001Please stand for the republic of the United States of America and to the stands one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, Dr. Will, I think we've got some acknowledgements tonight. Yes, we absolutely do. It's a very exciting evening with respect to everything and the acknowledgements. Um so I'd like to start off tonight um by acknowledging the the TEF Talent Education Foundation. Um I just want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the Talent Education Foundation. They are a dedicated all volunteer 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 2004, I think. Right? 2004. um and has spent the past more than the past two decades inspiring and funding innovative creative learning experiences across the Talon public schools. Through the generous support of local residents, businesses, and community partners, TEF has
002consistently provided grant funding for programs and resources that enrich academics, foster life skills, and extend learning beyond what is possible within the typical school budgets. In just last year, the foundation awarded more than 40,000 in grants, the largest in I believe its history, to support initiatives ranging from early childh to updated reporting equipment and educational robots and immersive field experiences and all kinds of things for all ages and abilities. The Talon Education Foundation's ongoing commitment to not only enhance classroom learning but also strengthen community investment and the success of the schools impacts and helps the growth of every TPS student. So tonight we have with us and as I read your name if you could just wave the royal wave so they know you. Uh Annne Hill, Gretchen Huta, Ola Tremble and Teresa Kerry. Thank
003you. Thank you so much for all the great things that you Before the tariffs kicked in, we were able to get >> that probably would you like to >> I would just like to say thank you very much. I've had the the pleasure of working with you a bit over the years. Um it's it's fantastic what you provide to our schools and our community. Um you do so many fun activities for both, you know, parents and kids. And um I just I can't tell you how much we appreciate it and I love your shirt and I just really we really appreciate you coming out tonight in the frigid weather and taking time away from your families. You already do so much volunteering. I don't know that people really understand that the amount of of time
004and hours that you put in and and you guys have been doing it for a very long time. So just appreciate you so very very much. So thank you for coming. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Do you want to take a picture? Yeah. You guys want to take a picture? Do you want to say something? >> I just What what what are some things coming up? I know there's one's there's a Wizards game, you know, that I'm excited about the Harle Wizards game which is our biggest fundraiser on March 21st. So everybody come out by come out. Um it's a fun night. Jason of course um helps he volunteers that night as our referee. So we appreciate >> and it's a great night. I mean we've sold out the last few years. We have
005almost a thousand people in attendance. You know it's a great community event. >> It's so much fun. >> So you guys want to take a picture? Yeah. do it in front of the the town's emblem. >> Sure. >> Um maybe >> Oh, maybe line up in front of the camera for just trying to move Mr. R2-D2 over here. Then everybody can and then you line up here. And then you have the >> Yeah. Yeah. Yes. >> Oh, yeah. I was doing three hours later. >> Yeah. Normally I just lifted four SUV. Yeah, right through this follow JP. >> Oh J, you want >> No, that would be awesome. Yes. >> You want mine here? I'm so serious. >> So 90% of the meetings are years away. >> All right. Well, >> all right. So, our
006next celebratory tonight um is uh is Coach Link. I don't know, many of you probably know him. He's a legend. Did I just I had to say 48 years ago and I feel like this reads like Star Wars, you know, 48 years ago, Auggie started working in Thailand as a PE teacher and during that time here served as the athletic director and coached multiple sports. Uh as a as coach Auggie accumulated over 800 wins, three state championships, and 15 division championships, his legacy continues to shape our community through those he worked with. And countless athletes have had the opportunity to learn valuable skills from Coach Link. Throughout his career, one message was always in the forefront. Do the right thing and have fun. We could al we definitely use a lot more of that. Coach
007Link can still be found running the clock at a scoreboard at all of our home basketball games and we're just so lucky to have him. Um I know Mr. McCcluskey is here tonight too to um to also speak to the the wonderfulness of Coach Len. >> I'll just if I can jump in please do. >> Um just a couple things. >> Yeah. I actually started in 1968 before there was a full high school in the old high school. Only went up to 11th graders and I retired from teaching after 35 years. Uh about 22 years ago. So it's actually been 57 years I've been associated with Paul School. >> Well, thank you. >> I can tell you right now I've loved everyone. you know, used to joke with my wife a lot because I loved
008what I was doing with teaching and coaching that I never worked a day in my life. And that's the way I felt for me. It was not work. It was not work. It was something that I really loved, something I was meant to do. I graduated from Springfield College in 1968. And the numbers are a little bit off. I I bet four 820 and I had four state championships. >> It was a surf team. But actually that's all I want to jump in and just inct a couple. >> Thank you. >> Um so uh I was both went to Springfield College, but we were not there at the same time. But um I say all the time that uh I've only ever met two people in my life that went to Springfield College and I
009kind of questioned how they got in. Um Coach Link is clearly one of the people that um you know definitely deserves to be in there. He's just a great individual. Um when I first got here to Talin um and I heard that we had someone that was all set to run the clock at basketball games and I didn't have to find anyone. I was like it's a good job. Um and then I got to meet Auggie. uh he came in and uh we went over some things and introduce myself to him and for the last five years anytime Augie comes in and work on a schedule or whatever I'm blessed that he always takes time to sit down has a conversation with me we talk about teaching we talk about coaching he talks about you
010know what it was like being an athletic director and what it you know it's like now and and uh it was just nice to be able to have someone that would you know just really take the time to you know to to do that for you. And every single time he left my office, I just felt calm and I just felt like I was cared for and and um I just I'm glad that he's sticking around and that you know when he said he was done coaching that it wasn't you know I'm double basketball too. So um around as long as we can everything >> everything Yeah. You name it. It's like I said he spent some time talking with with Auggie and and it's just uh it's an absolute joy and and a a
011pleasure every single time. I appreciate >> want to thank him for that. Tim, I you know I uh actually stopped coaching at the end of May, the beginning of June and I got to tell you I'm still uh I haven't quite grasped it yet because I've been doing it for it seems like my whole life and I loved it so much and I miss it already. >> But it was time to let somebody else take over and and and get the job done. But I really, really enjoyed my experience here in Taland. Loved it here in Talin. Two boys went here. Both went to Talland High School. We all played soccer at Springfield College. Um my my oldest son's PE teacher down Madison school systems. >> He uh he coached boys varsity soccer at Han
012High School for 10 years and he's now the u um unified coach. I don't know if you're familiar with our unified program. >> Yeah, he coaches unified team for hand high school both fall, winter, and spring. So >> Talin was nothing but great for me and my family and I really appreciate the chance to be involved with the educational system here for all these years and what all of you guys have done for me. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. >> Thank you. >> So we have this plaque for you. adult presented to Audi Link in grateful appreciation of your years of dedicated service to the student athletes of town public schools. Your leadership, guidance, and unwavering commitment have shaped futures, inspired excellence, and strengthened our community. Thank you for making a
013difference. >> MS here. question. >> Coach, you coach, you've been the golf coach recently, right? >> Yeah, I golf coach for the last 48 years. >> So, Jaden, Jaden and I coached baseball together. This is a guy we're losing baseball players. >> Yeah. No kidding. >> Like, maybe we'll stop losing baseball players now to the golf team. I mean, go for it. If you give me some tips on my swing need some help. >> I appreciate you. >> We going to expect you two up here in how many years? >> Yeah, I need some, you know, he'd be a great mentor. >> Got a lot to live up to. >> Lot to live up to. >> Coach Link, I just wanted to say that um last year was my first time um going to the
014uh sports award night for the spring. my son was playing freshman baseball and I heard you speak about um your golfers and it was just very obvious how much that you cared for them and how much that you loved doing what you were doing. Um you were speaking about one very excellent um golfer too at the time and you could just really see that it was a big piece of your heart. So thank you so much. >> Well, I appreciate that. Nice to meet you. >> I should add this. Um, yeah, I got a lot of wins, but it it wasn't me. I'm I'm telling you the truth here. 48 years, first year here, okay? I knew a little bit about golf, but I was a baseball coach at the time. I was call coaching
015JB baseball here. A couple kids came to me and said, "Hey, can you coach the golf team?" I said, "Sure, I'd love to." That first year won our league. We won the state tournament. 1977, Evie Tantillo Dave Cop at six. You might know Mike Copsick. It's his old brother and the two new twins. So that gives you an idea. You know, it wasn't me. It was I was just I felt like I was a chauffeur driving and we won a state championship and then just a lot just recently we were won a state championship two years ago and this year we're runner up in a state tournament. So again, it's the individuals that I've been lucky enough to get that has really done all the hard work and I was just in the right place
016at the right time. So that's it was a blessing to have all those great golfers over all those years. So was enough wasted enough of your time. >> Can we take Can we take a picture of you before you leave? The golfers here's made sure >> I feel like one of the >> standal two All right. Well, that was awesome. >> That was awesome. >> Thank you. >> Well, thank you. >> Thank you very much. You're not here to speak at somebody and every somebody's sporting bank but every year that swing >> with that impressive record >> they're losing it >> and then >> it's not going too it's not going to select connected high school coaches. Association Hall of Fame. >> Whoa. Nice. >> Back back in uh 2022, just after the CO year.
017And I think a lot of it, like I said, was longevity. You know what I mean? Not not too many guys spoke 48 years. >> Not too many people make an impact on as many people as you have. >> From the the things that I've heard with the golf team, it was it was a family. >> Yeah, that's what I hope it will. Yeah. And I, you know, again, some of those my two of my biggest tents was the number one reason why kids play sports. I learned this as a an athletic director. >> You know why? The number one reason for me, their coach? No. Anybody want to take a guess? >> A lot of everybody, my friends do this, that to have fun. >> Amen. >> Oh my god. Well, I used to
018drill this into my coaches uh when I was an athletic director, my younger. I'd say, "Hey, look, so this is supposed to be quality, >> not only for your kids, but for you." >> And then I use the other one, do the right thing. Well, what's that? That's a nebulous term. That means everything. But it can be specific. But if you do the right thing every day and you come prepared, um, good things happen to you. And that's what I would try to get across to him. And good things did happen to him and good things definitely happened to me. And it was a win-win for everybody. So those are the two big things that I hope get carried on and I'm sure they will with Tim's leadership. You know, kids having fun and kids
019doing the right thing and and good things will happen. >> We need more of you in this one. >> Thank you. Maybe you coach some of us. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> All right. One more acknowledgement. Dr. Bullet. >> Okay. >> So, I also wanted to take an opportunity tonight um to acknowledge our art students. Got our TIS art students. We ran out of time um last time, but I do want to kind of put it up there for you. um the artwork that was displayed at the um public library. I think we had over 60 kids um and participate that evening and it really is like an art show with you know giving um flowers and all kinds of awesome things that you'd see at uh any any other art show at any other
020fine gallery. So our fine gallery is the library. They did a fantastic job, the TIS kids, um, with their various works and I will acknowledge them by by name. Laura Woo, Grace Bondi, Addie Skley Skinner, Natasha Dizzen, Kamya Nelson, Old Renu, Annabelle Ignat, Kaden Singer, Emil Senk, Kendall Ras, Victoria Martinez, Raymond Mitchell, Kiona Maggie, Amelia Carlson, Junith Dashkun, Annie Stroley, Victoria Martinez, Railen Mitchell. So, these kids did amazing job. They were honored um for their artwork at TIS um a few weeks ago and we're just so thankful to have them in our district making every day just a little bit nicer for everybody. >> Great. And I love seeing their pictures on the um superintendent's Facebook page after their families. And >> yeah, >> up for the month of February. >> What's up? Yeah, >>
021they're they're going to be up through >> they will every month. Yeah, we're doing them. And um you know kudos to the library. They they did a fantastic job. Talin Public Library, you know, in so many ways. It's just fantastic. And they are sponsoring these events, you know. Um just just it's awesome. They're awesome. Awesome staff. It's a great resource for Tom. >> Great. Thank you. >> You said Maryanne, the director there is great. You said how many students were? There were 60 60 families involved. 60 kids. 60 people showed up for that. That's awesome. Great. Thank you. >> All right. Can we bring Coach Link back and spend the evening with him? >> I know, right? We need more >> in this more of him in this world cuz his the vibe in this
022room >> when he is speaking was just keeping >> seriously singing like this. >> We'll invite him to all future meetups. >> Amen. >> Um, okay. Are there any additions to the agenda? Seeing none, um I will entertain a motion for the approval of the January 14th six minutes. >> Second. >> Actually, I think we could do just do a um a vote on this. So, uh all in favor? >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Nope. That passes unanimously. Thank you. >> Uh so public participation, the members of the talent board of education welcome members of the public to share their thoughts and ideas at this time. When appropriate to do so, members of the board and the administration may respond to comments during points of information. However, in consideration of those in attendance and in
023an effort to proceed in a timely manner, follow-up discussion may need to take place outside of meeting setting. >> Okay, Dr. Will, you got the timer ready? >> Thank you. All right, we'll go to the room first. Anyone like to speak? Do I have to get up? >> Heather McN 62 Press and Drive. I just wanted to say that it's such a breath of fresh air to start meetings on a positive note. I think that's it's such a great thing that you guys do. Um, and it just feels a lot better in here when I come to the BOE meetings and, you know, when go to the town council meetings of late. So, I hope we can keep this civil, friendly, upbeat interactions. um especially during budget season. But I did want to suggest I
024know um unfortunately the uh budget workshops, they never tend to go as we want. We just don't get the attendance. I I haven't gone the last couple years. I have gone in the past and at that time the attendance was low. And I was just wondering if it would be beneficial to do like how town council does where they have the individual departments come and talk to the uh the council about their needs. Um so you have the the administrators of the departments from the schools come in and talk about their needs. So so everybody's already here. It's on record. It's recorded. We can disseminate it. We can share it. Um, and I think you you'll get more viewership then and you'll have more people listening. So, just a suggestion and I do think a
025rebrand maybe. >> Thank you. >> All right. Going to online. Would anyone online like to speak at this time? If you would please put up your online hand. Seeing none, back to the room. >> Sure. Uh, hi Mary Rose 37 Ryan Road. Um, as we start talking about the budget, and I know we're not just starting and talking about the budget, um, I just ask that, and I don't think any of you have actually done this, but I don't like the word transparency because I actually don't think there's anything secret about our budget. I think our budget might be hard to understand, and that's very different. So, um, and you know, it is accessible, but sometimes it seems cumbersome. So, I think really the way we talk about things go a long way. have people
026that trust the process. It's not an easy process. It's a long process and everyone's not going to be happy, but using the right verbiage and and talking about it such a way that people can feel like they can understand it, I think is extremely important. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, going once more online. Okay, seeing none, I think we can close out publication. Dr. Moving on to correspondence. >> Um, we had two emails over the last few weeks since last meeting. One regarding safety and security, specifically what's going on in our country with the ICE situation. Uh, as well as another one regarding the Talon cross country programs. Um, having some ideas on supporting that as well. >> Uh, next is points of information. Would any board members like to share anything
027at this time? >> Joel. >> Yeah. I just want to thank Mr. Willlet and his staff workshop as uh we're you know in the middle of the um budget season that uh gave us a good opportunity to ask some of these questions. I know it wasn't as favorable for some of the um community especially with the lack of participation but thanks to uh Dr. Willlet and his staff. And I also want to give a little shout out to uh TIS and their uh cute little spirit week that they're had this last week and yeah seeing little little Dr. Willlet in the interview. So you had an opportunity you haven't had an opportunity to go and see it. >> Yeah. >> Well they said you tried to send it in here so you don't have to
028be here. That's what I was talking about. Um >> was just having a mini doc. >> So yeah if you get a chance you haven't seen it go online and look that on Facebook. It was actually really neat to have to see the kids having a good time with it too was it was really nice to see. That's it. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Um I again wanted to thank for the workshop. I always love the workshop and I spend extra time I think I was the last person to I would say get kicked out. I could spend uh hours all day talking uh to our administrators and staff. Um I I will say over the years um when I first um was involved in one of those rounds, I do remember being down in
029that library room and it was full full of community members. Then CO hit and things changed obviously and then we ended up doing them in the high school and going into separate rooms. But I thought we did the best we could with the resources we had with the situation that we had going room to room. So, I'm glad that we're back in that venue. Although, I really appreciate the idea um what you were saying again, we have to be cognizant of their time. I don't know if it's a special meeting earlier in the evening, but I definitely think that's something that we should discuss because I think there was only four community members and um one of them was from the Talon Education Foundation that was there and some of some of our folks that
030are consistently at our meetings and I definitely think we need to get that information out and if it is in a in a public meeting and having it recorded, I have attended u the town council when they do present that book. Um, Chief Lel presented this budget and so on. So something I know is a little bit different. I think we could probably try to get creative. I don't want to rewrite the book, but I think that it's a definitely a great uh great thought and um something we should look into. So I do appreciate that. Um, and man, did I just love tonight with the boys and it did set off the tone. So >> anybody else? Uh, thank you. Um, I just, you know, wanted to echo some of the the sentiment that's
031been shared in the room tonight and, uh, suggest some additional support for how we are messaging our budget process to the community, right? We we very specifically put in community engagement in our goals this year. Um and um I think that it would behoove us to have, you know, really a comprehensive kind of communication process that surrounds this this process that's really so integral to what we do as a board of education. Um and um especially for for some of us new folks, right, to to really understand the role that we play in the advocacy of the budget when we get there, right? Um, and uh, we all know that the budget's going to have to go to a referendum. Um, and eventually a budget's going to be ha be passed at referendum. Um, and
032so I think it's important that we work together um, as much as possible to get to a place where we're all feeling um, supportive of the budget. Maybe not comfortable, but supportive um, and and use our our voices in town to have an expeditious referendum here. Anybody else? >> Yeah, it's negative Nancy over here. >> Um, I agree with everything you folks just stated. Uh, the rounds last week, how the budget gets communicated to the public and and the words that we use in this room, you know, the meeting uh last night, I heard the town versus board of ed again, and it just drove me nuts. And so, um, so sorry to be negative, but it it just drives me nuts. And so we're we're hitting our head against the wall uh with verbiage
033already. So um it is my hope that we can work in this room to mitigate that as much as possible which many of us have in years past already which I'm grateful for. And so um that which brings me to my next point which I'll I'll keep very minimal. Um to the other public participation point here. Um, I am also very grateful that at least to start the first 3 months of this term. Um, we've seen a lot of what we saw sort of last term, which is that we can hash it out, get it all out. Let's figure it out, but we all are aligned in where we want to go, right? We all want to end somewhere positive for whether it's taxpayers, students, teachers, staff, who whoever it might be. And so it
034is my hope, especially after the last few meetings that were not on Wednesdays, um that that we can maintain that in here. I won't get specific, Brian. I won't get specific, but um it's my hope that we maintain that in here because it, you know, none of us ran to be combating with each other and fighting each other. That's, you know, go sign up for a boxing class or something in that case, you know, but that's not what this is. And so, um especially on a day like today where that famous those famous words have never been much of a religious person. love thy neighbor, right? You never know what people are going through. Um, you know, and it doesn't matter how recent, how far distant it it is. So, um, but especially on a
035day like today, um, you know, it I think it's important for us to all figure out how to work with each other regardless of, you know, where we come from, what we think, you know, whatever. So, stay aligned and and that's my hope. So, thank you all for at least giving me that sense of and then coach makes it 10 times better. The talent education foundation makes it that much better. I mean, and the art and I 60 people, I'm telling you. So, there's a lot of positives and I and I hope that we can harp on that in this room and keep do. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, just one quick comment. I I would like to We got a lot going on tonight, but I would like to see uh
036possibly discussion further down the road regarding having the departments come and have a presentation on record. I think they would go a lot um I I think that idea is very very good in getting the public involved in what the schools are actually asking for in a verbal more concise manner instead of trying to dig through you know 100 plus pages five six seven appendixes and all kinds of charts and graphs it'll be more um I think concise thorough u presentation I think might bode well. Obviously, it's a little bit for this year, but I I think for next year, you know, maybe after we get back from the summer break, we can maybe talk about how we can get some of these put into the following year's, you know, couple calendar um or a
037couple meeting dates on how we can set up an agenda for them to come. >> I think I was thinking along the same lines. I know we got a lot going on tonight, but I think, you know, let's move this talk. >> Yeah. No, I definitely think >> we can brainstorm on this. I think we used to do we used to do something a little bit different where there was a little bit more of a presentation piece. So, >> to have them all here and then that was felt to be too disconnected and you didn't get to do follow-up questions. So we did the >> rotation workshop we currently do for that reason >> because it was it was always a them you thing >> and then um >> you you you never there was
038a feeling that you never really got a chance to talk to them and really drill down on things. So that's why these the castle does have more dates, >> right? >> It has these days like three or four or five days for those kinds of things. So that that you don't have unfortunately that time you have to get it done in a in a month. >> Yeah. >> Um but but that is why we went to the rotation workshop was because people felt like they didn't get a lot out of that. >> Like here they are and >> you know wasn't much time but >> there's five minutes. >> There's always some ideas. I think I think your timeline is right. I think maybe in the fall. >> Yeah. >> We should definitely bring that
039up. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, >> J. I was going to say I think there's also there's sort of two different missions involved. Like for us, you kind of have to do it. It's very compressed, right? So to have everybody do each department do a 10-15 minute presentation that's going to eat it up the whole time and we're not going to have time for for you know questions and sitting down, right? >> But the voters want to have that information in time for a referendum, right? So you could potentially have um a department come in, you know, you have to look at how many meetings we have, but you could have a department or two come in for, you know, 10 minutes each and then if it if it fits the agenda, right? And so
040you can spread that out over the course of the, you know, the year. Whereas the workshop thing and you know, it it's going to be what it's going to be. But um so my point was that maybe that is something we could consider doing you know sometime later this year at least a couple couple nights of it. Not to not to dominate the whole night but just to give departments a chance to to say their piece as well. Good. >> Okay. Anybody else? No. All right. Moving on. Uh next is student representatives reports. Uh they're unable to be here tonight. So we will move on to committee and liaison reports. So, we actually have some of those tonight. Jaden, would you like to start with policy? >> Yeah, there was only one item on the
041agenda was related to policy 1010. Um um building use fees and whatnot and updating those. I don't Dr. Will, you can correct me if I'm wrong. They haven't been updated in a long time, about a decade or so, something along those lines. So, uh this morning there were a lot of good questions asked and and uh the conversation has been tabled. um that way we can be provided two different versions of what already exists but with um you know with more spec specificity on the search charges and and and how that affects pricing and whatnot. So um if there's anything else to add Dr. Willlet feel free to do I guess but um only one policy u discuss this more so >> Brian did you have communications yet? >> Yes we did. Yeah, we uh
