Andover Joint Budget Meeting - February 18, 2026

001special budget workshop joint meeting board of finance board selectmen and uh we'll start with the pledge of allegiance pledge of 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 and justice for all. All right, public speak. We have a fair few people here. Um, I'm going to go around. Colin, we'll leave you for later. Um, let's see. I guess I'll just go through my list here. Uh, Elaine Hi. Um, I just, uh, as the chairman of the EDC, I just want to make sure that when we go ahead and craft this year's budget coming up that, um, we have definitely money in there for a part-time planner who can assist with economic development. I know currently our part-time planner

002has been working on the POC. Um, and I know that was his main part of his job, but the town it, you know, unless we go ahead and take him on for another year, um, then we don't have a planner. So, I just just wanted to put in it's very important that we, uh, carry on having a part-time planner who then economic development can work with. That's all. Thanks, Thank you. Um, Elizabeth Partridge. >> Okay. I just want to make a short comment um on the board of ed meeting I attended regarding their budget. For years, I've been told that if you want to have input to their budget, you need to attend their meetings and not just wait to comment at the town meeting. So, I did. But what I heard was along with

003the teachers who called in to tell us how they couldn't possibly cut anything in the budget because it make their jobs so much harder and damage the students and how much they love their jobs. I heard the superintendent and board chair silence dissent from board members and the public who did not agree with them. I didn't hear any response to issues raised by board members or attendees like the 11% increase in the salary of the superintendent or the additional teacher for the sixth grade. I didn't hear anyone considering what cuts could be made because everything is absolutely crucial. Year after year, the starting point for the board of ed is last year's budget. Maybe it's time to start from scratch and do a zerobased budget. With 20% 27% of the Andover population 60 years or

004older with social security and pension cost of living increasing 2.6% the citizens cannot absorb an 11% increase in the education budget. Every year the town budget takes a backseat to the education budget. How long can we continue to do that without impacting the other town services? Okay. Joanne Heert. >> Hi, Rob. I'm just here to listen and learn. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Um, Lisa's iPad. Oh, that's you. Sorry. Got it. All right. Very good. Um, Marcy, >> I no thanks for now. Thank you. >> Okay, Ron. >> Hi, Rob. I'm here listening in. I also have concerns about the 11% increase for the the superintendent and a lot of the increases on that. Um, and I noticed there's other increases on this whole budget thing that I was looking at and it's that

005I printed off and it's just uh, you know, super custodians not getting a raise, but we're giving 11% raise to other people. So, I agree with the last person that spoke out about the budget. I think it needs to be readjusted and I think we need to take care of this elderly in this town, which we don't seem to be doing. That seems to be the priority of all the kids that are out of town going to our preschool that I believe some of us are paying for in this time. Thank you. >> Scott, >> yeah, I wasn't going to speak. I was just going to listen, but I want to correct the little misinformation I just heard. Um, first of all, I had a very different meeting where it was at the last board

006of ed um where I didn't think descent was silenced at all. I thought I carried on for a very long time um in a lot of disagreement. Um and I just want to point out that the Andover budget has over the last 10 years gone up 5% total the Andover school budget. So just just point that out. They're asking for a lot this year, but it has not been a big thing over the years. >> Thank you. All set. Um Sharon, >> I'm all set right now. Thank you. >> Thank you. And uh I just have a phone number here. Uh 2082345. >> Dennis. >> Yes, that's the town attorney. >> Oh, I see. All right. Well, that's let me know if I missed anybody, but I that's everybody as I scrolled through the participant

007list that I saw that was not on one of the two boards for the joint meeting or a town. Okay. Well, that moves us into our main agenda, the budget workshop. Um, uh, I did see that we were emailed around a PDF file of the first pass of the budget. Um, I guess it doesn't exist in Excel form yet. Uh, but I did take a quick look at it. I haven't had a chance to pour over every line. Um, I understand it's pulinary. >> It does exist in Excel. >> Oh, yeah. That is Excel that you got. Yeah. >> Wait a minute. Okay. Sorry. Listen, she printed it in a PDF form. Uh a kind of a a different concept. You know how uh last year you there was uh some issues with the calculations

008on this. >> Mhm. >> Our treasure, our new treasurer, Lisa, who um before we get started, I just want to sit there and let everybody in the public know uh what a terrific job she is doing to sit there and help us get um a little bit better at this. Um, I can't thank Lisa enough for all of the things that she's been doing and um, we're lucky. So, on that, she's created an Excel. She has an Excel. U, what we need to do, Rob, is create a process as to how it gets updated. Like, it can't just be floating around between people to sit there and update our budget. So, that's the reason why it's a PDF. It will be available to you. I asked for the same thing. Um, but as changes are

009made, Rob, they have to be funneled back through the treasurer. So, the treasurer maintains all of the data and then we understand if there's a problem, where it happened and how it happened. >> Okay. The reason I raised it is when I was looking at it, and again, I haven't reviewed it super in-depth, but I saw one field where it just looks like, you know, maybe a formula isn't working properly or what have you. Obviously, it's going to be tightened up. Um, so that's why I was thinking, yeah, >> for the Excel. I don't know if we can do some sort of Google Docs thing with a password protection or something where only certain people can. >> Let's let's get through let's get through our first go with this and then we'll all work on

010how the process can be improved in the future. So before we even get started on the town stuff, I I recommend that we move to Colin McNamera's presentation from RAM just so that he doesn't have to sit. I'm sure he's sitting on three of these and doing all these. So, let's try to be uh considerate and let him do his presentation and then move to other issues. All right. >> I agree. I was going to say the same thing. >> I appreciate that. Thank you all so very much. Appreciate it. >> Um >> you want to introduce yourself, Colin, or you want me just share it? >> Yeah, I mean, if you want to pull it up, I'll just, you know, kind of kick things off as you're getting things going. So, for those of

011you that don't me don't know me, I'm Colin Mcmir. I'm the proud superintendent of Regional School District 8 Ram. Um, I appreciate um being provided the opportunity to come and speak with uh members of the Andover community tonight and share information about the RAM budget. I want to uh make sure that I recognize and thank Scott Scott Skoyette who is a member of the Andover community and also um serves on the region 8 board. I know uh Scott has a lot going on as well and I appreciate you being here tonight as well to support um the RAM budget. Um, I'll just say next slide and we'll just kind of roll right into things. But I am pleased to be here tonight to present the the RAM budget for fiscal year 2627 to members of

012this community. If we can go next slide, please. Uh, so the proposed budget that I'm going to talk about tonight supports the district's mission and vision of partnering with families in the community to provide our students with a highquality education and a welcoming, safe, and equitable environment. It is critical that we keep these factors in mind as we move through the budget process over the next few months. Uh, next slide, please. The budget also supports the district's um mission and vision of partnering with families and the community uh to provide all students with a highquality education and a welcoming, safe, and equitable environment. Um, it supports the work of all district staff focused on ensuring that RAM graduates have the skills and dispositions needed to be successful in life beyond high school. They include critical

013thinking, motivation, communication, integrity, and collaboration. Next slide, please. There are several priorities that we use when developing our budget. Uh, first, it supports the implementation of the goals identified in the district's strategic plan. Um these goals focus on improving in the areas of instruction, talent management, climate and culture and organizational systems. The budget also supports the academic and social emotional needs of students. It enables us to maintain a program of studies with a variety of course offerings and career pathways that ensure our students are college and career ready. And finally, it enables us to uh maintain and improve the district's facilities and grounds. Next slide, please. Next one. Thank you. So the current proposed budget for fiscal year 2627 is $34,176,011 and represents an overall budget increase of 4.77%. This amount is a combination of

014a net operating budget of $33,676,011 and a capital budget of $500,000. Andover's levy for next year's budget is 12.65% 65% a reduction from the current year's budget of 12.99%. So, uh it's a little the it's a little wonky looking. I apologize for that um when it converted from uh from one form to another. Uh but I could just tell you that the the difference between operating budget and capital budget from current year to next year's proposed budget. Uh the operating budget is a difference of a 96,000 uh $96,124 increase and a capital budget uh difference of a decrease of $10,27. Um so again, overall there's about a difference of about $86,000 increase uh between uh our current fiscal year and next fiscal year's proposed budget. Um if we can go to the next slide, please.

015So, I always like to provide an overview of our historical um budget changes over the past 10 years. It I think it demonstrates our track record of responsible fiscal stewardship. Um despite the current um challenging times that we face and the rising costs that are impacting school districts and municipalities and families all over the state and the country, I'm pleased to present a budget that I feel is both sustainable and responsible to the current uh fiscal reality that we're all facing. Colin, please >> Colin, one one question. I'm sorry. >> No, please. >> Is it Is it Are we Are you okay if we interrupt and ask >> Jump in as you want to? Absolutely. >> Okay. Can you go back one page, Jim, and just explain to everyone how the levy is calculated? So,

016the >> Sure. So, the levy is based um very simply off of enrollment as of October 1st of each current year that we're in. So next year's levy, so the levy for is based off of the October 1 enrollment in of 2025. And that fluctuates from year to year, right? So last year, so what that means in um when I talk about it being 12.99 for the current year's budget, it means that 12.99% of Rams students at both the middle school and the high school come from Andover next year. Uh I'm sorry, I should say this. Our our October 2025 enrollment numbers show that 12.65% 65% of uh RAM's total student enrollment come from Andover. So there there's it changes slightly from year to year. It could go up a little bit, it could go

017down a little bit. Um Andover has seen a a decrease in enrollment over the past several years that I've been here. Um and so that uh decrease in enrollment for the total population of Ram students has been advantageous for Andover um because again we're looking at an $86,000 increase right now combined between operating capital. Um there have been years that I certainly am for have been told about where Andover's um percentage of students uh attending RAM has gone up and it's had obviously a a a negative impact on the on the Andover budget. Right now Hein is the is the town um that is realizing the most significant impact of enrollment shifts. Um Andover is benefiting Hebrin not so much. Do you have those uh those totals like what the Andover student population is, what

018the total population is, what Maron has and Marboro has. Do you have those available? >> So I I do. So they are actually in our current budget book. That's I I don't have that available right now. I don't have that information in front of me. Um but if you uh want to access I can certainly email it to you tomorrow. Um that's not a problem at all. If you go on to the uh region 8 uh website which is ramschools.org and you go to the uh board of education um link and then click on the budget information and you click on the proposed administrative budget. There's a page that provides a comprehensive um that provides a comprehensive kind of overview of all that information that you're asking for. how the uh levy has changed and

