Board of Education - Special Meeting - February 5, 2026

001All right. I'd like to call to order the Winchester Public Schools Board of Education special meeting, February 5th, 2026. Um, like to start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Joseph Santo, >> Carol Kak, >> Frank Oliveri, Kurt Warner, >> Julian Lubby, Nora Mccarsski, Elanor Bishop, Chrissy Rylander, Nothing more. >> And St. Chentrella is running a little behind. He'll be here in a couple minutes. Okay. Um on to item two, public comment. I don't have the >> That's okay. >> All right. Um if >> anyone would like to speak, um you have three minutes to speak. I would like you to

002please write your name, address, and phone number. So um if uh once we have a response uh we will reach out to you with our response. Um does anyone wish to speak? Does anybody wish to speak? Seeing none we will move on to item three information items. Uh the fiscal year 2027 budget review and discussion. Dr. Lubie. >> Thank you very much Mr. Warner. Good evening everyone. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to really dig into this budget with you, answer your questions. Um, I have answers to most of the questions that came in. Um, they mostly arrived a couple last night and the rest during the day today. Anything that we don't have an answer to today, we'll continue to work on for the next workshop. Sometimes they require more research than we can

003do on the spot. Um, I thought to start we could just go into the book together for a couple of minutes and then we'll let the questions that you sent bag the opening discussions and then go from there as more things come up. Um, hopefully you've had a chance to review the first three sections. Um, that summary in the front should really guide you on the big broad big broad brush strokes of what's going on in the budget. That was really hard to say. Um, and you do have our vision, our mission, uh, the shared values of the board that was collaboratively developed uh, during last school year and the district goals, my goals, and your goals, which obviously all nest nicely together. And I think it's important that they're right there up front to

004keep us focused. Uh, the class size projections speak for themselves. We are pretty standard at four sections of grade level. Our enrollment projections are here. They um are also fairly consistent and very reliable in their um prediction. The only one that's obviously always a little bit of a loose number is the kindergarten, but we do um work extensively to get that number as close as we can. and we've already opened kindergarten registration. We know who the kids in the preschools are, our programs, as well as all the other ones in town. Um, we are trending right at 72 right now for kindergarten. Um, which means we have the potential to be oversized. I'm not anticipating enough kids that we would add a fifth section necessarily, but we may hit that threshold. 18 is the limit.

005So 72 if everyone on the list that we expect shows up, we're already full. Um what I want to draw your attention to um in this second section here is historical staffing. That will show you um we've tried really hard this year to make it easy to see certified staff, non-certified staff that are directly involved with kids in instruction and then the people behind the scenes so that it's not all mishmashed together. Um and the number of positions over time. And for anything that's a change or anything I needed to draw your attention to, you'll see very teeny footnotes in the right hand side there which correspond to the two pages behind. And um in the cases where it is just an outandout addition of staff, there's a rationale provided um and we can absolutely

006elaborate on those. Those are good beginning points, but we would be eager to tell you more if you're um uncertain about what the position does or what its impact is or why it matters. Um so those staffing notes, if any of those leave you with questions, we can spend more time in there. and the enrollment and staffing trends are there um just to show you sort of as the K6 program has grown um how the staff size has grown um and what you'll see is that the staffing has not kept pace with the size of the enrollment. shifting over into the big third section. This is really the analysis um that pulls together. The fourth section that will be your homework for um Tuesday is line item detail, which [snorts] is not always something that's

007reviewed at the board level, but in this community, it has been something that people crave to see more detail for. So, this is literally every detail. In the case of things like classroom supplies, we've summarized our spreadsheets back up to tell you this is the grade level amount. If someone feels like they need to see glue sticks and rulers, we can show that level of detail to you. But that would be that would make this into a doublesized booklet, and it's not something that's ever typically quite that level of detail. So in section three where we are tonight um the first sheet points out to you really the biggest part of that is that the offset of the ECS grant to the town brings the net cost to taxpayers including town support for education and

008town support for capital repairs which is something new that has not been in the budget before but we've talked as a board and a team over the last two years that nothing will get done if it doesn't live in a budget somewhere. So, we've taken the five-year capital plan, which is in your book, it is in the back of the detail section, and Nancy has done that fancy thing that business managers know how to do where she's taken the capital budget, figured out what needs to be done in which year, spread those costs out. the price of the roof is not included in that since that project is seemingly beginning to be launched. And so as we look at a five-year projection, that's not in there any longer. So, when you add together the appropriated

009budget request, the town support, which as Joseph was asking about is the electric bill, the snow plowing, um, postage, phones, things that are far from education, and then the town support for capital repairs. you see a breakdown of where that money is spent um very high level obviously and then the offset for the ECS grant which is from the state of Connecticut to the town to offset the cost of education for the taxpayer leaving the net cost to taxpayers >> I'm sorry the capital repairs the 268 that is the roof it's not the roof >> that is not the roof >> so the roof is something outside this Right. >> Budget. >> Okay. >> It seemed like it didn't need to live in the capital plan since it was now somehow beginning to happen. >>

010Um, capitals. Okay. Uh, let's see. So, page 14. I could be doing this on here. I'm sorry. I don't know that we can make these things totally seeable, but let's put the graph up. So, the graph that you see here breaks down what lives inside of the appropriated budget. You'll see um on the right side of the circle there are three blue wedges. Those are the pieces that are Winchester public. The gold ones at the bottom are out of district. The darkest is the tuition for special education. The middle one is the sped transportation. And the little teeny light one at the bottom right there is out of district tuition for choice schools. So, magnet schools, regional 7, um, which we are obligated to pay tuition for, they typically are a little bit under $4,000,

011those tuitions. However, um, just I don't know if it was yesterday or the day before. Now, uh, the governor um removed funding that the magnet schools typically receive and said, but so they can raise their tuition if they want to. So, that's a little bit of a wild card for us. We don't really know what that means yet. Does that include technical high schools like staterun programs? >> That's a great question. That's the kind of thing we have to unpack. Who got impacted by that? [music] Um >> so like Oliver Wilky Techch, if they choose that, >> if Oliver Wil Tech is included in the group that the governor removed the funding for and said that he's taking away their right, they used to be capped on not being able to raise tuition, >> right?

012>> So I don't know if Region 7 and Oliver Walcott are considered magnet schools. Nancy, do you No, you don't think so. >> You've correct magnet schools. >> So, we do have a bunch of kids in magnet schools whose tuition could go up. >> Y >> um >> that's a variable. Okay. >> We'll be reaching out and trying to get a handle quickly on how that will impact us. But that is an area of vulnerability now because as of yesterday, that number >> is wide open again. Um the left side of the circle is um Gilbert school tuition and then the wages and benefits slice for Gilbert is for the folks that work there, the uh special education people, teachers, paras and uh pieces of the administration. Um and also a piece of our BCBA,

013a piece of speech and language, all of the service providers. Um so everything in green is essentially um Gilbert. Everything in blue is essentially >> Winchester, >> Hinsdale Pearson, I'll say because all of this is Winchester >> and then everything [snorts] gold is the out of district stuff. um on the per pupil page. One thing I will add to this analysis for you um in the future I will um work with Nancy and Kathy to unpack a little bit the out of district special education just break that out by age band also so that we can sort of see what we're spending prek6 712 18 to22 um so that's another that was a suggestion from someone that we look at it in that way as well. So that's something I'll bring to you for the

014next meeting in case that's helpful to see. >> So that is on the detail sheet. >> It is, but I want to get it pulled to summary level. Yes, I know we already know who the kids are. We just don't have that analysis included in the >> students 18 or old. >> We are obligated to pay um for students uh that need services from 18 to 22. every district, >> not for all students, but for students whose um individual needs require more than the typical K12 education. So we carry half a dozen loosely Kathy 18 to 22 year olds right now >> between six and 10 given out of districts >> by the budget $673,000 from your budget line >> 673 705 >> for kids who are 18 to 22 >> okay so some of

015those kids attend school I should say young adults in fairness to them attend school here in Winchester at Highland Highland transition >> transition I was going to say hta but I noticed it for highland transition academy some of them however um have needs that can't be met in the local program and they are in um out of district placements that may cost a lot of money >> and that isn't discretionary at all >> federal law >> do we get reimbured for that >> we get the reimbursement which is applied against the numbers that you're seeing once the expense so for the example at Highland probably not because that program is $70,000 give or take per pupil is times four and a half it would have to be above 100,000 for it to hit that. But