042just kind of highlighted uh touch base on the new two new community members who are board members who are on that committee and then also kind of our role and what we're going to kind of put out for the budget and just kind of also went over the uh Facebook and website and a few other things that we use as board members and also as just Walt theme and the schools and how they communicate with parents and so any new any new communication methods for the budget that you >> uh we're still brainstorming. Yeah, we have some I think we're going to still go with what we did last year. We get closer to whatever was passed the number four more or less pushing with the town and not putting a thumb on the scale
043but just kind of providing the data. >> Okay. >> And then we're still bringing a few other things. >> Okay. >> So, yes, we had a compress meaning before the rounds. um focus on budget um and I think we we are going to extend that conversation over the next couple of our evenings. >> Okay. And then there council meeting with town council and new board of that town council join >> Joel curriculum. >> Yeah, we had a first meeting this afternoon at 5:30 p.m. and uh the one item on the agenda was uh discussing our curriculum topics for the year. Um, so we brainstormed and and uh gave uh Dr. Willlet some ideas and thoughts. We're going to take home our our ideas and thoughts and bring them back to him for our next meeting
044so that we can put this together and have it set up for the whole year. >> That's it. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Nothing to report from negotiations like me do every meeting. >> Uh, all right. Moving on to the chairperson's report. Um I don't have anything um specifically written down tonight. We have a we have a pretty hesty agenda. Um but I did want to say now that you know coach link in here inspiring us and he said at the end that um one of the things that always told his kids were was do the right thing and how that can be something that's very specific and it can also be something that's really general. Right. So um I think we've touched on a few things already just in our comments. you know,
045we had a great meeting with our staff and administration um last week and you know, when you when you talk to them every year, you know, I'm always impressed that their priority is really doing the right thing by our students and our staff and they really give us so much information um on that and um we're really lucky to have people that care as much as they do. Um, and then you talk about obviously the way that we treat each other in this room and which is of course the way that we should re treat each other, but I am also very grateful for the respect and the kindness and and how polite we are. Um, again, it's so nice to go into the discussion tonight and I really have no doubts that we will
046have a respectful conversation. Um, and of course I just want to encourage you. I want to do the right thing as well as your chair. And I just want to encourage you to, you know, please stop me if you feel that you're not being heard, if you need additional time. Um, and just please, you know, use this time to ask questions and, um, you know, make comments and, you know, whatever that you say and whatever you want to discuss, especially with our board members, like bring it to the table. I think that's why you're here, right? So, um I love the fact that we have so many new people in the room and we're going to have a new conversation this year. So, thank you and let's get started. >> Um so, that brings us
047to the superintendent report which we do not have anything under this evening. Um new business, >> new business, we have nothing under. So, old business, uh we're going to do our goals conversation first. Unless you want to move it. It's up to you. >> No, tonight we Well, Dr. Willlet will tell us what we have to do next for goals. I think we can I think we can do goals, right? >> Right. So, um you congratulations. You are entering the last phase of the goal process. Um and you've done very good job with that. Um, as you might recall, we had a structure for how the goals played out this year and how they were going to um, you know, kind of end where you went through the process of brainstorming and narrowing and and
048then ultimately determining. Now, this final stage is where you take the goals that you have uh, you know, that you have created and we talk about um, you know what the oops, I put it in the wrong column. for each of the goals. Uh and you talk about what your expectations are going to be, what you feel like the conditions of success will be. You know, what are you willing to support to ensure expectations can be met? Um you know, what kinds of evidence would you be looking for from me to be able to do that? Um I can recommend some things and what will we need to do to gain community support for the goal. So actually the goal should be in this columnary goal. Um but for each of these areas we talk
049about one two three and four. Um so without further ado we would be looking at you know goal one what are our greatest hopes for the district in this area. >> Okay the floor is open. Anyone have any ideas? I'm trying to get to the zoom so I can actually read it. >> And you have access to >> go dashboard. You can go into the whole process. >> Much easier to look at >> number five. >> Yeah. If you look at what I'm doing, you're going to get seasick. I'm just trying to move these things over dashboard. >> This is also on the dashboard. Well, >> I'm looking for the pathway and how you get to the on the dashboard now. What am I clicking to get to where you're at? >> If you go
050to the goal pro just F and say goal process site and we're on step five. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yep. Yep. >> It was right in my middle of my face. Thanks. >> Right in the middle. >> I will stop moving this around in a minute. Having all these issues. >> All right. So essentially this um you know and and you can also push this to next time but you're thinking about how you're going to do that. This is where we take the goals that you created and really come up with how you plan on us getting those things done from the what do you you know what are your greatest hopes for it? What are you willing to to support to make sure it's met? You know what do you want me
051to do? And how are you going to get the community to work with you? or >> Okay. So, starting with goal one with the budget, I think my greatest hope would really be that we focus on that public trust. I want them to realize that, you know, it's not us against them. It's you we we're trying to do the best for the students and be financially responsible. That's what we keep talking about. And I think we want the public to trust the process and to understand what's going on. So, I think that's my greatest hope is that maybe this year, this this maybe this is the year where they they look at it and they go, "Okay, we we believe you. We believe you guys sat down and you talked and you came up with
052the best that they come up with for us." >> Very positive feedback from the community. I think that would be a great way to to like uh not um like evidence on how >> we judge that it happened. I guess I don't see you know what I but yes like that would be a great way to know we achieved the goal >> is is did we get even 51% positive community for you know >> yeah number three would be more or less system kind of >> what do you say what are your indicators of success >> yeah what is your indicator and I so I think you're right like a positive feedback from the community would be in like number three I think that would be a great way Did we do what we were
053hoping for? >> I think along with that like increased engagement. So >> right like whether whether or not even the the feedback is positive or negative just hearing from the community and hearing from the students whether that be by email or in public participation at our budgets meetings meeting I just think is always so helpful for us. So yes, certainly positive feedback that we are communicating may be better um but just feedback in general from the community increased engagement and I think that probably could go under goal four too in step three because that's also about the community engagement. >> So not necessarily that it has to be positive but that maybe that we are maybe last year you know we had 10 people attend the meeting maybe this year we had 12 you know.
054>> Yeah. Well, that's great. JP, >> have you ever done like a formal um a formal post on Facebook once a month or a formal something in in the patch once a month? I mean, what what what have we and and if this is something we want to take more time with some other time, that's fine. I'm just sort of brainstorming a little bit. Um and what what venues have we tried to use other than sort of ad hoc people complain and we answer them you know have we have we tried any venues proactively you know so putting the question there out there >> you're specifically asking regarding budget communication >> yeah but yeah budget you know process where are we in the process why you know hey here's what we did this month and
055here's why >> you know um people are going to hear numbers put out there even while things are in process and we tried to >> you know I don't know what that what it would look like if it would be a monthly status kind of a thing and how many people would even engage with it um or if it would be something I mean my sense is you know people we do have some fairly active town groups on on Facebook u you know is that a something we could be leveraging >> like something for the communication committee Yeah, I think it's hard because um and Darc me if I'm wrong, but I mean a lot of things do get posted to a lot of the public groups. I mean obviously like there's public community groups
056and then there's school groups, but none of those are officially board of ed groups. Um our official Facebook when it comes to Facebook would be the superintendence um page and that's really the safest way because it implement people clicking into our information and whatnot. Um, and we do I don't know that we necessarily just do do something monthly, but there there are budget updates on the superintendent's page on Facebook. >> Yeah, there's there's weekly uh we send out weekly um bulletins that put it in at the top. We use the Facebook um you know account and put it out there. Um we do put out sometimes direct messages through the communications committee as we get closer. will put out some direct um messages with um final site those directly to their email and their text
057um linking them to information and reminders. Um I do have superintendent community forums every month where people can zoom in virtually. There's no agenda. They can ask any question they want for both faculty and the community. um you have these meetings uh where you highlight the budget and we do try to emphasize that there we have these um so we we we've got um our texting our direct messaging our bulletins um you know and our community sort of forums but um you we're willing to consider anything I know the communications committee had also talked about you know all of these and making sure links are available on this and the website too so We just put out too. >> What's that? >> The minutes of the concise, you know, meeting of what was actually discussed,
058decided, talked about is also foot forth too. >> I'll do some video sometime, 60 seconds. The superintendent and I'll profit. We have a budget meeting and budgets coming up and things like that. >> Um, we do have a new thing coming out called 10 and 10. It's like 10 questions in 10 minutes and it's actually shorter than that. The first one's going to be about our reading programs, but we could do one on budget. So we could interview one of you or the chair and the vice chair and have a 10 and 10 where we you know we go through 10 items. The the purpose there is people know it's not it doesn't go on forever and ever. It's 10 minutes so they can listen to it in an audio file. They can watch it
059in a video but it won't take up more than 10 minutes of their time. So we're trying different things. Um >> yeah and I think we utilize like um we utilize patch and the ji and things like that I think more for you know caucus statements or the chair and the vice chair coming together or not but I I certainly wouldn't be opposed to you know maybe if the communication committee wanted to put something together and take bring it to the board that we could all agree on to put you know to put in patch or or ji something with some basic information if we wanted to to spread that further I I would think that that would be something great for us to entertain. >> And for starters, I mean, it sounds like Walt
060has some things that I'm I certainly wasn't aware of. You know, I could do a better job of making sure that I'm dialed into those and reposting them and things like that. >> For sure. >> Yeah. Um I wonder JP if some of the complaints about not knowing about stuff is because those people aren't on the board of ed email stuff. >> I'm part of it. >> Is it possible, Dr. Willlet that during the budget that we actually use the board of ed and the the town email blast so that everyone that is on the board of ed in town gets those whether they have a child in school or not. >> Sure. >> We can send >> and I think that would help >> with a certain Oh, never mind. I was just going
061to say just as a communications I know what Walt does put out like a month prior and for all the referendums and all that is stuff he's taking from the town data itself. So that is kind of some of the stuff that the town is is going to to his distribution list as well. So the town's already sending a blast and he's reiterating the same blast to our list of, you know, sign up people. So that's going to some people twice, but the town is should be getting what he is putting out just the same as what we're putting out cuz we're not trying to sway anything. We're putting out just the exact numbers. >> Right. That's what I'm saying. I think, you know, when it comes from Dr. will with board of ed information,
062you know, whether that information is regurgitated from what the town is putting out if people don't see it from the from the board of ed side. You know, they complain that they didn't know about it. And, you know, this would eliminate that issue of people thinking that they don't know about it because now they've gotten it. And I would rather get it two, three, and four times than not at all. >> Yeah. And last year we Dr. It did send out a little bit more of an elaboration just on, you know, what we were looking at was cuts and a lot of times the the town's information is just the basic by department. >> This elaborated a little bit more on how the the referendum affected the board of education. >> So, and then we
063saw such a a huge um outpouring of, you know, comments and questions that went out because like um Bill says, when the superintendent sends it out, people tend to pay attention. So maybe even just that going through the town blast would be >> would be helpful. But you're right. I mean a lot of the basic information and the dates to vote and things like that that does already come out through the time blast. >> So um I think all this um discussion about communication and community engagement is really important. The part of this goal that um I'm uh really focused on is develop and execute budget that supports the district's goals and long-term financial stability. Um this budget, from what I can tell, is riddled with, well, we cut that last time and now we
064have to make up for it. and um you know well we got behind on that and we didn't fund that and um I think that you know focusing on the long-term implications of some of these decisions right some of the kind of cursory discussions about things that could be cut are actually costsaving measures for the district in the long run and um I think that success looks like having a budget that's sustainable and doesn't further put us in a whole um year over year. >> Working any of that in anywhere, Josh? >> Yeah. >> So, uh expectation or condition for success. Can you restate it just so I can >> um uh that the the budget is um sustainable year-over-year and prioritizes uh long-term cost-saving measures. >> Okay. Anybody else? on certain I fully support
065ex everything McKenzie just said. So that's that one's bad. Um the second thing is hand no problem. The second thing is um the positive feedback from the community. I do like that just my question is what quantifies positive what or qualify whichever works we could we get and you'll you'll get you know there's emails where you know I appreciate how well you guys worked together and I'm I'm grateful for the timeline and how quickly you got this done I hate the budget it's often shame on you for passing this so that's where that's where we would just have to flesh out for my brain of I'm a visual learner so I just have to try to map out where positive negative where they are individually located and then where's the sort of split or we
066don't necessarily include the positive but we focus on the feedback part of it. I don't know. So I was I was just going back to that point because I like it. I just don't know again I've got I need a way to digest it is the best way. >> I felt like the le Oh, I felt like you were kind of talking about how the budget is communicated. >> Yes. So it's not positive. Hey, we like it. >> Gotcha. >> Nobody wants to spend more money, right? >> Nobody's gonna be happy. Right. Right. None of none of us have an unlimited fund. Right. If you do, I'd like to meet you. Um so, exactly. That's where I was going to go with that. I think by positive feedback, we >> in the trust. >> Do
067you trust us? Do you trust the process? Not necessarily me as a person. Do you trust me? Do you trust the process? Do you trust what we did as a board? Do you trust that we really, you know, are trying to put forth the best that we can for our students, our teachers, and our taxpayers, the whole group. >> Sure. >> So, I think that's where Yeah. So, yeah, you hate the budget all you want, >> but what's the process? >> You trust. >> Yes. I think and then what Bill had said about doing the town last couldn't that go under number two for that goal >> right I mean >> is it that is that a way to support and go forward yeah explore further communication methods right such as I don't know I'm
068being specific there such as you know pound Which what? Which goal? >> First goal. >> The first goal to trust matching with >> Oh, >> and there I think I think um maybe for the for the indication of success maybe adjust um for positive feedback from the community, maybe positive feedback regarding um public trust in the budget process. Yeah. Now um you know it depends on how smart bully you want to get but you could say that 80% of the feedback you receive is positive. I mean that's some very rough you know set of baseline or you could just generalize and say you know that your goal is to have generally positive% >> on Facebook lately >> I know well I just hang >> I think that's that that relates to I agree with that
069it gives us a quantifiable sort of number there my thing is where's the feedback coming from this forums that I've never looked at in my life and how am I supposed to know that is included in our numbers, right? So, as much as I want to get specific, >> you know, are we talking about correspondence directly to our board emails? Are we talking about um you know, what what what exactly are we discussing there >> and then I can get more comfortable with measuring, >> right? Think direct feedback, direct um email to the board or public participation at a meeting. That's really all I'm not going to count u >> accounts on Facebook. Yeah. No, we got 37 thumbs up. >> Well, 37 thumbs up. >> Say 37. But now, now the question is what
070who does that fall on to to measure? Right. Is that another job for Dr. Willlet? In that case, that's not fair in my opinion. Right. So, or is that is that a another job for the secretary? That's not fair. Right. So, I who, what, when, where, why? >> No, I think we bucketed things in the past. I know the town council has done that too. So, um I think the secretary could probably look at that and um dur just during the budget process at how many positives versus negative. >> Well, and I already have a spreadsheet. >> Oh, great. Spreadsheet um for that because we are going to get inundated >> and inundated with budget >> emails. So, uh, I do have that because regular weekly or bi-weekly correspondence is typically pretty attainable, but when
071you start with budget season, >> um, your your email is going to be blown, >> right? >> So, 100%. We want to be able to talk about what the actual feedback is regarding that, what our town people are are saying to us and what they want to see us doing. So, yeah, I'll be happy to to do that. Um, I think I'm happier when there is more correspondence across the board because that means people are paying attention and getting involved whether it's budget or not. Um, so I do um implore people to continue to to reach out and I think it goes if >> okay 80% >> you want to say the majority of feedback from the community like the majority >> it could be majorities though people select so much though right you know
072the vast majority of people that are gonna have the energy to reach out and complain. I mean, that's a kind standard customer service, you know, people that are reaching out are more often. >> They're more out to fill out >> and that's not just aces, you know. >> Well, I guess when she >> we're in a position to put like I would almost look at it as like in increase, but we didn't measure it last year. So, maybe we start here this year and then >> we can look at it if there's an increase next year. Um, do we have any ideas on what we would need to gain community support? >> I think that would be increased communication measures. >> Consistent communication >> consistent. That's a great >> Yeah, >> I'm just letting him
073catch a video. I'm sure you might get hotter sleeping. >> Yeah, I got three on the list so far. Although I don't know if you are first or Joelle is first. >> Well, >> um along with what you just said as far as increased communications encourage and that increased increased communication methods encourage people to continue to come during this period. >> Participation participation public. >> Yeah. and not just here but in the town council uh process also. And then could you add Jaden had mentioned consistent so could you add consistent communication >> to encourage public participation >> and then say >> consistent communication >> my thought behind that is we have things that go out right but maybe you know if I know it's coming out every week I get this whatever again does that
074create more work for somebody that's you know we can flesh that out but safety helps you know it just helps everybody >> yeah if you didn't catch it last week you'll catch it last week. >> Yeah. >> Y >> did you you had your hand up. Did you have more? >> No. Okay. >> Um and I don't and forgive me Brian if you already discussed this and already started with communications, but last year didn't we like have a charge of like the ticker kind of thing that we had on the main screen. >> Yeah. The ask a budget question. Yeah. Yeah. That's still there. >> We doing that again? >> Yeah, it should still be there. >> Okay. I think it was left up all year or >> like didn't we have like when you
075went on to the homepage it was like a >> it was a bulletin like a ticker and you could click it >> right. >> What was it? >> It was like right here when you logged in it said ask a question about the budget or something. >> Oh it should be on the superintendence. >> Yeah. >> Okay bulletin >> and then there's Yeah, I think it's on the superintendence page. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Were you talking about wanting it on each specific school page as well or >> I don't think something we could talk about, but I thought it was when when I log in to the Tom Board of Education website, it brings me to not the superintendent. It brings me to the district >> screen said ask the budget question. >> Yes, I
076understand what you're saying because it just happened to me now. Oh, >> school. >> It did. >> Like it just went to the Talon public schools page and not to the >> Yeah, because I had the superintendent's bookmark here and still says bookmark for Super Willis page. I guess it is, but it's not on that page. We were just in the committee meeting yet last week and was >> it's not on anything. >> It's on the talon.k12.c ct us just plain website page >> not the superintendence page >> it's on the upper right hand side of the menu bar of the superintendent page >> yeah maybe we could add it to the digital backpack >> submit >> yeah it's on the main here it's on the main main main page >> it's on the main
077main page >> I'm not on the >> that's just the normal that that one's nobody's page that's just the the district >> the landing page on the board of education Okay, >> that's okay. I typed in a superintendent and a confused. Go ahead. I was just going to make a general suggestion now that we're kind of working through this first goal. Um, this particularly particular activity is not something that I personally did my homework on and put thoughts together on what I would put in each box and what my recommendations would be. And I think we're throwing out a lot of great suggestions. Um, and now that you know some of our new folks have kind of worked through the first one or thereabouts with the greater team, could we perhaps maybe take some time
078to go back and do some more work on our own and and bring maybe some more concise conversation about this and um give it the time that it deserves. I know that we're all eager to get to the budget discussion. >> So, great. um idea. I was going to let us go through and then say um you know you want if you want to take this home and do a bit more, but I'm happy to table this now um as long as we can with the schedule. Walt, we would just have to um you know, we could come up with our ideas or we could even put them in a in a Google form or something like that to submit to you and then we would just have to go over them at our next
079meeting. >> Yeah. pre Google form that has you know it has the goal and then the one two three four >> and then we could enter them in and and regroup in the next meeting maybe it would be a little bit faster of a process. >> Yeah. Or you could push it to behind February 11th if you want to. >> Because you you probably just you probably need another budget meeting next week and then you you know between you need a February 4th one and you need February 11th one and you might maybe this happens. >> Will this disrupt our timeline for superintendent goals? >> Um I mean look you're a new board and you already have roles. Pretty amazing. So you're, you know, these are these expanded articulations. If you're doing it late February,
080early March, >> you know, then I can work off that. Um, so no, it's it should be okay. It's just these goals that we'd be creating would be for the coming, you know, obviously between March, April, May, I won't have much time to, you know, >> do that. These goals are really for a year for the coming year. >> Particularly concerned with timelines. Is that is that okay with you? >> I'm definitely okay with that. I It's not fair to you even if we come up with superintendent goals now >> to have the expectation of you accomplishing them >> for your evaluation this summer. That's not realistic. It's not fair to you. So, anything we come up with for you in my mind is really not for this evaluation. It's for the next one. >>
081Yeah. >> You could put this behind your budget process. I mean at least behind the board of ed adopted budget and we can start really doing that right after February 11th if you want. >> Is anyone opposed to doing that? >> Seeing none. Okay. So why don't we do that? Why don't we Dr. Willlet if you could um put together a Google form and all that spare time that you have >> and put it on the dashboard. Um >> but after February >> Sure. >> because you'll be focused mostly on questions. I mean 11. After February 11. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Yeah. No. And and and I think I I think I think very similarly to Bill in the sense of you know the timelines we got to start hitting our timelines and what
082not this darn word but um but this this completely makes sense for the it obviously makes sense. Would we get an updated timeline of when we should be done and so then we can follow a new like I just want to make sure that we're you know not necessarily just pushing it all and hoping we get it done and you know it gets done when it gets done. Hope there's some form of a new timeline is all I'm asking for of what we should expect and when we can get it. >> What is the what would be the meeting following the February 11th one? So that would be I think the 25th. >> So we could say that you know >> that would be the date >> we complete this on the 25th. >> Okay.
