001Good evening. Uh this is the finance facilities committee meeting uh for November 5th. Uh the time is 603 at which I am which time I'm calling it to order. How do you like all that? Hope the rest of the meeting goes better than my my brain and addiction at this point. So the uh first item of business is the review of the October 7th, 2025 meeting minutes of this committee. Anybody have any questions, comments, modifications? Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to accept the October 7th minutes. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Bye. So, okay. So, I'll move you. Oh, sorry. >> Jet. >> Jay's online. >> Oh, Jay's online. Okay. Yeah, I heard Jet. >> So, uh, for the record. >> So, uh, all those in favor? >> Okay. Passes. You unanimously. >>
002Um, >> uh, so the next, uh, big item is director of finance report. I don't know what we want to go into. I Ernie, are you just here for the meal balances? Are you here for something in the in the review? >> That's all I'm here for, Dean. >> Okay. So, let's do that. Let's Let's do the uh FY25 unpaid meal balances. Ernie, take it away. >> Okay. >> So, good morning. Uh good morning. [laughter] Your plan. Good evening. Um so, I'm here to uh share some information about the unpaid meal balance. And I made up some sheets here. real numbers. >> Real numbers. >> I think they're real. >> We need one more over here. >> Thank you. >> Well, I'll need it for Joan. >> I think we're good. You should be able
003to have one. going up. >> So, um, in front of you, um, I just made a quick little, um, snapshot here. Um so on 10:15 I um approached uh Sam and um Susan and just mentioned hey this meal balance is already at you know was at the time was 17,000 something. So this number here represents November 1st 2025 and it lists the three schools that are what we call nonC schools. They're they're full pay schools and the balance is 239 already. So I'm I'm super nervous and concerned that when we roll around June, we're looking at a 85 to $100,000 unpaid meal balance. So keep in mind last year from the two schools we were carrying like a $21,000 negative balance roughly. So, we removed Fitch from C this year, and as we can see,
004that's kind of our biggest culprit, if you will, um, of folks that, um, are unable to pay their negative balances. So, as we quickly look down, so some of the approved communications, you know, things that we're allowed to do, and this is taken from state regulations and USDA regulations on what we're allowed to do um because of the uh non-shaming act that was put in place. Um, email notifications go out to parents. That's allowed to do through Parent Square. um normal emails that are in our power school system and our school cafe because they're both pretty much linked up the same. We snail mail letters. So, we're putting printing letters. We're putting them in envelopes. We're we're spending postage on these things every Friday. We're sending them out. Okay. We automatically send out school cafe
005alerts. So, every every Friday it goes out automatically to parents. Hey, you're you're below your your minimum balance. And remember, parents can elect to, hey, when I get down to $10 in my kids's account, $5, or when it goes negative, let me know. So, they can select that, but we can automatically say, hey, you're you're below the line. You're you're negative. And that's what we do. Weekly reminders. Every Friday, again, as I mentioned, um it goes out. Uh payment options. folks can can pay by cash, checks online is the easiest and of course is the most popular right now. Um, which it has been for the last couple years. People just pay online, but we'll we'll gladly take an envelope of money that comes in with a with a student at the elementary um or
006the high school. Um, we take checks. Sometimes they come in our office because some of our parents are teachers, so they just send it, you know. So there's many payment options that are readily available. Um things that are that are not permitted which we never do is obviously take food away from a kid breakfast or lunch you know and that kid comes through and they put in their number and it says you know you owe whatever it is you know we the kid don't even see the student don't doesn't even see that. So they just move right on. Put their number in move right on. Um public discussion you know we we never tell a student in front you know while they're in line. Hey, you owe money. Go home and tell your mom or
007dad to send in 20 bucks or something. We can't do anything like that. Um, and my staff is super good because, you know, we've we've all been bit many times. You know, we we think we're doing something innocently and and we'll say something to a student, you know, and it does come back and and and bite us. So, we've learned over the years we just quiet on everything. Um, and any communication that could embarrass or single out a student is prohibitive. um you know, even if we made announcements, you know, hey, you know, if you owe money, you know, don't come in for lunch or don't come in for breakfast. Um none of that um happens. Um and just so everyone's aware, um you know, students can always come in, they they're allowed that first
008meal, they can come in and even if they're negative, they still can come through. Um they cannot come back through and ask for a second meal because it costs for a second meal. So, we're allowed to tell them, "Hey, you can't have that because you don't have enough money on your account." Just like all cart, they can't go and buy an ice cream or a juice or a fruit or something if they don't have money on their account. They're entitled to that that um breakfast that encompasses everything and that lunch that encompasses everything, but they can't come back for a second. Currently what we're doing is um and I say this uh we've had a super great year. You know um Superintendent Austin's really been pushing us to to grab every application that we can.
009So we started this summer. We were at the uh military um back to school rallies. We were at their um uh field office. We were at the Balfford Batty um carnivals that they had. We were at all the o school open houses. We had booths set up. We brought laptops with us. Uh easy. Hey, mom, dad, why you're here? Just takes two minutes. Here, we'll sign you right up. And we did we we got a lot of of folks, you know, signing up, which was super great. We sent out parent square reminders, you know, before school started, right when school started, few days after school started. We understand parents are getting bombarded with pamphlets and everything else. So, you know, we're trying to get oursel in there as well. >> Um, >> we we did
010show parents how to how to set their their balances on their accounts. Hey, you know, when you get down to 15 bucks, is that what you want or do you want it 10? Do you want it five? Do you want it 25? Tell us. We'll help you set it up. We had people come in to Mary Morrison. We had like open house day. I even had muffins out. Try to entice them. Usually, if you put food out, they'll come, you know. So we'd have, you know, mornings, you know, from 8:00 to 10:00, especially for our military community that lives right there. We had folks walk in, moms come in with the carriage and stuff while the other kids are at school. Um, we sent out weekly Friday reminders. Um, I think we did a one
011or two rooc calls. Uh, we did family um um at all school at all three schools, we've done family um outreach. you know that um what I mean by that is we know who has and hasn't put an application in a fitch. So what we do is we you know we we we find uh those those parents you know we filter them out and we know who hasn't those families and we send them an email. Hey did you forget here's a link to sign up online because we haven't got one for you. And sometimes if they had an application in last year, they still have a 30-day grace period from when school starts. So that's when we really started sending these things out was 25 days into the 30. Hey, just so you know, you
012got five days left. We don't have an application from you yet. You know, here's the link. You know, I don't know much more we could do. telling you did the um campaign with the government shutdown because they could sign up at that point and that would last them for the whole year and you really >> you really pushed that out too. >> I mean as soon as that that hit we kind of sent out hey you know if you're not getting a paycheck please fill out a meal application you know and we got 30 40 something um which now qualifies them for free for the remainder of the year. Once you once you put an application in you're good to go for the whole school year. Um, so these are and and keep in mind
013we work with families. If if they have a big balance, you know, if we can get a hold of them, we'll gladly say, "Hey, Mrs. So and so, I see you owe 110, you know, can you start? Can you pay something? Can you do 15 bucks a week? Can you do $10 a week? Anything would be appreciated, you know. Um, so I'll set up payment plans with these folks." Last year we had about five families that did that and only five out of the amount of money that was owed, but we had five families and they were struggling. Th that's what gets me. It's it's those who really need it and are falling behind are the most willing to try to help with a little bit. Um I know that sounds but it's true. And
014the ones that can well afford it and know it and have the resources will not send any money in. And I know who they are, which is the other irritating part. And I can't say nothing or anything like that. Um, but we, you know, we encourage families uh to set up online payments. Again, when I was at the schools or these field days or whatever, we help the families and try to walk them through. We we set up their accounts for them right there. Um, and now what we're doing is, um, I'm gonna be and gonna be Rita, here's your November report. Um, every month I'm I'm sending Rita, you know, an update on what this meal negative balance is so that we can all try to come up with a solution. And that leads
015me into trying to find a solution to this. The reason I'm here tonight is the one to let you know of this balance and and my concern. But the other thing is is USDA, if you look at their regulations, they they give you all kinds of suggestions, options, best practices, but they defer to your um to your to your state to follow their guidelines. So I'm like, okay. So now I go to the state and we're reading and all of that. And as you read it, you know, the state's got all these great things. They pretty much copy USDA suggestions, best practices, and they refer it to the town's um school district's policies and stuff. They they defer to that. So, nobody wants to get involved and be the ones to try to say, "Here's
016what you have to do." So, when I go back and review our charging policy, um there's nothing here that it talks about what we can and can't do. And right, we're following all of this to the tea. So, and maybe we've never come across this, you know, five years ago or whatever it was when this was created, but now there's got to be a piece that says, "Okay, Ernie, here's here's what we do after 30 days or whatever. We're gonna refer them to I don't know. Okay. >> Collector. >> Thank you. I didn't want to say that. >> One, Ernie. >> Yes. Sam didn't give you one. >> No. Thank >> I don't think Jen has one. >> Yeah, I don't have it. >> Oh, does Oh, is it in the back of this? >>
017No. No. >> Okay. >> No, I know. Um but you know there's my concern is there's nothing here to address how we do it. only thing that if you read this here um and I get I'm on page one and if I go down towards the bottom the only thing that it kind of addresses this is that I would refer the list of students to the homeless liaison who's our director of pupil personnel um and they're supposed to follow up with it but that's the only thing that says okay here's the penalty here's what we're going to do um you're not going to be ble to go on field trips. And again, I'm tossing out some horrible thoughts, if you will. Uh things that we probably don't want to consider. What if we looked at
018a a a debt collection agency, maybe only do the piece where they would send out a letter that is suggesting that, you know, hey, if you don't pay your bill, you know, there's a couple pieces to a de debt collection agency. There's the letter piece that really means once I send it, okay, I'm not following up with any action. But you get that in the mail as as a parent or something. So, holy macro, you know, these people now they're they mean business. And then there's the piece where it goes the next step. I'm going to send you two or three more now with a couple phone calls. And then of course it comes to the piece where okay, now we're going to, you know, file a claim against you or something. and you know,
019we're going to report you and you know, my whole thing is this superintendent or this board should not have to shoulder this burden at the end of the year. This is not your fault nor mine. It's the people that walk into a nice restaurant, have a great meal, get up and walk out the front door, hey, thanks a lot. See you next week, you know, and they never pay their bill. Um, so I guess we we have to come up with some I need some direction on what to do is is really what I need. I'm I'm at I can't go any further with trying to get you your $9,000 by the end of the year. I mean, what I can do is certainly do my little fundraising and stuff. I'm not going to be
020able to come up with 90,000 for you. Um >> I remember right around co there was some very very generous generous people >> did donations. >> That's right. >> But so the brownies are ordinary brownies, right? >> They are currently weren't ordinary brownies. Maybe you could make an >> So Jen, you seem to be championing at the bed. >> Yeah. Um you know me, I'm always this softy semi. I want kids to eat. I want them. Um, and for the families that really do need it, hey, [clears throat] we need to help them out. But for the people that take advantage, that's just um that's disgusting to me. Um, and it's taking advantage of our school system. And um, whatever this committee decides, I would be willing to support that pseudo debt collection agency approach.
