Board of Education Meeting - February 10, 2026

001All right, let's call the meeting to order. First, as always, allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, justice for all. Great. Thank you. Uh, first up, as always, public audience. >> Sorry. >> Okay. Um, so let's go into committee reports. >> All right. Um, not too much for us to report from the elementary schools right now. Um, the middle school is looking forward to their uh, production of Shrek Jr., which is coming up this March. Um, as for the high school, um, obviously we've just started semester 2, uh, well into winter sports and everything. Um, aside congratulations to myself and the other members of the company of Urine Town, um, which just, uh, commenced our, um, performances

002this past Sunday. Uh, very successful, very wellreceived. Uh, so thank you to everyone who came to that from someone who was in it. Um, coming up next week, um, during our February Connect, uh, grade nine students will be attending an African drumming performance put on by Hartford Performance connected to their World Civ SS class. Um, grades 10 and 12 students, um, will be doing activities and learning about email and text fishing, while grade 11 students um, will be uh, learning more about free SAT studying resources um, put out by the College Board. Um and then course selections for the 2026 2027 school year for students in grades 9 through 11 um is underway. >> Great. That's awesome. >> Thank you. >> Oh, good. >> Absolutely. >> Josh, >> uh sure. Uh I can give an

003update on communication subcommittee. >> So we met on January 23rd. Uh, as far as topics we hit on, we talked about parent square, which is going to be the new communication and masscom tool for the 2026 school year. This will replace school messenger for our communications tool and partner. And then over time, as contracts come up, it'll take over other things like Seessaw and these other things where it'll just kind of absorb it. Um, which I'll get to in a minute. We'll we'll recognize some savings there. As far as user experience, again, Dave Pine gave us a good update. Just one tool. Create a class signup replaces email signup genius Venmo. So perfect state when you get there, right? Instead of someone saying, "Hey, there's this class event and you gota have a signup genius

004for this and then Venmo me for this and then notification through this and an email." It's just one thing, right? It's one messenger and it'll have all the information. So pretty cool, pretty innovative. Um and then from the sender perspective, uh it makes it easier, um for central office, right, to send out mass communications. Um you can work with smaller groups like teams, clubs, things like that. So all good things. And then as far as the savings potentially goes there because of the contract and it's going to also handle the website, which we'll talk about in a minute, because you're consolidated under one vendor, um approximately 20,000 a year would be recognized in savings, which is pretty cool. year one, David was saying we probably wouldn't recognize all that because there's the, you know, training

005and getting people on board, but so it sounds like it's innovative cost savings and new technology. So hopefully a win all around. Um, we'll know more as we get closer. Um, on that same topic, uh, they're also taking over Smart Sites who's under parent square will take over for the website. Um, this replaces Final Site. This this vendor is more focused on K through 12 as opposed to like a corporate focus with our current one. Uh easier navigation, content management. Uh the subcommittee talked about a real focus on the search functionality. So that's going to be a focus um as they're going through testing and navigation on ease of use. Uh there'll be a parent perspective in the working group along with teachers and staff. So we'll get that go live target date is for

006June 29th. um that way it's in place for the start of the school year. So again, that could be a little fluid, but that's where we're at. Uh the site layout's currently under evaluation, getting feedback from uh committee members and and things of that nature. Uh what we did there was we did say, and Tara had brought it up, right, that from a BOE perspective, it's important that that's visible, easy to find kind of under its own tab. So, uh David would take that into consideration. So, that's where we're at with parent square as far as the website and masscom tool goes. Um, and then just to hit briefly and then I'll open it up with any comments or questions from anybody else that was there, the communicator is going to be going out with

007the winter edition in late February. Uh, it'll be the first of two editions as we're doing every year, winter and the spring. It's going to cover a range of topics, schools, teachers, students, our rankings, sports, a lot of good stuff there. Um, and then we will meet back for the communication committee in uh, April, May. We'll talk about the spring communicator. uh the last two vision of the graduate videos. There's some cool stuff Dave is doing there working with students and um we talked a little bit about budget communications going out um which we'll probably you know talk about budget tonight but so we hit on those topics. I'll keep it there for now. Um I don't know if there's any questions or anybody else have any comments. >> Um the first I just missed

008the name of it. first when you're gonna have it all in one place. Will PTO's be able to utilize that as well or is that more just the district? >> Right. The district the the school secretary might send a link to the PTO website in their communication but our PTO's don't use our communication system directly. >> Nothing for me. >> Josh did an excellent job. Very good committee meeting. >> Thank you. We appreciate that. >> Just as a reminder to families, we do have an early release day this coming Friday, February 13th. Cedar's very excited about that and the little fist bump over there. This is for your planning purposes so we can engage in some additional professional development. >> I'm all set. >> Katie, good. Um just wanted to say thanks for everybody for

009for all the work on Saturday. It was you know three hours uh talking budget in the middle of February is is a little rough but that was a great conversation and obviously we are here to continue that tonight. So just with that said let me turn it over to >> Mr. Superintendent. >> I would just you were very modest. The show was unbelievable. It really was. I know Sue had a chance to go as well. Uh amazing talent. It's one of those times you sit there as a superintendent and you just go, "Wow." >> Lucky to be involved with this. I mean, the sound, the the choreography, everything was just really top-notch. And uh >> it was funny, too. It was >> You were very funny. >> And Eva, our other board uh rep, was

010a star in the show as well. So, really, really cool to see. Really cool to see. >> Great. >> All right. With that, um, can first on the agenda is the, uh, approval of the January 13th minutes. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> Any post? Great. >> Thank you. Uh, just one item for tonight on personnel. Um, it is a request for a guaranteed leave of absence for next year. Uh Missy Champagne is a highly energetic fourth grade teacher >> at Tuton Hills School. Um and uh she is in a situation like many of us with a aging parent. So she's going to take next year um to be primary caregiver for her mom um with uh us holding the job for

011one year. So, we would hire an indirect teacher for one year and grant Missy this leave. >> Great. >> Uh, we need a motion. There's a motion there for somebody to read. >> Move that the board of education approve the leave of absence for Missy Champagne effective August 24, 2026 through June 30, 2027 with a guaranteed position upon her return. Great. >> Any discussion? >> I very nice for her to do and we'll discern. Uh, all those in favor? >> I thank you. >> Uh, next up are a few gifts. Sue. >> Yes, that's me. So, in alignment with board policy, anytime you have a gift in excess of $1,500 that requires the board approval. And both of these gifts tonight from different donors are have the same recipient. And that is our first robotics

012team called Sim City. And their task is to build a collaboratively an incredible robot that goes through a number of tasks and they partner with those in the field within the Simsbury community. It's a pretty dynamic um event. They have been to the World Championships four times in 2011, in 2015, in 2017, and most recently in 2024. So they're hoping they're going this year in 2026. So, the first gift is in the amount of $3,000 to the robotics team from DVL Solutions. And there is a motion there for your consideration. I make a motion the proposed gift to the SHS Robotics Club at Sbury High School from the DVL Solutions, Inc. totaling $3,000 be approved. Uh, >> any discussion? Uh, >> all those in favor? >> Any opposed? Super generous. >> Super generous. Another super

013generous gift this time from R&D Dynamics Corporation. That is in the amount of $3,000 again to support the Sim City First Robotics Team. There's a motion there for your consideration. Move the proposed gift to the SHs Robotics Club High School from the R&D dynamics corporation holding $3,000 be approved. >> Second. Great. Any discussion? >> Are these from parents or families or do they just find our group these these two companies? >> So sometimes there is a parent who might be involved and they bring it to their corporation for sponsorship and then sometimes they just hear um through the competitions or through word of mouth. >> Nice. All those in favor. >> Any opposed? >> Just anything. That's uh very generous donations on both parts. Greatly appreciated. >> Well used. >> Absolutely. >> I'll keep you

014updated on the progress. >> When does the robot do it? >> It's usually in the spring, usually April, May, they'll have their big competition, but give you updates along the way. I'll let you know. >> Very exciting. >> All right. CIP. >> Yes. So, um, we're going to have the board vote on the first year of the capital plan, the projects that sit in first year. Uh, these have been presented to the board at a prior meeting. Uh, so in the exhibit, Neil is going to kind of go over do a brief overview of the three um projects that we have year one and can certainly we can answer any questions that you do have. Um, but by our timeline, we need to approve that uh and move that on to the board of selective.