083>> Is that Dr. Will, is there anything big in that time that you think could >> Well, that's really up to you. you know, if we uh release the Google form on February 11th, that gives you, you know, the 12th through the 24th to submit. >> I think that's plenty of time, especially since we have it in your whole process at any time and take notes and then have them running for when you want them. >> So, you'll be the one doing the lifting on that. I just I'll need maybe a day to compile it all. >> Okay. So, >> all right. Go ahead. And we have the the Google form this week uh or next week put out to us just so if people want to do it in 3 days after you put
084it out or people want to wait 3 weeks and then do it just >> I think that he was looking for himself or he's going to be doing a lot of budget but >> I didn't know how long it takes to make that just a Google sheet >> well to make a fast one doesn't take long to take one that you might not find very painful. Might take a little longer. Um >> I think why don't we just give him some time and if he can get it to us earlier than that, great. >> Maybe. But I don't know what what I'd love to know is if I did because I can dedicate time wherever you want me to. But I assume where you want most of my time to go is in that big
085queue answering the questions. Right. Yeah. Right. But if um you know if I created it >> as long as you guys >> no I think >> would submit it for >> if you're give us that form you know maybe the the 12th or the 13th you know after we get the budget in we still have two weeks to do it again you you can you can still get to this data and you can write down you know your thoughts on it. >> Um I think that's fair. Go ahead. >> Can I just make a quick suggestion and then I have another statement. >> Okay. Um, if we could like just get a copy of the file that you were typing in, Dr. Willlet, and then the Google form could just be a place for us
086to upload our file. >> Yeah, you you have access to this one that I'm >> in. So, >> it's actually that step five is this document. >> Like label them and all put our thoughts into one. I don't think we should do that. Okay. I think we should wait for the Google form before we input anything. But we can view what he's already written. >> Okay. Yeah, this is actually um step five in that portal >> you have it and it's um the dashboard has that running you know when I do those BOE dashboard updates this is one of them >> so it looks like this basically was >> yeah I found that it looks like we're all >> that's step five >> yeah my suggestion was just to make the Google form so that
087we could upload our own file and not like put it all in the Google form >> I can definitely have it so you can upload your own file I you will then have um nine files to review, you know, or I can try to consolidate from nine files, but I'll need it all in the same text format. >> Yeah, I think >> Yeah. >> Um and I I will note that uh I'll be out of the country on February 25th, so I'll >> No, you're giving us homework that you want. I don't I really wanted to do the homework and I do the homework but uh I will leaving the country on >> good for you. >> Um all right so >> so we'll we'll table the activity up one day probably consolidate those and
088then we'll jump back on the horse figure. >> All right let's jump into budget. Okay, thank you for the suggestion, Mackenzie. Bill may have also selected it by >> trying not to disrupt. >> You're always free to make suggestions before the meeting. >> I don't think they kind of knew what was happening at that. >> No, I didn't either. So, I'm very teasing. Yeah, I'm very teasing. But I think because he's right. I think that we did the first one together was actually a really helpful activate >> our new members and old. Um >> so uh I I think it works out perfectly. So thank you. It was the right time. >> Dr. Bl you want to begin with anything or just jump right into >> Well, I guess um I'm just opening it all.
089So um for this particular part of the process um you have access to um these things from the dashboard. There's the FAQ I did send um and post you know those budget scenarios are also on your D on your um updates um you al you have access to the document so I guess um for me uh just throwing it out there I think um it would be on in your best interest to set up a meeting next week you know make a motion to add a meeting or instruct me to create a special meeting for you next Wednesday 7 o'clock it Hey, maybe here, but we could also actually do it in my office if you wanted to. We have chairs for public if they wanted to come, but it's a tighter environment. You know,
090m and we have some control over some of the monitors and so on. But, uh, regardless of where it is, and you can let me know where you want it, um, I'd recommend today if you can, but I don't want to take any thunder from you, Madam Chair, um, I'd recommend that you come up with some directive to me. for instance, you know, would you like to see three scenarios, you know, of different budget iterations? Um, you would you like to see those by next next Wednesday so that when you come into next Wednesday's meeting, you can consider some scenarios. Um, you're two weeks away from the publication of your budget document. So, I need next week at the end of that meeting to know what they want me to do. Um, so if you,
091you know, tell me to come up with, you know, scenario A, B, and C, I'll go off and do that this coming week as well as answering your questions. Um, and then you can, you know, deliberate on A, B, and C, um, next week and make a decision and then I'll create your books. >> Okay. So, first, um, if we'd like to, um, take a vote on add adding an additional meeting, can we do that now or do we need to move that to board action? Um, you could add that item to board action and then you can if someone makes a motion to add that meeting. Second, discuss it and vote on it and then you can add it. >> Okay. >> Well, we got to add it to board action first. So, it's
092two votes. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Motion. >> I a motion to add a meeting on February 4th. >> The the topic of adding a meeting on February 4th action. I'll second that. Wait, don't we have to make a motion? >> Oh, we got a motion to move it to action. >> Right. That's what I was motion the first motion is to to add a meeting to board action for the topic meeting February 4th action >> and then in that we will then vote. >> So I make a motion to move to add an additional meeting of February 4th for the purpose of budget discussion to board action. >> So that topic to board action. Okay, Jaden second to make sure for the video. Um, >> do Oh, it's just board action. >> Yeah. Any discussion?
093>> Okay. Any opposed? >> Oh, I'm sorry. All in favor? >> I >> Any opposed? Abstensions? No. Okay. So, that unanimously passes. So, that will be board action. >> Do we need to note N1? N1 >> sorry. >> Okay. Um so then >> so second. Yes. So um as Dr. Will explained what's helpful um at the end of this meeting is if we can give him something to work towards right for us to review at the next meeting because at the next meeting we will have to come pretty close to a decision to be able to hand this off February 11th um after our meeting to the town manager. So, um, what I would like to do is, you know, I think three scenarios probably sounds, um, sounds about right, but I'd like to have
094our discussion first and see what flushes out. I am not, um, I am not someone who likes to just throw percentages out and just work towards those percentages because I think that there's so much more that goes into our decisions. And I think for our staff and our families watching, they want to see that we're also making decisions based on, you know, certain um programs and and whatnot for school and staffing levels, etc. So, um let's see where we get to in the conversation. Um and then, you know, I'll probably give a cut off at some point and and maybe see where we are. Maybe it's really easy and we already know kind of what we're going to flush out for the different scenarios or maybe we have to have a more difficult conversation or
095maybe we do have to go for some percentages but we will not be held to those things. They're just scenario work. >> All right. So why don't I open the floor up? I'm not going to go in order because I don't think that's fair. But if you want to raise your hand um I can raise it down in the order that you raise your hand as we go. And then just um and then you know you can ask any questions at that time or um any comments and really anything that we go around once and give everybody a chance and then we can go around for a second round. >> Okay. >> So Mackenzie I saw your hand up first. Um thank you. Um, I, you know, first wanted to say, right, I appreciate all
096the work that went into, uh, putting this budget together and very much appreciated the time with the, uh, administrators last week to better understand some of the details in the budget. Um, you know, like I said earlier, right, it's clear to me that there have been areas where, frankly, we've been robbing Peter to pay Paul and it's time to pay Peter back, right? and we we have a lot of opportunities uh to um support the long-term health of our school system in this budget process. Um I'll say one thing that I noticed as I was going through the details of the budget is that there are things in this operating budget that I would expect to be capital expenses. Um and the first one that comes to mind is of course the Windows 11 desktops.
097um those should be something um that are capital and are depreciated over time. Um, but I've also done a little bit of research on, you know, things like textbooks and things like that. And those are, um, can be considered capital expenditures, right? They're they're not one-time purchases. They're used year-over-year. Um, and so there's also some groupings, and I put some of these in the questions. Um, but there's some groupings of, um, a lot of lines that say supplies and materials, right? And so I'd love some clarity on what is in supplies and materials. Um, and it's like almost every department has supplies and materials and looking at, you know, like the library has periodicals and uh computers and things like that, right? Um, I would really love to see a breakdown of what's included in
098there and um, if there's portions of that that could be forwarded to a capital budget. Um, my strong recommendation to do so. Yeah, just point of order. You um your capital budget process starts in August and ends in October. Um so that has to be accepted. You can ask for something to be added to capital, but it's a request and that that ends in October. So unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to count on something being moved to capital for the timeline you're in, but you could when we do capital next time because we started FFC in August with that. We present some things. You can have things added to it from August, you know, in September starting in FOFC. Then we publish something to you in October and then that goes over to the town
099in October. Those of you who have been, you know, on the board, you you remember that's >> Yeah. >> Do you will be able to impact your budget because it's already over there. >> Yeah. >> Do you have some thoughts on that way? But um I think Mackenzie was also asking I don't know if you could give any kind of um overview of what the material is. >> Best thing to do there is to submit it as a question. >> Yeah. >> And then we'll cover you in a specific way for each narrative about exactly what it is. >> Oh gosh. That are still yours. So no good question. That's that was my that was your major. >> Okay. >> Great. Um, for question 10, I I talked about I asked about the um the
100athletic and student transportation. And in your response, you said fiscal year 26, which is this year, 107,000 is budgeted, but in the budget book we've got, it says 132,000. The budget for this year, >> the it's from the FFC line. So, the one that's in our budget booklet probably rolls up more than that. I pulled the 107 from the FFC 516 breakout line. So, um, so >> it's probably the one that's in that the one we have is a roll up. It includes more than one line. So, I'll just have to, you know, pull that that roll up line. I refer to 107 out of the FFC, but 516, which is an extrapolation, that's like three or four pages. So, I'll originally I didn't have 107 in there. I thought I would pull it out
101of the FC, but I probably should have just stuck with what you guys have. >> All right. So, then I'll I'll ask my question. Um, >> but we've we've already reached, >> you know, we're already beyond that what we'd like to. >> So, how are we already behind beyond 132,000 when we don't have a boys freshman basketball team? Then we had two JV football games. I I understand soccer went longer than anticipated and there was expenses with that. Um the reality is with numbers we're more than likely not going to have a boys freshman baseball team. That's a lot of teams that aren't using transportation and I think that more than uh compensates for the soccer team and all of their successes. So, I'm just um just concerned that we're already over 132 um when
102that's what was budgeted and we've got we've got three fewer teams that are are using the transportation. >> Yeah, I mean I would point to that it increases every year. I'd point that JB freshman teams don't travel as much as varsity teams. Um probably, you know, there whenever you have tournaments or schedules, mileage differences. I mean it's it's it's like if you look at fiscal year 25 the actual is 140 that's actual that is what was spent um you know so it's it's the that is the figure we are spending for those athletic transports and there are invoices that that add up to it. So um >> so I've just you know I I I think it is a combination of mileage combination of you know when the schedules they probably have shifted it in
103some way that means that we have to run them you know um pickups drop offs number of buses available our number of buses went down by four over a span of time. So maybe the bus has to sit and wait now, you know, maybe there's less frequency of being able to turn around back, but it's probably a combination of factors, but it is definitely what we are spending. >> Do we when we create this um this transportation budget for athletics? Do we look at sports schedules? >> Yeah. And we look at trends >> to see how far we're traveling because I know we had, you know, the varsity football team had a long game. Was it Barlo? Yeah. Is that the hour and a half trip out there? >> Barlo. >> Yeah. So I know
104we had that but we are look when we create trans the budget we're looking at you know the schedule >> schedules are matched up with CIA. >> So we do what we have to do to match up with that and and it is probably just in you know the mileage and all of the associated costs with that type of thing. So I but I can tell you that that is the actual and I I pulled the FFC figure with the 107. It does add up to like 139 or something, you know. >> So we're about 7,000 over. >> Yeah, we're going to probably hit that 140. >> Okay. >> Probably. We're riding into 139 right now. Um that's why I said we anticipate overspending the line by 22. It's probably going to be upwards of
105into the, you know, 129 22 to 30. It's going to probably end at somewhere in 129 to 139 range as it looks >> for now. >> We're proposing to jump another $60,000 to 192 for next year. >> Well, >> I understand some of that is going to be the 5% increase in the in the transportation contract. Um, I I understand that, but I'm just not I'm not seeing where, you know, anything more than that 5% increase, which is a fixed cost. >> Yeah, I I I you know, I would say we're at least going to spend the 140. >> I agree. >> So, >> if that's what we spent this year, I agree. >> But I would have to go back to page 21516 to see if you know, if you you can make reductions
106to any line you want me to make reductions to. We've done that before. We've done it with legal. We've done it with all kinds of things. You know, when we do do that, sometimes we end up spending more than the line, which is what we're doing in a lot of cases right now. But, um, but I was looking at the trend documents that I have for 14, 15, and now. So, I I mean, I know that it's going up. I know that we were 140 last year. I know we're projected between 129 and 139 now. Then if you want me to cut from a particular line, I can to go back and see what the rollup is because I think >> it's not a me it's not a matter of us wanting to cut from
107any any line. It's a matter of making sure that the >> information we have here is is is accurate. Fuel cost is less this year than it was last year. Am I wrong in that? Is is or leak contract in that? >> I don't know that. >> Okay, we're right. But >> but you know the contract for the bus will be 5% >> will be 5%. And that's why I say when >> probably the the scheduling and the mileage and the projections on what that trend is um going for >> I just have with with less sports teams because numbers next year don't look any different than this year when it comes to the athletic teams with the the eighth graders that are coming in. Um, so more likely than not, we're not going to
108have a freshman basketball team for boys. >> More likely than not, we're not going to have a JV football season. And more likely than not, we're not going to have a freshman boys baseball team. So, those are three sports teams that aren't going to be traveling because they won't exist. And I have a hard time thinking that we would increase anything more than the 5% that the transportation contract increases and not be pretty accurate. >> That 516 is a rollup. So give me a minute and I can tell you what's rolling up into that because it's not just there in that one that object page >> is a one pager roll up of of different lines. So, we're not talking about that 107 figure I gave you was a single line. This is a roll
109up of um it's student see how it's student activity >> trans and you say that in in the response. >> So, there's there's more in there than that's combining a little bit of apples to you know oranges because I was giving you strictly athletics. >> Um so, let me 516 has a roll up. I just have to figure out what those lines are and then I'll kind of tell you what rolls into that and I'll add to that answer. >> Okay. because it's actually you're not looking at that 140 is athletics not not what's in this that one page are rolled up more than that. >> Yeah, I just show them the FFC uh exact detail. >> Yeah, I pulled it from FFC because that's our larger that isn't that is more narrowly athletic. >>
110Yes, but I'll I'll figure that out and I'll expand that answer. >> Okay, I appreciate it. >> Yeah, so let me expand that. I appreciated your response on open choice. I guess I I wasn't aware of that timing of of of when kids are accepted. So, I think that totally makes sense. The the one thing that that I would suggest is um and you mentioned Facebook ads. I I regularly on my Facebook get ads for some of these other schools. Um and uh is that something that we're doing when you mention Facebook or are you just talking about posting on the um Risco accounts and and their resources? I'm saying um we'll scour out to find every group we can join and then join any group associated >> and just start putting ads on >>
111start you know putting in peppering in any kind of you know ads that we can into any resco pages or publish if we become friends or >> sure >> then anything publish will sometimes show up in their feeds and that's what we want to start to do is be more aggressive on our social media stuff. Um, so the nice thing about Facebook marketing is you can you can target uh zip codes, you can target uh age groups, um, you can target those things so that as someone is is doom scrolling on their Facebook, all of a sudden a Talon Open Choice Public Schools ad will pop up. Um, and you know, it certainly uh is a little bit of money investment. Um, but I, you know, I think that that's something that could certainly help
112our our endeavor to fill those those five seats per grade, those 15 seats every year. Um, as opposed to uh to not seeing uh those seats filled. Um, and I don't know if that's something that, you know, we as a board can look at allocating some funds from the ERF um to to look at, you know, putting $5,000 for for Facebook marketing ad for Open Choice um and, you know, really start, you know, targeting um just because it's it's real easy to to to do that with Facebook and and target uh specific uh areas and and age groups. So that's something that I would maybe that's something that goes on for another discussion >> that as you're as you're saying it does cost money to use those tools y >> but we you know we
113can um spend that out of our advertising and maybe run over a little bit but that's my thought is to be more aggressive and start to use things like that. I mean, some of the districts put ads on billboards and put ads in. >> People joke about this, but I've said it before theaters. They do actually. If you've been in a movie theater, sometimes you'll see the crack race. Is that >> you know, >> right? So, you know, that's something that I don't know when we should make that discussion and that determination. Um, >> yeah, I'm good for time. Oh, this wasn't that long. Oh, now wait for my paj. Um, so I know there was already a question and you kind of addressed it. Um, question nine about the stipens. Does any of that
114increase in stipens include the clubs? Because we I know there had been a conversation about possibly putting clubs. So, >> no. Anywhere in this budget are the clubs put back in >> the clubs in my well sorry in my budget the clubs are put back to the the way they were handled last year at a reduced cost. So they still parent guardians still pay. So actually I answered that wrong. The clubs are put back to our previous model for clubs. So more money is allocated to clubs in our previous years than it was in this fiscal year. So yes, it is coming back stifles. Now they're still offset by pay to participation fees. So the board pays, you know, the m more of it, though. And it's putting it back because people said they hate
115it the way it was this year. So I'm giving the board the opportunity to put it back the way it was in fiscal year 24, for instance, or use the model that I'm using now, which is more expense to parent guardians for. So yes, it it is actually putting more money into the stipens for the um for them. Now, it might be um that line. I have to go and let you know all the lines. That particular line is driven up by um the ones I articulated there. I don't think that's a club statement line. I have to look at the club stipens by themselves do cost quite a bit. It's spent you spend a lot on clubs um and activities to to fund it the way it used to be. So, I'm going to
116set the unpopular opinion of of possibly recommending when you give us other budget scenarios. Could it possibly include one where those are at? >> Yes. And in fact, I think when I gave you the um let me see if it's in there. When you do what? If you look at the SPB potential reduction >> um you'll see that the clubs and costs um in this that gave you um three color codes red blue red gray and uh I would expand on this based on what you want and then create some spreadsheets based on what you tell you know want for um for your potential targets for next time. But in that um SPB draft reduction scenarios and that is in your um running you know board of event dashboard stuff if you go to the
117updates you see that reduction of clubs and activities at the top that that would be going back to the model we have this year and you'd be able to reduce almost 100,000 93,000 >> okay >> but it is different than the transportation thing and those other that's different that's not the clubs that I mean it has a similar thing but like the one that this is the kind of clubs and activities you're thinking about when you think of model United Nations and you know things like that we actually would so try not to be too verbose on this transportation is actually um just covering the kids who haven't been picked up or the their buses and if we don't do that you'll then end up paying more because there's only a certain number of ways
118we can cover that and that's actually one of the cheaper ways to cover it. So it's it's a mechanism as a cost avoidance factor. So we wouldn't want to you know necessarily jettison that too quick because >> on paper it looks like we're saving but we're not. >> Now that club I wasn't even yeah I understood what that was for. But what I what I will do is if you for instance if you're giving me sort of my marching orders for certain targets for next week um I would come up with scenarios that go deeper into some other things you know um but in this case these scenarios can bring you down to that 7.9. That's how this particular spreadsheet works. But that's some examples of things you could consider, you know, in the red,
119the blue, and the gray. And then I would do something similar for you next week where if you gave me targets, I would create this is what this one looks like. This is what this one looks like. This is what this one looks like. And those of you remember at the tail end of last year when we were getting to the final stage, I set up a spreadsheet and we moved things in and out as as the discussion transpires. But you're at a stage where you're just kind of getting the, you know, the basic targets you want me to hit. So anyway, to to longed answer there, it's about 93,000 if you were to go back to where we are this versus versus what we used if we're talking strictly clubs like MU. >> Okay.