021sudo or >> I don't know what it because he said it's not well it's doing the soft approach one or two three letters and then if they get moving then maybe we don't need to actually file. So I don't >> payables gal that used to send out 1099s saying by the top you didn't pay the bill here you go we're reporting what you owe us as income to the IRS. >> Oh I like that. >> Oh that's a that's a nice >> I like that. That's a nice >> Not sure the IRS likes that, but >> I know in a >> sense it's true. You You know, >> how about Howard Shiff and East they'll sue for 300 bucks. >> So that's that's the you know, but when um Heather was here, Heather Summers was
022here, she had mentioned if we tell her, hey, we're going to be short, I came up with 120,000 um that she would be willing to like try for a fundraiser. Christine Connley was here as well and so was Andre's. So, um not that I'm saying we have to shoulder, like I said maybe we shoulder it for the people who need it, but you know um it's um it's shameful and unfortunately it's nothing we can do. But it's um goes to the fact that um the way our societyy's running that some people think that um you know it's privilege and it shouldn't be that way especially 100,000 or 120,000 can be like two or three teachers or paras or tutors that our kids really do need. >> So whatever you need Ernie um and whatever um
023I'd be willing to support you. Jay, any questions? >> Um, I know you're very uh involved at the statewide level. I'm just curious what you're hearing from other districts in terms of if they're seeing the same trend and if any other districts uh are doing anything any any differently that we could consider. >> So, um, great question, Jay. So, we just recently had our SNA conference and we had the state people with us and um the state folks um and we were all talking about this. Grten is on the smaller side of the unpaid meal balance, believe it or not. Um, this is a statewide huge thing that stems from, you know, when the state pays for everybody's lunch and breakfast during CO >> and then um it slowly comes out of COVID and then
024we pay for a half a year of school lunches while the state tried to figure out how to pay the rest of it. But we continue paying breakfastes and then last year all breakfastes were paid last year and this year it's cold turkey. So it's a hard thing when you give something like that to try to pull it back. Um we're all seeing it at the state and just recently um um Superintendent Austin, you know, with other superintendents, you know, was on a a call with the commissioner, um Charlene Tucker, and they talked about uh putting 2.5 million in a special fund because it's such a problem. And it was, we all heard that news, you know, as Susan did, and we're all like elated. Oh my god, this is finally a little bit of
025relief that's coming to the districts. As Jen indicated, that could be a teacher, too. Could be numerous pairs. Um, but it was pulled out within 4 days. Um, because it was tied to something else and was pulled back out. Um, so we were all like, "Oh my god, like that was um so Jay, it is a problem. It is um something that uh we're working with um again with the lobbyists trying to get at least free breakfast put in for next year or something because so far nobody's running to us to help us with the money. And we do appreciate the 2.5 million, but it's estimated to be 4.75 million if all the trends were to continue that the districts would be out of money. Um, so the 2.5 was a nice gesture. Um, but
026they didn't realize how bad it is. >> Most of the Alliance districts have full breakfast and lunch programs for all kids in their district. We were, of course, one of the last ones in I don't think we meet the measurement, the quota. >> Great. um for free and reduced lunch, but for all >> um if we went the collection way, is there a cost to getting a collection agency? And are you thinking about like having a minimum balance? Like, you know, how much a minimum amount that people owe? Like if they only owe $10, you don't send them to the collection agency, right? if they owe x amount of 25 and you might or whatever. >> Um there is a fee. Um I don't know quite what that is because I really didn't look that
027deep into it. Um but I can and bring you back information on that and you guys could set the amount. Hey, anything over $100, those are the ones that we want to um try to make aware that they owe this balance. >> Are there people that owe over $100? >> Oh, yeah. five. >> Sorry. >> I just wanted to say this has been a topic on CASBO, which is um the business managers association across uh Connecticut. >> And so a lot of districts um are feeling this. I haven't seen any of them start talking about a debt, you know, a collection agency. So I can try to reach out and see if any district's already doing it because I do also believe it should be put in our policy especially the limit and the you
028know and all of that. So I can reach out to the Caswell members and find out if anybody else is doing it. >> No definitely [clears throat] >> uh collection outfits usually collect 15%. I don't know on small things what they would collect but 15% is the most common number I've seen. >> All right. Anything else? Any other suggestions other than Miss Ernie? >> I mean, I would put their name in the paper because they're not getting our emails or letters and stuff and I want to make sure that I'm not missing their their that they're missing my communications. Perhaps we don't have their updated information and I'm just trying to put them in the paper. >> Um, but that would not probably be >> they'll take your crystal. Yeah, I just wanted to um
029mention uh congratulations Ernie. I know you received food service director of the year from the state organization and um we appreciate everything you and your team do um for our students. >> Thank you, Jay. >> I'm sorry. Go ahead, John. >> I'm sorry. Like I just want to maybe we can't Susan, maybe you can reach out to Heather. I mean, she did offer it. If we um um get an event, maybe we tell her to help target like 125,000 somewhere around there. [laughter] >> How do you How do you You know, this is like Jimmy's kids or something. It isn't. It's like please let's do a fundraiser. >> Maybe 50 or something for people that can afford to pay. >> Yeah, that's the thing. >> That's the That's the thing that gets me. But it's
030almost like but maybe it just looks like they can afford to pay and maybe they really can. >> Well, that's the thing. I mean, I was, >> you know, appearances are deceptive. >> Who do you think are people that just >> So, >> they they don't because they don't do a lot of things. They they won't because they they have a lot of pride, >> something like that. So, what proportion do we do we suspect is just people who truly can't pay? And how much of this is real skunks? >> 60% can pay. Okay. >> That's $60,000. I don't know$100,000. >> Yeah. Listen, what happens is when you're trying to serve a defendant, if you can't if they don't accept service, I mean, if you tried all the methods, you ask the court for permission
031to actually publish it in the paper. >> So, >> kind of what I was thinking last resort. I >> nothing personal. >> No, just run out a rope here. Okay. Anything else on this topic? >> So, what are we doing here? Oh, what are we what are we doing? Who's who's we? >> I'm checking with Heather Summers. That's my >> Okay. So, >> I'm checking >> and I [laughter] can also check with the superintendent because we do have the commissioner every once a month on Friday morning. >> So, okay. So, we should have a policy. So, who's going to originate this policy? Usually policy committee originates the policy, but they're going to say, "Well, what do you want?" They're going to look at look at us. >> We need to do research first and then
032we could send it to them. Was that I'm sorry. >> Is it updating? >> No. >> I mean this is >> yeah this is the latest >> but is it updating this policy or no? >> I think >> yeah we would be updating this policy. Right. >> So the question is >> right >> what can we add to this? Right. Like you said, the dollar limit would, you know, should we put in here the option to go the collection route or at least signal that we would go the collection route? Uh, put in a dollar figure, you know, if you owe more than X, something like that. That's something for us to consider. >> But any we could come up with numbers. >> You want me to make recommendations to the policy committee? >> Yeah,
033that'd be great. Yeah. >> So, your group >> Yeah, exactly what I was going to do. the feds to the state to the town to us to the policy committee. [laughter] >> Yeah. Maybe Ernie can check out what checking out and Susan and then come back to the finance committee. That sounds good, >> right? Okay. >> And then from there, >> thank you. >> All right. Um, same one for last. Thank you. Thanks. You're >> very welcome. Thank you. >> Yeah. No, thank you. >> All right. What's your What's your your pleasure? Do we want to do the uh OP review or the budget calendar? >> Pretty quick. >> Do we want to save the OP review for last and let other people go >> or is everybody here party? I think I'm not committed.
