001you get it digitally. 608. Uh, welcome to the uh, regular meeting of the finance committee, Selton Board of Education uh, offices uh, first floor 382 Longill Avenue, Wednesday, March 19th, 2025. The time is 608. The call to order. Roll call, please. James Orizetti. I am here. Anthony Smearino, here. Joan Littlefield here. Patricia Munan, here. Also in attendance, Dr. Ken Sarinich. Kristen Santilly, Tracy Hussy, Jacqueline Tulings, Amy Romano, Kate Coutach, and Lorraine Roser. Rise for the pledge of allegiance, please. To the flag, to the republic, one. Okay. Need a motion to approve the agenda. I'll make a motion to agenda. Thank you, Bennett. I'll second. You will. Thank you very much. And all in favor? I second. Okay. Is approved. Review and approval of the following reports to the committee. Uh minutes of the meeting of
002the finance committee on February 19th, 2025. Get approval of the minutes. I'll make a motion. You Anthony. Thank you. All in favor? I. Okay. Motion carries. Public comment. Do we have any uh public comment? Anybody here wishes to address the finance committee? Anyone wish to address the finance committee? Anyone have any uh concerns with the finance committee? Nothing. Okay. Agenda items. The finance report. Okay. It's all yours. Good evening everyone. The expenditure report uh reflects financial activity for the eight months for the 2025 fiscal year for the period ending February 28th, 2025 and annualized projected expenditure through June 30th, 2025. Accounts 512. Total certified staff show those expenditure of 24.9 million accounts 51 non-certified staff shows a year-to-ate expenditure of 75 accounts 510 through benefit I'd like to point Now at account 5 health insurance
003shows an annualized expenditure of 10 million78,00 I was advised by the city annualized health insurance it's going or coming in. So what had happened was um they had considerable increase claims the first and this was due from Sigma to Etna and that resulted y' expected. So they're thinking that the 10 million I mean we're just stopping. I'm sorry that's but that's still March. Okay. this. Well, this is February. So, they're just letting know FYI, we know it's gonna be higher. Yes. And they it was recommended that the board of education advise the board of alderman requesting. Yeah. Definitely. Okay. that uh the overall employee benefits category shows a year-to- date expenditure of 10. Accounts 53 both through 5535 total professional services shows a year-to-ate expenditure of 1.5 and unf,00 there was a positive and the
004driver to make that swing was professional services fed account 56 shows an unch, $15. The expenditure services provided for out or out of district. Um, we do have a little bit that's that will not a whole heck of a lot, but it will account 553 telephone. The expenditure shows an unfavorable variance of $2,7 January frontier phone rate. We're currently transitioning lower face that so that line we account 5411 electricity there was a substantial increased electricity cost for the month of December annualized projection brings the electricity cost about one anticipated change shut down and again lower the Jackie that's um talking to John in the previous meeting and you um see if you can't break out that what what the solar panels are actually doing for us. Yeah. Find out you know like cuz the schools
005the grammar schools are all the same size. Let's see what we're using for electricity on on those schools. We should have a basis now. They've been running up and running for what? How long now? Not quite. It's been a while. It's been a while. They should be up and uh we should be able to get a comparison. If it's it's worth it to us, we we ought to start pushing a little go that way. So, trying to save some money there. Okay. Thank you. Count 57 through7 athletics pay to play funds were added to this line for in athletic costs. How are we doing that for spring or will winter's collected? So I actually have a little blurb here with pay to participate count comparison. Yes. Yeah. So fiscal year 2024 we had 791 athletes
006participate and in fiscal year 25 we have 800 athlete athletes register. Um Scott Snell said springs start next week. We should be and also include that we do have some state championship rings that were some awards gladly. Okay, we should be awarding champions. Okay, so uh just keep that in mind. I I think you know maybe we should have an offset column for that on a yearly basis. Hopefully we can increase the that that spending. But I think now that we have revenue to particip spending, she kind of went white. She kind of gets her blush over that would mean more range, more, you know, better program. Excuse me. Can you give me those two numbers again? The athletes numbers. Sure. So 2024 we had 791 athletes participate and currently have 88 and yes it's