015So, the first um and the largest of the three projects is the uh Simsbury High School turf and track. We had a presentation about it um back in the fall. Last replaced in um 2016, so a 10-year life on that is um really about what is to be expected. And um this is a very necessary um uh replacement of what is out there. Uh our presentation in the fall showed some of the issues with cracked track and some of the infill in the turf. So um this would be a vote this May to get the funding and then a construction in the summer of 2027 would be the planned. um timeline. Um second one for so that that is a $2.2 million value. The second one for network improvements is um for $350,000. This is

016a fund that um we have a few that every other year we have an infusion of capital. So this is on our technology um network side of things. Um some of this money will go toward um servers that we need for um work with our virtual desktops and then a lot of what this is going for this infusion would be more storage of data. Um and we have a lot of things we're backing up all the time. Um and then the last one in the amount of $250,000 was an excellent idea that we started two years ago with um thanks to Melissa Applebee uh who um advocated for this is to in each of our schools other than Latimer Lane, there are um just flooring needs that need that u pop up there. Uh um

017and this uh Kyle Lovelin, our supervisor of maintenance, meets meets with each principles. Every school gets a little and you're able to do some flooring projects that really make a difference in the looks of the school. So this one would be in the amount of $250,000. So um that is that's what's on the first year of the CIP. So that's what needs to be voted on. Neil, just a question. I'm sorry. Go ahead. Just a question on the on the turf track. That's something they can dig fill all in one summer. >> They Yeah, the timing could be uh tight. Um, so we were talking about a timeline that could begin around Memorial Day because you've gotten the vast majority of track and lacrosse season done. And quite frankly, uh, the private schools clear out

018on Memorial Day. So that if we needed to play a game or two at Westminster or Ethel Walker, that would be possible. and then you uh should be able to um get it in by Labor Day to make sure that you can have your home football games. So, it's about a three and a half month window. >> My question was just again on that turf was just >> and maybe I'm remembering it wrong. the presentation it it looked pretty bad >> and really what we're saying is it's going to last 11 plus years because we're not going to do that till summer of 27 and so >> are there's no way to to do that sooner or it's not necessary because it isn't just the high school that uses that I mean it is the

019whole community uses that >> just curious >> I mean certainly I think there's we got to pay attention there's a method of grooming the Okay. >> But see the turf that >> Yeah, we we certainly, you know, moved some of the pellets around um and certainly we're going to need to do that and kind of get that process right um for the next year. >> Okay. >> I think you reminded me um that's the right, but the track is even older, right? I mean, >> yes, track is much older. The track was reser resurfaced a couple year in 2014. So >> that has some some patch areas >> um that we've put down. So that's >> that we're close. We've we've gotten great usage out worries me. I mean that from a from a injury

020perspective. I mean that's all from a sprinter coming and hitting the crack. >> They made it pretty clear from a construction standpoint. You want to do both at the same >> Oh yeah yeah yeah. Absolutely. I'm with you. Not suggesting otherwise. That's nice. Forget about the track. Right. Um just any any other questions, comments? >> I'm sorry I missed that presentation not yet in um but the funding can you just quickly mention how the funding will what are the funding streams for the 2.2 million >> the this would be on the capital improvement as part of the >> referendum they would um so the 2.2 2 million was priced out by a turf company for us. Um and um then this goes with other capital projects from the board of selectment side and um they

021get voted on in the May referendum. >> Okay. Thank you. So there are no grants going or we going to be applying just says grants and reimbursements here. >> Thank you. >> There's a motion if there's no other questions. I move the board of education capital improvement plan for 26 2026 27 be approved as presented. >> I'll second. >> Any further discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I post great. >> Sylvia, to your point, so like a roofing project is eligible for some state reimbursement. >> Turf fields are not, but there's discussion amongst legislators now. We were just talking to Tecton recently that in the future they may come under um field construction and new dirt field applications may come under that state reimbursement process, but they're not right now. >> Okay. Uh moving

022on to information and reports and the continued conversation about the 2627 budget. >> Yes. So I will kick this off. So I want to thank everybody as well for um Saturday. I I thought the conversation was excellent. The questions um were great and I want to kind of speak in public about where we ended and and the three kind of um pieces of the puzzle we got we need to talk about tonight. So I had presented a budget to the board kind of called the superintendent's budget um a place in time of where we were in the process um that represented a 2.7% increase to the overall operating costs. Um I believe the guidance from the board of finance was like a 268 or 262. So it was it was in it was in that

023um ballpark once you accounted for the insurance dollars that they're going to to allocate. So um we felt really good about that. Uh we felt we were close to the mark uh and in the conversation moving forward um with some responsible reductions that we went over uh at the meeting. A couple days prior, uh Amy and the team received news, um of new projections, um from uh locked in on our insurance that basically uh upped the projection and the cost uh and burden to the operating budget of an additional 400,000. Uh so we talked about that and one of the things we're going to do this evening uh is present some ideas uh to the board of education um if we wanted to pull that operating number back down which now sits at a 324

0243.24% increase with the additional 400,000 back to around that 27 number what that could look like. So um Neil and I will go through some of those ideas in a moment. Uh, we also have a revised line item that is in your Manila folder um that we sent out earlier today. I know time is tight. Um, but Amy is going to highlight um some pieces of that puzzle for you and we can open that up to questions if you have anything. And then the last piece, Melissa and Neil will talk about uh CNR this evening and kind of what our plan and what our priorities are uh there. We feel like we have a pretty good plan moving forward. So, the first piece of this we were going to do was have Amy uh kind

025of share some thoughts on the line item, which now doesn't represent a 2.7% increase. It represents a 3.42, I think. Right. >> 3.4. Thank you. Sorry. >> With the additional 400,000. So, I will turn it over to Amy. >> Um, so here, like in prior years, you have your actual column of 2025. You have what's been spent to date as of December 31st, 2025. You have your fiscal year 26 budget, where we think we're going to land at the end of fiscal year 26, which is your estimated column. And then your fiscal year um 27 budget as it stands right now, and then the dollar increase and the percent increase as it relates to budget to budget. So the um dollar and percentage, our fiscal year 27 budget compared to the fiscal year 26 budget.

026So um I'm just going to go through and take you through some of the highlights. A lot of this is going to be a repeat of Saturday because the highlights um are related to the variances and what's driving the budget. So just starting under general control on that first page, if you go one, two, three, four, five, six lines down, you'll see that there's an advertising, printing, and supplies line. The decrease on that line item is about 17,000 and it decreased about 15.21%. This um we had some printing equipment that was purchased in the prior year that did not have to be repurchased in the current year. So that's the reason for the major decrease in that line. And then again under general control if you go all the way to the bottom it says

027reserve for unnegotiated contracts. Um this is our contingency line and literally just shy of $400,000. This is for unaffiliated staff and our secretary and Paris staff for this year. Moving down to um the instruction section, right underneath that you'll see the salaries, the principles and directors, you'll see that there's a decrease of about 127,000 or 3.78%. This was the administrative position that we had talked about on Saturday that's being reduced. And then if you go down to right underneath salaries, you'll see a textbook line item and you'll see that there is a 64 almost $65,000 increase or about um 32%. And this is the one-time material purchases that Sue had walked you through on Saturday. Um about two line items down from that, you'll see operational software um licensing and supplies. you'll see that that

028line item decreased about $69,000. Um, we were previously using a company called Spectrum Virtual um that we would pay $72,000 a year to. We're no longer utilizing that service, so we were able to set capture um some savings in that line item. Um, if you go down to actually I think it's on the next page, you go to operation of plant. Um, two lines down from there, you'll see snow removal and you'll see that we have an increase of about $20,000 there. Um, this contract did go out to bid this year. Um, and our contract is pretty much in line with um, prior years. You can see that the fiscal year 25 actual was about 120,000. So with the new contract anticipating a year similar to fiscal year um 25 at this point in time,

029we're anticipating anticipating an increase of about 20,000 to be um in line with where we previously landed. Um the next few lines down you'll see are our utility line items, the heating, the water, the electricity. Um there's in-n-outs on those. So, we were basically just chewing up those line items. So, a decrease in one um say the heating line item, but then an increase in say the electricity line item. Um and then right under that you'll see the custodial supplies um for an increase of 18,000 um due to inflationary costs and the anticipated tariffs. But your overall um operation of plant is actually going down about $13,000. If you move on to the insurance and pension category, which is at the bottom of that page, beginning of the next page, two lines down, you'll see

030retirement pension plans. Um, you'll see that there's an increase of about $345,000 or an 18.32% increase. Um, this is the OPED concept that I took you through. We're going to start using our OPED trust fund. Um we will no longer have the board of education share of the retirey premiums. Um so since we're adding OPED this year, it's about a $300,000 increase to the budget. Um and if you want me to take you through OPED again, I'm happy to do that. Um two lines down from that, we have the employee insurance line item. Um so this is new compared to what you saw on Saturday. This is with the 14.8% premium increase built into that line item. Again, it's not the full 14.8%. It's 14.8% less $800,000 that the board of finance is letting us

031use from the health insurance fund. And then the last thing I had for um major change is if you go down to the equipment replacement um category 1,200 onto the third line item down um I believe Sue took you through this on Saturday that $250,000 um credit if you will is usage of the Chromebook insurance fund to offset some of our technology equipment in the current year and provide some relief to the budget. Um, that's all I have for major highlights, but if you have any other questions on any other line items, I'm happy to take those. >> Um, I um could you just go back and I'm sorry, I just didn't really understand the reserve for unnegotiated contracts, like why there wasn't any in 2425. So there actually was a balance in 2425. When

032those contracts are um unnegotiated, they're captured in this contingency line item and then after they have been negotiated and finalized, we take that money and we move it out into the appropriate budget line item. So whatever full timeline item those individuals are sitting in, so then it goes to zero and then we do the same thing for the upcoming year. So unaffiliated and um secretaries and parents are not negotiated yet but during the year you'll see that that will move out of those line items salary line items. >> And then my other question was about the operational software licensing and maybe this is for you Sue like they she said they got rid of spectrum service. What was that and is it replaced with anything else? >> Actually Neil can speak to spectrum a little