034I'm not sure how long the opera review is going to be. >> Why don't we do the budget calendar and then do the OP review. There's not a whole lot to report, but there's something to report. So, >> but I this has a lot of question marks anyway. So, okay. Budget calendar. That's attachment two. Whoever wants to present or comment, you're off. Well, we're in the middle of collecting a lot of good information. So, I'll let Rita go. We've met with the principles and the directors to say give them marching orders on how to fill out these templates and they've been delivered or are being delivered. >> Yeah, all the schools have them um have the templates and I've met with some of them that have questions, but you know, they have the templates which
035are similar to last year they said. So there's not a lot of questions. They that the due date is next uh Friday, November 14th. So >> does it have the actuals from last year and then what's been um >> No. >> What's been budgeted and cumbered already this year? >> Okay. Budgeted in >> but I've been sending the actuals to them because in some cases like we have a new principal at Charles Barnum, right? And so I've been sending them the detail of what was spent last year. So if they just need to reach out to me and ask for the detail of what's been what was spent last year because getting the actuals and not knowing what's behind it like the vendors that are behind it. >> Yeah. >> And we do know that
036we had to cut $2.4 million in the end. And so there are things that are underbudgeted and that's some of the things that came out in the review that you know we are often underbudgeted but that's no fault of this board. You know we go in asking for what we think you mean. >> Well I don't know either way actually with when they refer to under budget whether they mean under our budget or under the adjusted budget after they've come back with their report but we'll get to that. >> Yeah. >> So as far as this calendar goes this is sort of parallels last year's as far as we know. >> Yeah, it's pretty close. Yeah, >> she's no more or less aggressive than last year's. >> Susan, I thought we were going to change
037that Thursday, January 22nd to the following week because I'm going to be well. >> Oh, yeah. We were >> Dean >> and that actually is a GA ASA, but that's not for >> Okay. So, we're going to move that date to >> um sometime that week of January 26. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> John, >> so what I would like to suggest like where it says budget work session and then we go through elementary special ed secondary just knowing how we functioned last year. if maybe you guys want to consider doing it by um function code or um what was the other um not the function codes but >> object codes or something because what our what we did last year is they opened up the binder and they went into 3312 3313 and I
038might be referring to the wrong numbers and there was more sense of comfort start going that way rather than oh this is the elementary this is the high school and so I Susan you know Rita if that's something you guys would consider because I think it will alleviate additional meetings that are not on this calendar that will be added. [laughter] So, um, you know, just taking the binder book and then just going by the c not the categories, it's not it's not the function, it's like the department codes. Um, but they're like four digits. I wish I had the budget binder in front of me. >> What I'm used to, yeah, >> I'm just going to, you know, put it out there. I'm not used to going by function >> because you can have the
039same function in different departments. I am used to going by department by object code which is the three different account three digit account code which is >> umaries >> salaries benefits other professional services. It's what we've been discussing the 400s 500s you know so that's what I'm used to >> but you know >> let's do it your way and what you're used to. I just think it's so granular if you're going by function in each department >> because >> but you haven't experienced what we went through last year. So if you if you want to schedule it the way you did it in your old place and say hey this is the format we're taking direct us to do that. >> It doesn't specify here whether it's by function or object. So, it's just saying
040elementary and special ed, right? >> Yeah. >> So, >> I think they're going to pop to just those topics. >> Well, I think um I think they recommended this a while ago, but with starting with the 300s, the 400s, the 500s, and the top 10. It really shows us what we're mostly spending our money on and who are these vendors that we're supporting and that kind of thing. And I think that, you know, if we can get through that so that really the board has a clearer understanding of those functions, um, I think it'll make it go smoother. >> Jen's right. It >> because we're going to go through like I I I'm just like, you know, getting PTSD from last year. We're going to go through we're going to go through it by elementary
041special ed regular me. then we'll have six other meetings to go through like each of the categories. You know what I mean? So if we just bypass the segregation of type and have it the way you used to do it, I think it would just go smoother >> because Yeah. >> Yeah. Be going by function is not telling you what's in that account. It's telling you this is all instruction or this is all special ed or this is all >> maintenance and facilities. Going by object is telling you salaries, benefits, other professional services, purchase services. So those that's the difference. >> You know I I'm I'm used to going by object, but >> yeah, let's let's I mean I would like to do that just to make our life easier, especially if we have I
042don't know if you're going to change it, you know, the little pie chart to show like benefits is like 80%. So if we get rid of the 80% and now we're just working with the 20. so for you know but going and looking at that 80% right our um our staffing FTEES need to be on target like because and then like we could do which they didn't do last year average right this is average salary for blah blah blah and um you know so that they can get a feel for it because there's always this underlying issue that we face slash last year that something was being hidden when it wasn't. Right? So, if we can say like, hey, there's like 400 people x y and z and this is roughly the amount, we're not
043going to pinpoint everyone's salaries, you know what I mean? But just have it teachers cost this, parents cost this, whatever. um and have it like this is the type of um positions we have and these are the averages and then it should be very close to what we have in the budget and then go through just something to supplement that hey this is 80% of our cost and then trust us this is our salaries benefits and bonus there's some people with that angst and I want to avoid that this year so whatever you used to do in your place, you know, I think this board will be open because we all experience, you know, something that wasn't ideal. So, at least that's me. You know, >> you actually you actually think you you think by
044disposing of the 80% of the the expenditures, we're going to save time because what we do is we spend most of our time on the smaller dollars. >> Yeah, I know. I know. But, you know, >> millions of dollars, we get rid of it in five minutes. That's the $100,000 that we argue about. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. >> Is that how you usually do the budget? By object code, you're saying? Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, it is detailed by each account number. Yes. But it it's typically by object code, and I can do it by function. I'm just a little concerned because every department might have an instructional function, a support services function. So then you're not really knowing what goes into that code. Let's say for the for a school, you don't you
045don't know what vendors are actually getting paid out of that. If you look at the objects like we were looking at the top 10 and 300s, you know, you know, you won't know and understand and it's clearer. Um, yeah, I'll think about some things and and and I'm gonna have to look at all of the things that were presented last year to come up with a easier way. >> Yeah. >> It wasn't Prattton wasn't the only district that had a hard budget year. Yes. You know, correct. for other reasons as well. at le it it was very long and drawn out because and it wasn't really because of it was just because coming off of co and coming off all those funds you know um >> challenging >> it was challenging in a lot of
046different >> you think it's easier for the board to understand the budget both by object code or function code I guess to me that's the bottom line >> I think by object and I'm going to say why I think it was brought up in the ops review but I am going to say that by object major objects we are not supposed to go over budget that's a statute so I think focusing on the objects and making sure those are budgeted accurately more than focus on the function >> because our budget transfer policy says by function you guys have to approve but it really should be added by major object because that's where we cannot go over budget does that make sense >> yeah you So maybe it's likeies and benefits. >> Yeah. Like salaries those
047categories and there's only about 10. >> Yeah. >> You know those categories. >> And maybe you host a session where you reorient us, right? Because for however many years I've only been on for two years, but for however many years they've been doing it that way. So maybe you could say, "Hey, I'm doing it this way." And if I tell you the object code, these are the top three function codes that these costs reside in, I don't know if it's going to satisfy their appetite, you know, but at least it's a try, you know, and it's almost like, hey, this works in my prior district. Give us give me a shot and let me do it this way. >> I mean, obviously salaries, you hit every function. >> Of course. Yes, we know that. >>
048So, So it's like >> yeah and I don't and this year >> we took all of the benefits and we stuck it in one function code I think I can't remember which one the budget book >> um districtwide >> yeah the district >> and it should be in one yes agreed >> about your monthly reports and quarterly reports that's how that's organized as well >> right >> especially my summary page is by object >> that's what you're looking at on a regular basis >> so Maybe like we Yeah, maybe we um put the object codes first and then hopefully it you know and then we slowly go away from the other view. I don't think that will happen this year, but >> I mean for us looking at our function codes, you know, what was
049left behind for HR and and business and superintendent, assistant superintendent, um you know, we really got reduced. But that's what I that's my guide to know what I have to spend for the whole year and that's what we look at >> for us. >> You got anything you want to add? Ask >> sorry. Um Oh, I do believe that the um budget um procedure committee is going to be discussing this. Um >> no, they're all done, Jay. Jay, they're all done. >> They're good. >> Oh, they're all done. >> They're all done. >> I thought thought they were going to weigh in on this, but my my impression is that they they concluded their business. I actually think I heard those words ought to be. >> Yes, we did. >> Yeah. >> But yeah, that's
050my only suggestion when I saw the calendar was like to we'll put like review by code or something in its place instead. And even the object codes are have to be looked up because an object code should be what you're buying and what you're purchasing, not um what type of purchase. Type is function code like special ed. So I will be looking at those and and asking to collapse some of them because if it's instructional supplies for special ed, the function tells you it's special ed and the object tells you it's instructional supplies. We have some object codes that say special ed. That doesn't [laughter] make sense. Special ed. Special ed example. >> Yeah. So, >> thank you, Edita. >> Yeah. No, thank you, Rita. That was my only comment. >> Anything else? >> All