019the percentages have changed for the towns. Uh again, I'm happy to provide that information to to to you tomorrow, Jim, and you can push that out to members of the community. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Um so this chart shows a percentage distribution of the proposed budget by object categories in relation to the total budget. Not surprising, I'm sure. I'm sure it's relatively similar for the Andover Board of Ed budget. Uh 73% of our proposed operating budget is allocated to employee salaries and benefits. These are fixed costs with staffing our schools. Um if we can go to the next slide, please. So there are several drivers. >> Liz Liz had a question. I don't know if Liz is for now or you >> please jump jump in. Might as well go go along. Take

020them as we go. Uh me I I didn't have a question. >> Oh, somebody had their hand up. It said actually I'm sorry. It went up and I put it back down again. That was my >> Oh, sorry, Louise. As I said, >> okay, >> I thought I heard something. So, there's several drivers, as I was starting to say that are having an impact on the proposed budget over our current year's budget. Um certainly I'm sure that uh you know you you've heard about this before. Health insurance is having a significant impact. Currently we're budgeted at a 15% increase. Um that the finalized number is not usually established until March. Um that number could change. Uh it could increase, it could decrease. Um we have contractual salary increases obviously uh as I mentioned before. Um

021and you know so I'm not going to read this to you but you could see there are significant um number of things that are driving our increases. If we go to the next slide please. >> I do have a question about this one. >> Sure. >> The the health the health insurance um are we part are is RAM part of the same healthc care consortium that uh that Andover is in? >> We we are in fact it's it's the region 8 healthc care consortium. So, so it it's the it's all four of the school districts, all three of the municipalities and AHM as well. >> Okay. So, this this number may change. So, so it could his you know what you ideally want to see as as you um as you move closer to March

022when we set the final uh number. You you you hope to see um uh changes in claims that give you an ability to decrease. Um we we don't know if we're going to be able to decrease. There's to be honest with you, there's a possibility that that percentage might need to be increased. We we just simply don't know yet, but it'll be established um next month, I believe, is is when we typically establish it. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I have a question, >> Miss Louise. Um the special ed outplacement tuition, has that gone down from last year? >> No, this is a driver that's actually showing an increase. So, we're seeing an increase in special education outplacement tuition of approximately $138,000. The the the thing that I would note though is you

023know this is a um special ed like like health insurance costs special education outplacements is a bit of a moving target. The reason I say that is because I could have a student move into the district tomorrow or next week. um that has that's you know or I I shouldn't say student but a family move into district that could either decrease special education outplacement tuition costs or increase special education outplace tuition costs. The number that you see in front of you of $138,000 is um is reflective of of kind of where we were when I presented to the board um in in about a month ago. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Any other questions on this one before we move on? All right, fantastic. So, we're going on. So, so there's some drivers.

024Obviously, there's good news. It's not just increases, but we do see decreases. Um, so notable reductions are magnet school tuition, um, special education, uh, purchase services, electricity, natural gas, uh, and and and just technology hardware. Um the the other piece that we are not quite certain about, it's it's one of the other unknowns at this point is our is our uh tuition that we will realize from Colombia students identifying Ram High School as a school of choice. Uh for those people that are not familiar with it, uh our current school year is the first year that Ram High School was a has become a school of choice for students uh leaving 8th grade coming into nth grade um from Colombia. Um we currently are have have 10 students attending Ram High School from Colombia. Um

025and we are very optimistic that we were are going to see that number increase obviously over time. Um currently we are we're we only allow students coming in as freshman. Um so freshman students or I should say eighth grade students who are attend Horus Porter School in Colombia have the ability to identify whether or not they want to go to you know either um EOSmith High School, Bolton High School or Ram High School or obviously they have the options of um uh aggra science centers like Lebanon or EOS Smith. They also have the option of uh Connecticut technical high schools. Um but that revenue uh uh it it it reduces each town's member town levy. So it's very advantageous. The more students that we have from Colombia, the the more advantageous it is for our

026sending districts uh because it reduces each sending district's member town levy. um it's it's applied to our um our budget as anticipated revenue and it reduces that net operating budget. Um so where we are right now is like I said we have 10 students currently attending from from Colombia. We have budgeted for an additional 10 students. We don't quite know the number for certain at this point but that 10 students is reflected by the $150,729. Um we should know by the beginning of next week how many students have identified Ram High School as their school of choice and we will adjust the budget accordingly once we have those um numbers provided to us. Any questions about that? >> Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. >> Go ahead L. >> Go ahead, Louise. >> Just a quick

027question. If the Columbia students go there and they decide halfway through the year they don't want to attend, what happens? Do they have to stay there a full year or? >> So, it's a it's a really good question. I I honestly I guess what I would say is it depends. There's not a definitive answer, and I'm not trying to be elusive, but what I could say to you is that one of the things that I mentioned when I was talking about it initially is that we allow freshman students to attend Colombia, uh, I'm sorry, to from Colombia to attend RAM. Um, so they they they finish up their eighth grade year, they identify RAM, they come to RAM. If let's say for example a an eighth grader finishes up their time in Colombia, identifies Eio

028Smith High School as the place that they want to go to high school and halfway through the year they say, "This is not the place for me. I don't want to go to Eio Smith. Hey Ram, I want to come to you." We will say to them, "We appreciate your interest in our school district, but no thank you." The reason that we do that is because it's not we don't want this to be a situation where families or students are essentially school shopping, right? There's a possibility that a student could go could could identify their school of choice and say this is where I want to attend. Um they they attend there for you know again 6 months or a year or two years and then maybe have some issues. Maybe the issues are uh

029concerns they have about the way that the administration handle handles things that they have uh that they're that they're dealing with. Maybe it's an issue that they have where they're concerns about teachers. Um but I we are not interested at RAM in region 8 of setting up a scenario where a student can just kind of pick and choose. Now that's how we operate. So we won't allow students if they conclude their if they enter EOS Smith High School, they go there um you know for half a year or a year and then at the end of that first year they say we want to come to Ram next. We appreciate their interest but that's not going to be something that we open up as a as an option. I can't say the same thing for

030other school districts. So EOSmith might not have the same feeling. EOSmith might allow a student to attend RAM for half a year or a full year or two years and then ultimately make a decision to switch. That's ultimately up to EOS Smith or Bolton. Um I will say that typically um technical high school I not technical high schools aggra science centers like Lebanon or EOSmith um they usually won't allow kids to come in after their freshman year but I don't know if they make exceptions. So, I don't know if that answers your question like um but but um for us we wouldn't allow that. Other schools might allow it. >> Okay, that makes sense. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Any other Liz, you had a question I think. >> Yeah. Um two questions. What is

031going on here? Um the magnet school tuition, you said it's reducing. How do you know that? That's part one of my question. And then my second question is how do you come to the calculation that you come to for um other students outside of our district uh for this? >> Well, it's it's it's it's not a perfect science, Liz, is what I would say to you is it's what we anticipate. Um we So, where we are right now with there is a um the state of Connecticut instituted a cap for magnet school tuition. um which basically was, hey, school districts in Connecticut, um if you're paying for students that reside in your district to attend magnet schools, um we we've we've historically paid 100% of that tuition um for magnet and aggracience tuition. Um the

032state a couple years ago said, "Hey, we're going to create a cap and that cap is um going to be 58% of what the 100% tuition is." and the state was going to provide additional funding to offset that cost. So districts would be responsible for 58% of the tuition magnet I'm sorry and then the state was going to pick up the rest. Um right now this is in a bit of a a state of flux. And what I mean by that is there the governor's proposed proposed budget um has a reduction to magnet school funding for risks of approximately $12 million. Um so we don't know if that dollar amount of of of the the cap is going to um is going to change for us. Um we could find ourselves in a situation where

033that number doesn't stay at 160. Maybe to to $160,000 to the good. Um, in future years, we might need to budget more for magnet school tuition because of the uh reduction in um money that has been um allocated to reduce the burden of magnet and aggracience tuition on local and regional school districts. Um but again, we we look at the number of students we currently have attending magnet schools and we anticipate that they're going to continue to attend magnet schools. And then as far as sixth graders that are rising up out of our sending districts, um we we you know put placeholders in place and we say, you know, we have x number of students typically that identify magnet schools instead of coming to RAM and so we're going to anticipate that we're going to

034get a similar number. It's that's what I mean by it's not a perfect it's not a perfect science. There there's a there's a bit of anticipation or based off of data that we historical data that we have to make well educated decisions moving forward. >> Okay. And and for the out of out of district children that decide to go to RAM, how is that tuition calculated? >> What do you mean by out of district students that choose to go to? >> You said like for Colombia Columbia students choosing to go to school. >> It's a great question. So we basically budgeted for 10 students. So we did the same thing last year. We budgeted we anticipated 10 students would identify RAM um as their school of choice for this first year. Um and we just

035use that same dollar uh same number of students for for this second year as well. What I could say to you, Liz, and and and everybody on this call is that we are very optimistic that uh EOSmith has long been the primary school of choice for students uh leaving Horus Porter School at the end of 8th grade. The majority of their students choose to go there. On average, one or two students choose Bolton High School, which is one of their schools of choice. um and they generally graduate about 40 eighth graders or you know generally have 40 eighth graders metriculate um into high school. Again, one or two will typically choose Bolton because Bolton is a very different school experience. It's a very small school, very intimate. Um it's again, it's just a different type

036of high school experience. The majority of students choose Eio Smith High School. And we're our position on this is that um for for a whole host of reasons, we are very optimistic that as time goes on and as this partnership continues over time, we feel like more students from Colombia are going to start identifying RAM. So we're saying 10 this year, we're saying 10 next year. We're hoping it might be 12. We're hoping it might be 13. But right now, we have a lot of students that are leaving Horus Porter School who might have older siblings or friends that are older that have experienced being in EOSmith. So, they're saying to themselves, well, my friend or my brother or my sister went to Eio Smith, so that's just where I'm going to go as well.