120Thank you. >> Any notes right now? No, not right now. Okay, Brian, you were >> Yeah. Okay, thank you. Yeah. So, well, I just wanted to touch base and see what your um kind of thoughts and what direction um the district is going to be going or if you have any feedback to us regarding the um vote of the disbanding of the Egypt program at the end of this year. I know there's like a supplemental um reserve account that I remember last year one of the FFC meetings I wasn't a part of it. I was a spectator. There was discussion about the fund um the reserve fund that you had a tally going of you know what you felt the town's portion of that fund was in our portion and how we feel that the
121rates might be affected with the state plan or a private plan or just kind of some general I don't know I I know you don't have any details on you know probably 90% of what I just said but any sort of just information to us regarding where you possibly we see this number that we're kind of working with that most likely isn't going to be at that number if it's going to be less or more or what's your thoughts are. I'd appreciate that. >> Sure. We um and you know I think that'd be also a great topic for FFC to drill down into even deeper but um we um probably looking at about a 14% next year probably looking at you know the the town and the board are looking at options um and that
122conversation is happening in the next 30 days as we start to figure out what's going on. Um Egypt, you know, as they say, everything that has a beginning has an end, and Egypt had a good rotten. The state plan is um pulling people to it like a black hole, but um it's pulling people to it. So that's um where everybody's going. The members uh have decided, many of them, that they they you know, want to go to the state plan or or something like it. So um that's essentially what's driving this change. And um there is a um reserve fund that um the town and the board you know in cooperation over the years we have this reserve fund. Um as the Egyp entity separates there will be a legal separation agreement and there will
123be a determination on or around June 30th of what everyone's um you know walk away amount is with that. So, we won't really know until the legal separation agreement is completely executed. I'll have a better idea in two months of what that looks like, but we won't actually have the ability to act in any way on that until June 30th. So, those funds when they are something that, you know, we can act on will likely go and stay in some health reserve area for us so that it can help us offset fluctuations into the future. um it is still our reserve money. Um but now the fluctuations that we'll be looking at would be fluctuations from the state plan. Like if we have a terrible year, maybe we could use some of the funds to
124offset the terrible year and it won't last forever. Um so that's basically the timeline is within about 60 days we'll have a better idea of what the separation agreement looks like and by June 30th we hope to be able to have the complete separation of our funds and then we'll see what happens from there. it probably will not help us much for this budget season. Um, because we all there's some uncertainties with that. >> So, so you had just put out a number of 14%. So, are you are you gauging we have a 14% increase in insurance costs? >> Yeah. That the >> So, we have a 3% now. So, you're expecting another $600,000 potentially added to this health insurance. >> So, if you remember the um insurance is one of the most complicated ones
125to answer. And what I would do is submit a question so I can extrapolate everything because there's a there's a bunch of lines of insurance. You know, there's a bunch of places where it hits. So, um, the state plan is throwing out things like 14%. We're trying to figure out what what the reality is. And between now and, you know, board of ed budget, board of ed adopted, we'll have a hopefully a better idea, too. Um, but I would put a question in there about insurance and I'll break the line down like I did last time so you can see how the percentage works out because it is more it is more difficult than like my one sentence answer here. I would have to extrapolate the whole thing for you. So a good question for
126that would be can you talk about what are percentage increases for insurance and break it down for us and then I'll break the thing down like I did last. So >> okay I'll put the question in. So we have 3% now. Do you figure that still being around the 3% just so everyone here at the table is understanding of the figures that we're trying to deal with? >> Well, if you're referring to the >> We got to make a decision. >> Object page. >> Yeah. If you're referring to the object page. >> Uh I'm actually just referring uh Yes. Yes. Object um 202. object 202 the 6.3 or I apologize it's 6 point almost eight now and you're at looking at a 7 uh 05 or the 7 million black >> yeah that it's I
127use a percentage about what it costs us that's that's the overall cost to our budget so 3% is right but like I said like the increase to our people will probably be 14% even though the increase to our budget is you know 3%. Because it's it's a figure of millions. So >> you're still good with this three dis. >> Yeah, that figure is a real figure for our budget >> even with the disband. >> Yeah. But but people like me, you know, we'll see we might see an increase that's bigger than that as an employee depending on you know this is there there are different figures when we talk about insurance. This amount is what you can expect right now for our budget >> in terms of we budget. >> Yeah. And I was trying
128to get for the taxpayer what what we're asking of the taxpayer >> your your increase in insurance is that from last year to this year for our budget >> 200 budget purposes is that that amount there. >> Okay. All right. >> And that does break out into a few lines. But that there are different when we talk about insurance percentage the average individual here may see a much bigger increase than what you know you're seeing on that because we're talking about Ford abortion, employee abortion, all of those things. So the state plan is going to expect more of maybe more what the employee like me I might have a you know like our share all of that is a breakdown of of how it works and you know we would have to get I I
129can break that all out. Um so you can see how it impacts all of the different groups and you know like I did last time >> but your dollar amount for our budget will be that. >> No I'm I'm I understand what he's saying. So your your budget impact is that 3% and that's a roll up the line and you know that is where it is right now. We expect it to be that um we haven't had all of our insurance meetings yet. >> We're early. >> Yes. >> So um you know that could impact it a little bit but that is the projection right now. >> Okay. I I just want to make sure we're still with the cancellation of Egypt to going with possible state or something else that this number is still
130going to be what we're all here in the room looking at moving forward for these next three or four weeks. That's I'll I'll move on. Thank you. I'm all done for now. >> Um so I'm going to go to Jamie next. >> Sure. Um I guess I'll I'll start just by sort of recapping. I mean there's I I hope you are all able to get to the tables I got to even though I got there last week because it was again it's this eye openening experience of well I work at a school and holy cow you you're going through it right now. So um and so I mean there was there was tidbits dropped I mean all night. The middle school right now is down 0.5 of a licensed practitioner nurse. Um last year they
131had a full-time RN full-time LPN. This year there's half an LPN, full-time RN who's not even there half the time, uh, who's also a supervisor of some kind, which I was trying to wrap my brain around. Um, so we've got people sort of in and out of our building. So the security part of our goal setting that we're talking about, I mean, it it it starts with even.5 of a nurse position. Um, we lost uh the library media specialist. Um, and now that position is, you know, running up to ths at noon and leaves TMS at 12:00. We can't offer, we lost 0.5 of the world language. Uh, so we can't offer Spanish and French to eighth graders. And I guess the person who left was a student favorite uh teacher and I can't I
132didn't spell it right so I'm not even going to try to say it right. But um he ended up going to a rival Eio Smith and is now excelling at at at a school down the road. >> That would be Mr. Sus. >> Say it again. >> Solis. Okay. >> Senor Senor Siss. Right. And I guarantee if you say that name, so many students are probably saying, "Oh my gosh, that's Mr. He went to where?" You know, so it's just that we talk about morale a lot. Bill and I a lot. And I can tell you outside of sports, it's your favorite teachers that we're driving out that just driving us. Anyway, um uh let's see. I mean, we've got admins stepping into roles uh to support uh high classroom classrooms with with with large
133uh amounts of students, social workers doing the job or counselors doing the jobs of social workers because we don't have any social workers at TMS. There's a lot and that's by the way that's just one school and it and I mean it just continues. It continues it continues. Um so there's a lot that I think needs to be investigated in terms of are we doing are we providing are we providing what we need to provide at the rate we need to provide it. So a few questions um the insurance just so just a clarifying this is a yes or no Dr. Lyn I won't ask you to go further into just on Brian's point with the whole insurance understanding. So on the board of ed side the increase that that the board would be um
134expected to cover is 3%. whereas every employee or at least those who it applies to um on their end their insurance costs are increased by 14%. So those are two different figures. >> You're going from a factor of what you budgeted prior to what you budgeted now which is a little different than what the individual may face. >> Yes, your dollars are 3.05%. Yes. Thank >> as we aster it's we haven't met you know we have we have to meet with locked in >> understood you know >> as it currently yeah understood that's no right now at the middle school level right now they were talking about um at in grade six they're teaching digital footprint which I find fascinating >> algorithms in grade seven and full coding and AI literacy in grade eight. Number
135one, my question is what tech are they learning this on? Is are these the are these the desktops that are in a computer ed type of room or are these the the laptops that would be discussed in these in these tech reductions here? you're in like we are almost completely uh dependent on the laptop Chromebooks now laptops in high school Chromebooks in K are pretty >> so all of that all of that curriculum that they're that has been developed and by the way I believe rather recently based on what was being shared during the rounds um of you know the the team at the middle school level is is coordinating the different types of of media literacy amongst kids that or students excuse me that would By reducing the this tech line here, by reducing
136the ability to to to provide tech for students, are we also getting close to sort of indirectly forcing the hand of the curriculum supervisors to now update the curriculum based on the available tech? Loaded question. >> Yeah. No, I it it's a a nuanced question. I think at the basis of the question answer, it's the same. Um when we started the edtech initiative you know years and years ago >> y >> now a little prior to co through co this we we transitioned away from labs. Yeah, >> we are very dependent upon those individual devices now and the kids, you know, that they work um using those devices to work collaboratively with each with each other whether they're in the same room or hundreds of miles away. >> So that's reflects how it's done in
137the world. But it's we are definitely dependent on those laptop devices and Chromebook devices now. they have been completely integrated and our labs we do not have anywhere near the number of labs I think now it's it's very poulry one or two and it's like photography and um maybe caddy and even then I think we transition away from that >> that's in the high school though >> yeah so there's there's really not a lot of desktop computers anymore um and they're getting more and more antiquated and being replaced like even that Windows plan as the teachers using their laptops with a monitor they're not the plan isn't to replace desktop tops. Um, so it's and it again it reflects the way things are done typically in the world. You know, most of the people are
138working and running around and collaborating and using SharePoint or Google, you know, and that type of stuff. So, it's um we're dependent upon it. Yeah, sure. >> It would be much bigger than um blind curriculum rewrite. It would be just a chain a massive change in practice scratching off. So our curriculum is dependent on a lot of these >> our pedigogy is probably dependent our curriculum you know utilizes and integrates but the day-to-day practice and pedagogy is there's it's just every day >> okay >> and you know the kids with it every day in multiple classes you know >> directly impacted by the tech tech line. Okay and then I guess I do have a specific question for line 150. You might have explained this already and I'm sorry if I missed it. It's sighted
139in line. Um, can you go into why that I mean it it almost doubles itself going from 213 to 399. That's 87% blah blah blah blah blah. Can you explain and somebody might have already I'm sorry I'm I'm sorry I'm bouncing between here. Why that might have increased almost two times the size? I mean is that because of what happened to clubs? Is that you know? >> Well, we're putting everything that put those back. So that's correct. >> But if you're referring to the object page again, so there's the appendices which break things out more broadly. So sometimes when we're referring to a specific thing, there's places where it's um rolled up and there's places where it's disagregated. So um so if it's from the object page, that's a roll up. And yeah, one of
140the biggest chunks of that would be putting bath bugs in activity. about a 100red grand difference between last year and this year would be putting back the clubs the way they used to be funded. >> So that that line will reflect not let uh this this the 2526 budget that might reflect more so to the 2425 uh >> yeah the this year was the new higher charge paradigm which people had lots of opinions about. you heard some of the students talk about it >> um last year, you know, last fiscal year did not have that at a much lower rate. And as you recall, now well, some of you are new, but our general philosophy was, you know, if you didn't get it, you didn't punish the kid for it. You know, kids could show
141up and if for some reason the family never fully provided the funding, we didn't chase them down. um you know, we would make efforts to get it, but we wouldn't kick a child out of a club because someone failed to execute, you know, what we had hoped they would execute. The difference this year is no one's in a club that hasn't paid or hasn't had the money provided by grant or or donation. It's much more draconian. Now, if you're a child with FRL status, um it's covered, but anyone outside of FRL status, it's no exceptions. So it is much different and the timelines are very different because we have to collect all the funds before we will allow the club to move forward. That also didn't happen in the past. So these are some major
142differences from the point of view of you know you had mentioned with DECA you know it's the collection period and all that it prevents them from moving forward a little bit sometimes. So while if we go to the old paradigm I'm going to try to start collection in June of the previous year you know if I can even though people don't pay a lot of attention in June for the you know kids moving up except for 12th graders I might send out you know hey are you interested in joining this for next year if you are please make your commitments as soon as possible so that when I get back in September we have some signups to work with already which will make that a little faster but the reality is because we have to
143wait for the payments to come in. Um it takes time and I I have now um worked with our chief financial officer to create a online methodology for doing that like athletics. So people will be able to submit this through a debit card which should help a little bit so you don't have to run our own but we still have to wait for all of those to clear. So it will probably not really be until October. Um, so yeah, about a hundred grand difference 93 100 grand is those hoops and it's the way we approach it as a district. You know, you can't do it until it's in versus get it in when you can. And the reality is we don't collect a, you know, as much when we do it that way, but it's
144not doesn't feel as punitive and you're not kicking people out, that type of thing. >> Sure. Sure. you know, and then um my final thing is just on the grants and then I have a bunch of other things that are going to be asked. I feel like I'm repeating myself every year. Um the grants when it come like what we've got grants on two-year cycles or threeear cycles, whatever it is, and you know, annual renewals, all the all these fun things. Um one of those grants uh has gone specifically towards special ed materials, I believe, and I think it was a two-year grant or something. I I'm I'm going to need help understanding, but my question really is what is not reflected in here of grants that are starting to potentially dry up. Whether that's
145grants of we're going to try to renew and maybe we won't get it again or grants that are no longer exist after after this most recent cycle. >> Well, um we've absorbed quite a few grants and we you know, as you know, I wrote a grant for social worker counselor. We got down and that was absorbed. um the narrative at the beginning, the introduction um has has the transition of the grants that we've, you know, that they have been discontinued. But that's really it. It's um the IDA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The impact of that grant reduction was 2.75 FTE Paris and 085 FT teacher moving to the operating budget and then the ARPA American Rescue Plan Act um ending that was the 7 FT social worker move operating budget that's the end of
146the grant that I wrote that we ran you had for a couple of years. So those are the two major grants that you know have you know sunseted um and that's why we have um about 205 I think 230 um uh thousand impacts because of those but >> you know in the future I can't really project what will happen with the federal grants. I have no idea. I think the state grants will stay fairly stable, but the federal grants, it's just a really weird time. So, I don't know. I would assume that they're not. So far, they haven't really pulled back on them except for the 205,000 that I've already talked about. So hopefully that's, you know, going to stay that way. growth, >> but that's the biggest impact on that would be those grants
147on page eight of, you know, in the 200,000 zone. >> I guess I was more so hoping to hear >> actually 238,000 to be exact. You know, I was just I wishful thinking I was hoping to hear yes and we found this grant and it's going to cover this for the next, you know, in two years and it's this six figure amount and all those things. So, I did not get that. That's okay. Um, any other questions? I guess I'll go in round two or I'll submit to the FAQ. Thank you. >> All right, I'm going to jump in if that's okay for my first round. So um so yeah, like Jaden, you know, very took a lot of notes on the things that um we heard from all the administrators. A lot of same
148things across the schools. Um I will say that um I I do have a question based on something Jaden just said though for TMS. You mentioned the librarian. Do we not have a full-time librarian at the at the middle school any longer? >> So, um I don't know if um how many of you are around for that discussion that any ASNC uh for the high school evaluation, one of their priority areas that they listed was that we provide a 063 librarian certified staff member support at the high school. So, we have a library manager and going back a few years, the library manager was part of a another reduction at one point where the manager ended up being at um the high school. Uh that manager does not do the job of a teacher. It's
149really to manage the library the way you might have a public library managed. That person is not a certified teacher. So NIA's requested solution more or less was that you know we provide not necessarily a new a new staff member there but that we have some time where there's crossover of certified uh library media specialists in that school. So our library media specialist now is more of a 612 library media specialist. Um now if you think about it you know um the district has has leveled out on enrollment. You do not have any additional adjustments that we make personnel wise with respect to enrollment. But when I first came here you know million years ago in 2006 you know district had 3,000 kids. Now it has 2200. And so there's, you know, options here for,
150you know, personnel to avoid, you know, more reductions of certified staff. And, um, you know, in that case, we're splitting a position. So 2 FTE of the 612 library media position is at high school now. And that person interacts with the library media specialist and inter students provides some actually Canva classes and things like that, one-on-one tutoring classes in Canva with kids and thing, you know, that type of thing. So that certified library media specialist works in the high school and in the middle. >> Kind of it's splitting that position. And we still have a library um manager to manage the collection and everything. And then about 0.2 FTE couple hours a day the person that is our sort of 612 comes down or goal is to close up however you want to look at
151it to the high school. So they spend some time at the high school every day and that's in response to me asks you know um priority area um >> yeah I do remember about that. So, just to clarify, so the the library and media specialist at the middle school spends most of the day at the middle school, but then does some of the day at the high school. >> I'll point to it. >> The high school also has their library manager. Does the TMS library have anyone additional except the media specialist? >> TIS and BGP are the same one and one. >> Okay. Um and then I will say, you know, last year I talked a lot about um my concerns about the lack of mental health uh professionals in our schools. I do believe
152that that um has a strong impact on our safety and security, which is research proven as well, that it um is actually more important to have the mental health supports um to avoid things like school shootings rather than actually having someone armed in the school. Um but so one of the things that's very concerning to me is that we still do not have a social worker at the middle school. To my understanding, we are one of I think a few if not only in the state that middle school that does not have a social worker at the middle school. Um they are also constantly um discussing their a lot of problems. I mean, I think we we remember middle school and us those of us who have kids in middle school, those are some very
153um difficult development years. Um and I think last year and so this data could be a little old, but I said that um for social workers, I believe it's recommended that >> one to one to 240. So, one for every 240 kids. Um last year at the middle school, uh we had 469. So, let's just, you know, assume that number's around the same. So, we should really have two two at least two social workers there and we have zero. Um, now I know we're not, it's not that we're necessarily in a position to add um, anything as we're always kind of in that place, but I do wonder, you know, both that and in speaking with the middle school and some of the other schools, and we talked about a lot last year, that PPT
154facilitator role, which is something that I understand was some was also a requested position that was not added into the budget. Um, I feel really strongly that a PPT facilitator would be an extremely an extreme benefit to the school. Not only would it obviously free up some staff time, but to have somebody who as somebody who has, you know, experienced 504s and I IEP meetings um for special education with their child. Um, to have someone follow that process would be extremely helpful. you know already as you go into different schools you know you're dealing with a whole new team of people um and these these relationships are really based on trust they're based on experience they're based on knowledge um so I just think it bene I mean it benefits everyone benefits our staff it
155benefits um it allows our administrators to do more of the things that administrators need to do so in discussing those two things I'm just wondering you know and it's something that you know we think about um but I wanted to put it out there to you guys like I and Dr. Will it I kind of wonder if one of these things maybe would be if we were considering doing I believe that of the new positions. I I understand why the ABIS parah is seen as extremely necessary in Birch Road and at $36,000 it makes a lot of sense to me for the issues that they're having and that it's also taking interventionists away from our other students who need them. And then of course we think about the trickle down effect of that and then
156you know more special education services means more money, more resources. Um so I think that that is cost effective. Um but I'm kind of wondering if maybe the MTSS coordinator could maybe be swapped out with a social worker for the middle school or the facilitator. Um so just kind of wondering thoughts and opinions on that. I don't know if you have any direct opinions on that immediately. Dr. Willlet, >> I you know I can see the um the rationale for that and if the board wants that that's my job to make sure I you know do what you feel is in the best interest of the kids. I would say that there would probably be a lot of support for a social worker. Um I think that um the reason MTSS is in there is
157um if you looked at the NEAS report as we did in curriculum and things like that that's just one school but there is a very clear message to our district to up our MTSS resources. Um so that's why that's there because it's in response to say you know various indicators that say we should be doing and if you can identify tier one two and three kids and what's called that multi you know tiered system to support you will have fewer special education designations because you're handling it through the MSS process which ultimately saves in logistics and even cost. So the MTSS one you know has a cost avoidance potential factor. Um the social worker is certainly you know I I can understand you know certainly middle schools transitional age uh a lot of hardships the