051right. Thank you, >> team. And then out what we think and then you guys can weigh in. Let us know. and me and Lori are definitely working a lot together about the FTS. >> Yeah. No, thank you. >> Talking about them and everything. >> What are you going to do with this? >> So, the suggestion um is that we go by object code instead of function code. So, we're going to have to realign this a little bit and we'll bring it back to you to show you. I think the benefits usually tends to come later. I was looking at um when we actually did benefits, it's down um after the public hearing like in February. Lori, is that just because that's when they can give us the information for the following year? >> I think
052it has been pushed later in the process because we're a lot of times we don't have renewal numbers, right? >> Oh, I I agree because >> we might have to do salary, skip over benefits, and do benefits. I mean, obviously I'll have a number in there, but it but it does change once we hear from MDG and Anthem >> and all of that. >> Yeah, >> that's always like February. Yes. >> All right. Thank you for that. Now, let's uh get our toes into the view. Start with this one. >> So, we were provided um uh the actual ops review and it's a preliminary draft from what I understand. It's written all over it and then there was the slideshow that was done for the town council and then we had gotten an email from
053John Bird that talked about priority items based on what the counselors had said. So, that was a lot of stuff that we could look through. Um when we first looked at it, one of the things we noted were that there were some recommendations under all the different categories, purchasing, you know, and so I we created a Google document that would look at all of those um recommendations so that we could then respond. So we're we're going to be we set up the Google doc, which was a big deal, but then we're going to start going through item by item and responding to what they're saying. When we looked at the priorities though, we did notice that many of these things have already been done because we noticed them as priorities, >> you know, even when
054Ray was here and then when Rita got here. So already much of this is underway or has been completed, but there are still some other things that we have to tackle. So, and there are some things that might even need um some accuracy adjustments and you know an explanation of why they're done a certain way. But I'm just going to say that and let Lori and Rita, you know, this is just kind of um looking at it. We've got a process. I think it's going to be a good process and um and I think we'll be able to deliver then this to the board, you know, this document that will show what are the recommendations, what are our responses, you know, almost like a checklist that what's been completed, um what needs adjusting, um and
055maybe what was just misunderstood >> because that could happen too when you're, you know, interviewing a lot of people and the information that you Yeah. So, >> not only to the board, though. It needs to go to the town council. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. But I'm going to give it to the board first and then and then we'll send it. John says by the >> Well, you can do it. You can send them stuff now. They didn't say that. Send us all everything by December 31st. So, if you have stuff now that you're already in process of doing, send it to them now. You know, um reconciliations. I hope we're doing that now. We're in the process of doing that. Just send it off to them. We don't have, like I said, they don't they
056don't want everything back. They want it as you go along almost if that's possible. >> What's what's easier? >> Yeah. So, my here's my observation. The the detail, you know, there's a slideshow and then there was a detail. The detail is 70 pages long. And I do want to go through with Lori and Susan every single detail to come up with an accurate response. So because I have the audit and budget going on right now, the audit being the number one priority to finish. Um, I would like to take the time with them to explain everything, but we wanted to let you know that the top priorities are already done or taken care like being done. >> I think the top 10 >> the top 10 that that you guys got an email on, right?
057The top 10 I think >> some of them aren't even control issues. They're just recommendations. I'll give you an example. um moving food service into our EIN number and them not having a separate EIN number. That is something that we would have to do on January 1. We can't do that right now because of W2s, 1099s. It would be too much of a messy situation, right? But it's something that we're already talking to Ernie about. We're already discussing how we're going to move over. And to be honest, my staff are excited because they won't have to do two payrolls. they won't have to do two 1099s, two separate check runs every two weeks. So, um, so yes, some of them are being already done, but to give a formal response, I want to take the
058time to respond to every recommendation. Does that make sense? >> If you have some questions, >> an organized way really organizes us. I mean, can I jump in about the top 10 priorities from the that was mentioned in the email from the town council. We spent time on those because though they behave those [clears throat] were priorities and um correct me if I'm wrong but we and Susan we went through those in detail and we identified they were all taken care of pre- audit results um not audit uh operational review results >> other than what you had just mentioned all the others you are items that you had already taken care of before the report even came so um so I think we could probably respond to those priority items between now and then and
059share that with the council >> and then go through the report in much more detail because there's a lot of detail in the report. There's a lot to unpack. There's there's validation that needs to happen. make sure that the information that's in the report is is um it it aligns to what our understanding of our processes are and you know what needs to change and in looking over the report initially. I do think it's a mixed bag of items. It's items that we've already addressed and taken care of before the report even came. There's more of that in the report. There are items that maybe we could improve on. there's items that I think um we have other controls in place for other reasons that may not be represented in the report. So, it's kind
060of a mixed bag of items that I agree with Rita. I think we need to go through and do a thorough job to make sure that we review all the recommendations and prepare the appropriate responses in much more detail. >> Well, that's what I would expect you all to do. Yeah. So, but I'm saying now, like you're saying, Lori, if you already know, if you already have things done already, just send that off to them. You know what I mean? Like Lori said, you already did some of the top 10 priorities. So, if you already did it, just shoot your an email. We did this, we did this, we did that. >> I mean, what do you guys think? I mean, I think we tackled the top 10. >> Yeah, that's that's the part we
061feel most confident. Yeah. Yeah. They're not expecting you to have answers. So many recommendations. >> Yeah. They're not expecting you out of I had plenty of time to talk to some of these town councils. They're not expecting you to learn have answers by December, you know, have all this done by December 31st. [clears throat] I mean, they know you're doing the audit. They know you're doing our budget. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. That's the audit I am concerned about because I >> because I have all new staff. It is taking us a little bit longer to prepare and give all the documentation that the auditors are asking for. I have a huge list and John Burke can confirm that, you know, we have to get that stuff to them. And that's what I'm
062focused I'm having my staff focus on right now is getting those things to the auditors. So, >> we can definitely um come up with responses to the top 10. I think that's Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Soon, but like I said, they're most of them are in place. >> Um Jen, >> something to say. >> I'm good with just responding to the top 10. >> Cool. >> With a note saying that the other items are um >> under review. >> Yeah. Uh Jay, >> uh yes. Um I know we're probably discussing and I know the ongoing updates, so I don't really want to get into the weeds tonight. Um but I did have a a question um with regard to consolidating the um the food service. Um you know, I was curious what Ernie and and
063the state think about that. I always thought that the state wanted it segregated because they're segregated funds. Um and so I'm I'm curious about how um folding them in is going to affect um the state requirements. It's I you know obviously we're not going to get into that tonight. Uh it's too much in the weeds, but um >> I I could how we keep it segregated and put it into the same pot at the same time. So um the other thing somebody had asked me um and you know I don't know where where this came from. You know, obviously, uh, people are talking about this. There's a lot of information out there. And somebody was saying that the board doesn't receive, uh, financial reports every month. And of course, we do. And in fact, we
064do receive, uh, detailed financial reports every month from the accounting software for many, many years. I think that only just recently changed with a previous uh business manager that it went to their own sort of spreadsheet. Um I was led to believe it had something to do with technical issues. I know einance is um you know it's a challenge and it would be nice if we were on the same system as the as the town. >> Um so it seems like that would be an easy fix though because that's the way we did it for probably 20 years. Um, and I'm not sure why that changed, but I think that would be easy to go back on. So, any like I said, there's a lot to to digest. Um, I'm glad to hear that a
065lot of it was already identified. Um, I know that Ry was working on it um for years and uh and Rita's sort of hit the ground running and I appreciate all that work and look forward to the updates. >> I can comment on both of those if you want. Dean Dean. >> Oh yes, please. Sorry. >> So, as far as the food service, um it's it's a mixed bag across the state. There are some um and I some one of them Windom was not separate did not have a separate EIN number. If it wasn't forgotten public schools, that food service would not exist. So, in my opinion, it's yes, it's an enterprise fund with a separate um a separate fund and we have separate funds for grants. We have separate funds. So, they already are
066segregated um from the general fund. So, I don't see a problem with the state having a problem with it when there's other districts out there that already use the same EIN. Um and one of the reasons for that is that Ernie's EIN is not taxexempt. They are not a governmental agency. >> We are tax exempt by statute. So, so I'm just trying to give you some examples of why it should be combined. And I do agree with the officer review on years and years ago they had separate EIN and now a lot of board of eds and food service have the same same EIN. Um on the second what was the second I forgot the >> what was the second one Jay? >> Sorry. >> Oh the financial statements that that we every month. >>
067So the financial statements I run it right from einance. I can attach the einance version. I I just printed it up into Excel. So I can definitely give you the um einance version attached. >> This is the for a format. >> The reason I pulled it into Excel was to make those comments, you know, the comments on the side that give you guys >> um >> clarity. Yeah. what's going on in those accounts if they're over under. Um, so that's one of the reasons I was pulling it into Excel, but I have it saved from e finance and PDF. So the the numbers are going to be the same. >> Yeah. As long as as long as the numbers are the same and the information is there, then I don't really care who generates it.