007increased whole year right thank you I think that's a positive that parents it's everyone not a deterrent honestly parents are finding way I also think the cap helps you know the family cap is 600 so right listen it's better to spend money in this column than in another column that we do spend money so I would rather spend it on extracurricular activities having kids go through different programs you all know what little confused. You know what I'm talking um accounts 5561 through 5.569 total to the overall total to showing year-to- date expenditure of 5 million and an unfavorable of approximately 100,000. A portion of the excess cost grant amount of 1 million alloc 556 bad private additional excess cost funding alloc 551 Fed private this line shows expenditure 2,35,900 and an unfavorable,637,000. Again, a portion
008of the excess cost group totaling $460,65 alloc bringing the unfavorable $75. And again, coming in al still trending negative patient those buses aren't they making small buses they are they are yeah I mean we would we would have a larger deficit and the mayor asked for a breakdown right gave him He asked again a list of Okay. You know if he could get more vans and do you have something on that? Yeah, they asked for two vans. Um said that two new vans are in and be ready by after April breaks schools. Those vans will replace the target going. So, two new two more new fans. Good. Okay. They've been on they've been on top of it. Been constantly talking. You're doing a good job. You got to talk to me, guys. I got to
009know finance. Got to know. Court's got to come this way. Okay. Go ahead. Does anyone have any questions regarding the expenditure? fun. Sure. Okay. Uh revenue pay to participate revenue year-to- date collected 14,179 event ticket sales through February 28 totaled 5,000 February grant draw down,500 was issued two checks $700,000. One was honeys down of7 and the other second check was for February interest total, year-to- date expenditures to 50. Fed is displaying an overall approxim 71% of its budget extended and 269% last. So if we look at February of board of ed displayed an overall favorable approximate 9 million 71.7% of its budget expended 28%. So we're very close to where we were or comparable last year. You know it all depends and we excess cost last year. So I I think closer last year dollar
010wise excess cost more of the excess cost grant February. I just want to make everybody aware that receiving the excess grant just started going totaling 400,000. So yes, so it it was approved and we 17,1 excess cost. Um that wased entitlement that was but part of the excess cost 1.9 million still have 400 that as well. That's at the bottom of expenditure. I know my I just don't want anybody I just don't want anybody to start thinking that all of a sudden we're going to we have all this extra money when we complete our bottom line at it. Yeah. Are you we're going to be a tiny bit over I don't difficult for you but I'm looking for question that being said month is [Music] different look at a spreadsheet go across from month of
011February that gives me better indic how we are. So if you it's a spreadsheet. Yeah. If you look at the expenditure report, this is where we are year to date. And then I also annualized it on this report. So this will take us through I'm not sure if that would just No, I know. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. I but I'll stop by and let me know cuz uh yeah we we did talk about that once before that we wanted to see like what you know every month trends different for different reasons whether it be the winter season whe you know summer is air conditioning cost more and the winter is the heating cost more and we and we uh we did talk about that I remember you requesting I think I did too I'll stop
012by pull it and it'll look I mean you'll show Yeah. Show me what you're looking for and then I can drill down on it. Same. But you want to I think he's looking for a monthto month breakdown. Yes. Yeah. I think he's a month on all these categories. Month on all these categories. Yeah. I I think he's looking for the unevenness of how some of the expenditures and revenues like show showing that that variation across month to month or year to year too. Oh, of course. Rather than divided by I mean if we you start doing it this year, you could overlay it next year. So that I would know or you Jackie is that is that a lot of work? Not a lot. Yes. I mean if you picked out different categories that isolate