037But we have a really strong partnership with Colombia in a lot of ways. Number one, Colombia actually Colombia students for the most part participate in youth sports. So in parks and recreation, youth sports associated with RAM, Ram youth football, Ram youth lacrosse, soccer, Hammer, which is our softball team. Colombia kids participate in those programs much more so than they do with other town programs. Proximitywise, the commute from um Colombia per the bus ride from Colombia uh from from Horus Porter School to Ram is probably 15ish minutes. The the bus ride from from Horus Porter School to Eio Smith is 45 minutes. And the practicality of families being able to know that their kids are only on the bus for 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the afternoon is a lot greater. And then

038obviously when students get their licenses in high school, their commute is a lot shorter. Um so so we're we're very optimistic that over the over the over time as this partnership grows and develops that we're going to see more students choosing more and more students choosing RAM. Um so we're hoping that you know that that projected number that we have this year again of 10, maybe next year it's going to be 12, maybe it's going to be 13, maybe it's going to be 14. really is going to depend on kind of what we're seeing and hearing um from >> So So my question was more about how how do you come up with the the tuition? So it's looking like $15,000. >> Sure. Sure. I I apologize. I I misunderstood your question. >> No, no,

039it's good information. I appreciate the >> Yeah. the discussion. >> No, it's it's a great question. So basically what we did was uh when we initially established the partnership we identified the tuition rate and don't quote me on the number Liz because I don't have it in front of me but it's somewhere it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 and and change for for tuition like so 15,000 I I think it might be $142. So they that was the annual base tuition cost for a student from Colombia to attend RAM. where we landed on that number, why we landed on that number is we needed to be competitive with EOS Smith. If if I if my conversations with the leadership of of Colombia was that their tuition with Eio Smith was I'm making it

040up, $15,000. And I and then I said to Colombia administration and Board of Education, well, our tuition is going to be $17,000. Colombia would have said, "Well, we don't want to partner with you because we don't want to we don't want to have that financial risk of tacking on an additional, you know, $2,000 for every student that identifies RAM as their school of choice." So, we we identified that rate of 15,000 and change, and again, I think it was 142 because it was very similar to what Eio Smith was charging for their tuition. and and where we have the increase is that there's language in the contract that we have with with Colombia that basically says that we're going to apply a formula that is associated with what what the um consumer price index is

041for increases from one year to the next. So, we're going to have our increases with RAM tuition or region 8 tuition for Columbia students directly associated with the consumer price index increase that happens yeartoyear. That make sense? >> It does. One more question. This is a quick one. >> Go for it. >> Um, and does this does this tuition come from the town or does it come from the parents? >> It's a great question. It comes from the town. So what we what we do is Colombia provides transportation. So there's no transportation costs to RAM associated with transporting Horus Porter school or or Colombia students to us. The other thing that I'll mention to you, Liz, that I didn't say was that there if a student is chooses RAM who might receive special education services

042um uh or any type of pupil services, there's additional costs associated with them. So, that that dollar amount that I've of of $15,000 and change is the base tuition costs. And there's a um there's a we actually have kind of like a essentially a menu essentially of like if a student gets X then it costs this much more. If they get this it costs this much more. If they get this it costs this much more. So there there's the the tuition price that we the 15729 that you see in front of you. We don't factor in those additional uh revenue, the additional revenue that might come if three or four of the students that choose to come to RAM get specialized services. Um uh that's just additional income that's not reflected in our anticipated revenue.

043>> Great. Thank you so much. >> You're very welcome. >> Um all right, I guess we're >> Colin, before you move on, I just asked the two chairs and I apologize. I was so focused early on making sure I can share the two documents. I did not start the recording on this. You probably didn't hear it. Is this more of a workshop or is this a required recorded meeting? >> I mean, I think it should be recorded. >> Okay. And I think the other platform is is recording this um anyway. So, I'll start. >> Recording in progress. >> I should have picked up on that myself. >> Recording stopped. Why? Why did it stop? >> Why stop? >> I don't know. >> It happens. >> It's >> recording in progress. >> All right. >> Yeah,

044>> we're good. >> Yeah. >> Now the pressure's on me because we're being recorded. So, I feel a little extra pressure. So, >> I get a little shaky voice. Please forgive me. So, um, so one of the things that I wanted to talk about is just targeted reductions because I think it's really important to point out that the proposed budget that I'm discussing with you already reflects the removal of approximately $800,000 from items, personnel, equipment, services that had initially been requested from budget owners. So, they include things like equipment, furniture, and facilities maintenance and upgrades. Um, we moved some to a lease package. Other things will be included in future budgets. We reduced our summer school credit recovery staffing. We reduced the number of six assignments that we have. Um, and we eliminated four positions.

045So, high school business teacher um that was going to be vacated at the end of the school year, a special education para educator, a hallway monitor para educator, and a library media para educator. So again, those in totality, the things that we have removed already from the budget total approximately $800,000. If if we hadn't done that, um the increase that I would have presented to the board of education back in January and that I'd be discussing with you tonight would be a 7.42% increase over the current year's budget. I I just think that's a really important context for people to have as we move forward through this process. >> Uh >> can you can you explain what the re reduction of the sixth assignments? >> It's a it's a it's a great question. Yeah, it's

046so so essentially at the middle at the secondary level, the way that it the way that it works with regards to what teachers are required per contract to teach is generally they they teach five sections or five classes over the course of the day, right? One class or one of those additional periods is a lunch. One of those periods might be a prep, the the ones that they're not teaching, I should say. And then another one might be a you know a collaborative time or some other duty assigned to them. But essentially basically secondary teachers are expected to teach five classes over the course of a school day. Sometimes though it is necessary for us to say to an individual teacher who is contractually obligated to teach five classes in a day, hey we need

047you to teach a sixth assignment or a sixth class. And with that comes additional compensation. And so again, when I talk about a reduction of six assignments, we look at, okay, you know, hey, you know, this teacher currently or this teacher was um, you know, has historically taught a six assignment or is teaching a six assignment this year, but next year we're not going to have him teach that six assignment. Does that make sense, Liz? >> Great. >> Yeah, that that's perfect. Thank you so much. >> Absolutely. Any any other questions about that, Liz? The only thing I'll say to that and actually to the collective group, the the reason that six assignments are a useful tool for us is because it enables us to pro to make sure that we have a wide array

048of course offerings for students um without having to take on additional staff. It's really difficult as you can imagine to hire people at a you know hey we need to hire you but we just need to hire you for one class or hey we need to hire you but we just need to hire you to teach two classes. It is financially unwise to do that. It is much better to do six assignments. Um but again when we can reduce them we try to reduce them. Uh if we could go to the next slide please it would be great. Thank you. So, our capital budget is obviously different from our operating budget. As I said, it's a $500,000 budget uh proposal for next year. Um, it enables us to address timely issues that need to be

049addressed. I have a couple of photos on this slide for you. These are photos that I shared with the board last spring. Um, they are of our loading dock and as you can see, um, it is in rough shape. Um, we need to replace our loading dock because it is literally falling apart. Um, our anticipated cost is about $425,000 for our loading dock. Um, we have also catch basins that need to be either rebuilt or replaced to the tune of approximately $58,000. And then the other important thing is uh approximately $21,000 for repainting of uh pavement barking. Um basically that's parking lots uh uh uh you know access roads. Um the the the paint that identifies parking spaces that identifies no parking areas has faded significantly. And it's a safety issue for us and students

050and and staff and visitors that we we get those repainted. um to in order to keep it right at $500,000, which is what we have historically tried to do, at least in the past three years that I've been in the district going through the budget process, is we really shoot for a $500,000 capital budget. Um because we constantly have needs that need to be addressed. Um, one of the things that we historically uh include in our capital budget is approximately $40,000 to address sidewalk repairs that need to be done on an ongoing basis. We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of feet of sidewalk concrete sidewalks. Um, we actually took that out of the capital budget uh it for for next year um and actually just are going to allocate money from this year's budget

051to to pay for those things. But our capital budget again for next year is $500,000. >> Colin, on something like the loading dock, are you going out to RFP on that? >> So, I think that there is. So, in a typical world, yes, we would. But I think that there are um companies that are on the state list that negate our need to go out to loading docks because um and obviously it's a significant financial savings for the district. If we don't have to go out to RFP, if there's um companies that are on a um a consortium list or a state list of of vendors, then it saves us the time and the money of going out to bid. But again, the the the um the proposed amount of $425,000 is came from a

052a company that we have worked with and I think is on our state bid list, but I can I can confirm that and get back to you. >> If you would, >> please. Thanks. >> Yep. >> I'm just going to make a note. So the the next slide talks about our um uh debt bond payment. Uh and I'm really happy that we are in a good place from the standpoint of uh you know this next year uh fiscal year 27 is going to be the final year of paying our debt related to the renovation of campus that was done approximately 20 years ago. um our final payment of $418,000 is um essentially the same as last year's uh I'm sorry as as our current year's payment. So it's really it's it's budget neutral. I do

053want to make sure that I do point out that we do have significant capital needs. Obviously I talked about three things, you know, the the loading dock, the paint, um and those catch basins. We have significant needs beyond that. Um we we are very fortunate that we our buildings and grounds have been wellmaintained and improved in many ways. It is imperative that we continue to ensure that the needs of our buildings and grounds are addressed in a time frame where we are not forced to play catch-up uh which is unfortunately something that a lot of schools and districts find themselves uh find themselves in that place. It's important to note that we are faced with numerous highcost projects in the very near future that will require bonding. Um so we have a facility subcommittee in

054the district and um we have worked closely with that facility subcommittee and district administration to prioritize bonding products um to include several of the things that you see in front of you. Not that list is not exclusive. It is not. There are other things that I did not identify, but things like roofing at both schools, HVAC systems and controls, our boilers and our chillers, life safety, security and communication, so our alarm systems and our door access technology, flooring and sterats, adding additional parking to the district um because we don't have enough parking right now. So, there's a whole host of things that we are um we're looking at uh going out to bond for. Um we're currently working with an architectural firm, Frier and Associates, to gain a better understanding of the financial impact of

055the capital projects um that are going to need to be completed. Um once this is done, we're going to have a special board meeting um to discuss these projects in greater detail and develop a plan uh for moving forward. So again, I'm really happy that obviously we're going to be done with paying off our um our debt related to the the renovation of the campus 20 some odd years ago. Um, but we unfortunately are going to have to um look at incurring more debt through the bonding process because we don't want to kick the can down the road um and and not maintain our our facilities um and and major uh systems within our facilities um because then it just creates a cycle of we're we're constantly playing catch-up. Any questions about that? All right,