033bit. Um it's a support system around um virtualization that um this is part of the restructuring around um Jason Casey's transition out >> um and we believe that we have um uh sort of out outlined the usefulness of spectrum. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> I have a question. Um could you tell me what the cultural recreational commission is responsible for? >> Yes. So we do a shared service with the town um their parks and recreation department. Um we've we utilize the equivalent of two of their full-time employees throughout the year on the grounds of the schools maintaining um the fields. They do anything else that says field >> no field maintenance. So we multiple schools. >> Yeah. For all the schools. All the schools, right? >> That have playable fields. Yeah. >> Um

034so they maintain our field throughout the year and we pay a portion of their salaries. >> Okay. >> Can I ask there was some items that you didn't mention so I was just not sure how to follow. So the rule we're talking about variances of vares over particular dollar amount and percentage. >> Right. So, I just hit some of the highlights. >> Okay. And I'm assuming on the ones that you didn't touch base were the ones that were matching the actual cost for this year like let's say legal fees. It's 20% increase which is 20%. So, >> right. So, that would just based on our year anticipated actual spend. >> Okay. And for um the amount the 400,000 we expect that then this item will go down to the 1.6 million increase in salaries of

035certified teaching staff and the pupil support. >> Say that again. >> The 400,000 that are not yet negotiated most of it or all of it will go in the >> reallocated secretary accounting and IT line item. Okay. um the Sienna charge pack and the $250,000 for the Chromebooks. I mean, these are $300,000 we're going to get this year, but how much do we have there? And can we rely on funds like that to, you know, do we have like a schedule for when equipment will be coming, you know, for renewal? Can we rely on funds like that again coming in or are we looking really next year to actually have to pay for those $250,000? >> Yeah, so the Chromebook fund is um very healthy right now. That's only a portion of the cost. So

036if we do create a clip this year utilizing those funds, then we will be able to um feather in utilizing that fund over the next couple years so that we don't have a major hit to the operating budget. And those funds do replenish every year. But to your point, Silia, they do have a and we could share the detail like a pretty significant schedule of grade levels, how they rotate it and number of Chromebooks over time that they're going to buy on an annual basis. >> What is the grade that we start supplying Chromebooks for? >> We start No, we start in second grade and we have iPads K1. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> We have So, >> start second grade now. They're not necessarily taking them home in second grade, but we have them

037for students to be able to access in their classroom as classroom sets. >> Do they by do they usually take them home in the older grades? >> In the older grades, absolutely. Um especially when you hit fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh, and eighth, they might have assignments to do. They might have something in their Google classroom that they use the Chromebook to access. And it also allows us to continue with our filtering process. Um, so we know that there's safety and security around their Chromebook use and we can monitor that with our own devices. >> Can I ask another question? We talked about the the special ed, the new building, new path. >> I know it's not ready yet, but what point in time we will have a budget? because you're saying it's going to

038be a separate budget, right? And how really cost then will be separated because some of the cost is here right now and we're saying it's going to be a separate budget and any income potential revenue right will be not coming in here. >> So how will >> So we can we can bring that back at >> do you have it? Okay, we we can actually share that now. We can go through it. >> Oh, look at that. totally prepared. >> Shelves, >> ready to go. >> Very nice. >> I love it. >> Of course. >> And exciting. We did Did I share that? We did close on the building. >> We're moving furniture in this week and we hope to be teaching some classes in there next week. So, >> while those are getting passed

039out, Amy, is the tuition is that special ed, too? That >> 1,400 is that >> the increase in tuition other than public school is that special ed related? >> Where are you seeing that? >> 1400 group >> outgoing transfers. >> Oh, category 1400. Sorry. >> Yes, that doesn't. Yes. >> Thank you. >> And that though Josh is net excess cost dollars. So we budget net excess cost. Yeah. >> The overall when like Katie presented her stuff on Saturday, >> the actual number was closer to five, >> right? >> Okay. >> Yep. Got it. >> Thank you. And that's related to that then I this is this is great. So can we have a version of this showing then the new path portion of the budget from here so actually we can see what really will

040come up. Yeah, I don't >> memory. >> Okay. So, I'll start on um the one that is titled the new path proposed budget. Um so to take the new members through there's two columns here. So we have the fiscal year 2027 proposed budget. So this is what we're proposing for um the current budget year and then next to that you'll see the 2027 concept plan. So, when we were in the midst of purchasing this building and coming up with a new path program, we had put to put put together a concept plan over a three-year period of what the program would look like and the financial return would look like to get our cost benefit analysis and how long it would take to do our return on investment. So, we have um for ease of

041purposes, for those that remember the presentation, I just took our 2027 concept plan and compared it to where we're actually at in this budget process. So on the revenue side, you'll see our concept plan had $70,000 in tuition, which was anticipated to be one tuition student. Um going into the 2027 budget, we are actually anticipating now five tuitions. Um like they spoke on Saturday, Katie has gotten a lot of um great traction with the program, people wanting to come to the come to um the new path program. Moving down to the personnel side um under the revenue section. So why is personnel under revenue? Um because it is going to be these are personnel that are already in our operating budget. So we are going to do a transfer from our operating budget in our

042general fund and transfer it over to the new path fund. So, it's costneutral, which is why it was not presented as part of the program fund because we're already paying those salaries, but now we're going to capture them in the appropriate fund or in the appropriate business, so to speak. Um, and then the out of district student reallocation. So, again, this is going to be a transfer from the operating budget into the new path budget. um our concept plan for the out of district, we had about four students that were anticipated to return to the district. Um as of right now, we're showing two um students that are anticipated to return to the district. Those numbers are going to increase as we allow um middle school and elementary students to come back into the district.

043Um but for right now we have um our high school students which are going to be the two students returning to the district and then we're offsetting the other two with increased number of tuitions. Moving down to the personnel line item um the concept plan we had anticipated uh 417,000 in new staffing. Um, so this one's a little bit tricky because we didn't show the contribution from the general fund into the new path program during the concept plan. So that 7233,000 is expensing all of our staff related to the um program itself. Now remember above we had the revenue of the 236,000 that's already in our operating budget. It's not a new cost. So, we already have money set aside for that staffing. So, if you're to take the 723,180 and you subtract out um

044the 417,000 um personal reduced No, I'm sorry. If you take the 723180 and you subtract out the general fund portion of the 2367 which is already being paid for currently um this gets you a balance of 487,000. So if you take your 487,000 in comparison to the 417 from the concept plan to the actual proposed budget, we added one new position which was a parap about $70,000. Um under the instructional budget, we had 77,000 for this year compared to $30,000 in the concept plan. The instructional budget at 77,000 includes equipment purchases and is also for um additional students that um with the tuition in students. And then as you can see the maintenance is pretty much right in line with what we had anticipated for the concept plan. Um all the way at the bottom

045you just take your revenues minus your expenditures and the program is showing a surplus of about $7,800 um for fiscal year 2027. Any questions on that before I move on? >> Yes. Can I ask a question? It's just that I'm >> I understand somehow the logic, but it's hard for me because I'm looking at this as a standalone program and the real revenue there is $400,000. The actual cost to run that program is million and something. Um, right now it looks like we're making $8,000, which is not the case because this our town is paying for those for that staff. So, I would rather see a realistic picture of how much how the program is working instead of showing something that is running in a positive, which is not at this time. >> So, it

046is because even if we didn't have that program, the staffing would be part of the general fund and they would be paying for that anyways. So to do that, we would then have to take I mean I just want to follow the the train of thought. We'd have to take the 200 whatever >> out of where we reported and operating and into somewhere else, right? I mean the the people are there, >> right? >> I mean the program runs now at Simsbury High School in the modular units. Um staffed by a program director staff, you know, psych. I mean, you have staff there that were moving forward. So, there's some new staff, but to your point, it's been in the budget for right >> couple years. >> Okay. So, and the students we're serving currently

047>> going to continue serving or this is excess staffing that we're just not sure. >> So, it's a combination. So the new path program is a combination of tuition in students that are coming in and then there are also students that we have out of district that we're then bringing in district to create some cost containment in our operating budget. The program is not meant to create a profit. It's to create cost containment within our operating budget because we were seeing increases in tuitions and transportation of anywhere from like 10 to 18% over the last couple years. >> Okay. And I would say the early early shift from concept to year one and moving in is the volume of interest that Katie Crusula is seeing from outside outside districts which will actually allow us to

048get straight revenue. >> Right. Okay. >> I would still then show the cost is a cost and needs to go in the expenditures even if on the top you want to put um shared cost like we are funding this to be it's not like a grant but it is funding from the town cost sharing but really the expenses are expenses. I wouldn't consider that much. That cost is a cost, >> right? So the expenses of the program are 8.86. It's just where the revenue is coming from to pay for those costs. 400 is coming from tuition and about 400 is coming from our operating budget into the business of New Path. >> Okay. >> So we continue paying for this even though we're not allowed to have then a cost revenue share. Are we going

049to ask for a prorated share? If we have a shared cost, we should have also a shared revenue split >> with >> the town because you said anything that it's >> with the town. >> Well, you were saying that this is going to be separate budget and we're not allowed to actually the operating budget cannot have any revenue coming back to it. Right. >> Well, I see what you're saying. >> But we have a cost share. >> I'm following you. This is this is a this is a program fund where we will we will control those revenues. It won't go directly to the town. It's not like rent on a building or a >> you say we're not allowed to get >> No, it'll go back into the program. >> The pro the program fund.