158rates of everything go up at that grade everything. So, um I can understand it if that's what the board wanted to do. I would like to change >> and I think there's there's always some overlap of these things like you know when you think of multi-tiered work systems and you think about the children benefit from those um systems obviously especially in the higher tiers having a social worker would still benefit those children. I mean they will benefit all children but those children they tend to need additional support as well. So, it still does help us in I understand that it doesn't necessarily check that box that Mias is looking for, but it certainly applies to helping students that are needing tier tears of support. >> It'll uh yeah, >> and families that are that their
159children are needing tears support. >> Um okay, so that was just something I wanted to throw out to think about. Um the I think one of the one of the biggest things for me was was also my discussion with um Adam Sharer our IT director. So I just wanted to make sure that everybody understood this because I don't know that I understood um completely the way it was broken down but um so basically so we need to um upgrade to Windows 11. There's five and please correct me if I get any of this talk about it. Um there's five years to do that. We are currently in year one. um every year it goes up an additional dollar per device that we have if we don't change over to um Windows 11. Windows 11 cannot
160be installed on the desktops that are already on the desks of our teachers and other staff members. So this putting in the the a great portion of that IT um increase is buying the um the monitors that would be for teachers and staff members. So they would be available for this the use laptop they could plug in they could have both screens and these monitors have a 15 to 20 year lifespan. So it makes it certainly makes sense certainly something you know it's an investment for quite some time. Um which way it's what much longer than our laptops last. So um I like McKenzie >> um very much think that our um tax should be included in our capital budget. Now I recognize that we are outside the window like Dr. Willlet said about putting
161it into our capital budget. Um I asked um no Adam if you know we've asked that. He said we've asked for it to be in the in the um capital budget for about eight to 10 years, but it's just something that doesn't um get very high on the list. So of course when we need these things and we keep we we've kicked this can down the road a couple times as we as we do because we have to um we have to put it in our operating budget because we need it to get done, right? So, um, last year we did have an additional joint meeting with the town council where we went in with some specific requests, you know, which is not something we typically do in our joint meeting. The joint meeting is
162really a lot the oppos the council's chance to ask our us ask questions. But given that we were, I don't know, on a second failed referendum or whatever it was the time, we were taking a massive hit last year. We went to the town council and we asked for a couple things. One of the things that we asked for is to do this trade and to put some um technology under the capital budget because it is something that is allowed in the capital budget and we swapped it out for um the auditorium seating that they were going to do um this during this budget cycle and we're going to pay for that out of our ER. Now, I have to say that to just say this bluntly, I find that I understand why we did
163it. We had to do it. we we offered them something and it's great that they agreed, but it's also a little bit unfair, especially given that I think last year they estimate the town council estimated maybe it was about $2 billion that they were going to take from their general fund, which I think is up to $15 million now to put towards budgets and then found that they um underestimated their revenue again and they put that much they never even had to use that $2 million from their general fund into budget. So, my point in saying that is that there's clearly funds available um in taxpayer money that's already being paid that could be disseminated to their departments. This is a way for us to specifically ask for something. This isn't us just simply saying,
164"Listen, I think that you need to give us more money. You're clearly under budgeting yourself." This is us saying, "And this is what this department would use it for." So, um, one of the things I'm going to ask and probably now that we've scheduled a meeting for next week, given that we all know, I think what's going on on the town council right now, um, but I would like to see if the board would, you know, maybe approve myself reaching out to the chair and asking if we could have an earlier joint meeting before we had an adopted budget so that given the hard decisions we're going to make this year, we could see if they can't obviously do anything until they're within their budget process, but we could explain some of the things that
165maybe we'd like to ask for so that when we make we make our budget, we may have some idea that, you know, we have some room in there because they may cover some of this, right? So, I would like to ask them to cover this in the capital budget or to cover this out of the general fund and put it in the capital budget going forward. So that's just something I wanted to draw out there and I think we can maybe talk about that later when we get to scenarios or if you have any opinions when you talk then we can talk about because I don't think right now is the time to schedule a meeting with the town council unfortunately. >> Yeah. >> You want >> can I talk about what you're talking about
166>> ask you a question on what specifically you're asking to ask them? I want to ask them to move this check item though if you're talking about >> Windows 11 Windows 11 >> anything that's hardware that is um technology hardware can be put into a capital budget so any amount of this increase that we have which is 300 and whatnot thousand >> I want to ask them anything that is not a software but it is but is an equipment request is 321,2 $200. I want to ask them to cover in either in the capital budget or out of the general fund with an understanding that it's not going to be a recurring ass from the general fund, but a recurring ask for from the um capital budget. >> I think we need to start pushing
167to have our technology added to the capital budget because I think that they have the ability to do so. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Just for >> Yeah, sure. One more question. Uh, are you limiting the ask to the technology line or um other lines that may be able to be capitalized? That was my particular um ask, but I mean you're welcome to ask something as well. I mean, I do think we're not going to get millions. >> No good. >> Right. But I maybe we could >> pose the question to to Chair Moran, you know, just generally like there are expenses in our operating budget that are technically capital and should be depreciated over time. >> Would the town like maybe not put numbers around it right now or Yeah, perhaps we could ask
168Dr. Will it if there were just some things he could he could let us know that were in this budget that could be allowed in the capital budget and we could certainly let them know that there are those things and then decide how much we want to ask for or how much they would be willing to give us. >> Um this is one of those things where I um want to be careful not to overexlain you get lost but it's a it's it has some nuance here. So, let me start by saying um I think you've done an amazing job of approaching the counseling and coming up with synergies like the SRO thing. I mean, it played out in a way where that cost um results, you know, that was amazing. That was great was
169our chair did that with the town council chair and and the town cooperated. Everything's been great. Um what's tricky about capital is the process. And so I'm not saying that that could not happen. The way you you're approaching it is as a special exception. You know, kind of like we we, you know, cut that deal last year where we said, "Hey, you, you know, give us that 188 for our edtech initiative. We'll use our ERF for the, you know, auditorium seats." So there was a quid proquo there. >> Here you're going for a straight ask. And um and so it's really kind of it's more instead of more of a capital thing, it's it's kind of asking the council to offset an impact in a in a rough year. If you look at the um
1702026 to 2031 BOE capital spreadsheet and it's it's on the board dashboard. It's also on the capital site that all the public can see. You'll notice and I know this is funny and I need to think of a different term but the woes there when opportunity arises the board has asked in the past for the council to take things like the TMS computer labs and the the server upgrades and these you know computer upgrades and the town has typically said not a capital expense. we, you know, we don't accept that as a capital expense, but when the, you know, if and when the opportunity arises that money becomes available, maybe so you're in the woe area cuz you're kind of coming up and saying, "Hey, there's an opportunity. You've got, you know, you've got a
171sign of unbalance. You could help us out." So that's you're in that, you know, maybe that is an opportunity that will arise in a conversation between chairs. And so that's a possibility. But just to be clear about the capital process, that ended for us in October. So, we can't really uh they they that that process is done. They they're making their own bond plans, that type of thing. They're kind of coming at it from a you know, hey, is there an opportunity here? And so, you know, but I I think the town does not typically define monitors as a capital expense in its in its vernacular. It's like a 10-year thing that, you know, a boiler, yes, but a a monitor, no. And that's just the history of it because they're typically making woes out
172of things like these lab upgrades that basically I should just take off here because they just never really made it on. So, I think um I'm not saying that can't happen. I'm saying you're looking for ways to offset budget impacts and that's creative and that's been done before. you know, more power to you and I'll support you any way I can, but I do want to break it apart so we don't conflate the two. That capital thing is done in the town could say to us, "That was October, guys. We're done with that." Do you want to talk about some special exceptions, which would be that kind of this approach? >> Yeah, thank you for explaining that. I think I am in a place where I believe the town should stop putting so much into
173the wos because I believe that they have the funds to do more. So, I'd like to have that specific conversation with them. Um JP, did you have something specifically about that because I have more I'd like to get to. >> Yeah, my qu and and this is it's something we could if someone my question is if somebody could educate me on whether how like how much a difference it makes to a town uh whether something is being depreciated, right? Obviously as an individual or a business it it's you know makes a big difference from the tax treatment you know tax standpoint >> for us. Is it just like optional that it could be an additional source of money or is there some additional implication of the depreciation that I'm not aware of for town budgeting
174purposes? >> I don't know. Do you know or >> I'm not understanding the question. I don't understand the question. >> Tax implication. Is that what you're >> Yeah. Like for an individual or a business, there's a huge tax implication, >> right? >> But for a town, like it's not like we have to pay taxes to >> So you're talking about appreciating this hardware depreciated, >> right? Like as an individual, if you weren't depreciating something that you should be, your accountant's going to tell you that's bad. Like there's there are you can it's essentially a revenue opportunity >> to properly depreciate something, right? Is there some parallel for a town budget to that that there's a what's in it for me for the town? >> I think it's more of a money discussion at the municipal
175level, right? Like >> Yeah. >> And I I I follow what you're saying, right? >> Maybe it's maybe something I could bounce off the town the town manager instead. >> Yeah. But there's not a specific tax or revenue implication. >> Okay. But it is about how the town funds different asks, right? So there's an impact to something that is technically capital and could be depreciated over time being in our operating budget even though it's not a recurring expense, which is what should be an operating budget versus the color of money they use to fund capex. >> Gotcha. So, it's an optional color color of money, is it? Yeah, that makes sense. >> I think it depends whether they're going out to go bond something where they're going to pay interest and ask the taxpayer to
176bond. Then they'll probably depreciate it. They'll have a smaller payment say for $10 million. they'll pay over 10 years that 10 million versus taking it out from the piggy bank where they got 14 million or 12 million or whatever it is >> as of yesterday uh in the account and just writing a check to the computer people to put the computers >> I think we're asking them to bond ours >> but maybe they have other technology that they're bonding they might bundle it up >> that's true >> you know if they have server upgrades to the town or new microphones been sitting here for two years we haven't used certainly have depreciated. >> We used to use those point. >> I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense and I'm I was just
177trying to think of whether there's something we could capture that would help sell it. Yeah. >> Work on that JP sell that. >> Um all right. Thank you. Um, so then >> the other thing that I wanted to talk about was I did just want to point out with clubs, um, because like I'm I'm having the same thoughts because we were able to make it work this year. I think my biggest hang-up with clubs is the the the feedback that we've gotten that it has limited our students from doing multiple clubs and it has also limited them from doing sports, right? because we've increased the sports rate. So, kids who maybe did three clubs and two sports are now having to make choices that they didn't have to make before and some some students are
178having to choose more because it's all their family can afford. So, um that that piece of it weighs on me when making that decision. Um so, I just wanted to express that. Um, oh, I also wanted to connect that given that we are also down a percentage of a nurse at the middle school and we know what that what that overall impact was with the nurse reductions we did. I feel like that's another reason why a social worker um would be needed there. As we all know, many students go to the nurse for um mental health and emotional health issues, not just physical issues and sometimes those things do manifest in physical issues. Um, and then the last thing I wanted to talk about was um was security. So I, you know, when we had
179the initial discussions with the town about taking over our security, it wasn't necessarily for what we what we did, right, which is right now we have um one of the resident troopers acting as an SRO um to a degree because they are still an administrative trooper. Um, which was great, which was supposed to be a short time a short-term option. um before you know as we figured out how we could fund how the town could fund an SRO that we would hire and as you know we've we've been going through that process Dr. Willlet's been um working very hard on that process and getting the correct paperwork and whatnot. In those discussions, I felt like both sides of the aisle, which those people aren't necessarily here anymore, but we're very very much um engaged in
180having a discussion about the the town covering security. It's done in many other towns and cities. Um the buildings, our school buildings, our town buildings, our students and our staff, our our community members. um there wasn't a huge push back on on them covering security. So the other reason I would like to have a meeting with the town council is I would like them to fund however it is that they they would they need to do that they can do that whether that be by policy whether it be separate things you know the SRO having two SRO's might be the agreement that we have with the town but I also think that they can cover the two sets of officers for that we can request for that it is a lower monetary request than asking
181for a trooper to be at each school. It's a lower monetary request than asking for an SRO to be at each school. And I really really like the um inclusion of this in Dr. Wilt's budget to know that we would have security to some extent at >> um this is one of those things that we will 100% look at ourselves if we don't work on >> um if something was to occur. So I would like to ask the town to cover our full security expense and that would include the increase of the two SATA officers, the increase of the um full-time SRO as well as the SATA officer um that we already have and that is is already in the budget. But I think that we can ask them to cover that entirely. So I
182would like to have a meeting with them to discuss covering at least a portion of the technology maybe more um as they can classify it as a capital expense they cannot but they can know that going forward that given that there's revenue that they are bringing into the town I believe that that's something that should start to be considered for um the board of ed in businesses technology is part of the capital budget um as well as some of the things that McKenzie mentioned as well and the security Um, so that the security is going to be a huge and then I think that >> is it just the SATS officers? >> I would like the town to I would like to ask the town to consider covering our full security cost. So that would
183be >> SRO and three SATs officers. Yeah. >> Well, in the budget we have >> plus the existing plus the existing. Yes. I'm not just asking them for the increase. I'm asking them to take over our full security cost. >> That would be what I would like to do if the board agreed with that. >> Um, okay. That's all I have for my specific question is does anyone have a followup on that or No, you're ready for your round. >> No, I'm going to keep going. >> So, I'm going to keep going on my first round. So, Dana, JP, and Joel, you haven't talked yet. Dana, did you want to go next? >> Um, sorry. I didn't I didn't mean to imply you were >> No, it's okay. >> Um, so first of all, security
184was a huge topic last go round. I know that I had several conversations directly with uh Councelor Nunan regarding it. I know that was a big charge. Um, I definitely think um I would support having that meeting, John. um specifically and and McKenzie and I have talked about it when we were talking about in FFC regarding it as well and capitalizing some additional items and doing that. So I know that's going to be our charge at FFC going forward for the next capital budget. I definitely think we have an opportunity of we have a a duty to ours to our town to bring this to the town council because uh like you said in any business that that type of line item isn't a isn't is typically capitalized. So uh I would support that. if
185you need help uh crafting uh a document to or documents to bring um we'd be happy to I'd be happy to work with the FFC team to to craft that. Um but I think it's important and even in talking with our um IT department chair the uh the upgrade and the elimination of the desktops and going to that upgrade with the monitors is you know you're you're saving money long term. capital whether we take this in the capitalized, you know, to the county council or not, it's you're going to be saving money long term. Um, just simply with the licensing and and all of that. Um, so he talked about that then. Um, let's see. So that's that about tech. Thank you for what you hit, Jen, because that's minimized what I'm going to talk
186about. Um, also when it comes to the the nurse at TIS, obviously that needs to be a major focus. Uh, with that, um, I have the TMS social worker as one of the things that I want to talk about because nobody says, I want to go back to middle school, right? They say, I want to go back to high school or I want to go back to my kinderg my my elementary school days. that I feel like we owe it to our students who are going through the biggest changes in their life physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, all of that. And not having that support in the system of we're talking about security in our buildings. And I believe you mentioned it too, John, is is is giving them that support before the fact versus after
187the fact when we have security in our buildings. Albeit, they're all very important. Uh, but we need to get to ground level with that. Um, so the social worker has been a conversation piece for several years. So I believe we need to make sure that that stays on board. And then uh one of the other things that I had and when I went to every single school as well as our curriculum department, MTSS coordinator was paramount um to the success across all four schools. um specifically um they be quoteunquote boots on the ground. Um a teacher position with experience and can b balance multiple things multiple situations and give that support in the classroom who's on the ground versus an administrative umbrella role, right? This per this person would be on the ground with those
188students and with that staff helping develop the staff, helping with the students in the classroom. So, um, we have a strong multi-tered system in our in our schools in the support system in the schools. One of the big thing that I heard from the high school was that's where it kind of I think they're only hitting and Mackenzie, you were with me, eight or 10 students, >> eight of 16, but they only did it freshman until >> Right. >> So, we're not even there yet at the high school. So you have these students that are going K through 8th grade and often times need these supports throughout all those years and then they get into the high school and all of a sudden we're just not providing them this support the way that the way
189that we should be providing it. So um you know they just need more kid kids to be serviced and expanding it into 10th grade and beyond. Um they do the intervention in A and B day. They're rotating based on student need. Um they kept talking about building the capacity for staff, having behavioral staffing, enrichment instruction. Um they are using the the math ego block um at ths to help some of the six through some of the some of the the students. But again, I don't want to keep beating a dead horse. We need to continue to support the MTSS program. we need to continue to provide. It's a strong structure throughout our schools. Um and then um some of the things that everybody was saying was in every school and every department I keep me
190at status quo. I'm making it work. We're figuring it out. Um but I definitely feel that everybody has touched upon uh who's spoken has touched upon key areas that we need to make sure that we support safety, security, mental health, social emotional learning, that looks like support, counseling services, middle school counseling, all of that. So I definitely want to make sure that those are focuses for us as a group. I know that the TMS uh the ERF is covering the middle school auditorium that's getting done this summer which is exciting. Um I know that has been a hefty conversation with the town council and us as a whole. Um and then in talking and then so that's where I feel at that. So again I support you Jen with that it and we'll we'll get
191we'll get you what we need to do so we can get that done. Uh as far as um uh maintenance and this get to my question with the electricity line. Um I was talking to maintenance my lovely Pete Sava who does so much for for us and he's very costefficient and resourceful. Uh he talked about BGP Birch Grow being very efficient with power but expensive to repair. So we have that school is very efficient with power. Then we have the middle school that was a that was what 1983 was the addition but the school's 1960 something Dr. Wlet >> TIS >> MS TMS. >> Yeah they're both >> we have some old buildings >> many years old. >> We have we have some old buildings TMS and TIS. So I guess with that being said
192Birch Grove is very efficient. We've we've built a strong school with efficiency when it comes to that with power. Um, but is it TIS and TMS that are driving and if I'm going to go to the object page 620 or whatever it is and TIS do have geothermal systems which are still >> right. So I guess my question is is why is the electricity line like >> because we offset that >> yeah that you'll get that in the FAQ but we remember we offset it. We artificially lowered that by putting money into that which offset our budget last time. So it makes it look like we spent less than we did. >> So I asked the same question. >> So you have a huge increase because we off remember we offset it with the um
193the money from you and >> right okay though I do recall that. So that's low which makes it look like it's a massive >> and that's just typical of us our pendulum swinging event. Well, it's just that that's how we offset budget impacts last year was by pulling from Ysef and ERF and now you'll see where you see like massive increase. It's really just last year it came from those two chunks and this year it's all from our chunk. >> You know, we don't have that. >> Okay. So, that's what's primarily driving that. Okay. Then uh the other thing is is I just want to make mention about the clubs because you had brought up the clubs and uh I the clubs and activities and and even the sports and I think it's paramount however
194we figure out how to do it. And don't get me wrong, I am a a parent of two student athletes, a parent of two students that are involved in multiple clubs. So I know the price tag wasn't optimal. However, I would rather pay the price tag versus not have the option at all for my students and have their students. Uh I think the middle I think you and I'll talk about this one young man that I talked about last year and the year before. He found the jazz band and he found the the the video department and he was and he was huge in building the set for the middle school play. He's also the one who does all the videos now for the middle school for for the welcoming the the sixth graders in.
