
002in my opening remarks, uh, I would like to thank the board for the opportunity. Um, this is uh I had the opportunity to go to school here. I don't know how many people went to school here, but I did. I came out of uh this middle school 50 years ago. I have children that graduated from here and I have grandchildren. They're going to be entering soon. So, it's kind of neat to be a part of this this whole program that we have here. Um, one of my reasons for addressing the organization tonight was as an elected official, um, in attending the past couple of meetings, I am tasked with being able to relate to my constituency, um, how I feel about how the board is giving information to me to to help sell the board's
003direction, so to speak. And one of the things that has been always been a topic to us was our school enrollment. and you had a really good report that was put out from Dr. Prada and that report unfortunately had some miscalculations in a little bit. Um the numbers some places didn't add up. So we set that aside and and took it for what it was. Um but within that confront that the the that um application I listened to the superintendent tell me that he found $518,000 within the budget that they were able to renovate or repair this library. Now if I'm wrong in what I heard, please correct me. Um, but with those comments that were made, I found it and he quote unquote said through hypervigilance that you were able to come up with
004that number to make repairs. I would have thought that would have been a capital improvement that the residents of the different towns would have the opportunity to vote on, so to speak. So, when I hear those two things and people say to me, well, what do you think? I said, well, I I can't answer the question about the the dollar amount that they found extra in their budget. So, that's one thing. um which was a fairly large amount if I'm correct. The second was that we paid for a report that technically didn't give us all the information we needed, but we pref we we moved forward with a vote to I believe I I think I when I attended that we're going to spend money to look into renovating the schools if I'm correct and
005possibly look into building a new uh or a consolidated school with two towns keeping Bridgewwater maybe out of that because Bridgewater has already said that they don't want to do that. Um, am I you're shaking your head, so please correct me. You can't. Okay. So, um, with with that with that in in mind, um, I have a an issue with how I sell this board's vision to my constituents. And if I and and and in in doing that, I feel that I'm not getting enough information. If if it's my fault, then so be it. Um, please educate me. there's a front door to the selectman's office and to the town of Bridgewwater where we can get that information um rather than it coming in from different angles. And when I say different angles, I think
006people have reached out to other entities rather than the board of selectmen to share their concerns. Um I would hope that it would come through the board of selectmen um going forward. And I apologize you have you have looks on your face like you have no clue what I'm talking about. So when I sit in that chair in the past three meetings, I write things down and unfortunately I have questions. So I thank the board for the opportunity. I appreciate what you do. It's not easy. It's not We're all elected officials and we all have to answer to people. So I would hope going forward that any other questions I would have you could get back to me on. >> Thank you very much. >> Even Sorry, I was a little late. Um Eric Gazelle.
007I'm the first elect of Bridgewater. Um, I attended your workshop. Well, first off, thanks for having me. Board of Ed, superintendent. Nice to see everybody. Uh, attended the workshop last week. Um, I've mentioned to Nicole and Don in January, uh, to this board in February. I've had my board of finance meeting last week. Uh, and again tonight, I remain deeply concerned uh, about a trend that began last year, has continued this year, and appears likely to persist in the years ahead. Um this dynamic has a direct and sign significant impact on our mil mill rate in Bridgewater on the taxes paid by our residents both of which increased last year. Uh this year we're now facing uh an additional mill rate. Uh even with the 0% municipal budget in our town that pressure will still
008exist. Uh if a mill rate continues to rise it will also affect student enrollment by discouraging families from moving to our town. uh the components and the challenges. It creates long-term consequences for both the town and the region. Uh we believe it's urgent that we work collaboratively with you over the coming year to identify sustainable regional solutions. Specifically, we were asking that the board move decisively towards resolutions on the future of our elementary schools as well explore new potential revenue streams and creative approaches to addressing the approximately 97% of the budget that is considered fix. I'm available. I'm willing. I'm here to assist in developing those solutions and to brainstorm alongside you in support of this outstanding school region. So, I thank you for the time this evening. >> We'll make it a trifecta. Um,