016for someone who's in an outplacement that might cost say 150,000 plus a van to get there. those students we would get reimbursement for at about 65% everything above four and a half times our per pupil spending and any child who we any student young old wherever if they would be hitting that threshold based on their costs we've calculated that and applied it back against the tuition in the budget. So there's no like extra pot of special ed money. It's already what you see in here is the net for those students >> is Juliet. That's excess cost shares, right? That's 65% above four and a half times per pupil spending. It's it's per pupil spending then. It's not like the whole special ed bucket, >> right? >> It's per what any one student. >> So if

017all of our kids are under that $100,000 threshold, there's no reimbursement. So it's on an individual basis. Gotcha. Okay. and most frequently applies to students who are placed out of district >> because of the cost associated. >> It's not impossible that a student in district could exceed that if they were with a onetoone teacher and a onetoone say nurse. A student in district could hit that threshold, but it's far less common. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I have another question on the out of district spending and the out of district choice. What's the difference? that the that out of district sped is that for special ed and then the choice is just kids deciding to go someplace else >> those are students attending um I always want to say so Oliver Walcott Magnet schools region

018seven >> so that's the choice >> yes >> and the other one's a special ed >> yes >> choice means we didn't send you there you sent yourself there um historical appropriations. I'll pause on just for a second. Um one of the things that I'm looking to put together to have for you next week, uh Paul and I were actually meeting about and talking about earlier is um looking at other districts our size and the overall size of their budget and recognizing while we're looking at a very large increase and there's no way to sugarcoat that. I'm well aware it's a large increase. It's not for wanting to add lots of things. It's while other districts have been systematically smoothly moving along over years, we haven't. And so we are playing a lot of catch-up.

019And if we compare ourselves as a district of 10,000 students, when you include Gilbert and us um to other districts about our size and look at the total size of the budget, I think you'll see I looked quickly today. Um the only information I could get quickly was uh the 23 24 budgets because those are on the state site and we our budget today is still less than most of the districts our size were spending three or four years ago. So it is the catchup piece is really what's a big impact and why there's nothing to be peeled away. >> You mean by percent less the comparisons of >> right when you look [clears throat] at our total budget next to someone else's total budget. We still are asking for less than they were getting

020>> three or four years ago. >> But those are are they typically prek through 12 systems? I guess so. We >> well we're filling ourselves out as a prek12 in that scenario as well. >> Okay. >> Because we are >> paying for all prek12 in our budget. >> Were they like towns 10,000 >> um trying to think okay where so you know let me do that for you when I have it nice and clean. >> Neither you know not that >> I have a question on the prek. >> What's that? There's a lot of kids in the prek program. So the first question is that required? >> We are required to provide services to children from the day they turn three if they have special education needs and it needs to be in the least

021restrictive environment. So what that typically looks like is you create a classroom that has special education students and nonspecial. >> So if we go through with the what you proposed for the new build for a prek program, >> right? Will that then subtract what we're paying now? Will that be rolled into it as free money or are we gonna because you want to bring in a a whole state um townwide prek program? Correct. Right. >> Okay. So, we're paying already a lot of money for a prek program. So, will that budget item then go away if we move forward with the new prek program with the state? >> So, the construction money pays for the space. Okay. >> That has nothing to do with what we're currently doing, but you also said it included the

022teachers. >> Well, no. So, the construction money is >> for the construction. >> There is a grant called Early [clears throat] Start, which we would apply for that provides reimbursement. I think it's up to $90,000 a classroom for the teacher and whatever other expenses go with that. So, in our case, a teacher and a teaching assistant. And given our contract rates that would cover the staffing, we're not eligible to apply for that until we actually want. >> I'm not saying for this budget. I'm saying going forward. So would that then take away the cost that we're paying right now? It wouldn't because like pretty much every grant out there um they're called supplement, not supplant, meaning we'll give you the money so that you can do more, not to replace what you're already doing. So

023moving forward with the build and the whole prek program that you want to do, that's going to cost us money. >> It's not going to save us money. It shouldn't cost. >> It's not going to cost additional money. >> We're already paying. >> So So these kids right now in the prek, you're saying that they're special needs. >> All of them. No. >> No. >> Oh gosh. No. >> Okay. Maybe I'm not saying it right, but you're saying that we're going to get this whole prek program. We already have one. So, we serve up to 64 students, right? In reality, we're at about 52 or 54 because the half day seats >> we enjoy because they allow us to get more kids, right? But >> that is 60, call it 60 for a minute, make

024it easy math. We have roughly 80 students per grade level. >> So, this program is serving three-year-olds, four year olds, and actually some 5-year-olds because depending where your birthday is, you can't start. So if it's for three year olds and four year olds, there's about 160 presumably in town, right? >> We have seats for 60, right? >> So there's a hundred kids out there that we're not, [music] >> right? So but if we build then those 64 go into the pool and then we wouldn't be paying this extra line item is what I'm saying. >> You I mean you're you're you're replacing prek with already prek that we have. >> You're not open up. If we added three classrooms, excuse me, we [clears throat] would be essentially adding 48 more seats. We would allocate the

025first 80 seats, if you will, to four-year-olds because our sort of theory of action is if we could start school a year earlier, what wonderful things we could do for our students, their future learning in the community over time, >> and then the remaining seats we would still be paying for. Because I I mean I'm just saying you're taking you have you I mean I'm so we only have one classroom now and we're going to have three classrooms is what you're saying. >> We have three now which get us to 60 seats, >> right? >> We want to add three which would get us another 48 seats. >> Okay. >> So the grant money would cover the 48 new seats. >> It's not going to cover what we already have. >> Right. Okay. >> So

026it's not addition by subtraction. It's just an addition. >> Got it. The other problem too is while it's $90,000 a classroom for the teacher and the aid over time sometimes grants disappear. >> Exactly. That my concern as well. Yeah. Right. >> And then we're on the hook for it or we we go do away with the program. >> So >> you can always do away with the program. Of course. I will say to you that this is based on the school readiness grant, >> Nancy. School readiness has been around 20 years >> at least. This is endowed at the state level. Their commitment level to early childhood has doubled down rather than weakened. They took the former school readiness grant which is around for at least 20 years, gave it a new name, endowed it.

027So it is a reasonable assumption that it is sticking around long term. >> Let's I hate what ifs. Let's say the funding does go away. we have all this additional space. >> What do we do with it? >> We could charge tuition to out of town kiddos and fund the teachers that way. In fact, if we wanted to run six classrooms with our existing three and the new three. Um, if we took out of town students and charged them even $1,000 a month, that's 10,000 a student times 20 students, 200,000. You just bought back your teachers. >> So, for a system that can't create revenue, that could be a revenue. >> It could >> generator. >> And we know there's a need and we know we would provide the best program in the area. And

028there's is it restrictions on the construction that you have to do their program for a certain amount of time. >> So the grants would be tied to early childhood, >> right, >> integrated program. And so for the construction >> in good faith, you would be building for that and open that. I don't know if there is a specific number of years that's tied to that. I don't believe there is, >> but I will research that. >> Yeah. Because if then we decide not to do it because they're not covering the teachers, we can't use it for or anything else but the prek. We wouldn't proceed without making sure that we know but you know we wouldn't want to go ahead and build and then not get the staffing and then have the construction costs fall

029back to the town. I wouldn't allow that. >> We would only proceed if we knew we were in goodstead. >> [clears throat] >> Um why don't we hop ahead in the book to page 19 for one second. Um and I'm just going to take you through a little bit of the increase analysis. Um you know honestly the increase although it's what gets the talk talked the most about isn't really the meat and potatoes of it because your increase depends on what you had before um and the size of your budget. If our budget were 27 million, this increase would be a much smaller increase. So, but because we like to talk about increase, um you see it broken out here by out of district, Gilbert, and Hinsdale Pearson. You'll see the top graph illustrates that