195so on so forth. This this young man was struggling with his grades because of things happening and because of those clubs and because of those activities, his grades are flourishing. So, we need to remember when we're talking about our board goals, when we're talking about this and and being not only when we're fiscally responsible, we're we're respons we're fiscally responsible not just to have a bottom line budget, but we're fiscally responsible that making sure that we're making a sustainable budget year-over-year to provide for our students and making costsaving efforts isn't necessarily reducing, right? So, making sure that we have these clubs available for our students in whatever capacity. Uh although I do appreciate what what Jen is saying because I did hear the same thing. It was very difficult for some families. Um and yes,
196unfortunately they had to make hard decisions and I don't want this to sound bad, but I'd rather have some out there than none at all in our budget is the best way that I can communicate that. That's not you want to go or Joe? >> I'll go ahead and go. Um, and I won't be long because pretty much everything that I'm going to say all you already said and we've all said it in our own different ways, but we're pretty much all say the same thing. All right. There's a few things. Um, and like Dana just said, when I was at the workshop last week, I asked each and every one of the principles there, uh, what keeps you up at night when it comes to this budget? All right. And they kind of looked
197at me like, okay, that's a pretty broad question, but a good one. Um and they said safety and security, you know, and I will tell you that some felt more comfortable than others. And um you know, talking to and I will say Tom Poland, he said, "I feel that I have, you know, some good um uh things in place for people checking doors and walking hallways and stuff. Um but I can honestly say that others didn't feel as comfortable as he did. So that that's definitely my top priority. So whatever we have to do to make sure and I know you've already said it, Jen, so that's all I want to say about that. Mental health um the nurses um because to me they're kind of you know hand in hand is another thing that
198that was their concern and um whatever we have to do to get that there and I know it was gone and put back in and you did what you have to do in the beginning of the school year uh in recent events. So, you know, I'm glad to see that, but that's one of those that we cannot um um we cannot avoid and we cannot neglect. Um you know, kids are within the four walls of the schools. They can't can't learn. We they can't make sure that our goals are being met if they're not safe and they're not majorly. So that those are my top priorities and pretty much all my questions that I have, they're already in here and I don't want to go and rehash them because they're already in there and I
199put them in there and I'll just wait for Dr. Willlet to answer those questions. So that's it. >> Yeah, I'll be quick to I have a couple of questions that I will uh submit on the on the website and I you know I can handle the first answer being there and I um couple of things I've asked as we've gone along here. So, I'm I'm fine returning the rest of my time to the to the chair as it were. >> Okay. >> Um, yep. Go ahead. >> Motion to go past 10:00. >> God motion. >> Yeah. You didn't bring motion second in my office. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Abstensions. Okay, that passes unanimously. Um, okay. So, I'm going to go to our second rounders then. So, um, McKenzie, you had
200your hand up first on that. That's >> okay. >> You had your hand up for a second. Oh, right. >> Um, okay. So, I'm actually going to basically say I'm going to submit those questions online. Okay. For time interest, too. And then, you know, then that gives Dr. Bullet time to kind of go into them in a little more detail also. Um, so then at this point, I know we're supposed to try to tell Dr. Willard what we want. Um, and it sounds like we would all kind of I I'll be the first to say 10%. I just I'm not comfortable with going out there and saying, "Okay, community, we want 10% increase." Um, I know we talked about maybe not giving an exact number. >> No, I'm okay with that. >> You know, just
201to clarify, I just meant >> Yeah. have to be% you know but that's my opinion >> I'm going to throw out just a number that you know you guys aren't going to like and I'm just going to and I'm going to tell you where it's going to come from. Um our seniors are getting a 2.8% increase this year. So how do we say okay you're only getting 2.8% 8% more just the board of ed budget. We need to get to 10. So I I'd like to see something come closer, you know, to the national cost of living increase, realizing unfortunately that our seniors probably still aren't getting covered appropriately that way. Um again, that's our hands are tied. That's a, you know, nothing we can do about that. Um so I'm definitely not comfortable with
20210%. I'd like something closer to what our seniors are getting and I'd like to see if there is a way that Dr. Willlet can do it without cutting any teachers. That's a big ask, I'm sure. So, possibly with technology and security being pushed over to the town site so they're not in our budget to see if you know what that does for our numbers. Um, and possibly not getting rid of I would hate to get I don't want to get rid of nurses. Um, I think we can all agree we'd prefer not to get rid of any, you know, mental health help for them. Um, yeah. I do just want to make one quick point to that. Not that I'm opposing anything you said cuz I'm not. But just as a reminder, just because the
203board of ed asked for a 10% increase, right, not that I'm saying we should, does not mean that the town council when going into millry that we're asking for that percent. So they have we can ask for a percent increase that they can work on with things that they have and opportunities that they have before they necessarily pass that on to the taxpayer. So, I just although I completely respect what you're saying and I agree, um just because we give a 3% doesn't mean that that's going to correlate to a 3%. Just because we give a 6% doesn't mean that's going to correlate to a 6%. >> Right. We won't know that till >> they have the conversations. Right. >> Exactly. So, but closer >> so that you know again I just think it would
204be easier for everybody to swallow a much closer number. >> Yeah. the 3% we're talking about. I I mean three 3% would that would make me very happy personally but I'm I'm one person one taxpayer one you know um one second you you had you want >> well I've got questions if you want to tag on to that >> yeah go ahead >> um I I certainly appreciate you know what you're saying and I I also agree that a 10% increase doesn't sit well with me. Um, but it doesn't sit well with me for different reasons. And that's because we need 10%. Well, we need 7 and 12% to keep the lights on. Right? Everything that's contractually required is 7 and 12% of the increase in our budget. So almost 80% of what's being asked
205for as an increase is to just maintain what we currently have. And year after year, we had increases that did not keep the pace of inflation and argue that the cost of living increases that our seniors are getting from the federal government do not keep pace with inflation and certainly wouldn't want to, you know, align with that policy, frankly. And I I can appreciate that especially in the last few years there is a direct correlation made between the board of education budget and the increase on the taxes in our town. And I want to be very clear about what our charge is as the board of education which is different than what the charge is from the town council. And our charge is to put forth a budget that is sustainable and supports our students
206and supports all stakeholders. And it is the town council's responsibility to balance the needs of the town and all the individual departments and the revenue coming into the town of which taxpayer dollars for private property is one part of the revenue that can come into a town. And so I certainly don't envy them their job in doing that, right? They have a a very difficult job. But our charge as board of education members is to be able to say that this is a viable and sustainable budget that supports all the needs of our students. And it's at 10% because it's been at 1 and a.5% and 2% year over year over year. And I think that that's something that we need to seriously consider when we make cuts and target a number. agree. >> Um,
207okay. So, I'm gonna Bill has some more questions. So, I'm gonna bounce to that and then um if anybody has any more questions for you with that and then we can kind of maybe see if we can try to nail down some scenarios based on feedback we've already received in anything. >> I don't want to beat a dead horse with enrollment, but I just want to talk about some data points and if you can follow me, Dr. or will it just let me know if my assumptions or or numbers are off? I've got the uh the pages out of the last two years budget booklets. >> The current year, sorry. >> Current year is page 26, the enrollment report. Sure. >> So, fiscal year 2425. And I'm only looking at the top line of these
208enrollment numbers, which shows actual numbers that you provided us with. So out of the budget book, fiscal year 2425, preK through 12th grade, we had 2200 2220 students. Fiscal year 2526. On that same line, preK through 12th grade, we had 2145. This year, we've got 2121. That's a loss of 99 students in just that three years time. Now, when I look at this year's numbers in in students and we look at and we look at 8 through 12, we've got an anomaly in our 11th and 12th graders where there's 176 and 180 students. And we knew that those those last couple classes were pretty pretty large. So, if we just take our K through 10th grade years that we currently have right now, there's a couple blips like in third grade where we have 183
209students, but there's also a couple low grades like K2 where we have 137 students. But if we just take K through 10, um that comes out to an average of 153 students per class in those in those grades. If we extrapolate that over 13 grades, that 153 kids, that only comes to 1989 total enrollment. So, I know the the the estimation here shows that our numbers are going up, but the trend over the last number of years actually shows our numbers going down. And I keep hearing about well the blips and we're on the way back up, but the numbers show that we're going down still. And I'm wondering what your thoughts are about that. Well, I I guess I'm wondering why you're grabbing preK to 10 instead of grabbing all the grades. >> Well,
210I'm grabbing I I grabbed Kate because preK doesn't include all the kids that are going to be enrolled. So, I >> Well, those are our pre those are kids in the system. >> Well, I could, but then that's going to bring down the average even lower. >> Well, no, no. I'm just saying when I if I scooped up all of them. Um, you know, you're you I'm not sure. I'm probably just misunderstanding it. Sounds like you're saying take only through 10th grade and whatever, but >> what I've been repeatedly saying is not that you're not making some adjustment downward, but your adjustments downward. Um, if you look at the enrollment reports that I provide, they have your actuals and they have the NASDAQ predictions. Um, and if if you recall a few years ago, I
211can't remember when, we did question the 180 number that NASDAQ provided. And that year, I ran two different tables. one of, you know, the non-NESD and one of um the NASDAQ um and that NASDAQ prediction turned out to be true. So, I do put a lot of faith in the NASDAQ predictions because they've come up to be true and and a lot of times they come up true, but they short change us a little bit. Um, so the NASDAQ projections have not um said we were going to be going up yet, but if you look at the five-year projection that NASDAQ has, you do go up. And NASDAQ had said we were going to be fluctuating towards that 2000 number. That's not new. In every single enrollment report I've given you, NASDAQ has shown that
212we triple downward. But what it did show was that there was a floor here and that ultimately when you look at the NASDAQ stuff that I provided through 2035 you're really not changing that much. So it's not so much you're not losing some to the point of I think the year that you bottom out on that at something like 27 28 and then you slowly start to pop back up because those big grades in the high school go out and then you get you know a little bit more sizable ones in the prek K1 like you're getting the 160s the 155 the 161 those numbers the 160 the 155 the 161 are higher than the 137 the 145 5 to 137 you have now. So, you're right. The big classes are popping out, but the
213ones coming in aren't as low as the the ones have been. So, you're really kind of just >> you're now at that same spot probably through 2035 where your net change between now and 2035 is something like I don't know that six kids and there's a percentage for that. So, it's never been stated that you're not, you know, NASDAQ has been published each year and these data has been published each year that there's this slight thing, but you're not really going that much lower than your floor of about 2073 and then you're climbing and you can see that climbing already happening because you are getting more of those prek kids. NASDAQ hasn't been wrong even though we thought it was but it it hasn't. I think those numbers, if you look at my enrollment report
214from the NEZA productions, I think those are real. In fact, I'll bet you a cup of coffee they're real because I've doubted it before and it came out. >> We're going to watch for that one cup of coffee. >> But I think those are Starbucks, so it's got to be done. >> You know, you you get to call the plays. Okay. But I I do think that 151, that 160, I do think those are accurate based on past experience with NASDAQ and they um you know they do it on birth rates, doing it all. And so that's really what you're looking at is those are replacing your 137s, your 145s, the you know, all of that. So it's not so much that you're not seeing some fluctuation downward. I think that's been illustrated. It's just
215that if you're talking about 5 years, you can't go cutting 20 teachers based on a fluctuation that's going to go between 2121 and 2129 over the next 5 years. It wouldn't make any sense, right? >> And you have made your adjustments. If you go to that data that data point uh I think it's between when I started in 20 you know 200 six and now uh the district has made an adjustment of what is that I want to get that that mistake correctly here where's the it's on that data point page >> um last I just dumped it so I could open the enrollment but um somewhere in the 39 to 42 two people, you know, the reduction has been 39 to 42 teachers over that span of time. That ratio is like 1 to
21622, which is about right, one who had 22 classes. So, the point really, you know, all my conversation is not so much that you're not seeing that kind of fluctuation. It's that >> you really don't need to make massive staff adjustments because you're not changing that much in the next five and 10 years. You're staying about where you are. Even though even you know our data does show 2020 2121 to 2086 to 2073 back up to 21101 back up to 2129. >> Okay. >> The data point you were looking for is that from um 06 to 26 you've reduced 47 teaching. >> Yeah. So 47 and and it's just that your adjustment has been made from an FTE point of view. It's just that you know it doesn't make sense to make any more massive
217staff adjust. >> No. And I said few meetings ago that I'm not in favor of reducing teachers. I just wanted to, you know, make that point based on, you know, the last three years of data. Um, >> all those enrollment reports, my reports have said that, >> right? >> You are going to but but my point every single time has been if you're looking at the five and 10 years scope, you're really not. >> I mean, you know what's funny about these kind of conversations? Our enrollment is going down. Yeah. if you look at that one tree, but if you look at the forest, you're actually not you're staying about the same and going up, you know, but but if you were to look at that one tree, you can say going down, but you're
218think, you know, you you're not planning necessarily for just that tree. You're thinking about the next five years >> and they get these estimations based on birth rates. Yeah, they do birth rates and um all kinds of you know consider >> because we know in three years we've dropped out 99 students >> and you know that's that's a significant amount in three years >> well because you have the big huge classes that >> and you have more modest ones coming in but the ones coming in are bigger than the ones that have been coming in so it's really just you know >> leveling you are in that leveling stage here >> well I didn't want to get negative on that I hope it wasn't taken that way not at I've noticed some things. Um >>
219I I wrote down here in my notes regionalization. Is there is there a possibility to regionalize certain services with schools as opposed to entire districts? >> Uh if you name a service, I can >> special ed. Well, I mean, let's just >> Well, the there's u >> you ask that questions. Not until the state comes up with a standard and takes a little bit more control of the widely insane cost right now of of those outplacements. There's no standardization or regulation. They're all over the place and you know the seats you you go where there's seats and it's not something we control directly. You know people can bring us to arbitration and arbitrators decide. So there's just not a lot of collectivization of that. So probably not right now because there's no one to turn
220to to do it. We don't the market, >> you know, is what they make it. >> We we don't have any control over what's charged. >> Is there anything >> I mean LEAP kind of does that. >> Sure. >> We did ask that question to um Dr. Hess and Wendy Cody at um the other night at the workshop. And specifically like LEAP, I said the same like could we could we have other students come into our LEAP program and they said that we have done a little bit of that before but they said that the reality is is that most districts have their own version of that program. Now >> we were ahead of the curve for that. We created that be to be clear >> LEAP is a cost avoidance program not a revenue
221program. So what that does is you know if you have let's just take a round number which is about accurate but just round 30 students in late if even you know 10% of those or you know let's take a bigger even 10 kids are avoiding out placement if we're avoiding out placement on even 10 of those 30 you're saving almost >> a million >> and so it's a cost avoidance program or avoiding the cost of a million dollars of outplacement by having it but Um, we were an early adopter, you know, honestly, we started that before a lot of places did, but they are all catching up with that and creating their own. So, most districts have something like LEAP now, and you know, we don't necessarily need theirs and they don't need ours. Um,
222we did try to um have a school merge with us. If you recall, some of the board members who are around, we tried very hard. Um, what happens in those scenarios is you can't control the narratives. And um some people had some narratives and so it didn't work out you know because those narratives you know they have to all be in a certain consistent manner. Um but we got close we were very very close so we can still continue to do that and that is something I would do. Any opportunity to have a school district join or partner with us in having kids tuition into our school system. I would do that. Sure. And I'll keep pursuing those. And we got very close to that in the last year. But it's just >> Union, right?