050We can do that with the program funding. >> We have that. We have this program and we have farming I misunderstood you. We have Farmington Valley uh transition academy as well. Um that we manage those revenues and expenditures in a consolidated way. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> That's why I wanted to make sure we presented it properly. Right. I I confused you when I talked about where you know when we talked about the um >> the educational um the ECS fund >> that comes from the state that goes directly to the town. >> Yeah. >> So Amy, any surplus we have goes right back into the program, right? >> Okay. >> Amy, one question. I'm I'm assuming it was to align with personnel potentially, but uh can you just talk a little bit about the

051we are planning to maybe bring within our own town, keep two in town, move to New Path. That's not on track, if you will. And in replace, we're bringing in four from four more from out of town. Right. >> We were anticipated to have four from town come back. It turned into two. So, we're able to take additional tuition. And why was it just were we anticipating having middle school staff in place or was it something because you mentioned when middle school opens up or something to that? >> Yeah. So I don't know if you remember I'm I'm sure you do. It's very detailed like yesterday. The concept plan was over three years and the first year was having the high school students. Typically that should have been this year but since we're running behind

052it's going to be next year and the following year we'll add the middle school and the elementary school in the next phase. So overall, it makes sense and I'm glad we're supplementing as we can. Overall, the focus though with all things being equal, the focus is still move what we can from in town over to a new path. >> 100% cost contained and then outside is what we have room for. >> And that all >> times up as Katie, you know, when she presents talks about what's right for the family, what's right for the student, those are all individual, >> you know, kind of decisions that we make. >> Yep. >> Thank you. Um there's one other slide in your packet. It says the um view pass cost containment. So again this is just something

053that we went through then we when we did the concept plan we gave you um how much our operating budget would be impacted if we did not have the new path program and how much our general fund budget would be impacted with the new path program. So, our um new path program for fiscal year 27, having the program, our um increase to the operating budget is about $258,000. I think that's actually a little bit less now, but um and then if we did not have the new path program, we'd have to increase our operating budget by $284,000. So, the first year or the first full year of this program, we're going to have cost containment of about $25,000. And if you remember from the concept plan, which I'm sure you do, um we were actually

054not expecting any cost containment from this program. It's for year three, >> so we're already getting our return. >> That's great. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, I'm going to take us back to kind of the request that the board had conversationally of what would representative of reductions for that $400,000 potentially look like. So, the team came together. Um there's a slide in your folder. We're also going to put it up on the computer. Um I'm going to work through it. We can certainly answer any questions. I want to go back to the one point I made when I had my major driver slide out uh for the original budget presentation that you know we we talk about being a a people business and that when you look at our expenditures were 80% uh

055benefits and staff um after kind of the shifts we've made from line items the reductions we've made throughout when we looked at our major drivers we're at like 97% um are in that are in that area right So, uh, no surprise that when we come back to look at additional reductions, it's going to, um, for the most part impact people in one way or the other. We tried to minimize that to the extent we can. Um, none of these are perfect suggestions by any any means. They all have some impact. Um, but we try to, um, do what we can to minimize the ne negative impact moving forward. So, um, the first and these are not in like rank order. I I want to um speak through that. We can we can do that as

056we get closer to decision time. Um but one thing we put on the list was to utilize um a grant called the seed grant, which is a special education grant for new initiatives. U Melissa talked about the fact that we hadn't allocated anything there. Um also, you know, kind of warned us against taking those funds immediately because it reduces flexibility down the road in a volatile area such as special ed. So that's where there's no true win with this. Um, but we had talked about moving the one new FTE request for a teacher from Latimer Lane onto that grant. Um, which would reduce the operating cost by $85,000. It's something we would have to revisit. You know, if we did do this next year in terms of our allocation and creating cliffs, we want to

057be wary of that, but it would allow us short term to bring that cost down and utilize that grant. Um, another piece is we've had some early conversations with Ken Perah at the high school who's kind of the master schedule as we go through um, course registration and we look for efficiencies. U, we have a couple retirements. We would look to match up uh, sections, move sections, take advantage of a retirement um, and capture a full-time equivalent at Simsbury High School. Um, the net impact of that certainly could be you push up class sizes a little bit, but as Neil says in from an order of magnitude standpoint at at a high school with the size of the FTE, you can always find different combinations if you're willing to to live with what it looks

058like. We can show you what 24 looks like. We can show you what 25 looks like. It's just a matter of making those decisions. But you certainly have a level of flexibility at Simsbury High when we have not seen uh an increase in overall enrollment. Um that would be our placeholder for a staff member of on the midscale is 105,000 with benefits. So that's kind of a placeholder. Um we would look at utilizing $100,000 for non-lapsing. Um after uh what we had talked about, we still had over a half million unallocated and non-lapsing to respond to emergencies throughout the year. Uh we felt we could take a 100,000 for one-time equipment purchases, lower operating there. Equipment is one area that we zero base budget every year. Um so it's not a cliff in the sense

059of hey, we have a baseline that we spend in equipment every year. We always kind of look at that, rep prioritize, uh and go from the ground up there. Um, so that doesn't impact people, but again, you need to be wary of creating cliffs throughout when we're using insurance money and we're using Chromebook money in different places. Um, the last piece on the list is we always on an annual basis, as the board knows, we monitor enrollment throughout the summer. We look at all the sections. You get um teachers that retire, you get teachers that move to other um districts. Um there are a couple district couple sections of grade levels. There's one at Latimer, there's one at Tutin right now where if we went from four to three, um we would still be within

060the class size guideline if we made that move on the roll up of those grades today. They would be at the higher end, but they'd be within the guideline. >> Um so, um that was a suggestion that we put forward as well. um we've done a great job keeping our sections within the guideline and now even within the lower end of the guideline which I think is supported by certainly by staff and um parents as well. So we we do get feedback when um not only when we go over a guideline but when we now it's almost like a new norm right you're towards the upper level and 24 isn't what 24 used to be. Uh but in terms of our policies and guidelines as a district, um we would monitor that and we would

061commit to taking one. Um or if there were move in and move outs from another another school, we could look at that as well. But those were two examples we put forward. So you take those four different kind of concepts and ideas. Um, it's about $395,000 of reductions we could take off the operating budget that would make up for that $400,000 increase in insurance. Um, we did say although we have a very healthy internal service fund in uh with the insurance right now, we already already plan to utilize 800,000. >> We didn't feel comfortable >> at this point dipping deeper into that and creating >> a future cliff. you know, Josh Josh, you talked about that the gamble that might not be worth it, right? Um, uh, that can always be monitored and adjusted upon

062later, but um, again, imperfect ideas, but this is where we would go as an administration if we had to make a decision now um, to lower that number if that was the wish of the board. >> All right. So, I leave that open to questions, >> reactions, >> comments, concerns, any of the above. Can I ask it's be before I even talk about it when you get the guidance from and I'm sorry I'm just not sure how exactly all of it works right when you get the guidance from the board of finance right what does that mean that goals that when you get that goal does it mean that this will keep their goal is to keep the mill rate steady if you go over what happens how does it affect the overall budget it's

063just that >> yeah so there's a I can't answer that in a simple simple response, but there are a lot of moving parts that when we move from here and we go and present to the board of finance, Amy puts up a master sheet called the mill rate worksheet and they pull all those levers, Sylvia, so that you know they if there's an increase in the grand list from the time when they gave us the guidance, they'll put that in and see what it does. if my budget comes in or our budget comes in a little over the guidance, we'll see what impact that makes and they'll be able to isolate all those levers in that kind of uh grandiose spreadsheet to see how these decisions all impact the net tax rate. So, you know,

064one of the pieces that's changed is the guidance when given at the uh tri board meeting was based on fixed costs that the board of selectment put forward and that we put forward and on what the grand list looked like at the time. So, while our insurance information changed, their grand list information has changed. It's it's gotten better. So, we'll have to see how all that kind of plays out. Um because there's just there's just a lot of moving parts. You know, if everything say stayed status quo and we came in above what that guidance was, uh it would it would basically mean that hey, they weren't able to meet that target that they wanted to on whatever um but uh tax increase they felt comfortable moving forward to the public and then they would

065make a decision on they have authority to say, "Hey, board of ed, board of selectmen, you need to go back and cut." that's their final call. They don't have line item authority over us. They have line item authority over the board of selectment. Um so based on where that end equation looks like and that goal setting has gone, those decisions kind of get made at that at that meeting. >> Yes. I just when you're looking at this, I you know just want to there's impact of those dollars of those conversations. So I just want to make sure we keep in mind >> Sure. >> what the trickle effect is. Now our budget is what percentage of the town's budget >> 70 is it 75 >> operating 75 >> the big piece of the pie >>