068Could be the could be the two. >> Now going forward, I should have attached it because I always did in Windom. So you attached your Excel spreadsheet and the report >> report which will be on. Yeah, correct. So I have no problem with that. I did see that and it definitely will be from now going forward attached. >> Does that sound good, Jay? >> Uh yes. Yeah. I mean again I'm not questioning it. I just like I said there's this, you know, there there are people that that took from this that for some reason that we're not getting the reporting. I think it's strictly a formatting thing. And if we're getting the same information as you would if you printed it out of E finance, um, you know, I have no problem with that. I
069just wanted to push back a little bit on this idea that like the reporting >> was being done and it certainly has and it's in the minutes of all the meetings that >> people could go back and review. >> Yeah, I' I've heard that too and it always puzzled me. You guys don't get reports. I >> get we get a lot of paper. We got a lot of stuff. >> Yeah. So that's that's a puzzle. Anyway, >> are you all planning to when you go through this prioritize like what's important first and second and third? >> Yeah. Especially by like either if it's a internal control thing that we have to fix, that's obvious a priority. But if it's just a recommendation, >> which is the food service is just a recommendation, but it's also
070an efficiency thing that I want >> implemented January 1st so that my staff are relieved of of extra payrolls and extra pay runs. >> So we will prioritize. >> So in a sense some of these recommendations really are helpful in making some efficiency. >> Yeah. >> So you know we're looking at it that way. >> Yeah. That's why a lot of board members were in favor of it to help us be more efficient. So um so that's good. Do you need any help in your office? Are you good with the number of people you have in your office? >> One position that hasn't been filled. >> Yeah, but we do have a temp um filling in and I have been talking to Susan about you know the staffing and making sure that the open position
071is a position that we um talk about before filling so that we get the correct position in there. you know, not just another accountant or not just I shouldn't say it like that, but >> do we need um different levels because that's what I'm used to. You know, I'm used to levels because of the workflow, because of the approval process that needs to happen. I have to right now approve everything. >> So, yeah, we've been talking. >> So, I believe I am because I've had to train a lot of people, you know, a lot of new staff. So, now that they're they're um learning and I think going forward with all of these efficiencies we're going to be we're going to be okay. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> This is not a budget issue. It's
072just we've budgeted for the for x number of positions. You just need to fill them properly. That's all. >> Just one more. >> One more. Yeah. >> Okay. Anything else? >> Going once, going twice. >> What about Lori? We don't normally have Lori here, so let's take full advantage of her. >> That's right, Lori. What do you have to say [laughter] for yourself? >> I shared. I already shared. [laughter] >> We team on this. We work together and we try to figure it out and you know, >> you tag team. >> Tag team. >> Yes. >> All right. >> Well, thank you. >> Thanks, folks. >> All right. So, like those segregation of duty stuff have already been put in place, too. >> Yeah. I mean, some Yes. some we're we're taking a look at,
073but there's also other I think I had mentioned, you know, without going into too deep of detail. >> Um Re and I need to spend some time because um we there are controls in place for other reasons. So, we've got to really assess the recommendations versus reasons why we have controls in place and why we may be doing what we're doing. So, we're going to kind of look at both and try and see if we can see where it makes sense to make change and not give up controls that we may already have in the process. >> Do we have process maps in place that show here are the functions and then this is the control? Um, do we already have that in place? >> Not that I'm aware of. >> Okay. >> All right.
074Once again, thank you. Okay. Thank you. >> So, next topic, director of buildings and grounds report, >> Mr. DBG. >> Yeah. So, I guess the uh Good evening. >> No, I can just talk about the CB roof you've already gotten ahead on that. So, >> all right. Solar panels. >> Thank you. So, uh, >> regarding the, uh, solar panel issue, I think Katie is online now. >> I see I saw her. I think I see her right now. >> So, Katie, do you want to address us? >> Oh, we can't hear you, Katie. >> No sound. >> Not sure why. She is unmuted. >> Thought they would come in person. Where do they live? >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, good evening everyone. I appreciate uh you providing us the opportunity
075to chat with you this evening. My name is Keith Shelton. I serve as a senior manager of market engagement for the Connecticut Green Links Solar Marketplace Assistance Program, also referred to as Solar Map Plus. um probably hear me say a few things in the evening uh presentation. We went up to the six but we're providing green bank is a public agency founded in 2011. >> Can I just ask a quick question? Sorry. >> Is this the same presentation she already gave? She don't need to hold the phone right away. >> Is this Katie? Is this the same presentation already done with the board? The full board. >> Um, yeah. So, we met with the committee of the whole on >> question. >> So, I guess that would be for any questions that we might have.