223>> Yeah. Yeah. >> The biggest town in college. >> What's that? >> It's the smallest town in town. >> Yeah. Not, you know, think about that. I should say >> when we do that again, um, everybody's narrative has to be with it >> because that can affect that. >> All right. And my last question is, is there opportunities for us to share uh employees with the town? And why would we or why would we not want to share a CFO or HR person with town? >> Uh it's a good question. We have explored that at least three or four times over my time here. So what if you want to if you put that in the question? >> I did. >> Yeah. I'll give you that. I'll pull all the information from the last few
224years. The shortest answer to that is, and this is a very short, very truncated answer. I don't think you're going to find anyone on our end or their end that has not enough to do. We're completely overwhelmed with what we have. So, combining meaning reducing the number but increasing the load is probably not optimal and will result in um significant issues. and it has in places where it's occurred. Um there are many examples of that happening involving them going back something else and hiring at that point. So I'll give you a good narrative on the history here and it's come up at least three times and we've given the same narrative to just the shortest answer is we're we're all overwhelmed now. So reducing the number and combining doesn't seem like that's going to work.
225Plus, we have very different systems and um we are bigger by far. >> Well, and I'm not saying use them, >> right? I mean, >> we're bigger. >> Yeah. I mean, we're 400 employees, five facilities and we are much bigger. >> Sure. >> You know, so >> um so anyway, I'll answer that in more detail there, but that's the shortest. And again, I wasn't saying that that we get rid of ours. You know, it's it's it's a cost sharing. You know, it makes sense we've got the larger. You know, I think it's easier. Well, >> yeah, I'll wait for your narrative on it, but >> ask a joint meeting. >> Sure. >> Yes. >> Um, you're all set, right? >> I'm good. >> I'm gonna just jump in. Um, I do I'm not I was
226going to ask a question based on this, but I think I'll just make a statement. Um, I clearly, if you know me and have watched me and the Jen Gall channel for the last four years, I am not I am not for any staff reductions. Let's make that clear. I don't care if they're teacher, admin, parah, you name it. I think we need these people. I think our numbers show these we need these people. Now, does that mean that I haven't had to do haven't had to vote to do things I don't want to do? Yes, of course I have had to do that. But, um, in saying that, I just wanted to say both Elaine and Bill, you said that you did not want teacher reductions. I just want to throw this out there
227where I am okay with entertaining a teacher reduction or a staff reduction period. I say okay loosely because there's there's cons to this too is if we're not if we're not taking a job away from a person. So for instance, if you want to create scenarios that say don't have any teacher reductions, I would just suggest that we talk about >> actual people because if we say say we have a retirement and we can um because of class size differentials, we may be able to not have an additional teacher of that grade. Again, would I rather lower class sizes? 100%. But would I make that decision based on then taking a job away from someone else? I would. So, I just mean like just be care if we're going to like be very specific about
228what that with scenarios. might want to give some leeway for things like that where we'd explore things and we'd look at things if they're more about positions being lost than actual people being lost because of things like retirements and people leaving and give their jobs elsewhere. I I think what I heard there is you're potentially more amendable to um positions being um uh lost one better term through attrition rather than termination. Correct. >> Gotcha. >> Correct. And and by the way, lots of cons with that. I'm not for and you know, when we remove positions, a lot of times we don't get them back. Um just because a class size is going to be, you know, 22 doesn't mean that next year it's not going to jump up. My my son is in a is
229in a grade where the all through his elementary school, there was an additional teacher for the grade above and then that got swapped out for his grade because there was actually a full class more. But I'm just saying that when we make, you know, statements like that, I would like to see that data first because if there is a way to yes, maybe make something a little bit uncomfortable, but a person doesn't lose their jobs, I would rather do that over lo someone losing their job. >> Uh, you had >> you already answered my question, >> right? >> Are there any um are there any plan retirements inside this budget? Currently, >> we already incorporated some. We offer an incentive of thousands to tell us early and then we take it out. So some of
230them are already out. There may be others. So what what I think the madam chair has referred to is um you know for some reason between now and board of ed adopted you know budget um somebody uh decides to go you know um maybe go to another district there might be a differential you know if we hire someone at a lower rate than they left we would work that out of the budget or if if there's a reduction of a position but not a person you had and I don't want to I don't want to throw out an example but then that scare somebody. But um >> you know let's say you had a ice cream distribution person and you know you have five of the ice cream distribution persons and you decide you can
231run it with four of them and one of them retires then you replace you know you are going to run with four. You're not going to rehire the fifth and therefore you can take that out of the budget. So it's a position reduction but not a person reduction. nobody loses their livelihood. >> No, no, I completely understand. >> So that's that would be the kind of thing we could do. If you're, you know, you're when you say don't reduce teachers, I will assume you're not saying positions. You're saying people that do not remove the livelihoods of the peoples that are in the district. >> Yeah, I would vote with that or deal with that anybody lose their job. So, now I'm going to ask the question um that I wasn't going to ask. Anyway, on
232the reduction sheet, um there's some there's some staff reductions. Are those currently people at this time? >> Uh >> lines seven, eight, and nine. And I'm being vague on purpose. >> Yeah. Uh the seven is is people. Um eight may or may not based on some sort of things that might happen in the next two weeks. be there might be positions not people. >> Okay. >> Um but that that remains nine is nine nine is people seven is people eight we'll see. >> Okay. >> But I can't guarantee it wouldn't be people if certain things don't happen and they haven't happened today. >> Um okay. Any other questions at this time or we can start maybe figuring out some scenarios. Um, so I I appreciate what everybody's brought to the table and have the conversation
233and yes, I agree with uh scenarios for Dr. Lulu to put forth. Um, I I want to just reiterate what McKenzie said and what our charge is. And granted, albeit I don't want I don't feel comfortable putting in a 9.9% increase to anybody. Again, I don't want to say numbers, but again, as Mackenzie said, our charge is is to support a strong budget to support our students, staff, and schools. Um, now it's not something that we're going to solve today as board. Um, is I definitely think we could talk about a whole another thing. We can talk about our planning and zoning and our all that other fun stuff. They can bring new revenue into town to help offset our folks that are having different income problems, right? >> That's the 5, 10, 15, 20
234year, >> right? So, but our our charge as a board of education is is is to be responsible to our student staff and facilities. Um, what I will say is we are on this situation similar to the electrical situation where we put a band-aid on something. We swung the pendulum this way. So now we're swinging the pendulum back. So albeit a 10% looks like this huge extravagant increase and it's going the rhetoric is going to be that it's huge and extravagant but when in in my and I'm struggling to find the bank page and this thing I have it and I'm just looking through it but the history of our budget increases is like 1.57. Here we go. 1.52 for the 10-year average. Now, since I was on the board, when I joined the board,
235they came off a 0% increase. Actually, they came off not getting a budget approved at all. Uh, and then we did 78.84 and then 0.10 like it's and unfortunately because of the decisions made in the past, this is where we are struggling is my belief. So, I think if we make smart steady decisions year-over-year budgeting, we can kind of try to creep our way up without being off-putting and have a bad taste in mouth. But I definitely think we need to be acutely aware of what our charge is. That's this whole >> I think where I think I am today. So next week we would have another conver another discussion to maybe go from our different points of view and meet somewhere in middle right. So next week gives us that opportunity ahead of the
23612th or whatever the the 11th or whatever is right. So, um, because to be honest with you, I I agree with both McKenzie and I agree with what you're saying in terms of I mean, when I joined this board, when I got elected that, you know, I took it as all right, let's support the school system and and and be honest about what we are lacking and what we need and and and and not just, you know, based it on our subjective opinion, but objective fact, right? And and and data that's supported by. There's also the the scenario where no staff are affected and maybe there's some programming that gets affected and whatnot and um but then there's the discussions about how the town council can get into this as well. So where I think
237where I am right now is and I'm sorry if people have more questions I'm just throwing this out there. I I think where I'm right now is I I wouldn't mind seeing both scenarios of okay, well, I I I am firmly confident that this is still not enough to to to to nourish the school district. That's just my personal and professional opinion to be honest with you. Then there's the side of it of let's use common sense here and think about referendum and and the whole process, which I have yet to uh base any of my decisions on in the last four years, and I can't believe I'm at that point this time, this early. So, um, so I wouldn't mind those two scenarios of, you know, this is this is this is what should
238be proposed to the town council to allow them to because they don't attend our meetings. You know, they don't go to the budget workshop. They don't they don't go to anything to put the effort into understanding what goes into this budget. So, where I'm at is this 10% or 9.9, this shows them sort what what they're not seeing, right? This shows them what is needed to its fullest extent and what's being added. The other proposal is the I guess middle ground or meeting point of or the polar opposite end um and where we can you know sort of go from there. So I hope that makes sense. I hope I I sort of stayed quiet for a while, but just listening to everybody, I think that it makes sense for me to look at it,
239I guess, in both ways and give it a week and try to figure out where where could we where could we meet in a minute. But my big thing is again, I think it's important for the council to see what we what what the what the schools need and and and I'm not saying what the town and the board. No, it's important for the council to see what schools need and and that's very specific language they're using. Uh so no matter what we agree on tonight, I would hope that we can still at least have this proposal still available for us next week um to think about consider future conversations with the with with the council and and how we'd like to communicate with them. So there you go. >> Thank you. >> No. >>
240Oh, I thought you did. Okay. >> Anybody else question informal planning? >> Yeah. Do you have a legal responsibility to pay for people who are outplaced not for special education? Expulsions? Yes. >> Well, yeah. I mean, I guess we'd have to talk about what you were thinking about, but um expulsion would be an example. >> Yeah. No, not that. Um like I would go to EOSmith because they have a VAC program. >> Yes. There's that we do paper transport or or certain things that go to certain places and they we have it is something we have to honor >> for that >> there's magnets some of the if you look at that district I know there was a question on that too getting there but um there's a lot of lot of questions within 24
241hours which you know why no problem we'll get there getting there and I have a lot of answers moving through it but um some schools we have to pay for certain charters some schools we don't >> okay >> and that that interd district one shows you more or less the ones that we do and we don't that are not special ed related >> are we currently paying for any any thing that we do not have a legal obligation to pay for >> well no no no we're not saying hey can we give you money I think it's a fee perhaps. >> I understand your question. >> Yeah. No, we are not paying anything that we're not required. >> So like we're paying for any student that's at school or Brockville, right? >> Yeah. There's certain
242elements of that all districts, you know, you basically um bo if a child wants to go to a boag school and you know isn't >> um you >> I guess what are other McKenzie I hope I'm asking what you're asking. >> Yeah. So expelled or expulsion students because we have we are legally obligated to send them right sped students as well as um the like the VOAG. Are there any other programs that maybe we're not talking about that we're paying student paying for students to go elsewhere or is it just the the the boA district page? >> Yeah, there's the tools there. >> That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm asking for you like some magnets. No charters. Yes, it's that int district page show it illustrates which one we're >> paying as there's a
243statute of loss. >> Oh yeah, we're Yeah, definitely. It's not a choice. It's not optional or discretion. >> Can't cop it. We can't make it a lottery. Yeah. >> They want to go. We that inner district page tells you what we have to pay. Right on. >> I mean, what we what we were attempting to do with pathways to reage, you know, options where somebody might not feel like >> want to stay. >> Yeah. Wow, look at that aeronautics program, but we have an engineering program. So, I have to go over there for the um >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. I'm going to get the ball rolling on some scenario planning. Okay. And if I can throw out just the request >> none of us realize that it definitely saw the opposite
244side of the room. >> Let's see who's actually here next week for the special meeting. >> Um voted on. Can I just find you seeds? >> Um can I I want to point out one thing before you state it just because it's important to me. Um so I think there were a few of you who were in line with um thinking about the security piece and the the capital piece and at least asking for that. So just be aware that's about that would be about 1% right well >> both security and the tech. >> Yeah, we're talking the all three stats. >> Yeah. >> And you're talking the So it's around two about 300,000 like roughly like 75. >> Okay. So just you know Yeah. So just think about that when we're talking about percentages
245of that we would still have to build that into our ask but our ask would be that 75 of it be covered by that. So I'm just saying that because that's such a huge chunk that I just wanted you to know what my thinking was there if that's something that you guys want to entertain. Um, so I guess I'm I'm thinking, yeah, why don't we why don't we try Oh, Walt, I'm sorry. Go ahead. You had suggestion, please. >> Well, very much, please. >> I mean, your process is, you know, I'll work with whatever you do. Um, couple things to keep in mind. Your timeline between now and February 11th, whatever it is you get the c, you know, council to agree to has to be committed to by then. So you know what we
246um it's for me to be able to create scenarios the the the most the optimal way you can give it to me is you could say something like and then whatever the chair wants to do whatever we're going to do is fine but here you know percentage and priority. So here at this percent you know we want you to aim for these three percentages and give us the impacts but on these percentages on this one we want you to prioritize security and this and this on this and if you tell me what the priorities are that's what I steer the funding to protect and then other things might not be sustainable if we're protecting you know x y and z. So I I need to know percentage and priority. So, let's just say you said,
247you know, okay, well, come back with a 10, an eight, and a six. I'm just And 10, eight, and six, but we want you to prioritize safety and security. Then, then, you know, none of that would be taken out. Um, other things would have to, you know, be in effect. >> So, I guess what I would throw out and then please build change is I would like to see something that was probably around um a five with the understanding that 75 of that um are those is the full security request and full it request um so that I was really asking um the town council to consider a full one and I'm going to be quite honest here we've never ever gotten what we've asked for so I'm also building a little bit more upon
248that given that we have never gotten what we've asked for and then also another thing to keep in mind it yes it is very important that we adopt the budget that we believe in. But at the same time, please understand that if once the council makes their decisions, we come back to this table and decide what's in the route. We're not committed to what they say and then therefore if they give us less, that gets rid of this thing, this thing, this thing, this thing. We get to come back and decide and move things around. We may come up with something completely different, but we come back to this table. So, um, incorporate what you want and the things that you need into what what you ask for and what you vote for. >> Take
249a step. >> Yes, please. >> All right. So, my my thought is is having three options. Um, and I'll explain them, but 3, five, and seven are the numbers that I've had in my head. 3, five, and seven. Um, you know, our five-year average is a little over two. Um, that's our five-year average. I know our 10-year average is significantly lower. Um, but five-year average is a little over two. So, this is, you know, the the bottom one is still higher than our 5year average, higher than anything we've got before 3, five, and seven. Um, the the priority in my mind is, you know, I think with the last board, um, we all regret having to remove security. Um, so you know, and I think this board seems to think that's a significant priority for
250us. So, you know, my request and all of them would be that we prioritize security and we prioritize people over positions. You know, I would be like Jen said, okay, if we have to cut positions, um, I would rather see that done than reducing people. Um, you know, and the other thing I guess in my mind is the nurses. You know, that's in my mind that's a priority for us as well. We we made that mistake last year and you know, fortunately we were able to rectify it, but um, you know, if if a kid had to wait longer time with a headache and was in pain cuz we didn't have a nurse available, you know, we don't want that. My kids sitting in pain. So, you know, I don't want to see nurses reduce.