030the amount of the increase, which is Why does that look wrong? 2254. That doesn't look right. Is that the right number or is that before? I'm doubting myself now. It is right. Okay. Um that roughly a third of that is going to Hinsdale Pearson, a third to Gilbert, and a third to out of the district. the bottom graph. I want to caution you that mathematically it's a little mushy because if you see the table at the top there are some areas of reduction and when you go to a circle graph that doesn't really work because there's no way to show a negative. So what the chart did is it took only the positives and sort of redistribute them across. So, it gives you a sense, but I wouldn't try and like recalculate it backwards. But

031loosely, it shows you the drivers of the increase, the tuition, the transportation, the benefits, and the wages. Um, Um, is there something else I wanted to draw your attention to there? I think that's about it. We talked about during the presentation, the status quo. One thing I did want to say to you, um, someone asked me, well, let's just assume that everything new is off the table. And I want to say to you, whatever we need to do, we'll do. And you're the board. You will make the big decisions on dollars. And what I'm going to say to you though is I can't unilaterally say to you, let's just not do the new things because it isn't like the new things are bright and sparkly. We wanted to add a travel abroad program and we'll

032just go without it. The things on this list are essential and so we might have to if you say to me you're not getting 377 for new things, I'm going to say to you, well actually many of these things have to happen. And so something that is already in our budget will have to go to replace it. So just by way of saying you can look at that number, you can think about it in all the ways you want, but that special education teacher isn't negotiable. I mean that has to happen based on the needs of students. If I pull that out, I'd probably be placing four kids in out of district placements, which no matter how long you've been looking at these numbers, you can assume would mean a lot more money. Um, so

033that's the only thing I wanted to point out about that is that different things are even more important than you might think. Um, and I think that's all I want to draw your attention to. We can talk about all the pieces. Um, just a quick question >> of course. Page 17, um, which is the revenue section. Did we lose two grants? the ARP school mental health and ARP regs well so there are two different grants I'll speak about them differently um the school mental health specialist was something that came out of COVID days and it's just done it sunsets you know it was funding that had to be used by a certain point and we're spending the last little bit of it the 49,000 in this year um and then it's just gone and because

034it was COVID relief money it it's never coming back and similarly uh the art break to read came out not sure why it's art because it really had to do more with the state's insistence that we adopt a particular one of several literacy programs and so that was designed to um introduce the CKLA program and it also is gone. So, >> is there any possibility that we'll get future grants to cover those programs that were cut? >> So, I you know, I don't have a crystal ball, but the only reason those federal grants were added was CO. >> Okay. >> I could never have anticipated or predicted CO. I will share it was funny. One parent where I was working wrote in and said, "How did you all not anticipate this would happen?" [laughter] Really?

035>> Okay. world she >> um it was one of the best comments I ever got from a parents like oh um so I could never have anticipated co or that we would get those grants so I can't tell you that something crazy won't happen in the world and that grants will appear but I have no reason to think that barring an unusual circumstance there's any new federal funding coming it quite the opposite the federal funding is all being looked at and cut back upon Okay. So, that was me. Great. Sorry. Um, so in response to questions, um, Yep. If your question was asked and is not on here, it's because it just needed another day or two's worth of work to get to. >> How many pages? Just one page. >> It's just one page.

036Um, let me see if I can think about where If I can put these I don't know that these are really much to see on the screen unfortunately. I'm sorry. >> Joe, you want to just keep the excess for now. >> Sure. >> Um I didn't attribute them to where they came from unless it's very important to you. I don't know there's any value in that. But um one question was asked about um if we did our own snow plowing, could we get a truck instead? The shorter answer is we never did our own like big plowing and couldn't with one truck and one man. We'd never get open on a school day. Um but what did happen this year is that we without the truck we're no longer able to do the sanding. And

037so that's an additional piece that we're paying for. Um but the 30,000 isn't like a flat rate. We pay much like you do at your home by storm. And so, um, >> as much as I love the idea of getting a brand new truck and doing our own sanding, that's probably the only part of our current contract that it would replace, and I don't think that would be enough to pay the 30,000 outright. Um, question was asked, we've got some open positions. Will that provide leftover money? Um, yes and no. The reality is if the position is open, we are hopefully filling it with a substitute or for example, we have a speech and language pathologist opening, we're paying a contractor actually more money than we would pay for someone on staff because if we

038have to pay through an agency, >> as you would imagine, we're paying more. Um, so if there is anything left and that's wonderful news, it be comes it goes into the non-lapsing fund and if like right now we have only I think about 44,000 in the non-lapsing fund. >> We could obviously apply that against the budget if we wanted and that's our little safety net. Um, and if there's anything that's left at the end of this year, that's what happens to it. It doesn't like just evaporate. It sits there and waits for us to need it for something else. Um, on page 15, let me go back to the book so I can show what this question refers to. On page 15, for people's expenditures, wages and benefits lines are very different, right? Because that

039is not what Gilbert's paying for wages and benefits. That's what this is our budget. So this is what we're paying for teachers, paraprofessionals, pieces of other people to do work for the grades 7 through 12 students at Gilbert School. So >> if you were to unpack the 9,700,000 Gilbert budget, there's plenty of money in there for wages and benefits, but that's not ours. So we don't unpack theirs. >> Thus the difference. So just that we're clear 775 847 is our special ed staff up at Gilbert. >> Yes. >> And their benefits at 364,499. >> Yes. >> Okay. And the transportation is that regular ed transportation 394659. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And you'll see Hinsdale Pearson is about 6,000 more and that's because we budget 6,000 for field trips. >> Okay. But otherwise, it's just

0405050 on the regular transportation. >> So that's regular ed transportation and on top of it we pay 1.3 out of district special ed. But that's is that 1.3 prek through 12. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And I'm as I said to >> 22. My apologies. >> The um >> show that over the age levels on a different day. And these are kids um they're not the McKini Bento. That's totally different, right? Okay. So, this is prek through 12 out of district transportation special ed. Um so then when we go out of district choice >> the 16794 that's 7 through 12. That's the region seven. >> It's mostly 7 through 12, but there are two three um elementary age students in magnet schools. And when we're in the details, those numbers are there. >> Okay, >>

041I'm making that up, but it was a very small number. One, two, >> but it's largely the 30 that go to region seven. >> There's 35 actually. >> Well, that's part of actually five is part of the special. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And we have to pay for transportation even though those could be considered private schools. Magnet school. >> We have to pay transportation to in town magnet schools. There are none of those. So we do not provide transportation to out of town magnet schools. We do have to provide transportation to Oliver Walcott because tech school is considered something you're entitled to. And we do have to provide transportation to um region seven. Is there an ability to then sorry if I missed this I was [clears throat] >> focused. Um so is

042there an ability to limit the amount of choice um for the students out of district? >> I asked the same question myself. >> Yep. >> Um there's a formula that you have to apply to it. On a quick glance, it looked to me like you weren't getting very far. It had something to do with you had to take like your average of the last three years and you couldn't go less than that or something. I'll look at it a little more closely. >> Got it. >> That's a philosophical I had the same question because I'm like, well, that's just money work. >> But where is that written? Is it a law? Is it just something we do? >> No, that's law, state law. It's in the statute. And I think Nancy, were you the one

043who found that for us? I can look at it again. There's two layers to that. There's what would the savings to us be if we said okay from now on in >> you know we have roughly seven students a year that go to region seven right seven eight kiddos to the tune of if they're just general education less than 4,000 a piece >> so it's not a huge savings number one but the other is just as a philosophy as a board you would have to make the decision do we want to say no to that like you know if it were costing us $100,000 a child, it might be an easier decision. >> But the question for me that I feel like is it law that we give them other options or is law if

044if we do there's a formula. >> So I mean we have a we have a school, right? Can we say if you want to go to another school that's on you? >> I don't think we can tell them that they cannot attend Agra Science High School. >> I'll double check that, but I'm pretty sure we can't just say no. >> So we can't cut that There's a limit as to what we can come back typically is negotiated, but the number of nth graders that are allowed to go to the bo program cannot be less than the average of the past three years. >> So just the ninth graders not but not the whole >> pardon me >> it's just for ninth graders. So the average of the last >> that and then the total average

045canot less than the last >> last three years. Okay. >> So, because we have, you know, seventh and eighth graders, they are entitled to choice. We have no control over that. >> No. >> So, seventh and eighth graders don't actually go to regional. The only way you're getting into regional on our dime, if you will, is at 9th grade through an application to the aggra science program. And not all kids who apply get in. >> Oh, yeah. I went to Texas. So, I know the process. >> Um, very similar. Seventh and eighth graders, the only way they're going to region seven is if they move there or pay their own tuition >> or just paying for transportation, not like if somebody wants to go to the magnet school like tuition or >> so magnet school