009good evening. My name is Carolyn Dwire and I'm a selectman from Bridgewwater. My fellow selectman and I are all here tonight, as you know, to voice our concerns on behalf of the residents of Bridgewwater. We also represent a range of political parties. This 3.11 gross, $2.96 net budget isn't just about what it's saying. It's about what it's not saying. Our budget is going up roughly $1.2 million in gross this year. That is not a small number. And the smallest community is taking the hit for that increase, like we did last year, and we are expected to next year and possibly for a few years after that. If the trend holds without drastic steps taken, the three communities will roughly be sending the same number of children in our elementarymentaries in 10 years. WPS currently has
010104 resident students and is slated to have 78 in 2035. For context, that would be a decline in WPS's student population by 25%. At that point, all three communities would roughly have the same percentage of students. As we have said in 1967 when we entered this deal, the expectation was the two smallest communities would provide 25% of the students and the largest community would provide the remaining 50%. If that core deal is changing, we need to come up with ways to relook at the original deal and make changes so Bridgewwater, one of your partners, can survive. We are being told that only 3% of that budget is not fixed. That raises an important question. All scenarios should be considered within the intermunicipal group so that we can honor the priorities of each community and explore
011solutions that work for all. As I suggested in our board of finance meeting this past week, we also need to relook at starting some sort of 501c3 endowment fund to fund some of these items. Bridgewater remains steadfast in its desire to maintain a balanced community anchored by a thriving elementary school in the heart of our town, exceptional teachers, and engaged young residents who volunteer for our fire department and serve on our local boards and commissions. We value our schools, our teachers, and our students. But it's time to urgently look for new solutions. Thank you. >> Unbelievable. Hello, I'm Greg Dembowski, a resident of Bridgewwater. Your proposed budget of $26.6 million and projected student population, not including students attending from outside region 12 is $559 students. That's an average cost per student of $45,900. Bridgewater butts
012to other towns who have had a ste who have been having a steady declining school enrollment for years. In Brookfield, for example, they've been losing an average of 22 students per year for the past 10 years. 220 students, and that's well below the peak of even a decade before then. In Brookfield, the cost per student is $22,200. In New Town, it's $21,700. Set another way, region 12's education cost per student is double that of those towns also abuing Bridgewater. Region 12's education cost per student is double. Bridgewater taxpayers would benefit greatly by considering joining those school districts. Uh Brit Brook Brookfield just completed a $78 million middle school expansion. I think we can keep our elementary students at Burnham and I think there's room in Brookfield for our middle school and high school students based
013on the student enrollment that that town used to have, for example. Uh maybe then if we if we consider that, you'll take a hard look um at at your budget for this district. Other towns in our region have grown over the past couple years. They've bifurcated their budget referendums, splitting the vote from the school and the m and the municipal budget. They have done so because they are fed up with the outofcontrol school budgets. Maybe it's time for Bridgewater to change its town charter and do the same thing. Also the method used to allocate cost among the schools is flawed. Changing that methodology to to a more equitable one is long overdue. Maybe consider it by grand list or other methods. I think already mentioned I understand the things that I'm talking about can't be
014done overnight. It took it took years for you to dig the hole that we are now in. And now it will take some time to get out of it. But we must get started now with this year's budget. To the Bridgewater members on the board of ed, I ask you to continue to advocate for residents in in in our town. I am also calling on the first selectman, Gazelle, to create a charter revision commission to bring to the residents changes to the town charter that would include bifurcating our budget referendum. They deserve the choice to vote for a municipal and budget budget separately. Thank you. >> Good evening, members of the board of education. My name is Tara Flity. I'm the Shap Valley Education Association President. On behalf of our teachers, I want to express
015our strong support for the proposed school budget. The 2.9% 2.96% increase before you is both responsible and necessary. In fact, it's below the current rate of inflation and below other proposed school budgets in surrounding towns, which makes this a careful and measured proposal. This budget reflects thoughtful planning. It provides the resources our teachers need to do their jobs well and ensures our students continue to receive the highquality education our community expects. At the same time, it recognizes the fiscal pressures facing our residents and remains respectful of our taxpayers. Every day, our educators work hard to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. The tools, staffing, and programs included in this budget help make that work possible. Investing our schools is ultimately an investment in our community's future. We believe this proposal strikes the right balance, supporting