056I will move on to the next one then. So this is just a a slide I always like to include. It's the per pupil expenditure for secondary regional school districts in the state. So we are we've certainly increased from last year. However, um we do continue to provide a high quality educational experience um a at a at a cost that is amongst the lowest in the state when compared to other regional school districts. So talk a little bit about enrollment on our next slide, next few slides. So we use NASDAQ to provide enrollment projections. This chart shows our October 1 enrollment from 2019 2020 school year to the current school year as well as the projections through 2035 2036 and beyond. Um the projections indicate that our enrollment re remain will remain relatively stable over

057the next 10 years. Next slide, please. >> Looking about a 2% decrease this time from this year to next. >> I'm sorry. Say again. If >> I'm reading it right, you're looking at about a 2% drop your estimate. >> I didn't I didn't calculate it, but if you're if that's what you're getting, I'm not going to argue with you. But yes, we're seeing a decrease from from our current year to next year. >> Right. >> Um >> where was the data? >> And oh, one other question on your per pupil chart. Your per pupil chart, I noticed it. done. I think the 24 25 years is the last one on there is that it just takes a while to calculate the current. >> Correct. The the 20 correct the 2526 won't be available until next

058year. So, it's always a year lag, unfortunately. >> All right. Just checking. >> Yep. >> Okay. Can you Yeah, that one. Where was that data from? What was it called? You said NA NAS >> NASDAQ. So, it's the New England School something council. Um so we have an affiliation with them. We send our current student enrollment um information. Andover uh so Hebrin and Marbor also send their information to NASDAQ as well which gives them projections. Andover does not uh does not have that affiliation with NASDAQ. So what we do with Andover is Andover provides the information to us. We then send it to NASDAQ and then as a part of our enrollment projections, we we get them back from from from NASDAQ. >> Okay. So, if I'm looking at the data that you have online,

059you you had as of October 1st, 2025, uh 1,021 students. So, that relates to your yellow line there, which is 199. So >> yes, >> the NAS NASDAQ information was two students off. So that's pretty good. Um, all right. Uh, if you can also provide that to Jim like that the details regarding NASDAQ that would be great. I can send >> Oh, perfect. Thank you, Colin. You're excellent. Thank you. I try. Thank you. All right. >> All right. Um if we want to go on to the next one. So this just shows the middle school projections were slated to increase by approximately 50 students over the next 10 years um at the middle school. If we want to go to the next slide please. So this shows high school projections, current enrollment and projections. Um

060one of the things again we're we're slated to remain relatively stable over the next 10 years at the high school as well. The one thing that I will note is that the projections do not factor in the tuition students from Colombia. Um, and as I said before, we are optimistic that our partnership, as our partnership grows and develops with Colombia, we're going to continue to be a pretty attractive school district to them and for their eighth grade students and draw more interest from Colombia families. Um, if we want to go to the next one, it'd be great. So, so as a part of the projections that are provided to to us is we have um we get across the board uh pre-K to grade six enrollment projections and as you can see they are projected

061to remain relatively stable over the next 10 years uh across all of our three uh towns that feed into region 8. Um if we could go to the next slide please. So, you know, as I noted earlier, the the the proposed budget does eliminate four full-time positions. However, it does include the addition the the current proposed budget does include the addition of three of two new positions that are that I feel are necessary to address current needs of the district. The first is a buildings and ground maintainer, which is a 1.0 FTE. The facilities department that we have currently has one outdoor maintainer responsible for all grounds across our 52 acre campus, including parking lots, common areas, and 10 acres of athletic fields. So, these fields require mowing multiple times per week, painting, seeding, fertilizing

062along with yearround exterior maintenance. As our campus and maintenance demands continue to grow, this work can no longer be sustained by a single individual. Adding a building and grounds maintainer would provide consistent coverage, reduce the need to pull custodial staff from their core duties, and ensure that our buildings and grounds are properly maintained year round. This position would also be able to support interior maintenance needs during the winter seasons uh to improve safety, efficiency, and overall care of the district facilities. So, the second position that had been proposed in the initial budget to the board is an instructional technology specialist coach. So, I'm sure that you all are not going to be surprised that technology is woven into pretty much every part of the school day for students and staff. Um, from instruction to assessment

063to communication, data analysis, and as these tools continue to grow and change, we really need to have consistent highquality support to ensure that technology is being used effectively to enhance teaching and learning. At the same time, again, I'm I don't think I'm going to surprise anybody by saying that artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we learn uh students learn, work, and think in the future. Um, colleges and employers are now expecting graduates to understand artificial intelligence and use it responsibly and ethically. Uh, I feel that creating an instructional technology coach or specialist would provide dedicated in-house expertise to support teachers and students with technology, digital citizenship, academic integrity, and ethical AI use. This full-time position would add significant value across the entire district and better prepare students for what comes next, whatever that will be.

064Um, and you know, I I always like to give the disclaimer that it's really important to note that the needs of staff of of students can shift significantly and that we may need to hire additional staff unbudgeted uh to adequately meet student needs. Um, but that's those are the personnel uh additions that we're looking at currently. If we can go to the next slide. So, there are some potential changes that could impact our proposed budget uh and lead to possible changes again over the next few months. So, as I said earlier, health insurance premiums, currently we're budgeted for 15%. That may change. Um I'm sure that you will hear about that from your uh town and your local superintendent as things change, but that could impact our budget. Uh, as I said earlier, our Colombia

065students, currently uh we have anticipated revenue of $312,764 for next year. uh based off of the current students that are attending from Colombia and the number that we anticipate choosing Colombia for next year as e uh as as incoming ninth graders um they will identify their high school of choice um really by the end of this month and uh the budget will be adjusted accordingly. The other thing that I want to make sure I note is that since presenting the initial proposed administrative budget to the board on January 26th, the board uh we had two workshops, budget workshops. These workshops provide an opportunity for each department budget to be discussed in greater detail and for board members to discuss the proposed budget and ask questions. Um, at the conclusion of the February 9th budget workshop,

066the board did ask me to identify areas of our budget that uh we would be able to reduce uh the proposed amount by 2%. So, as I said before, our initial proposal was a 4.77% and the board basically tasked me with the responsibility of coming back to them with um reductions that would get us to a 2.77% increase. Um there was a a a collective concern by board members that um with the um increases that are feeding districts such as I I think you guys are at 11% in in in Andover currently for the board of ed. Um that you know basically an 11% increase and a 4.77% increase would not go over very well with um members of uh the Marbor sorry the Andover community. Um, so I have been working with the uh

067administrative team uh to identify areas where we could propose reductions to the board. These recommendations will be made to the region 8 board on Monday, February 23rd. So again, I don't know what the outcome of that meeting will be. Um, but I do anticipate uh uh having some changes as a result of that meeting. Um, any questions about those three issues? So, the the RAM board of ed asked you for an additional $700,000 in cuts. >> Close to $700,000. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> On top of the $800,000 that I've already made. >> Understood. Uh any other questions? All right. If we can go to the next one. So I I always think it's really important to highlight what I call, you know, the return on investment and, you know, the community invests obviously

068a lot into RAM, you know, middle school and high school. I I I feel like the district provides tremendous opportunities for our students. You know, we have over 250 courses and 38 concurrent enrollment opportunities at the high school. And what I mean by 38 concurrent enrollment opportunities, it means that when we have students taking classes at Ram High School, they are actually uh many students are there's 38 classes that we offer that allow them to earn college credit. It is not uncommon for me to hear from graduates and speak with graduates when they come back for whatever school event is taking place and tell me that, hey, you know, Dr. McNamera, I'm graduating in three and a half years from college or hey, Dr. McTame. I just talked to a student um right before the

069the winter holiday. Hey, he said something about graduating and I said, "Well, wait a second. You're you've only been in school for, you know, two two years. How can you be talking about graduating in three?" He's like, "I got so many college credits in high school. I'm graduating in three years." So, you know, as the father of two college age students, I would have very much appreciated them having the opportunity to to earn a year's worth of college credits because college is not cheap. Um, so, you know, again, significant return on investment. We have, you know, students that are performing at very high levels. 356 students are taking AP tests um or 356 AP tests are taken and we have students 96% of our students are scoring at a level three four or five um

070you know we have current eth grade students who are earning 300 high school um credits which again enables them to take more diverse classes as high school students which also enables them to again earn those college credits when in high school. So, we just, you know, there's a lot of really things going on. Uh, if we can go to the next one, please, it would be great. Um, you know, we we provide a tremendous amount of positive experiences for students beyond academic achievement. We've been recognized as a best community for music education for nine consecutive years. We offer a wide variety of fine and performing arts programs and classes that enable our students to achieve at high levels and be recognized statewide and nationally for their hard work. So yes, academics is obviously a critical

071thing for us. Um but it but we do more than just academics. We know that students come to school and and and want to do more than just take classes and and be successful academically. And and the next slide actually continues to to demonstrate that because you know we also offer plenty of opportunities for students to demonstate demonstrate their skills and excel in student as student athletes. Um we have 13 middle school teams. We um we have 31 um 31 high school teams. students have tremendous success on our competition fields and our basketball courts and our tracks. Um, student athletes earn individual acclaim as all state, all conference and triple threat athletes. Triple threat means they are three sport athletes. So they do a fall sport, a winter sport and a spring sport as well.