076Um, >> hey, they have questions at the committee. The whole answer meeting. I don't know if she wrote them down. All right. >> Yeah. So, if this is the same presentation, >> then do we have questions? >> Is there anything she wants to add? >> Yeah. Does she have any updates since the last time we met? >> Like, did she question? Did she jot down the questions people asked? >> You can ask if you want. You're you're empowered. because during your presentation, people ask questions and you're supposed to get back to us some answers. I don't know if you jotted them down, but to go through this presentation again is senseless to me because we already heard it. >> Okay, great. Um, my understanding, I think we answered the questions in the last meeting. I
077think the only thing that was outstanding was um to do an analysis of the existing projects. Rena was kind enough to send over utility bills, but we are missing a few bills before we can do the final detailed analysis. Just to give you a quick snapshot in the event that it's helpful um you know the the question was how effective are the existing systems and presented information at the last meeting that those systems were producing above and beyond what we had originally for you. Um We also did a review of utility bill on hand after a few months this week. So based on what full year for the analysis, but for my river magnet um looked at six months of bills your current offset rate which is the charges on your bill that would be
078offset by solar. You're currently paying a resource about 18.67 6 cents per kilowatt hour and the rate that you have for the production that is coming from the solar system is 7.9. That gives you kind of an apples to apples comparison paying about 18.61 cents. Those are the charges on your bill that can be offset by solar. That's what you're paying to the utility. For every kilowatt hour of electricity that's produced by this system, the solar on site, you're being charged 7.9. So your savings is the gap between the two. Again, the snapshot in terms of your cost of electricity, you only had um six months of bills that we analyzed for that site missing. Um that gives you a good idea. And then for the middle school, we got nine months of bills and
079the average offset rate is 17.95 cents. what you're paying with the utility company um compared to a PPA rate of 7.6 cents. And your savings is the net difference between the two. So for every kilowatt hour of electricity that is produced by the solar system, you've been producing that power at that rate contract for 20 years. That's substantially below what you're currently paying for utility. To my knowledge, I believe that was the only outstanding question from that meeting, but I don't know you have other questions that you would like us to address. >> So, what do you think um would be the >> savings for Fitch High School? Would it coincide with this? Is it exactly the same kind of a plan or is it slightly different? >> No, it's different. So, the existing solar
080systems are designed utilizing a net incentive, meaning meaning they're tied in behind your existing utility meter on site and we are producing electricity that you're purchasing at a discounted rate. This project at FIC is completely different than that um in that it is designed utilizing a new incentive program which is called the nonresidential renewable energy solutions program or MRES and through that program I in behind your utility meter on site you would actually be feeding the electricity back to the grid and you're going to receive an ongoing monetary credit on your utility I do not have an exact answer for you in terms of what your expected savings is going to be. Um, just as a reminder from the last meeting, what we're looking to do is receive your blessing to participate in our upcoming
081RFP where we group your project with other uh municipal projects that we have in development throughout the state of Connecticut. be a portfolio approach goes out to competitive bid for contractor selection. Once we have those bids from contractors instead, we come back to you with specific numbers to review and make contracting decisions off of >> and we did >> for that. Go ahead. >> I'm sorry. I was going to say we did approve that, didn't we? >> Yeah, we did. Yeah, we did approve the RFP >> because they stated that there was like an urgency because they had to um put the RFP. So, >> what >> um I don't know if the RFP was submitted since the time we met till now. >> I'm sorry, Miss Sheldon. Continue. >> No, that's okay. Um so,
082RFP has not yet been released. It will see until we receive what's called PIK guidance. That's a a new requirement to lock in the investment tax credit for your project. Um there's a a phase out of the investment tax credit at the federal level. You're within the period of time where we are looking to run an RFP and do what's called state harboring. That essentially allows us to contract with you. We can select a contractor. Green Bank would need to lean forward on procuring materials that meet the specify the requirements at the federal level in order to lock in our tax credit. So that's um kind of an overview of the requirements and we've not yet received that guidance expected really any day now um but we're anticipating release probably in December or very early
083January depending on when that guidance comes out. >> Where do you get that guidance from? um the federal government >> with the the government shut down currently >> and that's what we're anticipating but um to be determined from the actual release date. >> Okay. >> So you you can you forecast how much you think we'll be saving by um doing the solar panels at the high school? >> No. um it would be a disservice to try to put some numbers in front of you at this point >> just because there's a lot of um you know shifts at the at the federal level which are impacting you know contractors that are actively developing these projects. So we need that guidance in place in order to accurately solicit proposals from contractors working on the market. And
084again, uh, one board member wanted me to ask you, uh, just to make sure that there's no cost to the board of ed. >> That's correct. >> Okay. So uh we provided technical assistance and project development support for this project at no cost through the solar map program and then we would look to develop the project through a third party ownership structure um where either green bank or one of our financing partners would own the system. So there's no investment required on your end and there's no cost for the technical assessment and project development support that our program offers. Okay, thank you. >> Just lay back and think of England. Jay, >> anything? >> Uh, no. I um I believe we just now have to wait. Um I guess the one thing I don't recall
085from the last meeting, does the town have to uh bless this project any goes forward or have we done everything now that we need to do to at least get the quote? Good question. >> Are you aware of >> Do you know sir what we did with the town when we had the other project? We we let them know about it but we didn't require that at the time. >> They are technically town facilities. So, >> okay. >> Maybe maybe if we give John Bird a call, maybe tomorrow we'll just check that out to see if anything we need to. We didn't do it before today and but we'll check to see if we need to do it now. I think that's the answer. Yeah. >> So, yeah, we're assuming that we don't have to
086do it now, but you know what that means. Don't assume, but check it out. trust me to verify. >> Yes. Anything? >> Nope. I'm outside. >> Cool. I do need that. >> Yeah. Katie, uh uh >> are you missing information that we need to provide to you? And >> um if so, um can I help with that or are you already in communication with uh the finance department? >> Um I followed up with Rita on the bill about that analysis. Um, as we get closer to the RFP release, I'll be reaching out with a few questions um, for information that we typically include. But outside of that, I think we're set at this point in time. If you find that uh, you do need additional approvals at the town level, please let me know and
087I'm happy to uh, make myself available for that as well. >> Okay, that sounds good. >> Thank you, Katie. >> Looking forward to seeing how this all, >> you know, ends up. So, thank you. My pleasure. Have a great weekend. >> You too. >> Well, now we're on to Charles Barnum roof update. >> Right. So, um as of um today is the 5th, right? Uh at 8:54 this morning, we got a response from um actually the response came just before that, but um the the state DAS, the grants administration um gave us some information that uh Rita responded to that we will uh work on the application and get the documentation that they have requested. So there were a few items that are are missing. So, um, uh, apparently it didn't move forward after, uh,
088after, uh, Rey had submitted it previously, so in between business. So, we're getting that information together. I, you're only allowed to submit it for the first 10 days of the month. So, I would say that we presently have enough time to get that ready for it to go for December, the first 10 days of December to get to the state to uh, make the application for the project. uh in hopes of doing it uh this coming summer. >> How long have we been working on this, Sam? >> Um >> too long. >> Three years. >> Three or three or four? It's been a long time. Too long. >> Because how long do we have? 5 years because I heard him talk about at the time. >> Right now, we're good with the CIP, but uh
089again, >> it has and it's a job that needs to be done in the summer. So, we really have to be on it to get it done. So, >> so it's going to Are you thinking that it's going to cost us more money now from what the town council gave us now? >> Until it goes out the bid, I I couldn't say one way or the other. >> And if it does cost us more money, it has to go in our budget or do you go back to the town council and ask? >> We could we could it if it goes if if the bids come in until you put it out to bid and get the you receive the bid, you don't know. Um but if the bids came in higher um I would
090say the first first consideration would be to ask them to unless we had uh money sitting um a little account somewhere [laughter] we could fund it ourselves um then maybe we would do it ourselves but if if we can't then I would say that we'd go back to town council and uh request an additional uh a lotment. Well, this has to be the case with every CIP. >> You get an estimate, something going to be 50,000, 100,000, 500,000. It's approved. And you're right, you'd have no idea what the costs are until you get the bids. And so I I don't know how often that happens where the the lowest bid comes in and it's higher than what was approved by the by the council. But there's got to be a fix for that. So, >>
091we've been pretty lucky since I've been here. >> We haven't gone over bid yet. But uh >> that's us could happen with the town too, right? Yeah. Because these are all estimates when they approve them. >> Do you think this will be it, Sam? I mean, [laughter] with the state >> um the the state's always been very cooperative with us, so I don't see why we wouldn't be able to do it. >> Okay. >> The um the person that Rita has been uh communicating with has gotten back to her in a very timely fashion. So, I think we're on the right track. Okay. >> I think she knows her, too. He's had a history in our state. So, >> Jay has his hand up. >> Yeah. Jay. >> Yes. I'm I'm very concerned about the
092number of years that it's taken to get to this point. And I'm very concerned about the number of times that the application has been returned. So, I wonder if there's somebody we can reach out to. Um, is there somebody that um has experience with uh the state um maybe with the town um or is this something we need to get our our representatives involved with? Um because to [clears throat] Beverly's point, um inflation over the past three years has not been going down. There will not be enough money for this roof, I'm afraid. Um, and this constant returning of the applications is mindboggling to me. Um, and and now we're going to have to pay for it. So, I'm just wondering, you know, who could we reach out to to get a definitive answer because
093I'm I'm concerned that, okay, we've already missed November. Now, we're hoping for December. Uh it you know this has to be in place by next summer. I mean you you can't be doing a roof while school is in session. So I'm I don't know. I'm just my mind is boggled by how long this has taken given that we've done multi-million dollar projects in this town, built huge buildings, some of the largest in the history of the state. and we now we can't put a roof on an elementary school. So >> anyway, let's just reach out to whoever might have the technical expertise to guide us through this process. >> Thank you. >> Sam, can you give us an example of Okay, we sent this in and then the state wants this. Can you give us
094an example of of why the back and forth with the state? Um, the only example I can think of is that one of the former business managers actually submitted a request for the final payment on the project that hadn't even been done. So, if you do that, um, if you do that with the state, I don't I think then they look at you a little more suspiciously maybe or um, cautiously. But I have full confidence in in in Rita's ability to guide us through this. >> Okay. >> Jen, anything? >> No. >> I was just reminding Beverly. >> Don't say it. >> You have something you want to share with the class? >> No. No. >> All right. >> We're not only working with Rita and the person at the state, but we also have
095an architect uh that we can lean on with any questions that They've done multiple roofs over the years uh both with us and other school districts. So, they're very familiar with it. And if if we have any um concerns about how um to get this through if if it isn't moving as Rita and I hope that it is, then I would say that we'd get the architect involved in and uh talking to the people of state. But um I I've been I' I've worked with the people of the state in that office for the last 20 years. they've always been very helpful. Um, and uh, I don't know exactly what is I don't know the reasons why this has happened. >> Um, but we're at this stage and and again, Reed is communicating with uh,
096with the person at the state that can guide us through this. She told us what she what we need to do. Uh and I think we follow through with that and and move on and um employ the uh uh architect as needed. My opinion. >> So when should we um get back to you on the SB roof? I mean do we put it on the agenda for December or do we put it on the agenda for January? When should we get an update from you? >> No, we we'll talk in in December. Okay. If not before. >> All right. >> If I hear something, I'll let you know. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Anything else? >> Moving along. Robotics team move update. >> Yeah, you're probably all on Facebook. [laughter] I have a Facebook account.