016student success while maintaining fiscal responsibility. For these reasons, the teachers union respectfully urges the board to approve this budget and move it forward. Thank you for your time and your for your continued commitment to our schools and to our students. >> Good evening, board of ed. I do not have a prepared speech like many of those before me. My name is Julie Hendy and I am a resident of Bridgewater and a long longtime region 12 community member. I attended this school and my child attended this school and I have another one baking. So, I have a lot invested um in both the betterment and strategic long-term planning from a community standpoint and the school. I really only this is a workshop Part of my job is to do that. I want to discuss and I
017have pointed questions about the budget and potential strategic proposals to provide savings or maybe where things could have been overlooked. I know I have brought some of those questions up so I'm not going to bring them up right now. One of my general comments would be um in most of the overall summaries I've seen the agra science program is seen as a a revenue but the expenditure isn't also there. That's one example of how it's I don't want to call it misrepresentation but it doesn't give us a full picture where aggra science isn't just a revenue it's a cost. So, I want to look at at those types of things. Um, I have the full budget and I'm going to do a more detailed look. I have pointed questions that might help open some of
018our eyes and are meant to be a positive strategic um, you know, outreach on behalf of our community and in alignment with our selectmen. I'm also a board of finance member in Bridgewater and happy to be here. Thank you for the opportunity. Okay. So, moving on now to the actual budget workshop. I'm going to act move on to the actual board first. Does any of board members have any questions in regard to the budget workshop? Comments, questions? >> Nothing. >> I just want to make a comment that the handouts that Nicole has given us recently uh show some changes but not changes in the numbers. more changes in language, punctuation, things of that nature. Also, there were, as I understand it, a correction made to some numbers from three or four years ago that uh
019were misrepresented and those were corrected, but that was only for a ma matter of comparison. >> Okay. Thanks, Alex. Are there any other comments or questions before we move on to our Q&A session? No. Okay. So, as we move on to the Q&A, I would like to just state a few uh guidelines. It's going to be similar where we have three minutes. Obviously, state your name and town again. and we are going to stick to the questions being simply this budget. We're not going to get into the weeds uh by asking about uh specific questions to previous budgets. We're going to stick to this. So with that being said, um if there is somebody who has a question, um you can come up. Mike Scala Scalzo, Bridgewwater, Connecticut. Can somebody please tell me the definition
020or what this is? Tuition special education public school. And >> what can you tell us what page? >> Uh 12. Page 12 number 561 563564. Uh this is a $200,000 increase to our budget. >> And if somebody could explain to me what those are. Sure. Nicole, >> the lines that you asked a question about are special education costs for placing students both in outside public institutions and outside private institutions. And the increase relates to two new outplacements of special education students. >> Question. >> Sure. >> What is driving the cost? One student out placement generally costs in excess of six figures and we have two new out placements. Somebody else have a question. Well, it's a Q&A, so if it's a question, that's what we're having. Comments were during public comment. >> Um, >> I'm
021sorry. >> I'll phrase it as a question. >> Thank you. You're welcome. Um, if we're expecting people to react to this right now, but they're just getting it, how can they make solid determinations and ask those questions? >> So, >> respond to that, >> please. >> What are you saying? >> We didn't see it online. >> What are you saying? You just got now the budget. >> So, this Yes. line by line budget. We have the superintendence presentation online but for our public to to see this I think people are just getting it. >> Okay. I don't know what people are getting. I was under the impression the budget was comment was public knowledge weeks ago the superintendent's proposed budget >> but it was also pres there was a presentation as well. So we've had
022and we also had but we've also had um board of finance. So I mean so yeah >> the presentation obviously includes the information >> I understand >> want to share. >> Um go ahead but >> so I have a I have a few questions some of them if I can't speak now not being able to speak about previous budgets but having information in here about previous budgets doesn't seem to be in line. Those are >> we're just going to ask questions about this budget. So if we can try to do that that would be great. >> So I have u maybe process related questions. What happens? The pie chart that you that you was in the presentation says 97% is fixed, 3% is discretionary. Is that right? Yes. That's of the total budget. So, of