013See the problem is our ERP system. I could downloads I could pull from previous expenditure. Yes. What you're looking for you just need some of the categories. Yeah. The head if it's easier for you headers or ever. Yeah. Most okay indicated and but I will bring a sheet you know show you I know what you're talking about and then and then what happens is to Anony's point is that we can compare those and and we if we see a jump and well why did that happen then we want to know then we can dig in. Right. Okay. I got it. So, are you looking for the total year-to- date expenditure? I just took that column to date and by month. By month. Okay. By month. Go ahead. Okay. Just I have to wrap my head
014around. Want to obviously go to the city. we need to go to the city to pay this. But let's just back up here for a second. Um, so we're obviously saying we're definitely need the 2 million. What do we think that we're going to run out by? What month? Okay. Let's see. March, April. We're at May.7. 1.4 left or what month are we? April, May 25%. you know, in the next 60 days probably need to get into that reason like we probably have to give them some type of look we should probably figure out what that is when we start going then have to look at that before letter then also for special education well that's I know that's hard but right where we give them some something I fed as coming in but he
015understood that that excess cost but the green line gets allocated. I'm going by I'm basing by past practice that that allocation. So we are in fact just a question of how much um so I don't I don't know question that excess cost money going to go balance roughly that's not the key it's going to be allocated not Um you the remainder come around um I don't know item second I don't I'm hoping it's going to like we'll we'll call sounds like it's plain regardless. This whole calculation is still based on you. So we'd be negative bottom line. Correct. So we could just in the letter we're going to do now right because if you look and I base this 1.9 reserve for health care based on the projection of us now the health insurance I
016just wonder if we say that we're yes I would like to but I know Paul has a busy it's possible right so I I know Paul has a busy day tomorrow but maybe after tomorrow before we and something and we what he means by that. Let's have bills something, you know, something. I'm sure they'll come up with something to say, are we going to possibly? And then we could just state in the letter possibly. Letter, right? Well, we need to say to the letter that we're going to need the reserves, but even possibly. Possibly. Yeah. Well, but at least if the trends are coming in that it's even more and they know that and we could compose letter next week. You see, if we had somebody up in Hartford that I could personally call and
017tell them that they need to tell the governor that sped should be covered under the state and we shouldn't have to be going through this then we could eliminate talk about that later. Yes. Well, all right. So if you could just yeah let's figure out we'll we'll talk and figure out the calculations then that's the game out we'll get a little more feedback on the healthcare and then we'll do the letter to do the letter yeah I think you need I want to make it very clear you need to send out and they did ask me last night I did see some of them and they did ask you know where are you guys at with and I said we're going to use of course yeah but it's there but we had I think the
018last couple years we sent a letter right so but but right now it's like requesting to use these reserves because they did reserves right so now it's like it's a different we are going to be requesting the reserves in full right and maybe in full and possibly more maybe we and possibly more for health well yeah and then we just have to hold I would I would say some sort of effect like that that you possibly exceeded the reserves and it's a healthy just a reality. It's just the way it is. What are we going to do? Yeah, that's why uh it'd be controlled by the state approxim that's right right 100,000 million special. Yes. Will go towards special ed. It'll go towards one of the three lines. Okay. Yeah. Just keep that in mind.