251>> Um, can I just ask a question? When you say something, for instance, like a three, >> if if you're including like the security and the IT in that ass, which maybe you're not including it. You only mentioned security. >> Are you really meaning then a three plus 75 or are you meaning? >> It all depends on if town council will fund that. You know, I can't I can't base what I'm talking about on a hope and a dream that town council is going to fund it. So, I'm going on the assumption that they're not going to and that the three includes our security portion of there. >> Um, if that's what we have to do, yeah, on the board side, you know, I I said it last year in our capital discussion. And I
252don't like the fact that we haven't done our mandors and that's been pushed off on the capital project. I think that needs to be a priority. It should have been done already. >> Man, whatever it is, >> if that's where it's at. Yeah, >> that's the >> TIS was done this summer, which is the TMS, >> right? >> Both they both should have been done. >> Agreed. So, >> yeah, that's that's my thoughts. >> Okay. Anybody else want to throw in just any >> just Yeah. Can I just put in a comment on top of the the nurse situation that one of the when I spoke with um at the middle school that director that Jaden I guess she's a director of the nurses for the district or whatnot she's doing so much paperwork that
253they are in need of another >> person. So, I don't want us to say that we don't want to fill that position because that position needs to be filled because they inform me that there's times of the day where the place is literally closed >> or the vice principal has to go over principal, excuse me. >> But they've told me they put up a sign saying we are closed. So kids at certain points, I don't know if they're closed for 12 minutes or for 45 minutes because she's either on the phone with, you know, some state agency that might have to be dealing with something or medical with a doctor because she's dealing not with students there but as a direct. So, I just want to make sure that that even though that position is
254currently right now, they're looking for somebody um at at the middle school. >> Yeah, they're looking for somebody open position, but that's already built into this budget. So, you're >> remember that one of the WFPA was you added back? >> Yeah, >> we did have a resignation, which an open position, which could be causing some of all of that as they run around. So I don't want to make sure that I want to make sure that position does get filled even though that position isn't filled person right now. We need to fill that position. >> We would not be you know to use your paradigm we would not be um cutting that open position put it back. So I would not Yeah. You're not requesting to add an additional nerves. You're just saying you don't
255want to cut any nurse. >> You want to make sure >> Well, we also need to fill We're we're down to nurse. We need to fill that. >> That's in this budget. >> Yeah. I won't I won't reduce that open position because you didn't put it back. >> That wouldn't recommend or suggest that. >> Thanks. >> That's it for the moment. >> What I'm hearing is 357. >> That was just the clarification because we had talked about we don't want to cut people but we were okay with cutting a position >> position. Yeah, that's what I'm trying to get. Yeah, that's probably >> these cut nursing positions even right here. >> It's just as a day go. >> Okay, JP. >> Yeah. You know, one of the questions I was going to ask Walt online,
256the answer might be to this question about positions. So well um I think you came by for the part of the conversation at the workshop with uh the gentleman who's in charge of facilities and part of the staffing discussion there. We hit on the point that some of the staffing for for janitorial is um there's a contingency built in that if you've got some one person covering a school and that person calls out unexpectedly, what have you, then he's left holding the bag. But that they're so so it sounded like there was an opportunity at the way things are right now that the the gentlemen that are covering the schools are assigned to a school. They don't go to another one. If if Bob calls out at TIS >> Joe and I'm making names up
257so if I accidentally have an actual person's name >> they don't go cover >> uh as it is now they don't go cover Bob from a different school right contract >> was it well right exactly that's where we got to that that there there might be an opportunity if we could have uh a floater position right that would be able to go cover. You're not if you go on a basis that you're not going to have multiple people call out unexpectedly on the same day. You just need to have if you have somebody who could float that potentially gives you the opportunity to um not have one of those extra positions, right? And the the comment was that that was something that we was limited by the contract at the moment. My question is how
258how hard of a constraint was that? Is that something that could be reopened? Like when would the next negotiation be? >> Two years. We just we had it and they that was something that was wide in the sand. >> Wait, correct me if I'm wrong though. It weren't didn't it trump though that if there was an an emergency need could make that decision. >> Yeah. I mean e >> Yeah. >> Not regular >> just someone sick. It was, you know, emergency like the roof's going to collapse if we don't get a bunch of guys over to that, you know, that place. You know, that's that's a high level kind of structural damage emergency thing, but not not just I think Mr. Holling is talking about it with respect to, you know, daytoday logistics. We don't
259have the >> just a way to be more efficient. We tried for that, but we were not able to get that last initiation. >> Right. So that would be then JP that would be an additional position. >> Yeah. Well, he's looking and he's looking for well he's looking for a part-timer to help with that. And I think my put would be for whoever is do is on negotiation if part of the constraint there was you can't change the position description of an existing position. Okay, I get it. But we're in a stronger negotiating position if we say, "Look, you can either have nobody or you can have somebody contingent on the fact that we're now adding this floater terminology to this person's position description." >> And to me, if it saves you if it saves
260you a staff slot that you can potentially use to help with, you know, a mental health or security issue, frankly, I I I my argument would be we ought to be willing to play hard ball. that that's that's a no you don't get the position unless you're willing to bend on this particular you know if we can incorporate this into the PD great you get your position otherwise you downside is it sounds like that might be an opportunity for two years out >> it's all it's all contractual and you can't add a position after you've just eliminated a position >> you can't add a different position after you've just eliminated another position which we did which is why one of the reasons why we weren't able to do that >> on the janitorial step. >>
261Yes. Gotcha. >> Yep. So, you know, it is something that is two years out to try and get something like that that language in again. I know we fought for the whole language and >> described actually kind of happened. >> Yeah. And just to just to caution you, and I know I know you didn't mean anything by it, but um it can be kind of an easy thing to say that we need to play hard ball in negotiations and once you go through negotiations, I think you'll see that we play hard ball and there's gives and takes on both sides for sure. So I I respect what you're saying. Um but again, if you look at our negotiations and obviously this is personal to me as the former chair of that, >> we are below
262the state average on on everyone. So, um, we don't have a lot of of movement there, you know, so we we utilize everything that we can, but um, but I completely >> respect your um thought process. I certainly respect that they because are hurting. We've made we've made a couple cuts over the last couple years. They are, but we cut from every single department last year. And that's something that, you know, I did find myself repeating even at midnight that although all of these reductions were terrible, >> there was there was not a department that wasn't touched to my, you know, >> we didn't touch. >> They're impacted in many many many different ways here in Mr. >> True. Listen, >> I'm just adding we didn't touch >> what you just said. We just added
263one. So, >> we did. probably >> but um okay so do you have any suggestions possibly Walt with some of the things that we have said here and how maybe could Oh I'm sorry >> I just would like to suggest that we see a scenario that includes adding a social work I was going to ask and the PPT coordinator facilitator role >> because those aren't in the budget I would would like to see what those costs roll up to. >> Okay. Do you have any ideas here? >> Facilitator and >> social worker at the middle 120,000. >> I was ask for one hope for two. >> One of them is 54 >> social worker >> and that's so that's being fairly optimistic like social workers are um very competitive right now. So you know when
264you hire you're you're probably looking at this range of 50 to 70 not more. So, do you have initial thoughts on some from some of the feedback that you heard tonight of three scenarios you picked on for us? >> Well, what I'm hearing is a three, a five, and a seven. Prioritize security and people over positions so far. So, those are my marching kind of orders on those three things, right? >> And I guess I said I said a five and that included the security and the the tech, >> right? >> So, so three, five, and seven ask. Um, >> so I'm getting close to what Elaine asked for percentage wise. >> Um, >> now if you do want >> 35,000 position for Birch Group behavioral >> abs, >> if you want that's the kind
265of thing um, Mrs. If you want to um if you want me to add something then you give me the percentage but the directive to add positions but that also will mean if I add 100 or 120 then 100 120 have to come away from somewhere else. When you >> when you give us these lists, >> can you put the dollar amount for each reduction so that way we know if we can swap and flip-flop things back and forth >> or is that asking way too much? >> No, I've done that in the past. I can do it. Um, the thing is depending on what we're talking about, >> um, sometimes I have to, you know, estimate an MA3 like MA7 higher or something. Y >> because you know bumping I can say it's going
266to be you know I can project that it might be X but once we once you're done with the process you may reduce a position the human being that may not have a job may not be the person in the position because there's bumping and you know it's it's there's some factual language about how people and in what order people would be reduced pause you because I feel completely. >> So for instance, say we decided to um reduce a certain grade level teacher, >> right? >> Okay. >> Because of tenure, seniority and some other things like some teachers have particular like they can teach chemistry certifications. >> It's not necessarily that person that's currently in the role. So if Jane Smith is RTA, you know, ninth grade teacher, it doesn't necessarily mean that if we
267eliminate a nth grade teaching position that Jane Smith >> goes, it it may mean that Jane Smith bumps another teacher out that has lesser seniority, >> right? >> And then that teacher. So then that that teacher would go, but the position would still be lost in that ninth grade. You have that few one pure less tradition in ninth grade but the person Mrs. Willlet or Mr. Willlet was that one but had tenure over Miss Gallow Miss Gallow would be the one rifted >> and Mr. will go into job >> that's what happens with senior so so sometimes with so just to so >> a person on a lower seniority is making less >> right >> so that's why I don't always know we might prep that position but that might bump someone who actually makes
268less than the person in the position >> we may cut a position that currently has a feature in it that's on the top staff the most amount of money but when it bumps down we actually lose someone on the You're not losing the 100,000, you're losing the 30,000. Right. I can't I have to be careful not to project a number of reduction that is higher than what might potentially it's always going to be the first in I mean a last in first out >> and that's always the >> always more often than not it's last in first out but but um and hopefully it'll be no one out but but that um that's why I I usually will take a number that is like on the step range of >> you know somewhere in the
269second to seventh step. I don't make I don't overdo it because then we'd be short, >> right? So that's why I can give you a figure but the figure will be somewhere in the you know the step one step two to step seven range and probably more like in your standard >> MA position step two and I would use that figure >> that >> so um and then Jaden to your point just so you know even though if we run scenarios that look like three five and seven >> this still exists >> we still have we still have this scenario scenario doesn't go way so we we can move in between those scenarios. Um, >> but I do want you to be clear with me. You want me to add two positions because understand there
270but then I I need to know because what's going to happen is that that 5% adding two positions. >> Well, then I I have to make sure I pick the 120 from somewhere else. Something would get lost to hit the five, but I would prioritize and keep or add social to the seven. I was going to say I don't think we can add it to the >> three%. >> Well, I do my best to create these three tables that, you know, kind of in and out, but um yeah. >> Um but I just want to walk out with a clear understanding because you want to see it on February 4th and I'll have a few working days to make that work. So I just want to make sure I don't misunderstand. So right now 3,
271five, and seven prioritizing security, but I want to know if you want one of those to include a social worker and a um facilitator, PPT facilitator, and do you want me to make that in lie of the MTSS? Like what are those? >> So we want a seven adding a social worker and um and a PPT facilitator. >> I'm up to the MTSS. >> I would maybe link the social worker and the five as well. But what you're telling me to do is prioritize over everything else. Whatever you're saying to do, I am now prioritizing over everything. Even what I presented to. >> So for instance, if you're saying prioritize and hire a social worker and an FTP facilitator, I'm not I may knock out the MTSS position because I'm prioritizing a social worker. >>
272Can I put maybe something else adjacent on the table? Do the three, five, and seven. We have the 9.9. Can we just get the cost for those two positions and then we can >> I can tell you for said about 120 >> if you build it on to one we can move it into another >> 120 >> I wouldn't I wouldn't say hold that as the most important thing right like it's important to me to see it but I don't you know >> I think if you put it on the just to make it easier for you Dr. Will it if you put it on the seven and it has numbers on it, we know what that number is and we can move it in and out of other scenarios. >> Yeah. >> So that's
273the importance of having the numbers the value for everything >> which I think we did let >> I did I created that multiol. So >> any in any of these scenarios do we no longer have the MTSS and no longer have the ABIS? >> No, we have we would have them in all of the scenarios. in all of the scenarios >> unless it's one of those >> it depends on what you're So and this is I'm really glad you're asking and saying that >> when you tell me what to prioritize it means everything else is on the table for not being priority everybody >> so if if we go in with uh for instance a 3% or if you say prioritize security that means satsaso they're in that that but the MTSS might not be
274in >> you know because that's not a security position I have to prior no so instance well prioritized teacher positions and security positions then I only have certain other places to go so you know that is going to be a lot of other stuff >> if you take MTSS and AIS out on the 5% scenario it'll show what the value is there's nothing that there's nothing that yeah >> there's nothing that said we can't say >> that because I had a sneezing attack and I just wanted to make sure that they take it out of the >> there's nothing that says if we see that and say, "Oh, we want those people to stay. Figure out another way to get to that number, but put those people back issued." >> Okay. >> The reality is
275none of us have sat here tonight said, "I think that you should cut this position or this program." I and things that we've suggested, they haven't been that much except for that one security and stuff. So, >> we're going to need to let Dr. Will it use some discretion with these three things with the knowledge that >> we could always say, whoa, >> I see you have in here this and I would like to consider taking this out. Eventually, the hard conversation comes where when you want something, something else is going to go if we find to a certain number. So, I say, "Let's give him some discretion to work these three scenarios and then and and get your questions in as soon as possible because I'm sure that's going to help him build scenarios
276if he can tell that you're circling around something and then let's see where we are. Let's see where we are next meeting." I really I mean, unless >> y keep in mind that every percent is about $450,000. Your standard position, >> write that down, >> is about standard position. >> 52 to 56. >> So guess how many of those we need to get to 450, you know, and that's like a team. So that every percent is roughly 450,000. >> So nine positions per 1% >> of a certain class position. Yeah. >> We want to cut >> 7%. I don't think we want to. We're going to see what that looks like and then if it if it it does a lot. >> Yeah. just um you know I talked about it earlier um the reserve
277fund for the insurance is it possible to >> I know you said at the end of June they'll be talking about it and you know >> yes >> is there a possibility of using you know potential 100k of that to into our own insurance line item for this year the last year we could >> excuse me just potentially could be the last year we could consider doing that the way we've been doing it. >> Yes. >> So, it's possible and if you tell me to prioritize certain things, I could explore those types of things. The thing is >> at a time when everybody's divorcing, everyone's going to be keenly interested in what we're doing with those accounts. So, it's a little bit different than a standard year because everyone's going to be watching all the
278partner groups. Right now, everybody's money is in one account. So, they're going to be looking at if we, you know, withdraw a couple hundred grand, they're going to be paying very close attention to it as we get close to the settlement agreement. And that we want those numbers to be some somewhat stable as we enter the final phase of the separation agreement. So it doesn't look like we just whipped out a bunch of cash right before the end. And you know, it could it wouldn't be illegal, but it could create those accounts, you know. >> But what I'm just saying is maybe we wouldn't need those funds till uh January of next year, right? Like not saying we'd need it the first day of the new budget cycle. >> So there's another piece of this.
279When this if and when this dissolves, everyone everyone who's in this conglomerate will will get your piece, right? Our piece will go to the town. We don't know how much of that money is going to go to the board of ed or is going to go with the town to the town. Right. So, that's another piece of it. >> Oh, no. I understand. You know, you were stepped out earlier. We talked about it. >> We have no commitment to those funds. No, that's what I'm asking. That's why I'm asking >> I'm if if >> he has a meeting this next week or in a couple more in the next few months. >> So, I'm missing that. Yeah. So, but I'm with I've already asked that question previously, too, because I'm with you. If we can
280use some of those funds, then we should be able to use some. >> So, just keeping in mind that um you know, I I when we walk out of here, the three, the five, the seven, and what I should prioritize, just the what you're also telling me is what not to prioritize. So when you're giving me what to prioritize, you're le the door is open to the rest of it because I can't remember each percent is 450,000. I can't get down millions without >> stuff. So I, you know, that's the piece that if it's not stated to prioritize, that means it's open for or doing has to be done. >> Well, that's not the ceiling though, is that? But then that's next week. Yeah. Well, that's between now and next week. I need to create
281these scenarios based on your priorities. >> Can we start earlier next week? >> Yeah. >> So, like if I give you an example, >> turn in our budget that night. >> I thought it was we have until the third 14th. >> You have February 11th is the the meeting you have for the approval of the budget because you don't have a meeting. Yeah, we have a meeting to turn it in that night to so he had to make a bunch of changes and then he can go home and work on it all night long and hand it into the typically lost there. I thought we were having two meetings before needs to be turned in one. >> Yeah. In fact, for all intents and purposes, I'm sorry. >> So, February 4 when you tell me
282my my marching orders, I bring back to you your scenarios. you move them around, but by the end of the February 4th meeting, I really need to know what you want me to do so I can create the document by February 11th. We did in a, you know, last year or whatever try to like give me stuff at the end of that meeting. That's very that's a that's a not a great way to do that where you know what we should do is give you the the booklet like I did the superintendent's proposed budget and I gave it to you on the 14th. I should be giving you your board of ed budget on the 11th as a pretty much finished dot that you are now, you know, voting to support. You can make a
283tiny tweak here and there, but that night is not for massive tweaks. >> But this is the >> but I'm talking about next week though. We can make changes, right? That's what I'm confused and you >> next next >> I'm just saying that by the end of next meeting we have to pretty much have a decision which is the February 4th meeting. So what what will happen next week, Brian, is we'll we'll look at these three budgets >> and we'll we'll move stuff back and forth and and we'll discuss and we'll come to a consensus. Dr. Willlet, we want this one with moving these stuff in, this stuff out. Uh do the hokeyp pokey and you know that's kind of what we want. We won't vote on it and but that's where we want to
284settle. They'll then take it for the meeting on the 11th and create a another booklet or document for saying, "Okay, here's what you told me to do. We'll have one more look at it. And if there's some minor tweaks that we want to make on that night, that's okay. But that's the night that we'll be voting to approve it to send on." >> And understand that next week I can bring a new idea next week, right? All right. Is right now in the next 7 minutes before we go home. >> All the ideas the only time. That's what I'm confused. >> You can bring an idea anytime. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Cautioning us that >> the meeting next week we can't look like this because we have to come to a conclusion by the
285end of that meeting. That's all I was saying. Yeah, you can bring anything you want to the table next meeting. But >> I'm waiting on answers to some questions other people in here >> 100%. I was just because of what you said which I don't even remember at any by the time we adjourn I just want everybody to we don't have two more meetings to talk like this we have one more meeting to talk half like this but then come up with a number and whatever we come up with February next meet February 4th is going to be what the book says February 11th and besides some very minor tweaks that has per the budget schedule that we all have that has to be sent over to the town that I understand that >> okay
286I just prepare. >> No, I just thought I felt like there was a sense of like >> I just felt like there was a sense that if I don't have my thing about the next seven minutes, I can't bring in ideas next week and I'm like I don't remember that from last year. That's >> Give me 12. >> That's I just wanted to declare a word. >> Will we have the new numbers before the meeting on next week? I don't think that >> the scenario >> usually have a lot of time to look at those scenarios. >> The scenarios getting Yeah, that >> what you're giving me there's five. >> I understand that those will not be public document. >> That's what I was wondering. That was going to be my next question is are
287those public documents? >> Not at the time once we review them in the meeting then they're public documents. >> Okay. All right. >> Yeah. And in all frankness any document I create for you is a forable document. >> Right. But so we we try to do here is be sensitive to not creating tons of panic. >> Yes. >> So, you know, someone can always for anything we have. There's a process for that. But we try not, you know, what I try to do is give you the scenarios you've asked me to create and then have you discuss it in here without creating panic on a lot of people's parts because you may not land at a situation that has X and Y going away but if we're not careful XYZ ABCD and everyone else will
288think it's going and it creates an in an exodus people are like I better get out of it right >> so that's not what it is and we don't want them that way but I do want to walk out with um the one thing I'm not clear yet on is I know 357 I know priorities security and people over positions but do you want me to put something back here like do you want me to put in um something >> well it sounds like they wanted a social worker >> if you do then I need to I need to make sure I do that I I will I will add a social worker FTE something else goes away >> yes add a social worker >> all scenarios >> as a Pator to the 7% scenario
289>> 7% one of those things. >> I like one or two or three of the scenarios. >> Put the clubs back the way they're going this year with it. >> And I will say >> I'm happier with social worker ads than BP data after I am I'm happier with social worker. >> As long as it's on that sheet, Dr. Willlet, and we have numbers, we can move it around. >> Once you once you see it off, it'll get you. you know, it's it's almost easier to do than it is to talk about. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. So, on the seven, I'm adding a social worker and adding >> stuff. We're having a meeting. >> Yes, you do. >> So, I'm just waiting. Yes. Hang on. Are you all set with your team?
290>> I'm going to repeat it to you. So, you're very what I hear, right? I have a three, a five, and a seven. Prioritizing security and people over positions. And the difference, you know, with the seven is I'm also adding a social worker and a PPT facilitator. >> Correct. And you're not eliminated left. >> Okay. And I'm not eliminating clubs. And so prioritize them. >> He says he wants my elimination. >> So the way that the way that you uh we have two different people I want them eliminated. That's my idea. You >> misunderstood. That's okay. But anything I'm sorry that was >> I'm not trying to be rude. I'm just trying to moneywise I I think anything prioritized is on rather keep a teacher black potential. Yeah. >> So that would probably >> for
291both the three, five, and seven. That will be one of the first things. >> Okay. >> Because it'll go back to what we have this. >> Okay. Because it's in the it's in the ninth. >> It's in the nine. >> Yeah. It'll still be there for your nine, Jake. There you go. >> But it depends on taking your other priorities. >> You know, you don't have some Look, I'll be realistic. >> Okay. Let's board action. I will um >> make a motion to have a special meeting February >> 4th >> at 7 p.m. for the purpose of budget discussion. >> Um session start >> I work for you. I can start as early on. >> Um >> I can I can start an hour early personally. >> You can start without me. I'll be fine.
292I'll send my thoughts in. I'm not sure my wife will be able to do an hour early or I don't think what about half hour. I mean I'm happy listen I half hour you know we can you know we'd be getting out of here at 10:30 tonight instead of 11:05. So, you know, if if that's 11:05, >> it is 11:05. >> Yeah. So, >> I think the American support >> I just feel bad because she can't say with your request. >> Yeah. Consider it withdrawn. >> Okay. So, any other discussion? >> Okay. So, all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. Oh, no. >> You don't get too many. >> Thank you. >> Um Yeah. So, uh any abstensions? >> Okay. So, that passes unanimously. We'll have a meeting next February 4th. Uh that
293brings us to public participation. >> Wait, what about the joint town council meeting? We're going to remember we were going to talk about doing that next week because Oh, environmental health is going to a little bit of turn. >> I know we already passed the motion, but I know Walt had mentioned something about having it in his office. >> You got to check to see. >> Yeah, that the location we didn't specify. So, if it's open >> be a location. >> No, I I just want to you just just for kids, would you prefer my office? Because if you would, I'll prioritize my office. Why would we do the >> library? Because then we're limiting public, >> right? Why would here is good? >> Okay. If it's not available here, then the office is >>
294or would we rather the library? >> There's other Yeah. I mean, do you basically if it's not here, I'll allow you >> help choose wherever we can get. But, you know, >> we'll leave that up to you. >> Yeah. There you go. >> Yeah. >> Uh, we have no one in the room and we have no one online for public participation. So, I'm going to skip that. And points of information. Would anyone from the board like to speak again at this time? >> We have one person on >> that's action. >> Any any other points of information? >> No. >> Okay. I will >> move. >> No objections. >> I thought you have to vote on that. >> Motion to second. second third.