001Um, thank you very much for the invitation to board members to attend some of the sessions. I was able to attend one. Uh, but anyway, thank you principles, cabinet, superintendent 40 for, uh, leading such important work. So, thank you for that. >> And you now have your full board. >> Okay, great. Um, all right. We're going to begin with discussion and possible vote on our fiscal 27 operating budget. I just want to summarize as briefly as I can where uh this process has gone and what it what it has entailed. uh Superintendent 40, her cabinet principles, vice president, vice principles, and other staff helped compile a budget, I think beginning last October. Uh she presented the budget on January 5th. Since then, the board of education has met on January 6th, January 14th, January 15th,
002January 20th, January 22nd, January 26th, and tonight. In other words, an additional seven meetings, workshops, and public forums. Um, I want to thank fully Superintendent 40 and her whole leadership team, u many of whom are here tonight. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness um and advocacy and explanations as the board has worked its way through uh budget discussions. Uh when Superintendent 40 presented the budget um she spoke about enrollment going down yes some but also expanding the preschool uh program. Um the enrollment decline is spread across the the buildings. uh probably hitting the high school more than some other places but more a scattering than any one uh huge hit. Um principal 40 reminded us of the district priorities and our mission and our vision and our work around academic excellence and safety, security,
003school climate and portrait of the graduate in terms of what we want our results to be. Um, the board of ed asked probably 40 to 50 questions. I'm not sure if I got an exact count. Many of those were in writing and superintendent 40 and her team after discussing it with the board has made available all the questions and all the answers online on our website. So, any member of the public who's listening now or later, uh, you are encouraged to go to our website. Um, there's extensive answers to an an extensive number of questions. Uh the board of ed um we focused on lots of different areas because as superintendent 40 um did in her presentation on the budget there were two major drivers. One is um salaries that ran um sort of parallel
004with our contractual obligations. That was a huge driver in the budget. The second, and somewhat of a surprise because it was so large, was health insurance benefits. Uh, that started out at 12.5% increase and has since um risen to a 15% increase. So, between those two things, that's uh health benefits and salaries, that's 80% of our budget. And so um the the um resulting increase of 3.92% we just uh were reminded um very well through Superintendent 40's presentation just where that came from salaries and benefits and then there's the remaining 20%. So the board of ed had its work cut out um trying to dig into this a little deeper um and um basically kind of explore bet question uh look at it from all different angles. So in those 40 to 50 questions we
005covered um insurance of course technology maintenance, special education services, uh class sizes, staffing, academic uh support services, uh mental health support programs and services for students, curriculum and instruction. Uh so we tried we sort of dove into each department some more than others. We absolutely focused on staffing because again that was a major driver. So again I want to thank superintendent 40 and her entire team. Um we asked a lot of questions about staffing. Um we asked about um uh just a lot of information about how different roles in different departments worked and we received answers that um contain uh comparative data. How did we stand in relationship to staffing levels to other districts? We heard descriptions of various positions, their roles, their responsibilities. We talked about case loads. We talked about the impact of
006the staffing and the programs that they ran and we talked about scheduling. We also talked about class sizes. Um we asked for different models. We looked at different programs. Um so we tried to look at it basically every which way we could because again that's the bulk of where our money our budget goes into. Um, in health insurance, we had our consultant come in and um, there just is no good news about health insurance. Um, it is what it is. Uh, hopefully there'll be some sort of longer term planning as we try to figure out the best approach uh, especially if health insurance uh, costs continue to stay at this level or even get worse. Uh, but not something we have control about. So I think that uh towards the end of our discussions that
007the board of ed realized that we either cut staff which means cutting programs, cutting services, threatening um results, threatening our reputation, diminishing services, in other words harming our quality. And the board of ed in summary, this is my summary is basically said let's not and don't mess with excellence. So that's where we have left the discussion about the uh the board of education budget. It remains. It came down a tiny tiny fraction due to some last minute adjustments, but it stands at 3.91% which is a 2,391,949 increase over last year. $1,257,019 is an increase in the health benefits and 1 million I'm sorry, yeah, $1,432,666 represent the salary contractual increases. Uh, so if you add salary and benefits together, that comes to about a $2.7 million. the rest of the budget, the other 20% remained
008flat or contained some reductions in special services. The student needs are changing. The population is shifting a little bit and we're doing a great job of offering in-house services. Also kind of a pleasant surprise was utilities. I think for first year I've ever can remember, it stayed those expenses have stayed flat. The rest of the line items are either very modest um increases or level funding or even some decreases. So that's where we stand. It's a 3.91% increase. And that's my summary of kind of where we have gone. I'm sure I have missed stuff. Um and I open it up to other board members uh if you have any additional comments or um perspective you'd like to share. I'm gonna I'm gonna step up and say that I think you did a fantastic job of