046tuition, I believe we have to let you do that is between three and $4,000 typically. Um, and again, we'll see that in the detail sheets. So in the >> but we don't provide the transportation >> in the out of district choice for the transportation there's not a number >> noticing that as well I'm wondering >> what is the cost >> so in the out of district choice >> uh I think >> 15 so there's no >> right so we don't provide transportation to magnet schools okay >> and within our regular bus contract we get the kids to Oliver Wilcut And excuse me, region seven just within our bus contract. The company is great. They work with us. They grab all the kids and then take them all to one. They don't even add a bus

047for it. >> It's pretty cool. >> That's why if you look at page 66, >> it speaks to the tuition. So when a student chooses a high school Northwest regional at the age of nine getting into the AED program they have to get into like you did Joseph the show that you had to get into the AED but the tuition follows the kid. >> Okay. >> 69 >> 66 >> the heck. Wow. >> But you're saying now that this number Well that's That's a >> a variable because of the governor right here. >> We don't think that region seven falls under the magnets. >> It's a variable for magnets. Then we said earlier >> just a variable >> magnets. Okay. Correct. Magnets. >> So that could increase >> governor. Right. Um >> let me pop

048back. >> Sure. Sure. um under revenue custodial fees. That's if um park and wreck or the boy scouts or um any group requests to use the building at a time that it's not already open and we have to pay for custodial overtime, we charge that at its actual cost to the group using the space so that we don't have custodial overtime for other people's events. So that's where there's a little bit of revenue. um non-public revenues for the Gilbert School titles 2, three, and four. Um the federal government tells us how much of it we keep and how much of it goes to Gilbert. So that's reflected in there. >> Um >> is it just based on the grades? >> Like why? >> I don't know. >> Why? >> I don't know why. They just

049do. I think it's probably based on enrollment. They feel >> some of the money should follow the kids. >> Okay. >> It's like there's a price in the packet, isn't there? Like the amount was like 25 grand or something. >> I just don't know what >> each grant's a little different. Um >> thought I saw it somewhere. >> The federal grants. The next question have really decreased. And no, we have no way to know that the state will make up the difference. That's um anybody's best guess. That's all. >> Um, >> TRB contribution reimbursement is an aspect of my contract. Um, uh, 8% of my salary gets deducted and sent to the state teacher retirement board and part of my contract is that the district reimbures a piece of that. Um, the TRB health subsidy

050is money. It should be on a detail sheet. It should have parentheses around it, meaning it's an offset. That's money that comes into the district from the state teacher retirement board uh to defay the cost of health insurance. Uh comment here that's [snorts] being sunsetted on page 29. the sunseted refers to um there are some contracts I think it's in the teachers contract and maybe a couple of other places where people have it's in the administrator's contract you can get if you've been here some certain amount of time and you retire from here you get a payout um it might be like $50 for each one of your sick days or it might be your sick days cut in half times something that's no longer available to people like coming in nowadays that's why it

051say it's being sunseted. Like if you were here while it was in your contract, great. But if you've come on since the point where it came out of the contract, you're out of luck. Um supply costs for the last five years. I'm going to give you a piece of paper for that. Um actually before we do that, I'll just do this last one on the page. COVID funding is there. Those are the grants that came in. Um ARP ARPA ARPA Esser um and the different amounts and as you saw in the um revenue page, they're done. Okay. And then the other question on the page, >> so fiscal year 2027 is done. >> Yeah, there's nothing >> nothing. There's plenty of extras there. Um this I apologize I can't get up on the screen. Um

052the question was Winchester public school administration over the past five years. So those are the numbers with a few notes below. >> [snorts] >> And I believe um like I said, I think there was one other question about behavior data that we are pulling together. That'll take just a little bit more analysis to get it ready. I hope to have that for you on Tuesday. And I think that may have been all the questions that came in. And again, if between now and Tuesday, if you start collecting questions, don't feel like you should wait and send them all at once. The sooner you send them, the quicker we can start working on them. Um, even if you send me three different emails with questions, that's perfectly fine. >> And also, Julie doesn't have anything to

053do throughout the day. So, if you just want to knock on her door, she's available. I'm sure she'd love that. >> I actually would. My goal is, as I said, to make sure you understand what's in here and why it's important and be helpful in the process of figuring out where we go from here. >> On page 99, you talk about solar farm. >> Page 99, please. page 999. Um >> solar farm costure. >> So this is part of the town support budget. So that means this is >> coming out of like the town does all this. NY's filled in the numbers, but this isn't actually like we don't do this business. No, but I'm saying someone else turns the lights on. >> We have a solar farm. Do we have a solar farm, >>

054Nancy? >> Town. >> We have a solar farm >> as a town. >> We don't have a solar farm as a town. There is a solar farm >> that there was a deal made with them some years ago and we get a tiny little bit of money back from them every year. Actually, it shows up once bills for electricity. So, last year I think it was all $1,000, but you know, $18,000. >> Oh, I I thought somebody had mentioned about six, nine months ago that the thing went belly up. >> I'm sorry. >> I I thought I heard something about six months ago and then six, seven months ago that at a selectman meeting that that farm went belly up. The guy never made the repairs and it wasn't in operation. >> Well, we're still

055getting credit on our bills. So, >> don't bring any attention to it. know we all know that >> we have bigger fish to probably fall down that hole. >> I got I got one question. Maybe this is for next week I can get an answer or even tonight. Um on page 20 for all the you know the wages and benefits and all your proposed um increases um for the special education par educator the be um and like the lunch monitors and custodians with the you know new uh government mandates for uh for what's the word I'm looking for for uh you know benefits you you have to work requirements I shouldn't say these are unskilled positions because, you know, they're all skilled, but they don't really require any advanced degree other than high school diploma

056or like for the special education par educator, it's parapro, that's $88. So could we defay the cost of that by going to the community and saying due to these new work requirements if you you know don't fall into the category you can volunteer at Winchester public schools still get your you know credits and save the town what is that 40 almost you know $200,000 in the uh in your proposed increases. I'm going to ask you do that just a little bit. I [music] didn't entirely follow that. Um are you're suggesting that instead of hiring a special ed PAR educator, we would ask someone to volunteer to do the work. >> Correct. Because all you need is a high school diploma and a parapro uh certificate which is like $100 to be legal with the state

057of Connecticut. So, you think there are people in our town who would just come do a full-time job for free? Is that >> No, you could couple hours a week or something to to help, you know, it's offset the need >> for lunch monitors first. They wouldn't get benefits because they're only working like an hour [clears throat] and a half a day, which would not qualify them. So, the wages and benefits does not include the needs for benefits there. That number is just wages. Um that's like six people two hours [cough] a day. [clears throat] >> Okay. >> Um the PAR educator is a full-time job. The position is part of a union contract. Um a 1 hour a day volunteer or something wouldn't replace the need for a para educator, >> but also you're

058put into an IEP. So you need to be skilled because the federal government has requirements that you have to carry forth for individual kids if you get assigned individual kids. So that needs stability and continuity. That's usually five days a week full-time. for to meet the need of an IEP, >> right? >> But I mean, there's still, you know, people that may be willing if they need, you know, something. I don't know. I'm just I'm just trying to offer solutions to offset costs, you know, non-monetary ways to to get you more resources without burdening the taxpayers, you know, 10% increase. >> Understandably. Um, I would agree with you on the cafeteria monitors that that would be something that we could look to try to do. volunteers. Um >> we talked about partnering with Northwest Community

059College at some point because there may have been programs for PAR educators coming through the pipeline to help with our students here in our but it would be not full-time employment. >> So we do have um [clears throat] like a student teacher right now um whatever a a pareducator version of a student teacher would be. I'm not really sure if there's a technical term there but you know we have people who are in the program. I think we had one in the fall and one in the spring who are doing their hours in our school, but it might be, you know, two hours one day, four hours another day, which is great experience for them. We consider it um talent management because by partnering with the college, we're hoping that um those people will become