072So again, tremendous success. If we go to the next slide, please. So the you know I'll just close in saying you know it represents the budget represents a collaborative monthslong effort by district leadership and staff to balance our responsibility of maintaining high standards of excellence expected by the RAM community. Um it's designed to offer you know the the public a transparent view of our strategic priorities and educational programming. Um, you know, I think I speak on behalf of the leadership team and the entire district when I say that we are grateful to the families and the communities of Hebrinando over Marorrow for their continued partnership in and and helping us prepare students to become, you know, impactful and members of a global society. Um, I know I've asked answered questions along the way, but that

073concludes my presentation and I can do the best that I can to answer any additional questions that you all might have for me. Thanks Colin for that. Anyone uh have any further questions on the presentation? >> No, thank you very much for the information and anything that you can uh provide us to give to our members as additional information would be appreciated. So, thank you. >> Yeah, absolutely. So, I'll send the information over about the loading dock to y'all and I will, you know, whether or not we have to go out to bid or or it's a part of a um uh it's under a state uh under the state contract that doesn't doesn't require that. And then also just the NASDAQ report. I'm happy to provide that to you. I think those are the

074only two follow-up things that I have. If if I'm missing anything, let me know. And what I would say as well is if there's I know there's not questions now. Um and that's great because I'm going to go eat dinner. Um, but if there are additional questions that come up, you could either funnel them to Jim and Jim can send them directly to me or, you know, certainly my email address is is uh accessible on the the district's website. And then, as I said, you know, Scott is a member of the uh uh region 8 board of education. Um, but also an Andover um uh community member. Um, don't hesitate to reach out to him and and he will funnel the questions to me as well. I I want to obviously make sure that everybody

075has as much information as possible. Um and uh I appreciate your time tonight. >> Speaking of Scott, he's got his hand up. Um Scott, did you have something to throw in there informationally? >> Yes. I'd like to offer a slight clarification. What the board asked Colin to do was not to give us a decrease of 2%. But to give us a whole bunch of scenarios of what if we needed to cut, you know, a quarter percent or a half percent or whatever up to say 2% from this budget, where would we do it? Just just to make it clear that that's, you know, he was not asked to go cut. He was asked to give us options. >> Yeah. I'm going to Yeah. So, if I didn't explain that correctly, Scott, thanks for bringing that

076to my attention. I I'm going to what I'm going to do on the 23rd is is is bring recommendations to the board in in a priority order. Um, you know, and say, you know, if here there are some things that are what I would characterize as no-brainers that like just easy because, you know, we a great example is I I think when we had initially proposed our our budget to the board, we had a number for fuel from Andover that was not locked in, right? So that like and now now I believe that Andover has locked in their fuel costs uh associated with busing I believe. Um now we have that number locked in. And so what I could tell you is that we're saving $636 by having a locked in fuel cost. So like

077that's been added. So so in totality but the number that was was uh again that that at least I heard Scott was was come to us with with 2%. you know, what would it look like if you were to recommend reductions equaling the amount of 2% of the overall increase to get it down to a 2.77? What would your recommendations be and what would the priority be? So, that's what I'm going to be prepared to do with the board. Try to be a good partner for everybody and do you and you're muted. >> Yes. Um, I just was looking at the cost per pupil expenditure and if I I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but if you divide the total budget and this proposed 2627 budget by the number of students, it comes

078out to over 34,000 per student instead of what it was in the 2425 year of only 27. That's a pretty big increase there. >> Is there some complication to how that figure is calculated, Colin? That's what I'm wondering. >> So, if I could understand how that number is calculated, it I would probably be a wealthy person because I could predict like stock market values. So, it's a it's based off of a state formula that I'm I'm I not to sound flip, but I don't necessarily completely understand. Um, so so that number it's it's again it's it's it's it's provided by the state. I'm happy to send that information over because it's not just information that's provided by the state specific to region 8. It's also provided for every school district in the state of Connecticut.

079So, I could just like it's literally it's a it's a publicly available document on the state of educ on the state website um that provides it it's called the net current expenditures per pupil. So, I I use NC. I use the term per pupil expenditure because it's it's what it is. Um, but it's not a real number because the reason I say that is because it doesn't factor in. Remember how when I talked about the cost of education for students for Colombia, we have a base tuition price and then we have additional costs for things like special education related services, things like that. Right? So there are students that attend RAM who don't get those types of services and and and or who don't um ride the bus to school and but transportation is factored

080in across the board for every student. Um you know the the the the total cost of special education for the entire district is averaged out across our total membership. But it's not a real number. It's it's it's a it's based off of a state formula. And one of the reasons that I think I've survived for 20 plus years as a school district leader in the state of Connecticut is I try not to put too much weight in what the state provides to us. Um just because it's it it I think I would lose my mind if I tried to understand state formulas for things. So but again Ann, it's it's not a real number. I'm I'm I'll make a note to send you all with the that list of the it's literally it's a spreadsheet

081that shows the NC >> I think I found it um while we while you were talking if I'm looking at the right document there's an Excel version and a PDF version and you're saying it's the NC number that you're going off of. >> Correct. >> Right. And they have Yeah, they have region 8 here. might be a little bit different because they updated they updated >> very close but it's 27,180 >> they they update they I think they update it twice in the year so it may have changed from when I initially had provided that information >> and you know if you if you go and you look this up if you plug that into a Google search it come it does come right up net current expenditures per pupil CT you'll get the portal

082and on that portal if you go to forms documents and forms there's an opportunity to download either a PDF version or an Excel version of this document Uh Andover's on there, too. You can see AES on there as well. >> Yep. You know, they have them at I think 24,722. So, as an as a point of comparison, obviously elementary school versus regional middle high, but it's got all the towns there. >> But yeah, I always understood, and the reason I asked you, Colin, is I always understood that to be a bit of a black box. Some stuff going on in the hood I don't think I understand. So, it's difficult to explain and for me to try to explain that to a community member. I guess we were hoping >> Well, it's it's a legitimate

083question that I I wish um I wish I could provide some clarity on. What I could tell you is that when we when you know, somebody went somebody or I think Liz, you had asked about, you know, how did how did you guys establish the um you know, the base tuition rate for for Colombia students? We tried to look at what that NC was, that per pupil expenditure for for region regional school district 8 students, but we like like I said, if if I went to Colombia and said, "Hey, we're going to use $27,000 as your base tuition price," they would have said, "Okay, we have zero interest in that." Like, we're not going to do it. But that is inclusive of special education costs, transportation costs, which which again, that doesn't apply unilaterally to

084every Colombia student. you know, it applies to some and in the same in the same regard that those costs don't apply to every RAM student either, right? Any any student in Hebrew and Andover in Marorrow. So the same idea applies. It's it's that that that dollar amount is not it's just not a real number for every single person like cuz cuz to be honest with you there are students who are attending an outofstate special education outplacement program that might cost $65,000 a year between tuition and transportation. So $27,000 isn't a real number for them either. It's it it it goes on the ex it can go on the low side and it can go on the extreme high side. And unfortunately though it's a it's a mislead I use it because it's for as much

085as it's misleading for us it's also misleading for other districts. Right. So so it's but it's what I have as a as a comparison to demonstrate that we're still amongst the lowest in the state. Right. And and that number is going to change if we see increasing I'm sorry if we see decreasing enrollment over time the amount of money to run the district. If we lose 50 students uh or or gain 50 students over the next 10 years that number it like we still have to heat the building, pay for buses like 50 student difference in one direction or the other is not going to have a substantial increase on our staffing. it's not going to have a substantial or change to really much of anything. It's the challenge of a of a secondary school

086district. Whereas, if you look at student enrollment at an elementary school district where you say, "Hey, our incoming kindergarten class is 15 students smaller than our current kindergarten class or larger. Well, that's going to impact an elementary district because you're either going to have to increase your kindergarten staffing or potentially decrease your kindergarten staffing. It doesn't work that way with a secondary district. It just it just doesn't, you know. So, I don't know if that helps or hurts or confuses, but I uh you know, it's it's uh it's I can't provide much more clarity than on that number. >> Well, I guess what I would say is my takeaway from this is as a rough benchmark, it's there. >> Yeah. But don't read into it all that deeply because uh it can it can be

087a little misleading maybe. Um that's that's my take away from it and but thank you for pointing at it so I could find it myself. That was helpful. >> We have one more question uh too that just popped up. Um do you know of any grants for uh renovations to school buildings? >> So that's a great question. So, one of the things that I could say to you is that as a part of the process that we're going through with regards to the bonding process, um the group that we're working with, Frier and Associates, they do a a lot of work with uh school districts and municipalities. And so there is I don't know if I wouldn't say they're necessarily grants, but there are reimbursements that are provided for certain projects. Um and and we're

088going to work with fire and associates. You know, when we talk about, you know, projects that we need to go out to bonding for, as I mentioned, roofs, like roofs are something that qualifies for a certain um uh state reimbursement um and a certain percentage and a certain amount. So um we work with with um groups like that to identify areas where hey we need to do this but it's but by doing this we qualify for certain state reimbursements and that enables us to to reduce the impact on our member towns. There are certainly things for us to to get um state grants for from time to time. They pop up from time to time. Um, I think it was about two years ago, we were awarded I I think it was a close to

089a $300,000 in grants for um air quality, indoor air quality grants that were available to local school districts. We had done some HVAC work to some of the different areas of our building. Um and then um the indoor air quality grants came into existence and we spent some time applying for those grants and that uh helped us out to the tune of again approximately $300,000. Um so anytime there is an opportunity for us to um seek state funding or any type of grant funding for projects that we either have done and we can retroactively apply for or um apply for uh in advance. Uh we we always um seek those opportunities and and go for those funds. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Hearing none, I'm inclined to let you go, sir. Get

090yourself some dinner. >> I appreciate it very much. I thanks guys for your time. Again, if any questions pop up, don't hesitate to reach out and uh have a good rest of your evening. Okay. >> Thank you, Colin. >> Take care. Thank you. >> All right. Well, we'll have to see what the outcome is of uh further deliberation by the RAM board. Um so, having gotten that gotten through that, u I would just like to ask, you know, in a sense of where are we at on the town side? How firm are we feeling? Uh, you know, I haven't had a chance to go through line by line, uh, the preliminary document that Lisa sent around. Um, but if we could get to follow on that, that would be good. Uh, you know, what our

091what our thinking is in terms of, uh, how firm these numbers are, what still needs to be addressed and so forth. >> Jim, why don't you pull that down for a second so we can just talk. >> Yeah, it's right here. >> There we go. >> It was there. Um, so they are very preliminary because we've had so much going on, Rob, that we have not had a chance, especially with the town administrator. Um, you know, Jim is actually leaving uh a week from Thursday, a week from tomorrow, right Jim? That's your last day. Um Lisa has just gotten engaged uh and built the the spreadsheet that we currently have. So they are preliminary. I know that I was looking at some of the things uh today. We have to go through some of the

092union contracts because I'm not sure that every one of those uh increases is exactly the where it's supposed to be. So, um, I would tell you in in from my end as only one member of the board of selectmen, I don't sit there and see that we're significantly going to increase our prior year budget. I would say that we have some things that we have to discuss that we potentially should do. I believe we should sit there and spend some additional funding on the community center. uh if we should buy them a computer program and do some things to uh improve uh the services that we provide to our seniors and to uh families. So those are things that I would like to see done. But listen, um, you know, our role as the board