009summing it all up there, Deborah. Uh Deb, so thank you for doing that. [clears throat] I don't particularly have anything else to add, but completely agree with all of your points there. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. Um, >> can I have to say something? >> Of course. I'm sorry. I didn't see your hand. I'm sorry. >> That's right. actually not for consumption by uh Eric and her great staff nor us who did a lot of diligence. It's actually uh sort of a warning for Governor Lamont and his elected officials that if insurance goes up again 15% a year, the quality of education in Connecticut will greatly suffer. So, it's an election year, governor. You got to do something about this. Your staff's got to look at relief for school
010districts like Weston. So, that's my political message for this evening. >> I'll just I'll just add too while everyone's on the call and it's a greater group, just want to thank everyone for supporting each other, supporting your staff, and supporting our students. I really learned a lot through this process. Um, thank you everyone for preparing such detailed responses to our questions. Right. Um, any other if I don't see any other comments, I'm not trying to leave anybody out. I'm just there's a lot of faces here. Um, all right. So, uh, we're at the point where I think we're ready to, uh, make a motion. Would someone like to do that? >> I'd be happy to do that. Just give me >> All right. Thank you, David. >> I gota get to the right spot in
011board book. Apologies. Okay. All right. So, we're doing the operating budget, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. moved that the fiscal year 2027 operating bud budget was presented for review and approved in the amount of 63,490,638 which represents a 3.91% increase from fiscal year 26. >> Is there a second? Thank you. >> I second. >> Thank you, Lisa. Further discussion. All right. All in favor? Ask for a show of hands. Any opposed? All right. The operating budget is approved unanimously. Thank you everyone. And again, thank you to the the full staff. Um, Superintendent 40, do you want to make a couple of comments? >> Yes. Um, thank you. Thank you so much. Uh this whole this is my very first budget process in Weston. Um and I am really grateful one to the cabinet for helping
012um to answer all my many questions about the process um and your patience as we worked through the final proposed budget. It was really exhaustive work and your diligence throughout the process uh made it really possible for me to learn so much about the district at the same time and I'm really grateful for that. Um Phil and his office for being incredibly accessible and really flexible as we worked through um many many meetings uh many data sets uh and many discussions. um Jodie for holding us all together with all the documents that we needed along the way. Could not have done it without you. I there were papers and binders and data sets and spreadsheets everywhere. And she is just incredible about keeping everything organized and the most updated revised versions on my desk. And
013so I'm really grateful um to have her along my by my side. Um, I'm really also very appreciative of our principles and their input and their feedback and the insight that they gave along the way. It was invaluable to constructing the budget and we could not have done it without them. It really was a collective effort and as you see here this evening, we have all of our administrators with us and I'd like to personally thank them also for their contributions at the school and department level because it trickles up all the way into the bo the operating budget that was just approved by the board of ed a few minutes ago. Um, I'd also like to thank the board of education for your support and your belief in this budget for asking some really
014great questions and giving us the opportunity not only to um detail some things throughout the budget but educate you and the community at large along the way. I think it's really important for us to be transparent in that work. Um, and the more information we can share, the more people understand about the inner workings of our district and what a complex um, system it is. Um, but so I really do thank the board and their belief in the budget and remaining confident that it truly is a reflection of the values and the continued excellence that we strive for in Weston as well as the academic achievement. So thank you very much. >> Thank you. Right. That leads to uh discussion of the um uh fiscal year 27 capital budget. Um I'm going to try to
015summarize this as well and I will hopefully not mess it up, but that's why we have such excellent staff and some very um attentive and smart board members. So, correct me if I get any of this um incorrect. Uh yesterday at our workshop, we spent most of the time looking at the capital budget and we really appreciate Phil Cross and Mike Delmro for describing each and every item on that uh capital budget and also um prioritizing them. Um, we all noticed that there's been a change to the capital budget since the January 5th presentation and that is the addition of the North House HVAC project has been added and it's also been added in its gross amount. In other words, before any um reimbursement from the state um why did this happen? As I understand
016it, the grant process for state reimbursement changed on July 1st, making it impossible to do the work this summer if we have any hope for a state reimbursement, which would be around 22%. Um, so the project will not move forward this summer, but will hopefully move forward next summer. This is certainly unfortunate, but again, we cannot risk losing a potential 22% reimbursement, which uh works out to be around $500,000. This is a big ad to our capital request and how to finance this amount um is certainly a question. It is not in our purview in terms of which financial approaches or tools to use but assuming the capital budget moves forward approved by the board of ed the board of selectment and then the board of finance there'll be different um approaches at the board