060our employees. >> I think the other thing we have to look at [cough] is [clears throat] it it takes a special individual >> um sorry >> to do that job. Um the mental and physical abuse that a lot of these people go through um if we get volunteers they're not going to stay long. >> The other two Joe you got to the competition for paras across this country is really pretty tough because there's so much need. So we have to deal with the marketplace and the surrounding community torington and working elsewhere. So we have to make a competitive wage so we can fulfill the IEPs which is the mandate. >> Correct. Which is true but I'm just saying that we can afford $377,000. That's that's out of the question. So I'm just trying to find

061ways that we can offset that whether it be finding additional funding or something along those lines. I'm I'm not trying to like take away anything that we don't need. I'm just trying. >> There are no bad ideas. My feeling is the reason for these workshops is we suggest everything even if it's outlandish because even if that idea doesn't turn out to be the one, maybe it will trigger the next thought that does save money. And so don't hesitate if you got an idea. The only thing I would caution is please be mindful that our teachers are listening. Our families are listening. Our teachers work really, really hard. And I think in our discussions, we want to be very cautious not to say things that make it sound like we don't value the work that they

062do because when we talk about money, it can become very easy to say, well, couldn't we get rid of this and couldn't we get rid of that? And I would just remind us that every one of those is a human being who's worked really hard today, yesterday, tomorrow for the children. I have a comment. So I was the one who asked about the co money and if you look at the years compared to the historical appropriations. So the co money was not included in the change of the increase. >> So yeah. So in so uh just for example in 2022 we got $973,000 and on here it shows that we had a change of town appropriation of $300,000. Um just to get everybody in the same place you're looking at page 16. Sorry. >> So

063these appropriations are the town appropriated budget. >> Right. So so >> so the co money was in addition to this. >> Okay. So, I'm just looking at the numbers and I'm seeing like huge numbers here over the over uh 2021 to, you know, the last one was, you know, minimal, but 2026. And if you notice, we didn't do you still got more of an increase, but then you had all this money on top of it. So, you got used to spending all this money and now we're getting big increases because now we don't have any co money. So except for last year, the increases largely were for Gilbert and I can show you the breakout of that. So we weren't getting like in 2122, we didn't get a 300,000 increase and COVID money. But what

064I would say to you is given that we're running back I think even before 2013 on that just shy of 20 million budget with no increases, the CO money masked that problem, >> right? And that's why the big increase is now, right? Because you did take the money, whoever took the money, Gilbert or us. [clears throat] Um, they did take that money, they got used to it. I mean, you know, $1.8 million in 2023 is a lot of money, >> right? That we got from co and so I mean, and then you took it. I mean, we spend it, but like anybody would, but now my point is is that now that money is not there. That's why we're increasing the budget. >> Yes. No, though. Um, so when I asked when I got here,

065the co money obviously was pretty much gone, >> but except for the last little bits you're seeing, but no, we didn't really just get used to it. It's not like we [clears throat] So there were some things that linger on, right? So >> part of the money was spent, I think like 600,000 of it or so. I'm really making up numbers now. NY's probably cringing. for things like an air system, an air handling system for the school because if we wanted to open, we had to assure people it was safe. So that's not like a get used to because that money went right out the door. We opened Oak Street School. >> So that >> we paid rent. >> So we were paying rent with that money. >> $25,000 a year ago. >> We were

066spreading kids out. So that money was spent, I think, exactly how it was intended. Okay. to allow us to open school and do business. Um those parts of it I would say were spent on what they were needed for. The need went away and the money was used up for that. The piece that lingers on is that coming out of co the needs of students were significantly different than before. I think I lost a few syllables in that word. Sorry. [laughter] Um coming out of CO we have children who spent a year and a half sitting in their homes without socialization little ones who didn't go to preschool coming out with mental health needs behavioral needs thus the need and that's why for example the one of the ARPA ones the [cough] mental health grant

067because they know that kids came back changed like really there's no leftover like we didn't hire five new people and they're still there but now we've got to pay right >> is what I'm saying. >> We didn't create new positions with that money. >> It was like Chromebooks and PPE and all the stuff we did product of >> right >> but that we bought those Chromebooks >> almost seven years ago now they're actually >> becoming obsolete. >> Yeah. >> So it was great to have the money but it didn't create the problem. It got us through the time, which is exactly what it should have done, but it did mask the need. Well, it didn't mask the need there, but for all those years where it didn't go up and some of those early years,

068there was commissioner network money supplementing the town budget. And I think, you know, I know everyone wants to like point fingers and say, well, whose fault is it that we're where we are? I would say to you that for many of those years where there was no increase, there was commissioner network money which was that during the takeover. So what years were there? >> 15 to >> when did we get out? 18 >> 17. >> Oh yeah. So that pretty much accounts for the no year increase. >> Yeah. that counts for the >> increase was the money. >> Very specific. >> Okay. >> It was earmarked. >> So yes. So saying though that's those years like you're saying there was no change because that's the year years you were in receiverhip, right? >> Or we

069were in receiverhip. It wasn't you. >> And it probably goes back even a little further before that. But >> okay. So the number didn't move on the appropriated side and it was kind of okay because there was commissioner money and then it was kind of okay because there was some COVID money and now all of that is gone >> and our appropriated budget looks just [clears throat] like it did 15 years ago >> and we're saying now what do we do? But it wasn't always okay because there was a couple times we dipped into our 2% savings where we dialed it down to $1,800. That's not okay when there's emergency. Now it's up to $44,000 after three years. So So it wasn't each time we were each rolling through the receiverhip years, it was biting

070nails, you know, chewing nails each time. And we had fortunate timing for different things to make the budget work >> and the to keep it working and to provide the increases in the recent years largely going to Gilbert. We shaved away any position that you know I spoke a little bit to Kurt today and I said like I get it but I don't know what to tell you. I mean, like I we've cut the last standing secretary who isn't literally opening the front door of the school. We cut we went from three uh speech and language assistants to two. I mean, we have three schools we're servicing. Like there's not the positions were shaved away to stay within the confines of the budget with the grants. And I think I arrived at the perfect storm

071moment where all that money is gone and the piper has come due and said, "Okay, you know, 2013 size budget isn't enough anymore." >> I I want to remind us of one of the goals for this board is to try to attract and retain the talented teachers that we we want for this district to keep them here. And that's that's an important focus. Um I have a question. What about an early retirement incentive as a way to try to reduce some of this pressure? >> We always consider that. >> How early can we go? My wife's ready. >> I'm ready too. >> I have news. I may not make it through the third budget workshop at this rate. [laughter] >> We have I think maybe two teachers who would be eligible. One of them is

072a phenomenal special education teacher and we are like >> she's not allowed to go anywhere >> trying to make sure she doesn't go. one is an amazing fourth grade teacher who is carrying all of our new staff. She is the backbone of Pearson school. I think she's t spearheading high quality instruction work. She has, I think, three out of the teachers on her grade level are brand new. I will be heartbroken if she retired. The odds of replacing the special education teacher are slim to none. We already have two special ed vacancies we can't fill. So the savings is a pittance with two people anyway. >> Um you've [clears throat] done it one time before with sort of a formula. Um do you have a formula? So when districts do it, they look and see

073who's eligible >> or who's close to retirement and you figure out how much like one district recently I was hearing about offered will either give you $10,000 or will give you um two years of health benefits. When you do those, you have to work out the formula of how many people would have to take it >> right >> to hit your number actuarial site. We don't have we don't have >> you're paying out not only the pension you're paying out annual leave sick leave and whatever bonus you want to >> well buyouts maybe for some teachers under the contract that allows them to buy out sick but that's part of the actuarial science you'd have to look at but you're saying it's it's something that persons are not within reach to make that a >>

074it the we're so small that the number of people that it would and again I don't want the people at the top to go we have so few of them. >> And in fact, if you're at the top of our pay scale, >> you are the lowest paid top of the pay scale teachers in Lynchfield County. [clears throat] >> Lower than Torington, lower than Plymouth, lower than um I just read the list. We our beginning teacher lowest number is second lowest in Lichfield County. And our top of the scale number is the lowest in Lichfield County. And what that means is how are we hiring people? because everybody could go somewhere else and make more money. Um, >> so just the value of an experienced teacher um alone like anyone that has a degree um