066have you the master budget plan that Matt just mentioned what is is the difference meaningful in that ultimate result between 3.24 and 2.79 >> 400,000 is considerable. Um it's so about $3 million is one mil. So if you >> would you say >> yeah it's about.1 >> so.1 increase to the mill rate. >> Okay. >> Can I ask on the first one then the special ed the seeds money? Yeah, >> if we take it now, it's we're looking at 85. I'm just wondering what is the alternative, right? If we don't, how much are we losing? Let's say it's actually granted you can have $200,000 or $300,000. Well, the reality is we're still looking at 100,000 within $100,000. So, we might as well take it now since we are need to fill that. So, it's just

067good to know what's really >> Yeah. So, that that's a grant that this year was the first year we got it, right? it was a little bit more than this. So, you know, special education being a line item in an area that isn't as steady in terms of predictability on how to respond to to um expenditures and others, that grant this year allowed us to respond to various needs that that came up um to kind of stay within our overall budget, so to speak. So that $85,000 ideally in in a perfect year could be held to the side. If we got an additional outplacement, it could be utilized towards that. If we needed additional consult fees, um a myriad of things we could use those dollars for in terms of a little bit of a

068cushion on a grant. Um all things being equal, if we didn't weren't feeling financial pressure to say, "Hey, you have to lower the number where you are." >> It's a fixed grant. And it's use the rules. >> I'm sorry. >> We have to use it within the time frame the correct. >> Yes. >> Which is this fiscal year. >> Correct. >> Just to follow up, what is the what does 0.1 mean as a mill rate increase in in actual dollars? >> I can tell you >> taking out the master sheet. >> I can give you a fun fact on that seed grant. while we're waiting. Um, and then similar to the excess cost reimbursement in that that this program is not fully funded yet. So, it was a new program effective this year. Um, the

069program in total statewide 191 million was needed to fully fund it, but only 30 million was appropriated. So, we're getting about 15% of the amount that we by formula should be getting. So if that 85 should really look more like 550,000 >> interesting if the legislature fully funded it, um we'd be getting quite a bit more. >> That's good to know. Thank you. >> And on the next one, can I >> Very fun fact. >> Yes. >> Fun fact. >> Yes. >> So I would just ask for your comment on the staffing decrease, right? um on the first one right the Simsbury High School considering we're steady we feel comfortable we can do that >> so anytime you look at so pick a department at Simsbury Mary high school I'll pick math there are 80

070sections probably 16 teachers all teaching five sections of math Ken Pah the assistant principal and I are going to sit down Cedar talked about the course signups they're coming in right now like in two weeks we'll be sitting down and saying all right how many sections of algebra are there going to be how many sections and one of the ways that you can always say well show me one fewer and that's a process played out across a large school um some classes will go up a little and that's the consequence of cutting a position like that um and one that we typically try to do when capturing a retirement like you sort of rightsize it perfectly. >> If I could just piggyback on what but I think what I'm also hearing you say is and

071I like the way you just said that they'll go up a little. I don't think I don't think in anything that you've said that any any potential increase would be at a >> Defcon what is it 51 I can't remember which you know you know the put you in the danger zone let's say >> you certainly um >> you you look for classes that are at the bottom half of the range >> and you say we're going to run one less of those we're going to run one less US history we're going to run one less >> English 10 you know that's and you can discipline yourself across the Now what you create is you know you don't want to create a lot of part-time teachers. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> But it's manageable and

072and you're not concerned that you said you said you have a retirement coming so this will not jeopardize anything. I just want to make sure how comfortable we are with each one of those. what actually is at stake before we >> I'll be I'll know the exact answer about two or three weeks from now >> like >> okay >> truly show you the answer but the the kids sign up for what courses they want to take and I think it's due >> due tonight >> so they're they're compiling they're I know what they're doing they're chasing down the kids who didn't meet the exactly what they're doing. >> Um, and I usually get the numbers from Mr. Perah on President's Day weekend. >> Okay. Oh, but that's fine. >> So, I take out my pencil.

073It's a little ritual. >> I have a very good time with it. >> And on the other one in Latima and Tutin Hill. So, in those if we increase those class sizes >> um and do we have enough support as in those classrooms otherwise? not a teacher, maybe assistant or something else. >> So that one quite frankly is the change in class sizes from grade two to grade three. So in grade two class size, the guidance of your board of education is up to 22 students. In grade three, it goes up to 25 students. So you get a number like I'll tell you what at Latimer Lane right now it's 71 in second grade that means four second grades in third grade that could mean three and you've just saved a teacher. Now what do

074you what's the consequence? What's the impact? You have third grade classes that have 24 students in them. So that's a very >> uh >> subject >> when you get to that point too is that that you and I think this may have been part of your question is does that then require an extra parent like does there support like >> it's your class size guideline is up to >> possible especially at the elementary though I know we have a lot of parents all of them parents that can help or are there to do that >> parents or parents >> parents that support with projects or things like that that they take away some of the some of the you know it is still support for the teachers cutting materials doing things I know there were

075parents all the time there >> I I think parents help we have a very involved parent community but if you could tell a teacher hey you're taking a teacher away from that grade level the parents going to help you out >> that's not going to sell >> that's not >> just in terms of what sells in this community that one doesn't sell >> yes >> not to the teaching I'm Just wondering what support we can have uh in order to do that. >> So how will this will be perceived in Latina to take? >> Probably not well. >> Yeah. >> But again >> it's it's it's not a situation I can honestly say having done a lot of budgets like we came in at that 2.7 with reductions. um came in in an area we

076felt pretty good about in terms of even the reductions we've made, we've researched, we could probably answer the questions a little more straight on on what the impacts would be and everything else. Um this isn't a scenario we had hoped to be in. So I mean I can tell you and and Neil can tell you with the questions, yeah, we can do this. We've lived like this before. Um but if I was making up a wish list, this wouldn't be on it, right? I mean, it's it's taken a side step a little bit. Um, it's not creative or innovative. I feel like we've already gone after those things with recreating positions, eliminating an FTE. But, um, if we have to do this, we have to do this. And that's why I wanted to put it

077before the board. Um, because the board of finance has every right to say, "Hey, what would it look like?" and I'd rather have this opportunity to have the discussion with you >> than have it for the first time with a different board. So, all great questions, some of them not just easy to answer and say, "Hey, it'll be okay." Cuz the other thing that happens is, yeah, those are within the class size guideline now and we can stand on the policy, we can say that works and then three kids move in over the summer and now a decision you made when it worked doesn't feel great now. Um, and we, you know, we spend time trying to explain variances across schools and enrollment and everything else when it wouldn't really have been a desired outcome.

078>> Oh, no. I think Amy has the number. >> Yes. So, adding the 400,000 the initial based on the initial board of finance guidance, the tax increase would be 1.94%. Adding in the 400,000 it goes to 2.33% and it's a $40 increase to a household. >> $40 to a household. >> Okay. >> Anyhow, can there be a shared staff that supports some days or I don't know to have some supports? I think most of those class, you know, >> most of those classes based on how they're constructed probably have some supports in them. >> So, I wouldn't I wouldn't want to um recom I guess recommend that, hey, we're going to reduce a section that's within the guideline and we're going to set the president of now adding a new resource back in. >> Um

079I would struggle with the management of that across the school district a little bit to be honest with you. It also doesn't really get you the savings you need. >> Right. Right. >> Right. >> I'm thankful that you guys pulled this together in since Saturday. >> Yeah. >> You know, I mean, it's nice to have something to look at, something to at least noodle on as we keep working on the budget. >> Um, >> thank you. >> Do you go ahead? >> Yeah. >> And then, um, I was just curious like could we since we don't have to sign anything today, correct? And so could we at least wait until the high school stuff comes back and maybe do two maybe at the high school versus the I feel like the elementary is a harder

080place to make that call now because lots of people move during the summer and so like wait till we get that data and then maybe revisit this. >> I think that time's up. >> On the weekends a week before your board meeting >> so that's in two weeks. >> Yeah. Does that work? Because we have to vote. >> Yeah. A couple things. Yeah. We have to have an initial look at >> Yeah. >> And we could send other scenario. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Neil, just am I doing the math right? So at Ladder Tutin under the second to third grade, we'd go from the four sections of like 18 kids roughly 17 to three sections of 24 23 and four. So that I mean that's significant in third grade. A significant jump >> of all

081the grades as as we've talked about before. That's >> That's the place to do it. But that's the place you get questions as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Because you're going it's a big jump. >> Yeah. >> And $40 to each household is the impact of the 400. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Just the 400, right? >> Um and these aren't in any particular order. >> No. >> So that's the other thing. So when we sit down and talk about them again >> that we would we would we would create a prioritized order for you. >> So that if there were >> that's really helpful. >> When would we come back to this? >> We would come back to that at the next meeting prior to the vote. We could come back and we could

082organize some of the information uh that Neil has. We could come with different scenarios. Um you know there's been times where we'll have a cut list that say is I'm going to make up a number $600,000. This is the priority. these are the impact and then the board decides not to go any lower than the third one >> on the list. You know what I mean? And we move that forward. So So let I I actually want to keep pushing us right now to be honest with you because doing all this work and coming back in two weeks is >> I feel like we're going to be rushing to make a decision at that time. >> The way the way I look at this is right the first one and the third one, right? The