093of selectment as we get this is is is as policy, your role in the board of finance is is, uh, do we have enough money to support the things that we'd like to sit there and see done, right? So, your board's not the policy board. Your board's the board that sits there and says, "This is all the money you're going to get to spend." And hopefully we can work together to not increase the total cost to the taxpayers too significantly. >> Yep. Uh so just looking at this uh this chart um on the total there's a line called total total expenditures town. >> Mhm. and it's showing of of an increase of variance 136,209, but the percent change is listed as zero. I'm assuming that's a formula error. >> Um, that'll get cleaned up. >>

094We'll fix that. the current the current the current structure of what um is listed here for for your guy you guys what you really control the money for because even though we got the presentation from RAM um that is just strictly a vote of the three towns um >> so right that's their number is 4 point 4,260 or 4,260,000 that was what we they were dealt with last here. So, right now we're at um 3,35,829 uh $892, which is 35% of the total expenditure. And the capital that is currently listed on there is 1,28,750 or 10.94% of the the town. That's how you look at the town. So really 46% town, 54% AES and those numbers are listed there, but we have to go through those line by line because all of the uh percentage

095changes on the increases. Some of those aren't going to happen. Some of those need to be modified. um we will sit there and get that to you and by the time you get this next week you'll have a much better feel for what we're going to do. But >> again, unless unless somebody sits there and tells me I mean I listen um >> you guys are going to have a difficult year. Um we're going to have a difficult year. You're going to have a difficult year. It's a it's a it's an a big number. We're going to try to do our part from the town side to sit there and be respectful and sit there and have a number that makes sense. So, I >> understand that. Um, I was just trying to take a

096look at it and see where it was now. And, uh, you kind of already kind of got to my next question, which is you're saying we're going to get something updated next week. That's good. I assume we're targeting to have that. So, for our next meeting, we'll have something firmer. >> Okay. >> Can I just say something, >> please? doing you're the treasurer. >> Yes, that's that was on purpose for that formula because your formulas coming down and going across need to be, you know, double checked and everything. So, that was on purpose. I didn't if you add up all those percentages, that's not the percentage that would be going across. >> So, I was waiting to do that. Um, I just wanted to say a couple quick things. The worksheets we send out to

097the departments will be more explanatory next year for the departments. I think they're weak. Um, so we'll have more data next year. I arrived, you know, right at budget time, so it was a little tough. Um, and um, I also wanted to say in some of these increases, some of them are a little more than others. Departments did send in some explanations. I don't know if you want to see some of those explanations. They're just saying why some of the lines increased. A few of them went up higher than others, like the programming for the seniors, you know. Some of them wrote a little bit of a script with it. I tried to put it in the memo over there. I'm still working on moving that memo column over a little bit. Um, and there's

098forecasted items in there. That's your choice. I'm here to help you. Um, I forecasted some of the electric because some of them their budget from last year isn't half spent yet. So, I just kind of forecasted. It's up to you if you want me to increase that and just increase it 3% or just leave it the same. The same with your revenue. Your revenues are left the same as last year because that's your decision to tell me, do I leave it that way? Do you predict this is what's going to happen for your revenue? So, um, you know, I'm looking for direction from you at this time. >> Okay. If memory serves in the past, I think we have done at least a little bit of revenue projection, but I I can't recall. I don't

099think we did anything very aggressive with that. I think we're generally not I mean, unless we're doing unless we're to revalure, you know, >> we're not going to expect a big change, I think, to revenue. >> Okay. >> Uh that would be my take. Uh, I personally would like what obviously you don't want to have the spreadsheet be totally overrun with this, but if there are little blurbs that explain substantial ups and downs in departmental budgets, I personally would like them. In the past, my recollection is some departments would come and present to the board of finance. You know, public works would come, fire department would come. I don't know uh what our timing looks like on trying to do some of that stuff this year, but if we're not getting that, then I think

100all it's all the more important to get whatever they've given in justification, you know, even if it's just a few lines of saying, "Hey, we're asking for five% increase and here are three bullet points of why." >> Uh that's better than nothing. >> I I think it's really important for the board of finance to get the department heads in. So, I would recommend that Eric from uh the Department of Public Works comes in front of the board, even if he's just put in for the first 15 to 20 minutes of of a meeting for you, Rob, just because it's good to have the community hear directly from him so they understand this is public works. This is who's running it, and this is the requests that are being made. So, if you put the schedule

101together, we'll sit there and we should just ask each one of the individuals to to come. >> Yeah. I mean, my gut reaction is, you know, we got a meeting on uh March 11th that might be good for that. If we can get some of the department heads in for that, that might be a good >> And Carol, you do know that this is a joint meeting. You can talk at any time. >> Okay. I didn't want to interrupt. I was raising my hand to be polite. >> I apologize for not seeing you, Carol. It is okay. Jeff is just picking on me. Um, I just have a question. Jeff, is the admin assistant I see that line jumped. Is that what the board of selectman was discussing with giving the town administrator a 20our

102a week admin assistant? >> It it was there. You have to remember that last year, Eric had uh $15,000 that he wanted to do for project manager. >> That's still there. But >> that's still there. And now the administrative assistant is there. that that that is something that we have to discuss as to what we're going to do with those line items and what we want to do. That's one of those items, Carol, that we need to discuss. >> Okay. I just saw that it was up by 194.17%. On that variance, the with the salary line, there's an additional 10,000 there. >> That's why I'm asking. I I do see the project manager which we didn't touch that budget last year but we're putting in another 15 in this year. >> Well, we we have

103to sit there and go through it. I mean, we have Christine Randazo that has been working with us related to the uh field and that's what Eric was trying to um Eric was trying to sit there and and get uh some compensation for her so she could do that and he could do the bridges and the other projects, but obviously without air some of this has changed and and we haven't really made a push to use those dollars. So we have to as a board go back and provide back to the board of finance more refined numbers on some of these items and and Carol also we have to decide the you know the percentage we use 3% as as a a rate change on compensation but we have to decide what we're doing on

104each one of those lines >> right and see what the union contracts say >> correct >> are the action ual raises, >> but we really haven't had a lot of time to look at these. >> No, there's been a little bit going on. >> There's been a lot going on, I understand. So, um, >> uh, in terms of scheduling, since we're talking about scheduling, uh, I was trying to set up the AS presentation to us. Um, and I was wondering what people thought about our next meeting, the 25th, the the the board of finance meeting starting at 7:00 after our joint session. Uh, whether we want to do it to target that because I think that date could work for uh the superintendent um to present AAS to us. >> You're saying you're saying next

105Wednesday? >> Yeah. Oh, I think >> the reason the reason I was looking at sorry just to I don't apologize for cutting you up is I should have explained this up front. I asked about the 11th March 11th but that's a regular board of ed meeting. >> So I don't want to go to the 18 March 18th man we're getting >> that's too late. >> I'm starting to worry. Right. So I asked Val and Caitlyn could we do the 25th and I think that is viable for them. So, I wanted to get people's take on it >> because you do know you have to hold a public hearing >> and they set the annual town budget meeting for, I believe, April 9th. Jeff, >> that sounds right. I have it all on my phone. >>

106So, you have to plan for that public hearing, too, to present your finalized budget. >> Yeah. And you know, if you hold it the last week in March, you know, the Wednesday before we're having the annual town budget meeting, that doesn't give you many weeks in between. >> It does not. >> No. >> Here's here's the other problem, right, Louise? You're going to be away next week and so is Bill. >> Yeah. That that's I mean that's why I wanted to bring this up, but I'm I'm really I'm looking at the schedule and I'm getting pretty nervous. any type of uh voting going on in that particular meeting. >> I mean, we don't have to take well, first of all, as you know, this is a ongoing discussion, but >> my thought was we'd want

107to get a presentation and digest it. >> Okay. >> Um, but that was that's just that's me speaking. Uh, you you guys can have your opinions, but yes, ideally, I would not have it at a meeting where you and Bill are out. >> Okay. uh you know that wouldn't be my first choice but if we presentation maybe you guys could watch it and then we could >> on our 11th meeting March 11th meeting >> talk about it further that that's all I'm thinking about I'm just looking at the calendar here and I'm trying to find a date um and it gets it gets tight fast um you know it is indeed April 8th at least that's what my phone the town budget meeting which means The fir April 1st would be theformational >> board of

108finance presentation, you know, for public comment, >> public hearing. >> Robert, we we moved it to the 9th on Thursday to avoid the >> board of education meeting. >> I see. Okay. I've >> It's still listed. It's still listed on the town calendar as the 8th, but it has been moved to the 9th to avoid the conflict with the board of education. >> All right. Well, I'll move that in my in my phone then just because um I don't want to I don't want to get messed up. All right. Well, the point being is just looking at the weeks. Um the pri the week prior to that's going to be ourformational session at which point I would certainly hope we had a working plan. So, you know, that gives us basically, you know, this month

109and next to sort this out. Uh so, I'm just that's the reason I was I brought up the 25th. I know it's tight. I know we have members not going to make the meeting. Um the 11th being a board ed meeting is you know the other option I guess we could look at is seeing if we could do something um on the 12th move our meeting >> or 12th 10th or 12th. >> Yeah. Um yeah something that that I guess would be the other option. Uh if we want if we want to see we'd have to obviously campus the board for availability, but if we're trying to avoid having this on a night when we're down two members, that would be >> right. >> That would be the thought. But the way I left it

110with um Caitlyn and Val was that I'd talk to you guys and get back to them. So any other thoughts? I mean Nick, Heather, anybody else have availability issues like on any of these weeks? Can can you think of anything that we should avoid? >> I'm looking at my calendar. I'm pretty much free. Those the 10 the next week is fine. The 4th, the 10th, the 12th. I'm good for all of those. >> Mhm. I guess that's the other thing. I don't think we have anything scheduled for the fourth. >> We don't, but I won't be here for the fourth. >> Yeah. >> Which is suboptimal. >> I mean, I won't be here. I'll be on a I'll be on a cruise ship, which I may or may not be able to call into. And

111>> cruise ship Wi-Fi. I don't know if I'd be relying on >> just saying >> I don't know. I I I understand. I do. >> The timing is not good. Um you know me, I don't like to miss meetings. So >> I can if people want me to, I can go back to Kate Caitlyn and Val and ask about the 12th. The the 12th would work better than the 10th for me. Um, but I I can look at those dates. Um, >> Kim Kim wanted >> if people want to >> say something. >> I do. I I would like to just not have it on the 25th at all so that we have everyone there, February 25th. Is that the date that we were? >> Yeah, that's next week. And I would like to just