023a $27 million budget, that's about 800 over $800,000 that is discretionary. Um, and I'm just noting that for now. What happens to the delta in the dollars in the fixed costs once the actuals are reflected? So we project line items, right? We have a projection for teacher salaries, a projection for supplies, and then at the end of the the end of the year or maybe in October when all the teachers are hired, you have leftovers in that line item um what happens to those delta dollars? So that I think this actually sort of answers a question um that was made at public comment. So those extra dollars are how we talked about doing this library space. So and when there's surplus with things that we can do that are in our 10-year capital plan rather
024than coming back to the towns and asking for more money, we can do line item transfers. We're different than a we're different than a municipality. We can do line item transfers with board approval. Um and a lot some of the deltas return to the towns as a surplus as well. >> Okay. And that's it's part of hopefully it's okay if I'm having kind of a conversation. Um so obviously there was a return of some value to us right this year each town got XYZ number. How do you determine how much you're giving back to the town and how much you're spending? Is that the the board of ed that vote? you know, you you propose, oh, we want to spend this much on the library, and then the board of ed votes, yes, let's do
025that. How what is that process? >> Correct. Throughout the year at our uh monthly, sometimes bimonthly finance and operations committee, we talk about what point we are in the budget cycle, what we have left, what projects are on the horizon, where we've had savings, where we've had overruns, and we talk about that as a group, and then whatever comes out of the finance and operations committee is voted on by the board. >> Okay. And is there limitations to um are there limitations? So I know there's departmental maybe you can only move certain money within departments or something like or uh 2% is it 2% of the budget which still then you're at 600,000 8 700,000 is >> so there's board policy that okay >> talks about what we can transfer and what the limitations are.
026So within our budget we can transfer between object codes without board approval. So your 100s, your 200s, your 300s once you move money between object codes. So if you're moving salaries to benefits or purchase services to other purchase services, that requires board approval. So that first goes before the finance committee and then it goes before the board of ed. >> Okay. Um, so do if you're going to answer this, do I don't know what the historical trend is for the request, the budget requests. Has there been a request to increase every year for the last 10 or 20 years? Is there zero h what years have been zeroyear requests? Can you do you have that historical? I have a photo paper and I actually Eric has it so he'd be happy to give that to
027you that I've given to him for the last 17 years. He has that for you. >> Okay. And so are he can give that to you. >> Okay. But that might influence some of my and maybe what I would like to be reflected in the minutes for tonight is how often has there been an increase request. >> So it fluctuates. >> Okay. >> It rarely decreases but it has decreased. It does stay flat at times, but most years it increases with >> with 70 to 80% of our budget being based on salaries and benefits. Those tend to go up every year. So, the budget does tend to increase every year, but there are years where it's flat and there are years where it's decreased. Okay. I will look at that in detail along with the
028budget, but I still want it to be known publicly. Yeah. Right. Um, so part of what I kept asking at the presentation last week at to the board of finance was that 3%. I know there's um some specific things that completely understandably are being asked for. It's like totals of 55,000, right? A trip, basketball uniforms, and a few other things. STEM STEM boxes, but that is just the increase to that 3%. But there's 8 over $800,000 that is that makes up that 3%. I didn't have the information before 20 minutes ago that, you know, I still have to go through in great detail to look at what makes up the discretionary funds. So, can you give me general outline of what what totals the discretionary funds? >> Sure. All of our enrichment programs. So afterchool
029programs, clubs, activities, the arts, all of our sports programs, teacher professional development to keep teachers cutting edge in instruction and keeping the school safe, and any other related service that students get the benefit of that enriches their uh school day um before or after school, those kinds of things. >> Okay. >> And I uh anybody can push back if I'm missing something. Nicole, I know you're the eye in the sky on these things, but that's my list. It's also all of our consumable supplies. >> Supplies. Okay. That's >> um throughout the district and also um all of our non-f facility related equipment. So um if you needed a scanner or a smartboard or um seating, any kind of equipment that's purchased for instructional purposes. >> Okay. Because it's hard for me to read this pie
030chart because it's gray in the in the handout tonight. Um, so is this available in color >> by any chance? >> It's on It's up on the website in color. >> Okay. Um, so going back to like that 522,000 that was used for the library. Was that within one budget year or is that a savings totaled over several budget years? >> That was within one budget year. So um is it so I also read minutes from June there was at that point 8% of the budget remaining uh compared to the year before 9.66% of the budget remaining and that is where you proposed that 552,000 is the number I see in here be used on the library. So I'm assuming >> I just want to just remind you that we're really talking about this budget