083first one's a grant. Absolutely. Let's use that. The one time the non-lapsing absolutely let's use that. It's the other two, >> right? And if if Neil is suggesting that the high let's say the high take the high school one that that's not going to um effectively address school uh class sizes and we're going to be okay. I I feel let's push that forward. And actually quite frankly I I think we could do the same with the with the elementary one. I guess where I'm going with this is I also think of we see this chart all the time and we all have to live with this and what our neighbors are asking us. You have declining enrollment and we have not really addressed if we can easily or with minim let's say with minimal impact

084minimal hurt reduce by two FTEEs. I I would highly highly encourage this board to move forward in that direction. >> I don't know. I'm not sure I agree with you that it's a minimal. Um especially on the ladder and ton hills, you're talking about >> a huge increase of 18 to 23 kids in in a third grade class where I mean I don't remember who just said it, but 23 isn't 23 anymore. You've got a lot of extra adults in the rooms already for the supports for for students in special need with special needs. And um that to me seems significant. So, I'm not sure. I'm certainly not comfortable at this point saying, "Yeah, let's go full steam ahead on that one." And the high school, I mean, if we can capture and there's no

085real significant impact, that's a that's a different story. Um, >> but the Latimer lane one just just doesn't sit right with me. Um, am I right, Amy, that if we go from 400,000 to 200,000, is the impact $40 to $20? >> Yeah. Okay. and we can present a budget to the or we can approve a budget and tell you to go to the board of finance with a 3.24 or three or something like that. It doesn't have to be down to the 27. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Y >> can I also ask to have a targeted fundraising let's say for the textbooks you know we have materials to buy. Can this be who do that? I don't know. >> PTO's are really working hard and fundraising a lot. Um they support >> they support a

086lot of purchases the PTO's like you know they restock the lending line or the the library closets and things like that and provide a lot of funding. I'm not sure you're going to find much more support. >> We don't have like on a town level. >> Each school has their own >> PTO fun. >> It's easier to if it's town level it's easier to capture capital you know fundraising. It's text books. It's something that >> but I would argue that because it's textbooks we have a responsibility to agree >> fun our textbooks not ask for you know donations >> and you have to be careful because if one school can raise money for textbooks and the other one can't then how do you figure you know I mean it it's everything's got to be equal

087to each school. >> Yes I'm saying >> it gets to be it gets to be it's it's dicey I think to >> something else. Okay, can we use then $300,000 from the Chromebook fund? You said we have a healthy fund $50,000. >> Can I ask why? Like, but why use 300? >> If we're trying to save a staff in the second to third grade, >> right? So, you save 50 grand. You save 50 grand. >> Not saying don't, >> but what does it get you? >> Gets closer to the $400,000 to the goal that >> Right. So instead of have a budget of 324, it's 321. I mean, >> no, it's going to be 2.8, right? >> Not 50 grand from Chromebooks. >> But if we're going to those three, we're just trying to salvage

088the last one because I think that's where we have the biggest, >> right? >> So you're saying I guess my my concern is a budget of 32 to start pulling 50 out of here. I'm even right even the non-lapsing I'm fine and want to use another right like a hundred right like we can start pulling from anywhere but is that responsible for you build up these buckets to use them when you need them I guess I'm asking the question here to the board >> do we need to start pulling all our levers right now and why I guess why do we think we do like we're talking about fundraising for textbooks and things and getting creative but are we are Are we feeling like 32 is a really bad number? >> Yeah, >> I agree.

089>> Do you feel like 32 is a bad number? Like >> I think we should try to stay within what the >> the you know you think 32 >> the board of finance test >> except you said just think about it. It's 32 with the board of finance has already dipped into one reserves. >> Okay. >> I just don't they've been pretty pretty strict on the guidelines in the past. I don't think I don't think they're going to you you tell me. I just don't think they're gonna >> Did the grand list go up? That's the projections so that this 27 might no longer be the actual target. >> Right. >> Are we able to >> Well, the target's going to be the target. The target's the target. They're not going to say all of

090a sudden, okay, now you can go to 35 or whatever. >> And we try to get as close as we can. >> Exactly. We're always We work hard at that and we're very responsible. I think the message here is that we're all saying that we're a little concerned about this last item of losing a teacher in elementary school, >> right? >> And that um is information that we send to our super and their team and see what they say about it. But I mean, I think >> as as Josh was saying, we can't do $50 here, $50 there, and 25 cents. We have to like kind of look as the whole and we have to have a philosophy of how we come to a budget. Now, >> go ahead. Sorry. What is the percentage if

091we if we took out lumber and it's 290 102? What does that come to? >> Just take out the last one. >> Yeah. >> What are we at then? >> And then my other question is while you're doing that, can I ask something else? is the um I still go back to I am personally not speaking for the board. I personally am more comfortable with having a 30 or 31 or 32 size class in the high school than I am having a larger elementary and so could we consider taking two at the high school instead of the elementary? >> I mean we can look at that when we get >> when his numbers So if if I could let me let me let me >> I think Stephen is >> instead of 3.24 >> I

092think it's like 28 and change >> find out 2.9.2 Amy's here. She's the wizard. >> letting is my favorite thing. >> So that can't be right. >> The 85, the 105, and the 100. >> No, just take out the 105 102. >> So we Yeah, we would reduce everything except the last 105 >> 293 >> That was pretty good, Neil. >> 293 is a good number. >> Jump in here. I just um I I've been thinking a lot about this and and speaking as a teacher who has 24 students >> and last year I had 18 and the year before that I had 23. I've had 27. >> And it's not ideal. I would never want to have 27 again. 24. Okay. You know, it's it's that's not ideal. teach >> fifth grade. >> Okay.

093>> And um and we you know we've had sections we've we've had teachers in the building for one year and then they're they're rifted because you know um we have to go down a section and we're presented with this $400,000 shortfall and we're still within the guidelines of class sizes. So, while it's not ideal, um I I I think a class size of 24 in third grade is doable. I I think it's it's not ideal, but it's not like we're we're uh uh we're going over uh any kind of recommendations or anything like that. I think that it's I don't I don't really see that big of a problem. I don't really have that big of a problem. >> Very unique perspective on this. >> I appreciate it. Yeah. >> I guess to me it

094just depends on what the makeup of those kids special education versus traditional whether that 24 is really the same as a >> true and I have a lot and they they they push in, they go out. I've got kids coming out all the time and it's >> it can get a little crazy but the the point is that um teachers understand that. I mean, you know, we we we're we're we're there and you don't know what you're going to get next year. We always go down the hall sometime in May when we're doing our orders. So, you know, what are our class sizes next year? Sometimes they'll, you know, sometimes they'll say, "Well, we're thinking around 19." And then a week later they'll come down, they'll say, "Actually, uh, you're going up to about 23

095or 24 cuz we're cutting assumption." >> And it's just that's just the way it is. And you just you deal with it. you. Okay. Well, we have to go back and redo some of our orders and tell the super to tell the uh >> we're concerned not only just about the teacher part, but also about the parents and the town responsibility and what the town, you know, hopes to have. >> But aren't you meeting you're in the town? >> I mean, if it's really 24 and nobody else moves in, I think there are so many variables there that I I don't see how we could say yes or no today to be honest. But >> but that's how that's how we staff everything. That's how we staff it. >> And and and if we had

09630 people move in, >> we'd figure it out. >> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. >> You guys have never let us down. It's unlimited. But what I'm saying is that >> it goes up, it goes down, and you just it's that's just sort of the normal flow of >> of class size. I'm just saying just I've seen, you know, very small, very large, and everything in between. And my probably over my 33 years, I would say my average class size was 22 or 23 kids. >> And those are big kids. Those are fifth graders. So, >> and fifth graders is probably different than third graders. Or are you saying they're the same? >> There there's a lot of differences. I mean, you know, we're we're there's music lessons going out and there's, you know, they're going out

097for interell where they're leaving the school at the end of the day. And we do have a lot I've got I've probably got the most uh special ed kids in the building and I've got I've got people coming in sitting with them. I've got kids going out. I don't know the last time I've had all of my kids in the same room at the same time because it's just that that's just the flow of things in the building. >> But what what I'm saying is that uh we are I think this is very responsible. I think it's very responsible to look at this and say we're presented with some totally unforeseen terrible circumstance of $400,000 shortfall and these these recommendations it's it's not ideal. Nobody wants to do this but I think that it's remaining

098within our purview and our responsibility. >> I agree with Steve. >> Thank you. So how do how do you need do you how do you want us to proceed? Do you need guidance from I think you kind of heard the guidance. I mean, we seem to all be good with the top three. It's really the last one. >> Yeah. >> Is that good enough for tonight? >> I think that's good enough for tonight. I think we'll have time and we would look at things anyhow and if we come up with an idea we feel >> has less impact. We're going to bring that back to you um and we can have more discussion at the at the next board meeting. At the end of the day, we need to make a couple motions based on

099a number to move forward to the board of finance. And we know that that conversation can change, you know, to what what you had said. There's new factors there. >> Um and and you know, I will say that we've always figured it out. You know, these aren't boards that are really out attacking each other. We're we're out to try to establish the goal and we said we would try to do that this year and um let's see with a little more time what we can come up with and >> we'll have more discussion. Correct. >> Amy, just want to make sure I heard you correctly. So, if this number instead of 395 is 295 or 290, it's 2.9%. >> That's what we're presenting them with. >> The 29 is just reducing the 105 102, >>