112either have it on March um 10th or the 12th as well, just so we have everyone present on the board of finance. And I can make both of those dates. So, whatever works. >> All right. I'll reach back out and see if we can make the one of those dates work. Yeah, definitely. >> If we do, you know, people agree that if we're doing it that week, we would move our currently scheduled special meeting to that other day and not do a double not double up. Is that I mean, what do people want to do there? I personally think if we already have Yeah. If we we would move the meeting. Yeah. >> Um Okay. >> I'll do it. >> Okay. >> Sorry. Go ahead, Liz. >> Yeah. I guess my only concern is if

113if we felt we were able to recommend a change >> that doesn't give them much time >> to do anything. It doesn't it doesn't give us any time to look doesn't really get us time to digest it either. I mean >> I mean there's not much to digest. We saw we've seen the presentations. >> Yeah. Uh now and in between now and then I guess is really what it boils down to. I mean the presentation's nice. Um, but the information is already >> out there. So, uh, >> if if they came on the 25th next week, it's recorded and everything and we're not going to vote on anything, right? So >> well again I mean it's it's a regular meeting we could theoretically take votes but on you know in relation to it but I

114my personal take would be especially if we did next week where would we give us some more time is to get the presentation ask questions think about it and come back with a full board because again we're down two members >> right >> and come back at the next full meeting where we have everybody before we you know do anything further but that that would be my take if we do it that way if we do it on say March 12th picking one of the states then we hopefully would have a full board already there and we you know we might act accordingly. That's my that's my gut. >> Right. But like Liz says that doesn't give them much time after >> it does not it does not it's it's not ideal. So that's why

115I looked at the 25th even knowing we were going to be down people. Uh, but I completely understand. I really do understand the take that not with two people out. What's up, Lisa? >> I'm okay if we do it the 25th and I can we can review it, but I just want to make sure that we can hold up on any type of voting until we're all present. >> I I I think that's fair enough. I I think that would be my preferred approach as well. >> So we can get it over with and then, you know, we can all kind of watch it and then determine it afterwards. >> All right. And then we would and then when we would have our meeting on the 11th, we could, you know, we'd have everybody. Okay.

116Um I'm okay with that, too. I'm fine with that. I can reach out back out to to Val and ask her to come for the 25th. >> I assume Bill would be okay with that as well. Yeah, >> I I I think probably I could try texting him and see if I get an answer, but >> No, he's out. Yeah, >> I know it's not great. Uh he just he was away for two weeks. So, >> okay. >> I don't really feel bad for Bill. He's on a cruise ship enjoying the weather. >> Yeah, we've got some lovely weather this evening here at home, huh? >> I think he's going on cruises. Not me. >> Not me. >> No. Um. All right. So, we also had gotten a request from um AHM >> uh to

117come and talk to us and but I don't think you know this it was too late to get them in this meeting. So, and then I don't know if we want to tack them on to a meeting where we're already having AES. So, my thought would be we we maybe push AHM to March 11th, if that makes sense. Or well, assuming we do March 11th, but yeah. Does anybody have thoughts on that? That's usually not a huge number, but >> we could probably have them come in >> first first get it over with and probably won't take that long. >> I I don't expect it's usually, you know, an hour presentation or anything, >> right? Don't they usually ask two people from each town to come and vote on their budget? And do we know

118when that is? Yeah, that's the thing is I think that's still up in the air. Hang on, let me find the most recent email because it's been kind of going back and forth. Uh goodness, I actually did that last year. >> Yeah. >> And I'd be open to do that again, but I I'd be voting after everyone decides, >> right? Right. Oh yes, there it is. Um, historically our meeting consists of two representatives from each town. Typically a town manager and I think she means administrator or whatever along with some one the town administrator designates from board of finance or board of selectmen. So so here's another issue a little wrinkle. Um, obviously our interim town administrator is leaving. Uh so we could designate we as the two boards are here. We could designate one

119person from each to be the AHM contact votes and try to set something up, you know, and not try to have to to link it up with one of our meetings necessarily. >> Believe I was designated from the board of selectmen this year to be the contact for AHM, but I haven't really heard anything. I don't know if they did get my name. I tried contacting them. >> Uh yeah, Tesa emailed Jeff and I and a few other folks CCD, but uh didn't send it to the entire boards. Um so I mean Jeff's got it. He he could hopefully send it around to the rest of the board of selectmen and uh maybe we could coordinate. Um, you know, anybody on the board of finance want to step up this year for to be our

120AHM rep? >> I'll do it again. >> You willing to do it again? >> It's a very helpful organization. >> Oh, they're great. Uh, they're great. So, I No, no question there. So, so I mean I >> just as a just as a just as a side thing, they they sent um >> that meeting was scheduled for February 28th. >> Oops. >> Oh, this is 2025. I did a search on it. So, >> I've got correspondence here from them. I don't know if this is what you're talking about. We'll get it to you and so and we'll usually Kate gets all that information and then Kate forwards it out. But we'll sit there and see where we're at with it. Yeah, this one. There was an email >> this Tuesday in the morning uh from

121Tresa responding to me because I had her initial email had come out February 12th to Jeff and I and I responded just kind of giving her our meeting dates because I wasn't quite sure uh what we wanted to do yet. Uh, and her response email was on Tuesday, but again, it's it's to Jeff and I with a couple of folks CCD, but no other board members. >> Uh, I am forwarding to you right now. Thank you, >> Louise. Uh, I'm going to go ahead and forward this to you. >> Okay. I believe that's the most recent one. I don't see further. All right. So, that's Ahm. We've talked about AES presentation. I'll get I'll go back and it sounds like we are going to try for the 25th. If for some reason that falls apart,

122I'll see about the 12th or something. But for now, >> yeah. >> I'm sorry. I do. We have a We have a meeting on the 25th. Do we not have one the 4th? >> We don't have one on the 4th. At least as far as I recall. >> But we have one on the 11th. >> We do. >> Okay. I just have it backwards on my thing. That's fine. Thank you. >> No. Now, now you got me >> something on my calendar on the 4th as well. >> Maybe I'm wrong. Hold on. >> I have a board of finance. >> I thought it was like one of our workshops. I could be wrong. >> It should be. I mean, looking at it and how tight everything is, I kind of feel like there should be

123one. So, let me I don't know why I would have had that in my phone, though, cuz I tried to plug them all in. >> I thought that's what I did, but maybe I thought maybe I did it wrong. >> No, I'm just I'm I'm looking. Hang on. I'm gonna >> have to look back. I'm going to double check now because I I probably it's probably my mistake. Um >> uh >> I don't want to miss it. >> I don't see it on the calendar. Town calendar. >> Oh, the town. >> She has Zoom meeting set up for the fourth and the in a second. March 4th, March 18th, she has BF budget meeting. >> Oh, wait. Sorry. the the the month this is March. That's weird. Why is it why isn't it coming up?

124Uh is it under is it under only the boards of commissions page? Maybe it's there. >> I think I got it from the very first meeting when they when you sent out the list of them. >> Mhm. >> You can't find >> I'm just I'm just looking at the town calendar right now and I just don't see it. >> Yeah, I don't see it on the town calendar either. Um >> whereas our 11th, 18th and 25th meetings are there. >> Mhm. >> You know, personally, you said you were going to be away, Liz, but >> I'm going to be away. >> I'm not opposed to having >> additional meetings. uh if we have something to discuss, something to to chew over. So, >> I I'm trying to remember now. I mean, if we didn't do

125that, we we probably didn't do it for a reason, and I just don't remember what it was that we wouldn't have picked the fourth. Um but yeah, it's not on there. Now in terms of in the past when we've had the fire department and it's usually I think Wally who comes and talks to us I I can't recall how that was usually set up whether the town administrator whether Eric had set that up in the past you know bring in when we did these coordinated you know bring in public works to talk to us bring in fire department talk to us uh or whether it was something that Mark handled directly with those commissions. >> I think Eric did everything. I I suspect that that >> we're feeling it now. We're feeling it now. >>

126Yeah. Um because uh when did you say uh the last day was next Thursday? >> Next Thursday. But if you want I can get an email out to department heads for March 11th and get as many there as you are. Are there particular ones you want? Um >> I mean public works I think is a good one to have. >> Yeah. uh the fire department whenever if you know if they have a budget ready uh we usually do them. >> I think I think they do. Lisa, >> let me let me ask a question. I don't know Jeff if this is not the right question. How do you folks handle um regional um services? Um I I I haven't had a chance to get them to Lisa yet, I don't think, because she's got a

127million other things she's been doing. But I've got on my desk, you know, Niko, Nikko, Animal Control, Eastern Highlands. They've all given me Yeah, they've all given me um >> I have those, Jim. Those are in >> I did give them to you. >> Yeah, >> they would be in this budget already. They're already >> Oh, good. Okay. I'm sure >> the Manchester proate estimate. >> Yeah, we usually, I think, just have those plugged into our our chart. Yeah. >> Whatever I have I've got in is in there. Whatever Jim is talking, whatever has been given to me is in there. >> We'll look double check. Probate one. >> We always have to the one for the one for Nik is in there related to animal control right now. It's something that we have to

128look at because they're trying, you know, there's an increase in the animal control side of this and and all of those would be in there. And then hopefully what we can do is provide you the details related to it so you can at least look at it and then ask any questions. But for the most part on those shared services, it would be here's the bill that's being proposed. Yep. >> Are we willing to accept it or do we have to go out and look for an alternative? and and a lot of those shared services, it's really hard because it's something along the lines of animal control and >> we're not going to do those services. >> We're not in a position to do that in house. It's just >> so we've we've had communication

129with other towns related to that. It's just something that if we can find a better deal, we would probably sit there and go with it. But what we should do is in the comment section of Lisa's budget is put, you know, if there's a line item such as Nikko Nikcog bill attached or need bill available, we'll sit there and do that and then and Carol, you can sit there and we can go through the probate court and say here's the the estimate and it's attached. So that'll be helpful. >> That was the documentation I was talking about earlier. whatever I put in there that's for this year, if it's a new figure, I have the backup. That's why I wondered if you wanted to see it. >> Okay. >> Can I I just tell you