031>> and we're talking about last year's budget. So and we're also going into seven and a half minutes. >> I'm going to relate the decision-m to request a 3% increase when that is >> almost 2% of the entire budget. >> So are there and if you had 8% in >> in extra money last year and 9.6% 6% the 66% the year before and I work for a university. We cut endowments, right? We have to cut percentages of our budgets. >> We're cutting contingencies on our projects. >> Is there a more strategic way so that maybe there's less fat on this budget so by the end of the year there's 4% remaining. >> Stephanie, you want to say something? >> Yeah. And with without answering it by going into the weeds of last year's budget, >>
032I just I I totally understand what you're saying, but I don't want the insinuation to be and and we know that it isn't that we aren't every year renovating new libraries that that hasn't been a consistent thing happening in each of our buildings that we are, >> you know, it's never been renovated, >> but otherwise I'd say we'd have brand new cafeterias and we'd have all new facilities, but right so the you know >> going back to what could have specifically happened in one particular year that created a vacuum where we were able to take advantage of those funds is not a thing that's happening year over year. And so I just want that to be out in the community because otherwise >> our facilities would all if we were having that kind of >>
033quote unquote fat every year we would have far diminished you know reason to use you know our our capital projects like we that list would be a lot smaller right so I I I understand why you're bringing it up and it's a fair question to ask whether or not consistently year-over-year are we creating budget s that are larger than they should be. Um, but that's really an anomaly and that's something that if anybody wanted to, you could go back and look at previous budgets. And then you could also look at the money that's being returned to the town. That's kind of homework that someone could do outside of this meeting because that's going to be a much longer larger discussion. That's right. >> Um, >> so I just I I just want to throw a
034comment out into there that I I know where you're coming with this, but I don't want the insinuation. And I certainly don't want the community to start thinking that, you know, every year there are massive projects that we're able to >> My question doesn't mean to imply that it was because in this line item in the in the board of ed minutes, it says there was 8% last year and then 9.66% the year before. So those that's the two years that I have a frame of reference for in your minutes. And so if I refer to that then asking us for 3% increase this year seems redundant because you could still have 5% left over and we're struggling and so that's what we're asking for is to say okay you you know and there are
035some things I mean I again I do have to look at this more detailed and um like a very minor thing is LED upgrades I think one of the projects that you propose That's not a need, that's a want. I I'm very My degrees in civil engineering, very energy like aware, but that is and it's minimal dollars, but those minimum minimal dollars add up and they're adding. >> I agree. There's also a list that you know you could ask for anybody could ask for from our facilities director about >> and we would also encourage you to come to a facilities meeting where you could sit down and look at the capital list so that you could pick and choose because I think that that list is very long and it is very it's it's a
03610-year out list and I think that for a 3% increase in budget I think that they're very mindful about what it is that they're picking and choosing and you're right it is minimal which is why they chip away right? A little bit each year so that they don't >> so that list doesn't get extra long so that we're asking for much more down the road. >> And if we're only asking for 5500, we can't tackle the big projects. We have to tackle some of the little things. >> And so we're moving on now to 12 minutes and I really want to be able to give >> one more thing about the conversions. We've been doing LED conversions throughout the district and we've seen a noticeable decrease in our utilities, our electric bill, which has climbed
037exponentially. We're also finding it harder with the age of the fixtures in our classrooms to get replacement parts and bulbs. So, it's it's not really a want. It is a necessity for those reasons because we don't want to spend exponentially more on parts we have to hunt down in these aging fixtures when we could upgrade them to LED and also get a savings from our electricity bill. >> I'm very very familiar with that kind of strategy. So, um again, I really haven't had like many of us I think much time to digest it. Um so leaving on that is >> can I can I also just say there's also two more board me two more board meetings where there will the budget will be discussed again. Tonight isn't the last time you have an opportunity
038to discuss it. Generally we don't prepare the board of education budget book until the board is ready to adopt its budget but we put it out in draft specifically so people had longer to look at it. >> Okay. And that's why I'm here. I want, you know, to share how I'm looking at it and I will continue to look at it. And again, it's um you know, this is supposed to be in a positive taking in a positive strategic. This is a workshop, not a um you know, telling anybody kind of forum. So, I happened to bring some new ideas that I'm hoping that you guys will consider as we also work on our end to try to support our community in a way that's sustainable for us to remain a part of this this