019Shelton got 1% of that money. 1%. Not. No. Not my opinion. That's why my hair is white. I think everybody's opinion. I don't know. That's why I have white hair. You don't have any hair. See what's going on here? See what's going Well, the deficit is projected. Um, so to finish, the annualized expenditures are projected to total 84.3 million annualized budget less funding sources and reserves brings the district to a projected deficit of approximately, $60. much better. Um but currently obviously have a fe that will include the the excess cost already. Yes, it's right at the bottom. Okay. I didn't look at that. Oh, okay. No, no, no. But it it so we're in March now. We have So over the next fee through February. So over the next couple of months, we need whether
020we don't. Well, she's doing it all. No, but I I was just thinking out loud, which is the problem. Um, I'm just thinking about when we would need to let the board of alderman know if we are indeed going to go over. So, we have another month or two probably, right? And and you're you're doing it right now. You're saying potentially we need Oh, I thought that was just for access. Okay. It's it's I think we'll probably say something along the lines of right in possibly exceed it like right I want to hear what a Paul has to see. Yeah. So let's give him and we'll hit him with that. Okay. And I think that right long as it gets to them we have our board. Yeah. We have the meeting with the board of
021alderman on April 10th. I think I think we that they should have received the letter prior to that meeting. Going into that meeting, they should not. And if we might have to say, listen, we proposed 2 million. Guess what? It's looking like it's even more. Well, they proposed 2 million, right? But seeing, you know, we these numbers are fluid. Yeah. And our first year with this, well, it's also more under their control than ours. So they need to and by April 10th we'll probably better it's so close but at the same yeah we we'll send it before send it out in courtesy courtesy alarm notice whatever you want to call it. It's a notice. Okay. Anything else Jackie? No that's it. Thank you very much. Eight them down a little. Any of the other finance
022committee members have anything to say? Nothing. Superintendent, you have a comment? I just want to make sure that I I inform the finance committee. I know I've talked to some of you individually. Um, this past week, we received some billings for busing uh that were new bills that we received particular specifically, they were they we received bills for transporting the students to the spa. Um, I did inquire uh regarding why we were being built. Um, the initial response I have was it was because it's it's in the bus contract in which I did say that we don't have a bus contract cuz we we don't have a bus contract. So then I was told that they'll have to get back to us based on the bus contract or or the billing issue. So I did
023advise Jackie and accounts payable to not pay the bills. They did tell them that we're not going to pay the bills until we can determine um because if we just accept bills arbitrarily when there's no contract then we'll get builds anytime they want no matter what buses are there. So Franti Doia is also where uh I mean since the day I became superintendent I talked to Frant Doia about our bus contract and that still hasn't been put together. So what what will happen going forward? Hopefully, we'll get a bus contract and then we can follow along the billing process as indicated by that contract. Let me know about that. Give me a prize for that. They did ask us to and then in and then if their intention out onention that line item possibly out
024I think we have to know about that beginning of the concert not not an addon I mean it's all transfer but you do that in the Not now. photography. Yes, we're just looking for I mean obviously as I said when I had the conversation we all know that the money's all come from the same pot so we understand this but we do need to have some guidelines and rules in which how this is going to transpire uh budget number yeah transportation we do yeah I know there was savings right that now that we're in house a significant savings I mean and that's been a fixed number for um time for 5 years now at least. Breaking down our first. Yeah. So, so I mean having our own transportation system has saved the city and the
025board of ed a significant amount of money compared to if we outsource busing. That was that was that that was I was going to that question. If we did out we didn't Oh, that it cost Oh my god. It was millions more. It would almost double what we're paying. Yeah. So, so I mean and that's why I mean we have a and that's despite the bills we talk these through. We just need to all be on the same page with this. I mean, if this is what's going to happen, then we need to it needs to be formalized because if we're expecting to budget for these bills, we need to be aware of what what would cause a bill. We just can't have a bill just show up in the mail and then be expected
026to pay it. Yep. Oh, yeah. Cuz well, Ken Nappy's not he passed away, right? Was he was he the one who would handle that? Well, I I I worked my way up. So, Frank Scalo is the bus trans he's the transportation director. He replaced Ken Nappy. Okay. He reports to Fran. I then talked to Fran for about it. So, yeah, Franken Frank he he is he's excellent to work with. Yeah. buses now based on you on the tick. He he he is very I I work extremely well with Frank. Yes. The the new the new computer systems on the buses are uh I don't think it's 100% yet. I think that's September. You'll be able to do all the tracking. But I mean that's that's really been a bonus. And um what's on that? Um
027on what on the tickets? 40 40%. 40% for this. Uh no, I think that's going to go to the city. That's not board ad money. Well, that's just for ticket. You're talking about the tickets for the drive by the red light thing. Yeah, that's a whole another thing. We'll get into that. We I'm not even sure that's going to go through. I'll wait till I'll wait to see if it really comes down. I know Bridgeport Bridgeport is doing it now. It's implemented. They're doing it. They said it last night at the RTV. They did. Yeah. Well, that's RTV. I'm waiting for it. City. All right. Uh with with that, anybody else have any more comments? Kate, you're all done. Everybody's done. Okay. With that, we're journed. Thank you. Thank you.