017of finances um uh discretion. Um the tax levy is only one such approach. There's also importantly the state reimbursement. Uh right now it stands at 22%. Whether there are other grant areas to investigate, we will have some time for that. Um the general fund is also a source and so is bonding is also an approach. So those are financial approaches. The financial arena which is the board of finances purview and responsibility. Um, so I think that's where we stand. Um, Phil, did I leave anything out? I think I think that was a thumb up. [clears throat] >> It was covered everything. >> All right. Thanks. Okay. Um so yesterday our board of edet um certainly everyone regrets the the hold up on the northhouse project but certainly does not want to risk the 500,000 um
018and also we had a lot of discussion about all the other items um and that how a important they are b that deferring or delaying or reducing them in uh has the impact of basically Um, I think somebody used the the several board members used the term kicks the can down the road and causes an even greater greater buildup later on. And also, the board felt strongly that not only did these projects need to get done, but that the board wanted to make sure that we're upfront and that we include our needs and we don't not talk about them. we don't keep putting them off on another list thereby kind of potentially surprising people in the future. So the amount now stands and again this is with the gross amount included for the North House
019at um 4,720,000 and or 720 and $200. I probably messed that up in terms of pronunciation but you all understand that. Um, all right. So, are there other board comments? Um, if I missed anything, please correct me or add. Deb, I think you sum that up really well. Um, and I we had quite a bit of discussion yesterday and I think that summarizes it really quickly. >> Okay. Thanks. >> I think the only thing that I wanted to add in here >> Yeah. um is uh I looked at the the revised sheet that Phil you had sent around to us today. I don't I think that we still have the incorrect amount for the central office HVAC. I think that needs to be corrected. So, if we could do that, that would be great. But
020that's the only thing that I wanted to add in there details. >> Okay, that's important. >> Yeah, I just took a look. Um Sharon, you're right. All right. Thank >> we will make that correction before we send it off to the board of selectment. >> Great. Thank you. Hey, hey, hey, Phil. Just a quick question on this. I want to double click again on the North House HVAC um replacement that we're adding back. How how firm are we on this number? Is is this number just for everyone's benefit here? Um the $2.4 4 million gross number [clears throat] prior to the grant or factoring uh uh the amount of the grant. Um how firm are we on that number? Is that that's a total number correct for labor for all the mechanicals for all the
021installation? Um are we firm on that number Phil? Is that plus or minus? What what is your view on the 2.4 for because this [clears throat] is one of those things where again we discussed it last year and passed it. I want to make sure it gets done but also you know I don't want to necessarily sit here next year and say wow this thing is actually not 2.4 it's 2.6 it's 2.8 and you know we um we misjudged sort of the increase here that we were going to assume over the next year. So if you can give a little bit more specific around that number that would be great. >> Sure. So this number is pretty much as firm as we can be as of early late October early November. Um this number includes
022some contingencies at various levels and in in addition above the base the base price. It is possible um that within the next year or so. Right. So right now these are costs with an estimate that a project will start in the near term. There could be some small escalation but I would not say that those those increases would be significant. Of course any increases that we do but probably would need some approval by the board but I do not anticipate any significant increase. With that said, we have to be mindful, right, that the estimate that we have in in the design phase may be somewhat different from what we have on when we do receive responses from from our proposal. So, as of right now, the numbers is as firm as we can have them.
023>> Bill, I have a quick question on the North House. I think it was last year there was some amount of money approved for the design. Is that work still happening? Is that work part of the 2.4 million? Where are we at relative to the design? >> Sure. So last year 230,000 was um approved for the design. The project we have not stopped working on this project. This project is ongoing. Right now we're pretty much in I would say on the final phase of the design. um we will we should have that design specs in house by the end of this week into early next week. So we do have funding for that and the work has not stopped. >> Okay. So from a kind of a phasing perspective the design work will be done
024prior to essentially in parallel with or by time this goes into our budget. Our budget then goes to a referendum. At that point, the town ha we have the design, we have essentially what I presume to be a hard cost from a vendor based on the design. So what what happens between let's say next week when we get that design and you give it to the vendor? Is it then bid out to three vendors because a dollar amount or there's been a vendor selected? >> No. at at at this point we're once it's approved we're technically on hold until the final appro until the referendum vote. Um we cannot move forward with this project until the state has reviewed or the DS has reviewed and also approve and then authorize us to issue an RFP.