039community, this region as we have been as long as I've known it and not not create a place where families can't be anymore because right Now, we're the cheapest of the three towns to live in, and soon that might not be the case, and this could all change, and that's not that's not what we want to see. So, anyway, those are my questions for now. I don't know if it's possible for me to email questions directly to you, Julie. You can reach out to me anytime. You could if you want to come to my office and sit and really get in the weeds, we can do that, too. >> Okay, fine. >> Thank you. >> Sorry, one more question. >> Yeah. Total number of employees in the district >> it's 197.8 I believe it's on
040page >> you have 08 employees >> 197.8 it's on page >> 198 employee >> so we have some so if you have a teach if you have an employee who works part-time 20 hours a week that's a five >> that's okay all right so uh what was the number again >> 197.8 Any other questions, please? Um, I think we are because I was going to move on to uh comments and questions from the board again. >> Oh, so I'll let you move. >> If there's no other questions, I was going to move on to Yeah, >> do that. Okay, please. Um, >> you know, I just I want to say to everyone sitting out here that I, you know, considering my comments, I don't want to come off abrasive. I think it's really important for
041the community to show up. I think it's really great when we get this kind of engagement because I think it fosters that communication. It's good to know what specifically certain communities have questions about and this is the first time we've done this in at least the 8 to 10 years I've been on and off the board. >> So I appreciate that. I know this is like it's difficult to come up and to talk in front of everybody. I hate public speaking as well even though I sit in this chair. >> Um so I just you know thanks to those who came up and talk. I think they're good questions to have. If they're, you know, if there's a way to keep that engagement going, that's great. But I think it also it helps all of
042us to have that ability because often with public comment, we don't get to say anything either. That's just kind of the structure to keep that that mooding um >> that meeting moving. >> Yeah. >> But anyway, I just want to say thanks. Like I'm glad that we're doing this. I'm glad that people came up. I'm glad that people showed up tonight. It shows community engagement and I think that's great. >> Yeah. No, thank you. I did want to um answer uh one of um I think it was there's two Erics. So Eric's comment. So your question about the um consolidation versus the for the schools I would direct you to Carolyn Dwire since she's on the intermunicipal committee and so she would be able to answer those questions for you. That would be I hope
043more clear for you because she is on the committee and now Eric is on but Carolyn's been on since the beginning. So, she would be able to hopefully answer all of your questions and be able to be more thorough for you. So, I think that being able to share the information that our committee has been working on for the last 18 months, you could at least be able to share those that information with him. Um, so that would be clear. I would hope that you would be able to do so, right? Yeah, that would be great. Thanks. So, um, yeah. And I just um my I think for me personally I'm I'm I'm sad tonight because I think that you know we have worked so hard over the the last several years to um create
044um uh a a team of of of three towns and I'm really disappointed to see um a feeling of division tonight. and over the last couple of weeks and um I'm really trying hard to figure out how to make this work. Um and I'm I'm struggling uh because I feel that I understand the um the struggles that Bridgewwater is having. I really am. And I'm also feeling also that there's this sense of um not working together at the same time. And um I I don't know how to make this work. Um I'm feeling that all the work that we've done over the last two years is feeling different. And so a few weeks ago when I was standing up there, and I still mean it, uh, in terms of our intermunicipal committee, even when we
045have difficult times, I'm going to roll up my sleeves and I'm going to still come to the table every single time. Um, because that's my promise. Um, but I'm feeling that there's this uh sense of creating um something different and I'm I'm going to roll up my sleeves and I am going to come to the table. Um, I really am. and I'm going to be transparent and I'm going to be honest and I'm going to work uh with everybody every single time and I'm going to be uh that's my promise and I'm that's it. And I'm gonna um be uh as um I'm gonna work with integrity and I'm going to be do my best because I wear my um feelings on my sleeve. So I get frustrated and unfortunately there's no way of hiding