097I've never been on it. So, >> I'm afraid Facebook's old now. very disappointed they asked to be my friend and I haven't been friends. [laughter] >> Don't worry about this. Make it to >> I heard that there was actually a um a photo of the trailer, all the robotic stuff. >> Somebody called it a robotics Uber or something. >> Which was a very large tractor trailer, >> a Ruber. >> Um and u and our electricians are are working on wiring. I saw some of the items, some of the machinery is already plugged in out there. Um, and I know they have to run some electrical on the other side for the computers, but uh, they're working on that. And there is going to be an open house on Thursday night. >> Tomorrow. >> Today's Wednesday
098already. >> We have negotiations, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to run over there before they're done. >> Yeah, it it it's um there's a lot of stuff in that space now. Mhm. >> And and uh but if the parents and the kids come in, they'll see that the there's equipment there and they'll get a sense of uh what they're what they're in for. >> Well, and there's a closet that has been partially cleaned out. We've got to finish that up because they're going to store some stuff in this double-sided closet with an aluminum balcon door. And then the um wood shop also, you sent me a couple pictures so that they're working on that, too. So that'll be another workspace >> and uh >> computer lab. >> We're waiting for the final approval
099from the town regarding the uh storage container a storage container at Fitch High School for their additional items that they won't use uh right away that they uh use back and forth that they can store stuff until they need it. Um we've put in a site plan request for that. Kind of expected it already. You haven't seen it yet, but they're usually pretty quick on that. So, I expect that any day once we get approval for that, we can get the container here and uh get the rest of this. There's still a line of um items at uh Pleasant Valley uh which I've got to email John or call him in the morning and let him know there's still one line of that stuff in the gym over there that still has to come over,
100but it's going into the storage container. I can't I don't have any room to put it in the garage and then into the container. So, uh it's it's sitting there waiting to get there. So, um, >> what's the cost for the container? >> Uh, the purchase price, >> uh, it'll be around $4,500, I think, somewhere in that range. >> Are you anticipating it just to be next to your container for the snow removal stuff? >> Sorry. >> Are you expecting their container to be next to your container? >> Uh, no. >> No. Um there is a um parking lot that's between the two schools. >> It's actually Graten Middle School's parking lot. Um and we have a couple of older pieces of equipment that are sitting there and some plows and stuff that we could
101move elsewhere. >> So that's what we we've requested to use 40 foot of that space in in that and uh and they're reviewing it. As soon as they let us know, >> they'll bring it over. If if they don't allow us to put it there, we're going to bring it over here in this parking lot somewhere. >> Well, and I think that um Sherry might have said to me that they had their they had their own truck that they used to transport the robot and so we were also thinking of putting that truck in that parking lot, too. >> So, you know, they'd have both of those things together. And it's really >> It's fairly close. >> It's close. Yeah. >> Few feet away, but Yeah. How much did it cost us to hire the
102moving company? >> How much did it cost? >> Yeah. >> I think it was 3,200. 32 3,400. Something like that. It was under 3500. >> You said 30,000. >> No, 3,200. >> Okay. 30,000. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. >> Okay. So, so far we're getting close to $10,000 for this upping the price. Um, >> I do have to commend I know I see Sherry there, but they have worked tirelessly organizing, unpacking. I was super impressed when I saw it last time and I'm going over this week to see it again. and um you know whether I can make it to the um open house but also on Friday I'm going to be at Fitch. So a lot of hard work has gone into this and organization and um you can see the effort when you go
103in there. What time is the open house? The open house is tomorrow. Sherry, is it starting at 5:30 or 6? >> Uh we're starting our orientation at 6:30. So the open house is from 6:30 to what time? >> Um so 6:30 to 8:00. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So we've You're welcome. We've um kind of combined our orientation and our open house. We usually do it in two separate meetings, but to kind of save time, we're doing them together. So >> that was give a team t team presentation um expectations and you know season you know how the season will run and then um have them come down to the garage and um have a tour of the space and the sub team leads will I'll give a little presentation um on their sub teams.
104>> Awesome. >> Anyone would like to come? You are more than welcome. >> Thank you. Let me just jot this thing in here. >> So Sam, thank you for you and your team like, you know, helping the robotics team. I >> I think the robotics team themselves Yeah. >> have done actually more than we have. Um >> yeah, >> we've been able to assist them >> as much as possible. So >> yeah, we'll continue. There's still plenty to do. Yeah, we were pleased that the cleanup effort, the painting, the painting of the floor because we knew when we got the equipment in, it's awfully hard to paint around it. So, that was a real plus to get that done. >> So, it's a very important program. So, we want to do everything we can for
105them to get get them up and running. >> So, after this, so they're ready for open house and orientation. After this, what else is done? It's just sort of punch list work, if you will, or we're done. I I well I would think >> value of the box other than that >> um setting up and running the program I believe but >> okay I don't know if anything else will come in between that but >> no but I think those alternative those extra spaces that they're going to need you know making sure that those are ready so I'll check those out too on Friday when I'm there >> yeah like the business center or the marketing center yeah >> I've got a couple other departments that still need to move stuff out of some of
106those other storage areas. So, they're >> I can't remember what dates they are, but they they have it planned. >> I know I'm growing, but um and um we need to think about like hosting like talking to um the town to sell some of our stuff. [laughter] just discourage stuff so that Sam and his team doesn't just like move stuff from one building to another building. You know what I mean? >> Maybe we could get funds for some of those stuff. >> Yeah. Coach Jenson has said that he's done a lot of culling as they're moving out of there. >> He he's done a lot of culling as >> getting rid of obsolete things. >> Okay. I think the dumpsters had to be emptied a few times for him. So, >> okay. Good. Thank you,
107>> Jay. Any uh comments, questions? >> No, I'm just happy that uh robotics can get their their training started tomorrow. Thank you. >> Hallelujah. >> Yes. >> All right. Thank you, Sam. Oh, Sherry, anything you want to add? No, I think that's all. I just want to thank you all for your support and advocating um to find us a space and get us going. Um I just want to let you all know that you're always welcome anytime you want to come check out the space once we're set up and going. Um come in, see what the students are doing. They always love to showcase what they they do. Um they're very passionate about it. So, um, if anyone's ever interested in coming in for a tour, just reach out and, um, we can set up
108the time for that. >> Thank Thank you, Shar. >> Thank you, Sherry, for your dedication. Thank Chris for us, too. >> You and I. >> All right. Maintenance matters, and it does, but what what are you referring to? >> I don't know who came up with it. Very clever. [laughter] There was my boss. [laughter] >> Sounds like something at the uh >> unusual program. >> Now it's time for maintenance matter. [laughter] >> Yeah. So >> you have fewer maintenance. >> You're a host. >> Roughly half the staff that we had when I got here. So >> what did we do from last year? The the the little spreadsheet we had last year. I don't I don't have it with me today. I just thought about it actually. >> You had shared a spreadsheet. >> Yeah.