025So after from this point on we're sort of kind of in in the holding phase in terms of the work that needs to happen. Well, in terms of a vote and submission, but any work that we need to do, we'll definitely will continue that. >> And if it goes out to bid and the number comes in wildly higher, is that just a risk that we take or does the state reimbursement get adjusted based on actuals? >> Yeah. Um it it it gets a little complicated and that's one of the reasons why we made that adjustment from the 1.9 we discussed yesterday to the 2.4 that we have. The state has two conflicting language in terms of in terms of amount and what amount needs to be approved and appropriated. Um it it is a risk
026that that we take right there's I think in section 10291 that talks about that we cannot undertake a project unless it's been fully funded. So the risk that we have is that a project comes in in a little bit a little bit higher than what we anticipate. But in terms of what we need to do, it's a risk, David. It's but hopefully it will not be anything greatly significant that will that will stall the project. >> Okay. But ultimately the risk had the risk and the reimbursement are completely separate from each other. So in other words, this project needs to be done. and it was essentially approved last year. Now we have an opportunity to get some reimbursement from the state. Uh but the the cost of the project is not dependent on how much
027the state reimbures us. That the the project cost is the project cost. So right so that's at the end of the day that the reimbursement is not going to change what the cost of the project is. The cost of the project is what the vendor says the cost of the project is. And then we apply we go for the reimbursement from the state which uh is based on what the vendor actually says the project cost is or what we're estimating it to be. >> Correct. So as I so the price that we have right now it's firm the conversation that we're going to have about the the north house will not end tonight. Um there definitely will be other conversation in the upcoming months regarding whether what it has to be approval of an ed
028specs just talking about the project in general um approval of the design itself. So this is going to be an ongoing process and we will continue to have discussions regarding the north house in the months to come. >> Great. Thanks Phil. >> I'd like to say something >> again. Excellent work by the superintendent staff and diligence by the board. We're bumping up against $5 million capital budgets. If you look two, three, four years out, we're there. Again, I cannot blame the governor on this one. This is a kind of western self-inflicted wound. Uh the time has come. Anticipate uh significant expenditures just to keep the lights on. I think uh again Erica I think the questions Michael asked just now and David asked are exactly dead on about escalation about certainty there is escalation there
029is uncertainty we're going to have to learn to live with that and those going to have to grind it out to mitigate that so good luck to all of us >> thank you good questions good comments um and thank you Phil for um your answers Um, any other uh questions, discussion about the capital budget? All right. Um, there is some motion language, but I know there needs to be a correction. Um, Phil, how do you uh want to handle that? >> I I think the correction has been made. >> Oh, it has been? >> Yes. I had sent out a revised revised agenda [laughter] to everybody. Well, >> um, so your cheat sheet has that motion language, but David, it should be in board book for you if you have that up. >> Yeah, I
030was just comparing the cheat sheet language from the board book language because I don't want to get the dollar amount wrong. >> Thank you. I don't even have it up, so thank you. Yeah, board book has the most recent update. >> Okay, I'm ready to roll. >> Okay, thank you. Go. >> All right. Move that the fiscal year 27 capital budget was presented for review and approved in the amount of 4,720,000 sorry 4,720,200. >> Second. >> Okay. Is there further discussion? >> All right. All in favor? I >> I Any opposed? All right. Unanimously approved. So, thank you everyone. Um staff, board members, Phil. Uh thank you. Um okay, that ends both of our items on the agenda. There's that I think means that our Thursday meeting which was if we needed it for further
031discussion on the budget but I don't think we do unless Erica or Phil need to tell us differently. No more discussion. Great. Okay for now. Um so let us cancel that Thursday meeting. And that brings us Do we need a motion to cancel that Jody or Okay. >> No, you don't. >> Okay. Um, great. So then, um, but we do need a motion to adjourn. And again, we want to make sure, um, you know, from the board that we truly thank everyone who was here tonight. We know that you all have had different parts and perspectives in building and presenting and proposing and explaining and answering and comparing and researching all of our answers. uh all is truly appreciated. Um and I want to thank my fellow board members for um I think uh this
032has been a very effective team in terms of all your different questions and your um uh different perspectives and uh and wisdom that you bring. So um I I'm hoping everybody feels it was a thorough process and obviously I think very successful result. So with that said, is there a move to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Thank you, Lisa. Is there a second? >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> All right. Tonight.