130what I used to do as far as bringing in all of these departments. We my my list of meetings does say the third, the 4th, and the 11th of March. And I think I got this off the the board page. But >> I just Yeah, I just found it is on November 19th board page, >> right? Approval or whatever because you would approve. And what we used to do is approve the budget calendar in December. The board of finance would and every department would be listed. You'd have like six departments, six departments, six departments. And then they would have an assigned night that they would come in and speak to you about their budget. They could pass on it or they would come in and you're right, the fire department, public works, they have bigger

131budgets, but they were like assigned nights to come and talk to you because, you know, you have so many meetings. should have six one night, six and they're the most of them are brief. That's not like the school, but that's how we used to get everybody in to talk about their budget. We would schedule them in. And if they couldn't make it that night, they would like let us know, well, that's the Mass Fire Chiefs Association. Can you make me another night? And you put them on a different night. So, it was just it was in the schedule like with this it was in the schedule. What department would be there that night? So, that that's just what we did in the past. Great. Um, all right. And if we've got a meeting on the

132fourth, well, that gives us a little extra wiggle room. So, uh, I'll plan on that. And if we can get, you know, on for the fourth, we can get public works or some of these other folks in. Great. Uh, Louise, what was that? >> Yeah, I've been reading the letter that just sent over about the AHM AHM and apparently they already had their meeting February 10th, and I guess they had contacted Jim and no one had attended. So, what they're looking for is the person that they can get up to speed and I'd be happy to do that because I was the person from last year. >> Yeah, you there. >> All right. So, let me let me do that. I'll get us up to speed and everybody know, you know, >> I'm sending an

133email right now to her for both of us. >> Oh, that would be great. >> Okay. And then we can see what we can do. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Great. >> Did they give a presentation that was recorded? Did they say >> I don't think it was recorded last year? I don't think it was recorded, but I can find we can find out. Ann, can you ask that in your in your email? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. And maybe if we could get a copy of their budget for anybody that wants to look at it because I'd kind of like to look at it. Um, I'd like to know what we're getting out of it, how much utilization we're using out of it, and um, can we be maximizing them some way? >>

134Mhm. >> Maximizing their services, you know. I just had questions. >> My Yeah, my recollection is they've been actually the the services have been utilized more heavily in recent years a lot. >> Uh, but yeah, I mean, any detail we can get be great. >> Okay. Uh I don't recall our contribution being >> a huge number. >> It wasn't. >> They do the birth to three services which is always great. I don't know if it's birth to five now but birth to three >> evaluations of kids and they do a bunch of different stuff and then they were doing a lot of mental health stuff I think research le recently. >> Yeah. Anything can get us. Thank you for taking that on. I appreciate it. All right. So, yeah, let's see if we can get

135some town departments in for the 4th and or 11th. See what we can do for availability there. Um, right now everybody I think you know take a look at but understand what's been presented to us thus far is very preliminary. you know, it's going to board missile has to go over it some more. Um, see, oh, I had a question. I apologize to go back a meeting, Jeff. I had a question that I meant to ask you, you and Jim, the last meeting uh that we had had, but Jim was under the weather that night and whatnot, and I and we ended up talking about other stuff, and it flew out of my mind. There was something I saw in the administrative report uh last meeting about um some fraudulent check flags from Mnt. Can

136you explain what happened there? >> Sure. Somebody Well, every check that you send out, even as an individual, has the bank routing number and the account number on it. And what uh scammers have been doing is taking the routing number and the account number and putting it on check stock and creating their own checks and then sending the checks out and signing them and they get processed through the bank. And when you reconcile, you sit there and you find these things. So to be really honest, this is a really big problem for us right now. It's something that we're dealing with the bank. Um Lisa has been reconciling the bank account and this weekend she identified some additional transactions that were not checks that were a transactions. So, um we have been dealing with Mnt

137on this issue related to um you know, we're probably going to end up having to change our account. Not for any reason that you're not going to get this to happen again, but just because we I believe our number our numbers are circulating out there. >> Not only do we have the check issues, Rob, we have some AC issues. So in an a transaction, someone um outside from the bank is requesting to pull funds from our account and the M&T Treasury Department is sitting there and should be flagging those and identifying those transactions and cutting them off right then and there. We're now in the process and Lisa has gone through Monday, Tuesday trying to get the bank to sit there and identify uh that these are transactions that we have not requested be completed.

138So, >> and as things stand, do we have a sense for what the financial impact of this is to the town? >> Oh, it should be zero. >> Okay. That's what I'm hopefully. Right. is >> it's an it's a nuisance. It is something that, you know, >> Lisa didn't sign up for. >> I mean, to be really honest, she she sat there and >> identified. So, listen, I I'll just tell you, she's she's been >> uh completing the reconciliations on the accounts. Um, and our account setup is a little a little interesting, but she she is good. And over the weekend, she was doing January's reconciliation. So, she's getting up. She's finishing the general account and reconciling for the month of January. And then she's sending information saying, "Jeff, here are these transactions that are

139on our account. What do what do I do with these and what are they?" And I'm like, "Those are fraud." So, to be really honest, on Sunday, was it Sunday? >> Yeah. >> Was it Sunday? It was >> I think so. Yeah. It Sunday I was there doing it. Yes, >> it was Sunday. And um because to me it's a big deal. I was on the phone with the bank for two hours trying to get through their to their treasury and fraud department to sit there and just get it on record that we've identified these transactions and you need to deal with it. Well, the first time I was on for the hour, they hung up on me. And then the second time I was on for the hour, I got through and they said

140they couldn't do anything for us because if if it was a credit card transaction, they could help me. But with being an a transaction, they couldn't. So Jim returned from uh his trip and uh he communicated with Mnt on Monday and we're in the process of getting this resolved, but there should be zero financial consequence to the town because we didn't approve the transactions, >> right? Just checking. I mean, I didn't know if they weren't caught at a certain period of time or there, you know, we could be up a creek. So that's why I asked. And even the checks the checks if I understood this correctly the checks were identified by Mnt's fraud department. >> The said in the report. Yeah. >> The AC transactions were not >> we found those. >> Lisa, we

141didn't find those. Lisa follows. >> Lisa. Thank you, Lisa. >> It looked rather strange. I appreciate that rundown because it would been n it been rattling around in the back of my head since our last >> meeting. None of these should have any impact. None of these should have an impact on us. >> Okay, that's that's good to hear. >> Yeah, I can't promise you that, but we are working on it. >> Yeah, we are. >> Right. That's that's that last bit. You can't promise me that. That was that was you know word way through my head but hopefully we get through this and Mnt is stand up about it and we uh and we end up owing nothing but okay well thank you for that rundown that just have been bugging me. So, you

142know, other than the things we've already discussed, the RAM presentation, the preliminary numbers that Lisa has sent around to us, do any of the members of the boards have anything else they want to bring forward tonight? You know, we are at almost two hours in. So, >> are we gonna discuss the email that we got? Um, you talked about the attorney opinion regarding our roles and responsibilities to the budget. >> I mean, I personally wanted more time to read through it and digest it. I have I've read through it, but I've read through it skimming it frantically about an hour ago, not an hour ago, an hour before our meeting started. Um, and it's also my understanding that um, we may be getting an opinion from the a board of ed attorney. So I my

143thought is why don't we talk about that uh either next time or on our March 4th meeting >> and it has to be on your agenda because this is a special meeting. >> This is a special yeah >> meeting is a regular our next meeting is a regular meeting. So we can add and delete uh to those you know to that agenda as we will. >> Yeah. You don't need to discuss that. You don't need to discuss that here tonight. you need to be aware of it. And and I'm I'm all for Shipman and Goodman sitting there and providing an opinion in the town having to spend more money on that because the lawyer that writes the or has written the educational law book is Shipman and Goodman. So, let's go. So, you know, I

144think it's I think that's interesting in and of itself, but read the opinion and then we can all discuss. And I would also tell you one other thing. Go look at every other town and go look at the other towns and and their board of finance and what they do. That's all you got to do. So let's go next time. All right. Well, I think that's the right call to give people to some time to digest it. And you know, we have a meeting in a week and it's a regular meeting, so we can do what we want with the agenda right at the beginning of the meeting, additions, deletions, etc. Um, given that we're two hours in and I've kind of worked through my little list, you know, if I if I hear nothing

145further from the board members, then I'd like to do a round of uh public speak and go ahead and move to adjournment. Is uh everybody okay with that? Anybody have any objections, thoughts? Any any other board of selectment meet members have any comments? >> Right. >> Anybody on the board of finance have any comments to share? Let's >> both boards. >> Let's do it. Well, hearing none, I guess I'll go around um and ask for public comment before we wrap this up. So, I don't think we have as many people left. Let's see. That's That's Lisa. That's okay. Joanne, just wanted to say good luck in the process. I know it's a long one. And I want to commend the treasurer for all her hard work and efforts and seems to be doing a wonderful

146job there. that will be so helpful in such a new new staff members in your building. Thank you. >> Thank you for coming. Um on the agenda, it doesn't mention public speak after. >> No, does it not? I apologize. I I had when I pulled up Sorry. When I pulled up one of the other PDFs, it killed my meeting agenda. I don't know why my computer's doing that. >> Um All right. Normally, we do two rounds in our meetings. That's the reason I just by creature of habit I I just defaulted to it. It's not on the agenda. I don't know. We might want to >> want to put that back in there. We usually do a public comment at the end of our meetings. So maybe next meeting we can alter the agenda for

147that purpose. But if the agenda is what it is and I'll abide by it. Thank you, Louise. >> Okay. >> Um but again everybody for if you didn't get heard uh at the end of this meeting just you know we have a meeting in a week. Uh if you can make it great. Um, and as I mentioned to everybody here, I will reach back out to Valerie and see if she can come and present to us. 25th, we'll make sure the recording happens. Liz and uh, and everybody else help me. You know, let's make sure on this one because this is now a couple times we've had a little bit of a snafu. We have some members who aren't here. >> Not so easy to >> It's I'm focusing on, you know, trying to get

148the meeting going and apologies. I am still new at this and I just missed it. All right. Uh in that regard, do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> We'll make a motion to adjurnn. I'll second that. >> Thank you. You too. Any discussion? >> All right. All in favor? >> I I >> Any opposed, etc. All right, everybody. Thank you very much. Um, we have a lot more to do. So, I'll see you >> next week. Oh, reminder 6 pm start >> next week. We had start. >> Yes. >> All right. Y >> uh hopefully I will not have any trouble getting home in time from work for that. Uh and uh if I have to scoff something down here in between our agenda items, bear with me. All right, guys. Thank you very

149much and we'll see you