100right? So, instead of 395,000 we're cutting, it's 290,000. So, and that's 2.9%. >> But we didn't vote on that. So, we haven't gotten to that point yet. No, I just want to understand what the number is. If we took that one out, >> it might it might >> be best just to present those say, you know, if we did this, we're doing we're at 2.9. If we did this, yeah, now we're down within our limits, but understand we are letting go an elementary school teacher and can can the board of finance is is that okay or are we okay at 2.93? So, is that our call to make to not put it on them or do we make that? >> Yeah, you do. >> I think we want to present one. Yes. >> To present

101one, >> right? I think it's our call to make. So, your and again, you have the best perspective on it >> and I guess I would say 293 279, right? friends >> pretty close >> to have to look at the the class, the structure, the culture, the p everything over at two interlimer >> 18, 23, 24. There's a difference there. That's a real difference. That's a difference to our kids, our students, our families. 293 279. I'm not saying it's not a difference. They feel pretty close to not impact. >> And I'd be okay with that. I'm just saying if they held our feet to the fire, >> it would >> I think what you're getting at is is the messaging too and that comes out in a myriad of ways that comes out and even

102in the public hearing when I present that you kind of walk through how that that was baked in those. >> Yeah. I mean, >> so it's it'll be out there. Yeah. >> And the other thing I'd say Jeff and the board right like again guidance I appreciate I respect it like I'm just looking at past budgets right 44 35 27 2829 right like I get it right but I mean this budget that Matt presents to us before the 400 >> didn't have any fluff frills great wonderful exciting things in it was >> very modest And then yeah, the 400 did come up. We assessed it. We evaluated. Say, "Hey, we feel better if we're under three." Right? Like I feel like you're saying meet in the middle. Like I feel like the 293 is a

103fair honest meet in the middle. Something happened. We addressed it. We're not really at least in my opinion comfortable with this other step. And I don't know. I I I feel like 293 I feel better 293 than going in and making that those classrooms closer to guidelines. And I guess that's a question not here today. But the guideline guidelines have always felt to me like a cannot go above that like do not go above it. But I don't know if that means it's ideal either. Right. You said it's not ideal. Could we live with it? Sure. But do we want to be living with it or having something that's a little more reasonable and better education for those kids? >> Yeah, >> I agree with Josh. Um, >> and the 2.9 >> in real dollars

104if the 27 to 29 is a $10 hit, am I right? To >> families track. Hold on. I think you said it was $40 if we just went ahead with the 400,000 in the budget. >> Sound out of that would be a $10 hit. So a $10 hit to families per year to keep this staff member in real dollars is what we're talking about. Okay. No, it's hard when you're actually talking about money actually directly the burden to families. I would hope that if we go and propose a budget, end up proposing $100,000 over that somehow within the town, we will be able to be managed with something else. So there's no end to the families, but the grandfather or whatever the case may be that it somehow worked out. >> I really don't want

105to think about injury causing that very well. That very well could be and we'll run through that exercise. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. >> So, I >> let's um >> but I think uh just to close the loop on this. So, I think what we're going to you're going to do I think what we just had a little sidebar on is you're going to come back in two weeks with the with the two I guess it would be 293 versus 279. Yeah. >> And then we can some new information if we have any new suggestions and we'll we'll talk through them. Yep. Great. No. Great. Thank you everybody. Okay. CNR. >> CNR. Okay. Is that you, Melissa? >> Sure. >> All right. >> Feel a little antilimatic now, but we had originally had the

106CNR um in your workshop material starting on page 13 if you have that still with you from Saturday. Um just a quick recap on CNR, it's capital non-recurring. This is our smaller capital um equipment items, things that are um typically greater than let's see greater than 10,000 um but less than 250. $250,000 and up is material >> typically items that go into the capital improvement plan. Um so as returning members know, we have about 550,000 u built into the operating budget annually for the CNR needs. Um, so the the list you see in your uh workshop materials was really um the list that was developed by Kyle Loveland, our supervisor of maintenance, along with the building managers for the needs identified for fiscal year 27. Um, the the items that actually have costs associated with

107them are the items that we we sort of went through and prioritized what we could um accommodate with that 550. Um, returning members, I think it's worth noting, you'll probably recall the last couple of years we've made the case of increasing this line item. Um, there's a the needs still exist um beyond 550,000, but there's a couple of differences I think this year that um were to the positive. One, we were able to accommodate one of the bus replacements in the operating budget. And the second is um a new program called the drip program which is for items just like this. It's district repair and improvement program. Um so we're anticipating receiving starting this year um about $170,000 to put towards needs such as this. So um two really positive things, but I just thought

108it was worth noting that we still have needs in excess of $550,000. So we can go through any of the items. It's not doesn't look like very exciting things, but um >> they make a big difference. >> They're very important. >> My only question is for the group, I guess, is >> there's not much there for squadron, and we all know why, and I don't really I don't want to get into that part. I I I my question though is are we are we getting are we worried about that at all? Is there anything that needs to be addressed at Squadron that we keep putting off? So I think when we last met I I I raised the gym wall in Squadron. I know it's off this as a something to do. Um the divider

109between the two gyms is completely inoperable. >> And I think you guys were going to get back with maybe potential cost or considering that. Do you guys know what that one was? >> Yeah, we talked about that actually in a number of meetings during the budget development process. Um, I think due to the cost to actually do it was seemed prohibitive given that we don't know where Squadron's going. I think we talked about some some short-term fixes like maybe a tarp or something. Um, which is not the cost. >> What was the cost? >> It was over 80 almost it was creeping up towards >> I'm okay with that. I I'm thinking more boiler like really >> no stuff that >> mechanically we're okay with right now. Yeah. Okay. >> Um and that's certainly a

110topic post budget we're going to come back to with Techon and >> really put forward our plan and our next step. >> Okay. >> I think we're okay. Great. >> Y thank you. >> So can I just can I was just ask to understand this document like page 13 and 14. These are all things that people requested but it's not necessarily approved like Okay. So, is there any document that actually shows what the 8,000 that's quadrant is or what the 101,000 that Central is? >> Yes. So, essentially, if you look at Central, for example, there's, you know, three things being funded out of seven. Um, those numbers are zero. We're not doing we're moving it. >> Okay. How does something get on this list that we're not doing? Can you remind me like how things

111get on the list? Um Melissa and Kyle meet with usually the building principal and the head custodian about like what's what are the long-term needs of your building. Um and um you know we have you know they'll talk about the conditions of bathrooms and um you know fence work around this list. So things just over time that a principal and head custodian said that's got to get some attention paid to it end up on this list. And they're items that are um between five and >> typically 10 and between 10 and 200. >> 10 and 200. >> What's helped significantly too Josh is when we pulled flooring into >> capital >> and painting as well. >> Okay. Painting is actually in CNR. >> Paint flooring in particular is huge. >> Flooring, right? So all the

112flooring used to come out of this line item as well, >> but now we have it separately. >> Yes. So it's it's given us a little more flexibility to get more done. >> Yeah. I think there's nothing on here, >> right? That's just like it would be nice to have like everything on here is a need. >> And I I'll say we are we have a list of needs that have been vetted by people that run those buildings or in those buildings every day with those kids with that staff. These have been viewed as things that are needed, not just one, needed. And we'll get to maybe maybe half of them and then they'll get the rest of it kicked out, right? There's things on here that you would think seems like, right, you would

113want to have if they're saying we need something and we're like, do you don't really need it right now. you probably need a bit. So I'm saying when we talk about being responsible and trying to be and guide and do all these things and then I look at things again I picture like the expectation I think our parents our students our staff our town has for what our schools are and what they do and what they look like. You know it's not always easy to look at these lists and say like not can't do that can't do that can't do that can't do that. there's just as many can't do that as there are we can do that right so we're like 5050 here for things that people don't want people need and we're we're

114coming in at about 50% like giving them what they need to make that school again this isn't like a wish list dream perfect you know Taj Mahal this is just a washer and dryer and we're like you know try and run it another year and see where we get right so I just I always want to point that out as the big picture when we're talking budgets and different things. CNR is a topic that comes up, right? It's it's again, it goes back to things I I'll keep repeating myself, right? We're we're I think we're doing a lot more with a lot less than I think people think or see on the outside. And I'll say that, right? There's a lot of things we're not doing. We're being budget friendly, responsible in that regard. Um,

115I don't love saying no to so many things on this list because to be on this list, someone in charge of a school has asked for it and we're saying, you know, see if you can make do another year. So, I think that just speaks to us being responsible in everything we do. So, um, I mean, whatever we end up doing with the 550 allowance, you know, we make it work. But I think that's still I'll just keep saying stuff that's got to be addressed. nowadays. That's not a lot of money to get all this stuff done. >> It's not. And can I ask this year we are we went down to $500,000 to make the budget I think work. We're putting aside 500 instead of 550. >> So is this do you have any