075can speak can teach the curriculum, right? um the the experienced teacher can adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of their students. Newer teachers don't have that skill and experience to do that. So the value of having understandable the the gap between having someone at top step and someone at the first it's a big gap and it can save our district money but our kids would suffer. >> Could I um since it's been brought up could I say something? Um I'm 80 years old. I worked for the city in the 70s. >> You look 60. >> Yeah. Well, all right. But the solution we came to when letters went out on everybody's desk about layoffs in 75 was agreement between the management, the unions and personnel to give up one week's we got paid 26

076paychecks a year to give up over the year that one paycheck and we did that for three years while the city was in bankruptcy to get back into the motion. that allowed everybody to keep their job. So when the when finances got better, the the right people were there to do the job. But it was an agreement by the three parties to do that. And that's >> not in education though, right? >> Every No, it was entire city. >> I only asked >> No, it was all the unions in the city. So I have to say to you knowing first of all it's a little different in education because if my salary is $100,000 my retirement is based on that number. No. Well, >> and so for anybody who's near retirement, you're taking money not

077only out of this year, but the rest of their lives, >> right, >> in doing that because it will no longer >> Well, we were a lot younger at the time. So, I mean, what I'm saying is yes, that in the long run that happened, >> but it saved my job and it gave me a career. >> You know what I mean? But when there's a shortage of teachers in many disciplines, we do something like that and the noise gets out there like that, we got teachers looking for other jobs. >> You you know it >> I'm just saying it worked because we kept the key people we needed. >> Yeah. >> It it lessened the impact on everybody >> and when the when everything was better, which is I'm hoping in four years, three

078years, >> we had the right people in the right place. That's all I'm saying. It was contribution by all sides. >> Sure. That's all I'm saying. >> It's an idea. >> Um, >> how we're starting teacher [clears throat] salary. I'm just going to grab that. I think is about $44,000. >> Not going to grab it with that glasses, though. Um, give me 30 [clears throat] seconds. And one of the things that I think we can't lose sight of, we've been talking about the huge impact uh 24 25. Oh, I grabbed the wrong one. She um teachers 25 28. Um the health insurance will hit our staff heavily because they pay 26 27. Next year the starting salary here is $44,456. So for someone making that amount of money and paying roughly next year almost $3,000

079towards their health benefits to then take another $2,000 out of their paycheck. >> I didn't say it was easy. >> Never mind easy. Nobody would do it in their right mind. They'd be making >> Maybe I was crazy, but we did it. That's all I'm saying. >> They'd be making in the 30s they could make more money at Dunkin Donuts, I think, >> and have none of the aggravation. [clears throat] Um, if we were a high-paying district, also the savings to us, I don't think would warrant the damage to the district. We would lose so many folks. Aside from the numbers, the dollars coming out of their paycheck to ask people to give up two $3,000. I mean, that's what it probably cost me for my property tax here in town. Why are we putting

080that on the teachers to pay someone else's property tax? like it's they work here. They're so dedicated to our students. >> We could ask that for Lamont with the electricity bill, too. So, >> I'm sorry. I don't want to make that comparison, but >> I just don't think, you know, if we were a highpaying district where people were rolling in it, maybe we could say, yeah, you know, they're paid well, but we're already begging people to work here. Um, >> you would also have to consider things like that K12, you know, and that's a tougher call. >> I'm not saying >> that's true. Our teachers already made their even Yeah. >> What about um can we just roll through so everybody understands that we have um class sizes that are at a max of 18

081per student, right? >> Age >> or it depends on age or grade. >> Depends on the lower age. It's not in the budget book though. >> Yeah, it was. It was a sheet. Yeah, it was a sheet. >> Class size. >> Anybody? >> Thank you. >> Okay. All right. >> Actual nonprogressive >> average class size is average class size, right? But it's not necessarily the contracted max because we have contracted max sizes. Is it >> varies? PreK K R18. I have it in here somewhere. Um, >> yeah, because that's not in here. >> No, >> it is somewhere. >> Contracted size. >> Um, hang on. >> The reason why I'm bringing it up before you start shoveling sho, you know, shooting through and looking, um, there's a cost there that needs to be um, actuarialized.

082>> Yes. If you cut a teacher, you're increasing their classroom sizes and by contract, let's grades one to two, they get a 21st kid. >> So, you have to pay that differential >> can, you know, in the future per student. >> Let me try and give you an illustration because, you know, I live here, I work here, I I hear, you know, I've heard that we need a zero, right? So I'm saying to myself, how would we get to zero? Because that is so far beyond the pale. So when you start doing the exercise of that, you cut away basically everyone other than classroom teachers, then you get to the classroom teachers. So let's say we have four teachers. I'm going to use grade two because I can do the math in my head on

08320, right? So, if I have four teachers in grade two and I have 80 kids in the grade, 20 kids in a class, let's assume for a moment two of those are new teachers and two of those are veteran teachers. So, two of them make $50,000. They don't actually, but and two of them make a hundred,000. They don't either, but follow my math. In order to get to a million dollar in order to get to a zero increase, I would have to go from four classes at every grade level to two classes at every grade level of 40 kids. Now, first of all, I don't know if you've spent much time in Pearson, but if you've seen our classrooms, at 24 the kids are hugging the wall. So, at 40, the fire marshall would shut

084us down. So this is all theoretical and silly, but to illustrate Nora's point. So if I had four teachers, they cost me 100, 200, $300,000. Now I go to two sections of 40 kids. The contract provides that the teacher as she goes above the 20 kids in the class gets 12th of her salary for each child over. So her salary at 100,000 means she's getting 5,000 a kid. So now that class size of 40, that teacher is actually making $200,000 to teach 40 kids. And I have two teachers each making $200,000 instead of four teachers for $300,000. And I have 40 children in a classroom, >> right? >> So the idea of get to zero is actually like a mobious strip. Like you're going along and then all of a sudden it flips and you

085are now costing more money. >> [clears throat] >> Um, quick question. Does this also relate to case managers as well? Do we have case manager contract maxes? >> It's not in the contract. No. >> What's typical to a case manager load? >> At at Winchester. >> Okay. depends on the need. >> That was passed last year to do a workload analysis study. [clears throat] >> I think it has to be presented by [snorts] that, but we just we just nominated four of our staff to particip So if there was a cut, let's just say of special ed, we would just say teachers, right? And particularly special ed, let's just say, and there's a significant impact on that case manager's load, would you sit down with the union to negotiate the impact on that? Most likely,

086>> what honestly would end up happening? So special education teachers, aside [clears throat] from the fact that they are written services for kids, right? They have to provide the hours of service that we have contracted for in kids IEPs in their plans. They also have the commitments of doing updated testing for PBTs, preparing progress reports for PPTs, >> and if they can't meet those commitments, we fall out of compliance. We get taken to due process. We get sued. We owe compensatory services. We would actually end up contracting with agencies to do the evaluations to come in and provide we would we can't not provide services to the kids. So when it's m not not mathematically possible for someone to [clears throat] see the number of kids and do the testing and attend the meetings, we

087would then have to pay someone [clears throat] else to come in and do it at a much higher rate than our teachers work for. >> So if we continue that logic, you're increasing contract costs because you need to meet IEP requirements. So you might have to hire out for those contracted costs and then you might have to talk about impact and go through a grievance if a teacher grieavves that this impact is just impossible. [clears throat and cough] >> Y yeah okay >> so on top of on top of that though we're paying that teacher and I'm not dissing any teachers I'm just asking question. So if we So we're paying that teacher, right? The special ed teacher. We're also paying all the benefits. So that obviously raises up the cost of that teacher, right?