046that. It is genetic and it is a a cross to bear in my life that no matter what medication it just there's nothing I can do about it. It is just it's my mother's cross that I just have been given. Um but I um but I am as uh honest uh and um and I also will 100% say how I feel but I will honestly work with everybody and I but I will also hold everybody else to the same standard. Um and so that's my that is how I feel. So um I will do everything that I can to do that um and will work with Bridgewwater uh leadership um as much as I do with the leadership and with uh the board members that I have here with Bridgewwater and with Roxberry and I
047will do that with Bridgewwater. Um, but I am feeling sad tonight because I didn't see this coming even with um I just didn't. And so I don't even know if that's even the right thing to say, but I just have to speak from the heart. But I will I will be at the table every single time and I will work with everybody. So with that, uh, is there any other comments? >> I just have one more comment and I know it already came up in the meeting, but I think it bears repeating. I think we should be very uh proud maybe is the wrong word, but we have a budget that whose increase is below the rate of inflation. And there is not a lot right now in any of our lives probably across the
048board where you can say that that is true. Especially when labor is going up, materials are going up, services are going up. pretty much everything that's reflected in this budget is going up by a greater rate than the overall budget. And I think that that uh is a testament to a lot of the hard work that's been put into it. A lot of the thoughtfulness that's put into it been put into it. And while we are all feeling the effects of inflation across the board, to scrutinize the budget of something that's so important to our communities when it is being delivered in a very uh wellthoughtout manner, I think is probably the wrong move. And if anything, uh we should really embrace the fact that we were able to deliver a budget that >> many
049regions could have done. >> Exactly. and that many of the regions around us were not able to do this year. >> I agree. Thank you for saying that, Christine. I couldn't say it that way, but thank you. I agree. So, thank you very much. Um any Yes. Yeah, please. Please. >> Um I just want to thank you for coming out um everyone. And I want to thank you for your words, your wellthoughtout words, your well expressed words. Um I want to thank you for your passion for our town. I am a Bridgewater resident. I have not been here very long. Um, we purchased our house in 2019. We moved here for many reasons. Because of the beautiful town, because of so many different things, because of the camaraderie, because of the residents. Um, I am
050a very proud member of this board >> and I hear you. I hear what you're saying, but I also hear what everyone here is saying. I know the hard work that Nicole has put into this budget. I respect the hard work that everyone here has put into this budget. But I also hear you. I'm interested to hear after you looking at this budget. I'm interested to hear what you have to say at our next workshop. I'm interested to hear what you have to say and what what our response is going to be. We're not here to completely shut you down. We're not here to shut anyone down. We're here to listen to you. We're here to work together. That's what this is about. >> Okay? But this is a really good budget. I am an
051educator. I also work with many board members in other towns that are pulling their hair out because they cannot get a budget that's even remotely close to our numbers. The teachers are going crazy, the town's people, you know, the municipalities are going crazy and this is a really good budget. But I hear you and I hear what you're saying about the future of Bridgewater and I know that that's very worrisome. But I just want to say I hear you. I feel you and I thank you for bringing your concerns here. And I love our town. I really do. So thank you. >> Yeah, please. So, I went over the budget this weekend at the request of Carolyn and Eric, and I did come up with um nothing for this year, for this budget, but perhaps
052a long longer term solution that I'm sure Carolyn will share with Eric later. Um, but I agree with Christine and with Vicki. We've looked at this budget. It's fairly lean and I think we have to look at what our budgets give us. Nicole does a phenomenal job. She enters into these um you know agreements with other towns and she buys fuel cheap and she fixed our electric pro or our cell phone not cell phone our regular phone problem and she got money back. And she's always doing that. She's she's like the queen of cutting coupons and getting us everything that she can get us. and she does three jobs. She does the jobs of of three separate people. But I think we have to look at the overall. And the overall is, and I realize
053you haven't had a whole lot of time to go over it. No one has said this is unreasonable. This line item is unreasonable. Everything is up, travel is up, fuel is up, you know, art supplies are up, everything is up. Could we cut some of that out? Probably. But then here's what happens. Our kids suffer. Our kids don't win Halo awards. If we cut out the planetarium and we get rid of that program, the kid that decided to major in meteorology because now he has a planetarium doesn't do that. Do our kids, if we cut our teacher salaries or our superintendent, do they end up at the Ivy's that they are or the great college they are or the public Ivy's? Maybe not. Are they winning Halo awards? Are they winning three state championships? For