116reserve? >> 550. >> Is it the same? The line item shows 500 savings in our fund that we can use to offset the operating. So when you close out your project over budget, the coming under budget we have in reserve. So we can utilize some of those 50 >> operating. >> Oh, I see. >> And in addition to the 550, we get the drip grant this year, which is 177. So, you know, we're up towards three quarters, which again doesn't meet all the needs, but there's a a management piece of this too when we sit with Kyle and the crew of like how much can you get done in that summer period that we need to be cognizant as well. But, you know, it's it's a topic we've talked about for three or four years,

117I think, now of we have a mechanism of the CNR buyback in our budget that's 35 years old and has never gone up a dollar. So, It's broken from that sense. We've had it supplemented in different ways through um the capital fund and and the board of finance the last several years. We've seen the benefit of it, but we haven't gone back and changed the structure. So, at some point in time, it's got to be so so this list is is 550. So, is it fair to say then putting the drip grant on top of this? There's stuff here that may not be um uh you may have it may not look like it'll be funded but if we have time and everything >> in the heads of the people who are doing this which

118would be Melissa, myself and Kyle Lovelin um the amount of the drip grant is very close to an amount that we got quoted for the Henry James tennis courts badly in need of >> so That's we just >> No, that's great. I get my my uh my my really the point was that there's other stuff that'll be fun trips. No, that's great. >> Does the town have any responsibility for in their budget for resurfacing the tennis courts, things that are utilized by the town is all our responsibility to put in our budget. We've had a lot of conversation about the tennis courts at Henry James because the school doesn't utilize them in any significant way like a couple classes PE. We do go over there for practices for our JV tennis. Um there is a

119large community usage with pickle ball, but um this isn't a long-term redo like when we did the high school course. So this will buy us probably five years. >> Um >> so $177,000 will buy us five years. No, it's a mill. It's a to redo those courts the way they need to be done is would be over a million. It's a major. You got to dig it up. You reinforce it. >> But using the drip cramp, if we spend 177, we get only five years out of it. >> I think that's >> to resurface and >> I'd have to look back and get you more than that. But that was my thought. Yeah. Just a short amount of time. >> Let's repair even the patches. >> So expensive. Everything is too expensive. The only thing

120I'm surprised is >> very accurate. >> The only thing I'm surprised there's only one item for squadron lane and I hear all the time that it's like in a very bad shape. >> Y >> I think that's to Jeff's point. I think you're completely right like that squadron. >> That'll be more conversation. >> And I know it's a big conversation, but still, >> do they have >> things that still need to be patched for >> to carry them the next >> We did some bathroom work there recently. long overdue. >> Um, and they'll do some flooring. They'll get it. But, you know, until the town knows where on a CIP plans budget line is going, you know, you don't want to put a lot of money into something that >> may be up for a

121major renovation. But even painting confirm. >> So like on that list like the Henry James one >> like the one of the things was repair stair treads in all stairwells. And so my question is is it Kyle that decides they're not tripping hazards or not dangerous or not? You know what I'm saying? Like that seems like it would be a pretty important thing. >> Yeah. you know, since you have hundreds of people and stuff going up and down. >> So, who determines that? >> Kyle, the custodian and the principal of like what is that goes to the top of the list? >> Okay. Okay. Oh man, >> I think that one in particular, um, if it was made a priority for the CIP project, I think Kyle would make that determination with the principal custodian

122in terms of what they're going to allocate from that flooring project for the CIP. If they want their energy allocation to go to that, that's I think that's a potential for that fun. >> I'm assuming there's a whole facilities committee that looks at these things. That's how you ended up with this list and we just pretty much >> No, school. >> Individual schools. individual schools >> and then come to Melissa and Neil >> meet together. >> Melissa and Kyle go out and meet with each principal. Many of those principles will involve the head custodian or they've already met with their head custodian when they're meeting. So, um, and some of these things have been on the list for four or five years and finally get to the top. You know, that's one of the bathrooms

123we go, let's do one more year. And then it's like a principal is completely fed up and says, "You've got to do something about that bathroom this year." And that's kind of how it works. >> Not unlike your host, >> right? With all these schools. >> Good. Can we go to the quarterly budget? >> Sure. Analysis. >> Okay. Um, so you have your quarterly report as of December 31st. Um, a couple things that I wanted to highlight since the last quarterly report and then happy to take questions. Just starting under um, the district state grants, the third bullet down, your excess cost grant. This is the grant that we keep an eye on during the year and see how much the state will be funding. We did our first filing um that was due December

1241st for our students that are eligible to receive reimbursement and we are anticipated to receive about 2.4 million a little bit over that. Um in our budget we had budgeted receiving 2.4 million. So some good news there. We're within budget and the state is going to be funding um the amount that we had allocated during the budget process. Um, going down to the federal grants, the only one I wanted to touch on here is the IDEA grant. Um, there was a decrease in funding this year of about $23,000. The federal award for the idea money to the state was decreased and therefore our um allocation of that was decreased as well. Not something you typically see um a decrease in the idea grant um but one that we are seeing this year. Any questions on

125revenues reported on expenditures? Okay, so on to expenditures. This is very exciting. Usually there's a line item for each section and a reason why things are up or things are down. And typically over the last few years, it's been unanticipated special ed costs for related to tuition. It's been transportation. It's been electric um uh increased cost related to electricity. um happy to report that we are actually status quo. Um so you can see that the majority of the percentages from last year at this time compared to this year at this time are pretty much in line with each other. Anything that is um out of line is just related to the timing of payments to various vendor um to the various vendors during the year. So, that's probably like a first since I've been since

126I've been here that we've had just, you know, just everything's happening as as per usual. Um, there is one proposed budget adjustment at the bottom of the page. During the fiscal year 2526 budget process, the way that we do our special education budgeting, um we take each of our special education students, we allocate um per contract how much is for tuition for these students, how much is for transportation for these students, and sometimes the contracts are combined. When we did the fiscal year 26 budget, some of those allocations were put into the tuition line item and they're more accurately accurately reflected in the transportation line item. So that just so that we have accurate apples to apples figures going into the fiscal year 27 budget, we'd like to reallocate those um those budget dollars in

127the fiscal year 26 budget and reallocate 232,000 from the tuition account into the transportation account to true up those um those line items to more accurate accurately reflect the expenditures that are going in them. So, this is for consideration for the board. Um, and there would be a motion necessary to change that budget if you all so choose. I move effective February 10th to approve a budget transfer of in the amount of $232,665 from the special education transportation line item to the special education tuition line item. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Since this is a just a question really since a procedural is since this is a transfer does the does this go through the board of finance >> you guys approve your own budget transfers >> and what is the

128percentage that triggers you to to ask for approval >> sorry >> what is the percentage that triggers actually a request for revision of the budget But by a line item, what is the percentage? >> Um, it's it could be by a line item. Typically, we don't um do the transfers and move out the line items. We do that at the end of the year. Um, but there's no specific trigger. We just wanted to show that this was a more accurate reflection going into the budget season. But if there is something that's major that's going to skew the budget, we would ask for a transfer. >> All right. So we'll come to our favorite part of the >> Can I ask the public question? >> Sure. >> When do you think the selectman will be voting

129on their budget? We have um so we have our next board of selectman meeting where the budget will be presented. We've got a lot going on on the 18th. We have our budget workshop on the 28th and then we will have a b board of selection meeting on the 9th where we will adopt the budget and then they'll be presented to the board of finance. >> That is our timeline. And in and in in there we also have charter >> you what? >> Charter. Oh yeah charter public hearings >> public audience. Sure. Diana 78 County Road. Um I just wanted to let the uh everyone here know um since it's a half a day on Friday, the youth service advisory board commission um and social services and library are doing a intergenerational pizza and movie

130at the library at 1:00 and they are showing the K-pop demon hunters. So, please let appropriate schools know. Intergenerational pizza and movie at the library 1:00. In addition, the library will be holding a teen photo contest in March. >> So again, please pass along to set of libraries and then again we have charter public hearings coming up. Please review the charter, >> add public comment to the charter. We do post every month the activities at the public library for students and such. And then when the weekly list serves go out from the schools, they include a link to the community bulletin board which is where it's posted on our website. But if there's anything that I know there we have uh high school or high school and other school representatives, but if there's anything that

131the board would like to see or that you're hearing topics of concern for programming that the youth service advisory board and social services can do at the middle middle school or the high school or even elementary school or during school breaks, they're trying to capture some students on half days, especially when the weather gets nice, they tend to I know they can't go down to the band, but like you know what what can be done for students on those half days. They're they're always looking for ideas for programming. Um I know they've got some some programming ideas coming up uh or some programs coming up on healthy relationships and they're doing it for middle schoolers. They may also do it for high schoolers. Um and I think that's a really important program for them to

132to be doing. So if there's other topics that come up, you can either send it to uh Rachel Levelin at social services or send them to me as the because the board of selectment leazison on to your services advisory board as well and I will pass it along. >> That's great. >> Thank you. >> And with that um our next meeting is the 24th. Appreciate everybody's discussion. These are always these are not fun conversations, but I appreciate everybody taking them seriously and contributing. Tara, >> I'll make a motion to adjourn. Thank you. >> Second. All right. All those in favor. >> Not conversation. Not a meeting discussion. >> For over 40 years, SEM has been the voice of our town, >> bringing us together through local programming, >> education, and live broadcast. >> SEM isn't

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