088If they take the benefits. Absolutely. >> Right. >> Um and do they get a stipen if they don't take the [clears throat] benefits? >> The contract provides I think for teachers I think it's about 1,500 or 2,000. >> So I'm saying depending on outsourced it when you take that factor and >> and outsource it. Have we ever done something like that? I looked at it. >> Yes. So, um, just as an example, I'm thinking of a position that we currently have outsourced and I'm going to say we're paying about 120 for someone that we if we own them would [clears throat] probably be paying 60,000 in salary and pay you [cough] 20,000 in benefits. >> So, the agency, >> you know, there are instances where outsourcing could work for you. Um right now our um

089person who does all of our data information um retired and in the interim while we haven't found someone yet we are contracting and you know it's leaving chunks of the work not getting done but this piece of it if we can figure out how to as we do here find other people who already work for us to take on more and take over the aspects of that job we may in that case we would be able to find some savings by contracting. Um when our uh technology person retired, uh Matthew, who sits here and does our meetings, he didn't retire. He's the guy we hired. The new guy. >> The new guy. >> What? >> He retired since last week. >> He's had enough. >> Uh Joe, who worked for us for 50 years and

090went to Pearson school before that. He was like the history of the town. Um what was when [clears throat] he was retiring? We um got proposals from Ed Advance to see what it would cost us to just have them do it because like you said, if you can pay someone through an agency, you don't have the benefits. They wanted to charge us. it was going to be $120,000, which I think Gilbert does theirs that way. But for us with Matthew's salary and his benefits, it's nowhere near that. So, we look at that every time we can to say, could there be a savings? [clears throat] But often times our salaries are low enough that >> it doesn't pay off. But we do look at it every time because, to your point, it could save us.

091Um, you mentioned the capital projects. I'm just want to change focus for a minute. >> Sure. >> Um, 268,000 for capital repairs. >> Do we have an itemized list of that? >> The capital budget is in the it is the literal last page before you get to the appendices section. So, if you kind of flip to the back and then back forward, uh, the page number is a little buried in the bottom there. It's hard to see. It's under the word year, but it is the last page. Let me >> Sorry, I didn't see it. I I I thought it was for the roof, >> the town's responsibility, >> the page. >> Yeah, [clears throat] Paige. >> Thanks for the page numbers. >> Oh, I'm on the contract. That's why I can't find it. >>

092That's a good question. Is the capital repairs [clears throat] the town's responsibility or is it the school budget's responsibility? >> Um, you could debate that we had last month. I mean, >> so it is a town building. >> They're the landmarks. >> And needless to say, if we were to build this 200 whatever into our budget, >> I mean, how, right? I'm not giving up four teachers to fix the hot water heater. >> Um, >> so last year we began developing a capital plan. There hadn't been one in place before that. It was sort of just people walked right and said, "We need these things." We put together the capital needs of >> Henale Pearson the district >> um >> and we developed it >> well this has been updated for this year but >>

093it looked like that last year. >> So we built it last year but it wasn't funded at all. You know we handed it in with the budget and everybody nodded and smiled but it wasn't funded anywhere. So this year when we submit to the town manager by March 6th, we have put [clears throat] into our town support for education budget year one of the capital plan. Whether or not he'll laugh at us and pull it right back out or leave it there, who knows? But in smart towns, that's what they do is they plan a little bit every year so that they never get stuck with an enormous >> districts that you know when they're looking to cut say, "Oh, we'll cut the capital money." >> This is really This is what's coming up. Just

094letting you know, plan for it. >> Exactly. Okay. >> So, this will put the [clears throat] >> the town with the town budget with the uh public works budget. We have the separate thing for the roof that's coming much but this will be the other list of capital statements each month at the board meeting and we go through that grant page. Um I don't have one in front of me, but the list of all the grants, there's probably one in the budget program, right? The revenue page, >> the 440 account was um >> it was affectionately the 660 account and probably still says that as the description. It was um COVID money that I think sort of like in the aftermath of it all, the state had oops, there's a little extra here. And I

095don't know if everybody got a little or if they just picked their favorite places, but [clears throat] we received a basically a deposit that came with no strings attached. And so we have been very carefully and judiciously, to your point, spending it on things that were one-time expenses >> um so that we don't create any cliffs and holding on to it for dear life because that stands between us and bankruptcy. >> Okay. So that's like the the little side fund. >> That's our savings account. >> And there you go. We e We have not used it since I'm here. Okay. We've planned >> How much is in there now? >> I think it's 440, >> give or take. >> 4. We'll see. >> 440,000. >> That's right. >> It was 660,000. >> Okay. >> So

096220. [clears throat] >> Listen, I thought 660 was a line item. >> I didn't understand. >> I didn't realize it was money. >> So what did that 230 or whatever from >> 220? What did that 220 what that got spent on? Just curious. >> Last year. No. >> Oh, no. >> Before I got here, >> it was >> special ed costs. >> What did you do with the 660, the first 220 before I got here? >> Oh, a big chunk of it went for the Pearson air conditioning project. >> Did we use any of that on the uh boilers? Was there anything that went from the boilers? No. >> Did we contribute to the cost of the boilers or was that all on the town side? >> That was on the town. >> That was

097that was extra. >> They had emergency appropriation for that. You have the hot water, >> right? But >> the way you did it was right over the number of years because this is what they as public works to do for the street program. Monday night. >> He g he gave his proposal as one big 220 one year money 30 23 projects one year. This is how much money. So now this element asked them to do this and basically a fiveyear plan plus put the money out when you're going to spend it. Not >> exactly. >> This is the right way. >> Well, maybe it's I mean I hate to do away with the safety net, but I mean maybe it's time to use some of it, all of it. I I don't know what would

098be the right decision, but it might I mean it sounds pretty dire. Um, >> yeah, it might be a year to >> I don't know. >> Not all of it, but >> yeah, >> look at it. >> Yeah. I mean, >> but then you're going to spend it and then we still have to figure out how to pay for this those costs next year. >> No, you would use it just for the onetime costs >> and then reducing the overall in our budget. >> Yeah. What are we spending money on? >> Well, that's what I was looking at the capital projects the 268. >> But that goes to the town in the town. >> Yeah, that's the town's person, not ours. That's not our responsibility. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. We just went through

099that. [laughter] >> Yeah, but it's a town. >> It's still the same dollar, >> right? So, but but it's not coming out of the school budget, >> right? Okay. >> It's being loaned. It's being >> Yeah. It's like town. It's fun. It's part of the town budget. We're going to pay for it. >> School budget. >> Right. >> We have a question probably I don't know if this is allowed. Is there any way we can invest that money in the 660 account >> and earn money like yeah bonds in the S&P 500 and get more money on that >> we're capital >> profit. So I don't >> we can take our balance our $400,000 and put it like in a six-month CD or something. We can't put it in anything like an investment account. That's

100well actually I was reading up on this. Apparently you can invest your money but >> mutual funds are very stable and over the course of you can get 10 to 12. I mean I I just opened a money market like a high yield money market account and they're giving pretty good returns. >> Yeah, we just redid all our bank accounts so we actually have our own accounts and money now and I think we should look into >> so the interest generates covers the bank fees. >> Why is the bank charging? >> Let me let me say what we did with the city. >> Hold on one second. I just want to So when we just opened our accounts at >> Bank of America, >> the agreement is that the money sitting in our account rather

101than earning interest is covering the bank fees that they would otherwise be charging us for like what are they char what are they charging you to have? >> So >> because I never pay all kinds of wires everything is through wire like all our payrolls. I assume it's wire fees. I don't know. Part of it is I have to see. We haven't even had a month. We've had a day where we've been. >> Okay. Yeah. The >> I just But if you're pay if you're wiring pay that they would charge you for that. That's what I was just wondering like what are they charging us for? >> Okay. >> But we should continue to look at that. I agree. I know the arrangement we sort of just >> um photocopied if you will the town's

102plan. The town is with Bank of America and they the money that sits there does not earn interest, but the town has a bigger chunk of cash that sits in an investment account somewhere. >> Um, >> we're not sitting on a pile like that. >> The other thing is is that the town is funding us on a monthly basis. So there isn't a >> sitt40. >> That's what I mean. that could be invested perhaps >> that's also part of our grants because of the reimbursement grants because we have to up >> sorry go ahead >> that's okay I just want the the community I just so that I'm clear and we're clear the community knows that the state funding which helps is educate kids the ECS excess nope >> no >> education cost share ECS

103that's been flat >> yes >> am I right for the last three [snorts] years >> and the for and it's going to be flat again okay so we talked about this last year um tapping into our legislators to try to help reformulate the formula because that's a legislative decision where they all have to get their heads together >> I guess the governor said in his address uh a couple days ago that they're forming a committee to discuss re-evaluating these rates. I don't think it will help us this year. >> Yeah. Not at all. >> But hopefully in the future, we'll get at the selectment meeting Monday night. It came up to the town manager that we went from a class 10 to a four. Is that >> Yes, we are the fourth most distressed city