054a teeny little school in one year to win three state championships, that was incredible. And all of it's little, but it means something. It means school spirit. It means these kids wanting to come here. It means they want to excel. And everybody on this board, the kids come first. I live in Bridgewater. I pay taxes. I pay a lot of taxes. And yes, I would like to cut down those taxes, but not at the expense of the kids. Justin, Angley, Vicki, and myself. Our kids are out of here this year. It would be very simple for us to say, "My kid's done." Yeah, we can cut a little bit. My kid's done. My son, and Carolyn will remember this, is graduating Yukon this year. He is headed to medical school because of here. This is
055the kid that when he graduated here and I said, "Oh my god, how's calculus?" Goes, "It's a breeze. Mrs. Mar taught me everything I needed to know." But he is the kid that stood up there five, six, seven years ago under three or four superintendents ago when they wanted to shut Burnham. My son stood up there and said, "I have two brothers at Burnham. I got a great education. Do not give them less than what you gave me. And I am saying to everyone in Bridgewater, to everyone in Washington, to everyone in Roxberry, because everyone on this board gets it. We will not My kids out of here. I will not give anybody else's child less than what my child had. So, we will be lean. We are not building a rock climbing wall. We
056unfortunately are giving up, as Don said last week, the the a school psychologist. And if anybody has seen what goes on today with kids and anxiety and depression, we could use another school psychologist. >> Absolutely. >> I'm not willing to give up the teachers. I'm not willing to give up the education. >> And I'm not willing to send my kids to Brookfield or New Town for high school or for middle school or for elementary school. When you move into a town, the first thing anybody asks, "How are the schools? How are the schools? They have the good schools. How are the schools?" Nobody's asking how the park is. They're asking how the schools are. So, yes, this board is willing to work with all three towns. And we do have a great relationship. And this
057board has a great relationship together. There is no, "Oh, she's from Washington. I'm voting against whatever Christine wants." That just doesn't happen. We took an oath that we would give our kids the best education we can give them. Yes. Within reason. And that's what we are. That's what I vowed to do. And that's what I'm going to do and I think that's what everybody here is going to do. >> You're here. >> Well done. >> We have a very unique board here. >> We are not against each other because we are from a certain town. We are unified. We are as one here. And our first and foremost priority are the students here. And I tell people all the time, I took my son out of Danbury schools because he gets a private school education
058in a public school setting. And that's why I moved here. Right. Typic typically, Julie, I'm so sorry. Once once the public comment's done, it's only the board that speaks right now. I'm sorry. That's just the way the board runs. I'm not trying to be difficult. That's just we the public can't speak. It's just how the board runs. I'm sorry. I'm not trying. It's just I'm sorry. I'm It's just It's board. I'm sorry. Thank you, Mary. Actually, I've I've lived in Washington since 1980. I also came here before I even had children. I bought the land in Washington that I built my house on. And we did that. And the reason that we moved to Washington was because I asked some of the region 15 teachers that I happened to live were my neighbors. What's the
059best school system around? And this was it. So I put forth looking for a piece of land that was in one of the three towns. Washington just happened to be the one that won. And uh I'm glad that I did. My boys are successful. they graduated from here and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is the second time I've I've uh been on this board and I hope that we always can do things that's best for the kids. I I don't want to cut anything that's that's best. But you said best. I can't say it any better than you did. That's exactly how I feel. >> And Nicole has done a fabulous job for us over and over again. I can't even imagine how much money we would have spent on other things
060had it not been for Nicole. Nicole looks for every penny that she can to save. And that is something that you >> that we that's priceless. >> And I also just need to give a shout out because Don has done an amazing job at sharing the information and being willing to >> um make accommodations to to talk to whoever needs to to have a conversation. and he's done a beautiful job at really talking with the the boards of finance and uh reiterating the budget and I'm really proud of the work both of them have done um and I couldn't ask for a better team so they have been amazing. Does anybody else want to say anything? I think we should all sing Kumbaya next. That's what I think. Okay. So, um uh I would just
061like to now I think we're moving on to um our last uh item which is um are there any motions to make any changes to the budget? >> I don't see this on the agenda. Has there been the sec new agenda set out? >> No, but I was told that I have to ask. So, I am doing what I'm told. So, I'm just putting it out there to make sure that I do this. Nicole, >> Alex, during a workshop, you can you can speak to what changes you'd like the board to consider. So if there are no motions, I would um like to ask for a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All in favor? Thank you.