104town. said at the meeting was he was going to send a letter to the state saying now that we're number four where we were 10 we want our money >> we need some help >> but that's the money right >> but that's not >> no that's not the ESC that's not the ECS also the you know 95% of it will stay flat but they're going to there's 15 districts that they're going to actually give more money to >> you're not for this coming year like 15 or 27 >> I'm not sure why we're not one of them so if there's any that far I It's 28. >> They re-evaluated ECS >> 3, four years ago >> and did a recalibration and they held harmless any towns they felt were >> getting more than >> they

105needed to and they've been bringing up to speed the towns they thought were behind. >> Ours never moved. So presumably >> what were you just talking about? What what were you saying about the extra money? So, the ECS uh fund is going to stay flat again, right? >> Aside from 15 districts, they're going to give more money to those districts. >> So, when does that come out? >> Well, notified Monday. >> Yeah. When when is that going to I think those are the towns. >> Here's the towns that get the all the money who >> they've already designated the towns. Not >> us. It's part of that recalibration working towards that. What the selectman has nothing to do with the UCS. >> Okay. Okay. Um, could we be clear? Last night the Gilbert had a

106meeting last night for the tuition. >> We put 9,700. So, what's the actual >> 96 million? >> Yeah. The actual um >> um >> so the number they gave us originally was 97. The actual number is 9690400. >> [snorts] >> So I'm keeping a running tab. You know, should anything great happen, you know, if the insurance company calls and says, "Great news, it's down a point," will be reflecting. So this is our running tab. We have now improved our position by $9,600, reduced the increase by that amount, which took us from 10.66 to 10.62. >> We're going in the right direction, people start, >> right? So this will be a live document that is you know I've asked right now our special education tuition is a combination of actual and forecast and we are calling

107every school like daily and saying have you set the number have you set the number so that if any are more or less we're being responsive to that we're looking for >> so the increase for Gilbert is about 100 814,000 for this coming year Sounds about right. I think it was 823 before the >> any 660 type account that they >> So they don't have it from that same source as us or nonlapsing like we have the 44,000 non-lapsing. >> They have two things. They have about a million dollars that came in last year for it was called >> school improvement. >> No, not the school improvement. I was thinking of the um keep them working during COVID. I don't know the fancy name of that. Nancy, do you know I'm sorry. >> The grant

108that Gilbert got for keeping people working during CO >> the federal government gave them >> there was like a if you >> and we were not eligible for that because >> why why were we eligible for that? >> Because we're public and they're only semi public. >> Um there are people that did the accounting for them. I met with them and asked the questions. like please, please, please. >> What would life be like? >> No. >> What would life be like without the state and the feds in your life as a teacher? >> Could you imagine? >> I would love to see that. >> That would be so nice. >> So, there's about a million dollars from that. I don't know how it's been allocated or spent. And last I knew, there was about 600,000

109in what Greg used to refer to as the non-lapsing account, which is when they give us a budget and we >> pay the tuition, if it all doesn't get spent, it's their leftover. >> Do they not have the same stipulation we have or only a certain amount of money? >> Correct. because it's not a legitimately. >> Would they use any of their non-lapsing to help with this? >> It's a question Frank and I can ask. >> Yeah, they can ask. >> Jonathan, >> that's a question we can ask. >> Yeah, that's a that would be I mean that would be extraordinarily helpful. >> Does um I haven't seen their budget. Do they have any capital requests inside their budget? That might go to the town. >> We got it last night. I didn't get a

110chance to even look at it. >> Okay. Is it online? >> It should be today. >> In fact, didn't you pull from it today? >> Yeah, I looked at it today. I >> They have two cap u capital projects. Um, one is the bus turnaround, >> which they said right now is what the original estimate was 2.8 million because they thought it was a geological failure into the wall. >> And that's in the statement. My understanding is right now if that goes the state will fund that. But what I asked them to do is inspect the drainage system underneath that and the town is going to give them the c going to uh TV the drainage system because my feeling is it might be a failure in the drainage system that's causing all that and

111that's a lot cheaper to fix. So that's where we stand with that the gym >> but it's not in this budget. >> No, it's not in the budget. They feel it's going to be full state support >> 100% full state. >> That's what they understand. Are they are they committing to that or they just speculation and >> speculation? What the what the uh senator told them was they were >> that's the word they got from >> all right >> it might not be the west same name where two weeks from now when we find out it is our responsibility but that's as it is yesterday >> on the turnaround um >> do they know whether this that's refundable by the state or they have already done the research or there's research >> the state has

112that's the package they gave the geological all the information and that's what the state >> the word goes back that that is fundable >> refundable because not every project is >> I know but I'm just saying it's not the town's responsibility >> I have >> and the small gym that they're rehabilitating is by donation they got no donations for that >> yes >> small gym >> that will be donor funed >> would it be possible to offset some cost to find a private donor as a school system. Is that possible? I don't know if there's some wealthy billionaire that wants to give his money. >> I feel that has no errors. >> Power is any billionaires gradu. >> I don't personally either, but I I say that all the time. We need a benefactor. >>

113Who are the billionaires that graduated from? >> So that's what Mr. Gilbert was, right? It was free public education for the children of Winchester. The problem is the money ran out. >> Yeah. >> So, we had a benefactor. We need a new one. >> Right. Any other questions? >> Carol, you look like you know some billionaires. Billionaires. You'd have to be a billionaire. A millionaire wouldn't help us. You know any billionaires? >> No. I can look though. [laughter] >> She's been looking. I'll tell you, >> believe me or not, but during the budget crisis after court turned down mayor, the way he was able to transition from 75 to 79 was two to seven families, real estate families, they paid up their taxes three years in advance. That was very quietly done. >> No big

114issue, but that's how at least he had the bankroll to >> I don't think we have I don't know if we can have people pay their taxes in advance on this. >> No, no, we don't have that type of people to have that type of money, but I'm just saying >> that's that was the foundation to do other things. >> That's interesting. >> Any other questions? >> All right. In the meantime, if you think of any, email them to Julie or knock on her door. Like I said, she's always available. Um, >> and we're finishing the book for the next meeting. >> Yes. >> The >> which we've kind of dove into already, but >> Yeah, that's what I was going to ask. We >> Okay. >> The next big section is line item detail.

115The last section is really just there for reference. It explains all the different grant names. >> Yeah. >> Objects. I think there's >> Thank you for including >> that's very helpful. >> The very last page is the calendar in case if there's any um worries about what time or where things are. Thank you for that. >> All of the meetings that are currently scheduled are in this room so that they can be live streamed and recorded and um transparent. If we were to be adding any meetings, we would have to >> if we're getting to the end of our process and we're not done, I'll try and come armed with when we can have the room, >> right? >> Because I think it's important we're here. >> Okay. >> So, is this 12 uh the

11612th of February? >> Yep. >> You wrote possible action to adopt. It's possible though, right? We might have to have a special meeting in between that because it's due this 6th >> to the town manager. >> Yes. And please remember that unless the well even even with just with Gilbert's change everything will have to be re all the charts and graphs like everything is going to change. So any changes to the budget meeting we can't >> you guys if you wait until March 5th to approve it. >> Nancy and I would be pulling an allnighter and you know keeping Paul at town hall until midnight on the 6th. Um, so I think really the week before that, okay, >> would be our really has to be done date. So basically at the end of February.

117So starting with the February 12th meeting, our agenda will say um right now this is on as an information item. On next Tuesday it's an information item. We have just an hour because we have our regular meeting on Thursday. It's under an action item. doesn't mean you have to take action, but you can't take action if it wasn't put that way on the agenda. So, starting on the 12th, it will be there as an action item so that when the board feels ready to make a motion to approve whatever budget you want to approve, you'll have the ability to do that. >> And these will all be in this room. >> Yes. >> Anything else? Let's move on to item four, public comment. >> Does anyone wish to speak? Does anyone wish to speak? Seeing

118none, we'll move on to item five, adjournment. Would someone like to make a motion to adjurnn? >> I'll make the motion to >> Frank. >> Jonathan second. All in favor? All right. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> See you Tuesday. Now, Tuesday is a double dip. >> What do you mean a double dip? >> We have this. We would have another workshop at 6 and then >> Wait, hold on. Hold on. Wait. >> Another We have this at 6 and then our regular meet.