109With everything you needed to do >> by school. >> Yeah. By school. >> Jeez. You got a copy of that? I'd like to see that. >> Well, your ad your your admin put it together because you had made the comment that she had um put it together. >> Yeah. >> To keep track of stuff. >> Um >> Laura, >> I don't have it. >> Yeah. So, um I I guess the only thing that um I I need to alert you about uh with regard to maintenance matters at this time is that we uh had two of our vehicles go in for uh routine maintenance at the town garage and uh they did not come back out. [laughter] Uh they >> So, we have a black hole in there. >> Uh they were deemed not roadw
110worthy. Um the salt that we put on our roads is, you know, pretty corrosive and these vehicles were 16 years roughly 15 16 years old. Well maintained over the years because they go to the garage on a regular basis. However, um the um the vans, these are two vans. >> Okay. >> While they're not out there plowing, like the plow trucks definitely get washed off after a big storm. >> Uh and they've been out there plowing and everything, the vans probably don't. you know, they're driving around a day the day of the storm or or the day after and there's still plenty of salt on the road. So, um we've instituted a new uh program to make sure that our vans are going to be uh washed on the underc carriage washed on a more
111regular basis. Um, going forward, um, I do have one truck that's going in on Monday to get undercoated, um, which will help prevent this sort of stuff, uh, on on a newer vehicle. And, um, the, uh, the dump truck that we have out back, uh, which is relatively, it's only a couple years old and in really excellent shape. So, that will be when I go on on Monday with this vehicle, we'll give an estimate on that one. Um, it's it's in the hundreds. It's not $1,000. It's in the hundreds of dollars to do this to do the undercoating on them. But again, uh, we got to get them power washed underneath so it's ready to make sure there's nothing there before they put the coating on there. So, um, that's the other item that we're
112working on right now. >> So, >> I'm sorry, Dean. No, don't apologize for being John. This guy. >> So, we're down two vans and then one truck from last year. >> Is that a good summation? >> Yeah, we're we're muddling through it right now. >> Okay. >> Take somebody's with their tools and drop them off and pick them up later. >> We'll do what we do. We'll do what we have to do, >> you know. Um, let's um I think we asked for this or or you might have it already. It's like the average age of the vehicle. Um, or if not the age of the vehicle, sometimes the mileage of our vehicles. So, and Rita can probably help you so that we can put on a cycle that every time a vehicle hits whatever
113100 um 75,000 miles, we consider replacing it. You know what I mean? So, put it >> No, I'm just throwing I'm just throwing a number. You know what I mean? So that and I have a feeling like all of our vehicles will be like >> even though they're only there is still a lot the mileage gets up there but it's it's certainly not like my car. >> Yeah. No, no, no. I want to make sure. >> So mileage is one consideration and of course the other uh is age and uh when when I got here we were on about a 20-year cycle on replacing the vehicles in that range. >> That'd be good to have what Jim's asking even for budget time. Mhm. >> So, we can see I think we did ask for that
114at one time. >> Yeah. The the the town council used to I hope still has there's a vehicle replacement fund and I remember seeing a sheet from the town manager that had the town's vehicles and sort of uh you know we expect the squad car, >> the broom bear, etc. >> And so you have an idea of when you're going to be you know buying things. doesn't mean that once you get to the point it's time to go. I mean, if the broom bear is still in shape, then you keep the broom bear. That's that was a4 million dollars alone. >> Yep. >> Um, and I I don't know. I think I just assume that the that the board of eds vehicles were also on that. But are there sounds like they're not? >> No.
115>> Okay. So, our our our equipment Yeah. I mean, that would be a nice thing to have, too, I suppose. So, we don't have a capital fund. That's the thing. separate capital fund. >> Um, >> okay. >> Can you get that? Can you get that to us at the next at the next um facilities meeting? The vehicle replacement list. >> You you want you want a list of the vehicles, their ages. >> Mhm. >> And the mileage. >> Mileage. Yeah. >> It's I think we're going to try to make a case, right? like, you know, so that if we invest or if we ask for a truck, they can sort of see that >> we don't just have 10,000 miles on like 10 trucks. It's like more like 200,000 miles on 10 drugs. >> So,
116>> yeah. Well, it gives us an idea. Are we looking at, you know, within the next couple of years? >> Yeah. So, we can So, we can plan >> looking at a question. >> Yeah. The age is easy enough. my list right down there. It'll say so and so's name drives uh van such and such um 2005 Ford van or something. So the age is not a problem. I'll just have to check on my but the odometer of course you got to go to each vehicle and see what it is today. Something like that. >> Yeah, hopefully >> the driver is going to call in. >> Yeah, they can call it in. >> I'm sorry, Susan. Go ahead. >> I don't know if you know the answer to this. This might be a John Burke
117question, but how do they and the town side because they've got so many more vehicles. They have, you know, several police departments, fire departments, they have their own maintenance crew and town crew. So, how do they keep replacing their vehicles? How does that work? Do they There's no CIP for it, right? So, do they just budget for it? >> There's a vehicle replacement fund and it's supposed to be funded. Sometimes it's not, but it's supposed to be funded on a regular basis so that there's money in there. >> So if you have to buy five squad cars, we've already put the money aside. It isn't a budget hit that year. >> That sounds like a good idea. >> That's what the board talked about last year doing a sinking fund, right? >> Yeah. Now we're
118not allowed to have funny money on the side like that. >> So it could at least help us plan and prepare. >> We're not caught. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I regret that I had to go now. Jay left. >> Yes. >> 7:41 he was out. >> Had enough of us. >> So are we um so regarding maintenance regarding the maintenance measures, right? Like I know during this summer um you guys were putting up a wall in Kathleen Kolinowski potentially um fixing that office room. Um and I don't know if your team was able to complete that before school started. >> Okay. >> Did Were you able to put the wall up in the music room? >> No. >> That's the wall she's talking about. Yes. No, we weren't able to do that. >> No
119one. >> No. >> And then there is the office. >> The office. >> But I don't think that was a I think >> I guess it had to be a privacy [clears throat] wall, but it wasn't like >> a real wall like what would have gone into the music. Right. >> Right. >> Oh, I thought you were going to be able to do that, Sam. I did too until two guys retired and >> one of them was our carpenter. >> Did we replace the carpenter? >> Uh recently. Yes. >> Okay. Was your department understaffed? >> Uh yes. >> And how many people? >> Um my opinion or what? What where >> Your opinion. >> You're the director. >> I had 14 when I got here. So um and we have six and a half now.
120Wow. >> Uh we have we've advertised for a locksmith. Um so that would that would make me seven and a half if we got the locksmith. Um but it certainly could use I don't need 14. >> I think 10 would be a better number for sure. >> You said there are some positions that are hard to get to replace. Like the plumber was one of them. >> Yeah. Well, we have a we did get a plumber. We got a plumber. Um, we have plumbers, electricians, >> um, the locksmith, the locksmith advertisement has been out there a couple of times and we haven't found a locksmith yet. So >> So you need a full-time locksmith. >> Well, >> you've been using a company though, right? >> Um, no. Um, I not at this point. Um he
121just retired recently. So there are some requests in to get some things done that we have to look at uh probably bringing somebody in to do it in the meantime, but we haven't yet. >> But you used to have a full-time locksmith. >> Yes. Oh yeah. We did other things too, but um >> but it isn't when we're talking about lock a locksmith in a school system, it isn't just changing locks or making keys. It's suggesting doors that go out of alignment. Working on um fire doors. Um there's magnets and things that uh you know hold the those doors open. There's all kinds of things. It it isn't just making keys like a an outside locksmith might do. >> So it's a little more involved. >> So how many So you need um So you
122have six and a half people now. So you need about four more. >> Three and a half. for >> you. So, where do you advertise? Do you where do you advertise for help? >> Uh through HR. >> Through HR. Oh, Lori does it for you. >> Lori does it for her. >> Does she go out to the unions? And I mean, are these specialized positions or just >> when I when I'm looking for some, I always call the subbase and see if there's anybody retiring that has that particular >> because somebody who's retiring after 20 years maybe, you know, on the younger side, they're still, >> you know, while they're getting a pension from the Navy, they're still looking >> uh to make a a little more money for their family. So, >> so where
123does Lori look? Uh she she advertises all over the place. So and they have um >> fairs. >> They've had job fairs and stuff too. So >> how long have you been short of um personnel? >> Um probably about well since the summer anyways. >> Oh, since the summer. Okay. >> Is it a It's not a budget thing then. In other words, we let's say if you need 10 10 10 pills, >> I'll have to sit down with Susan and Lori and figure that out exactly where we are. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Because I don't know off hand. >> That's part of, you know, what I was going to work on to get into this budget if if if needed. >> Okay. >> Add add that in there if we can. So, >> because
124if there's a problem actually hiring people, then we can budget for, you know, any number for X, but we still don't feel them. >> That's that's a different problem. >> Yeah. And because you don't have the people because >> retirement. >> Yeah. The retirement. >> But because you don't have the people, that must mean that the work in the schools aren't getting done or in a timely fashion or >> Yeah. In a timely fashion. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> As as as quickly as we were able to do it before. >> Mhm. Um, >> so to me that's a problem. >> One of the one of the other issues uh with what I'm trying to uh resolve is um our maintenance people also fill in for custodians when they're out >> and absenteeism is a real
125problem in my opinion. Um and and so almost on a regular basis at least one of our maintenance guys or we we we have the maintenance guys plus we have a uh fill-in custodian in this group too. So um he that person goes almost every day to a building uh and sometimes we have two uh uh that person along with two of our maintenance guys going to fill in for custodians. Now between sick days, vacation, um personal days, >> I haven't seen too many days when somebody isn't out anyways. But >> you know in Japan they have the students clean their classrooms. [laughter] >> They used to do that. And if they had like a trolling motion. Yeah. >> Custodian boys they had running around after after school sweeping hallways and stuff. [clears throat] >>
126So >> in your budget, do you have like the budget for 10 people and you just can't hire or is your budget like the six and a half seven and you would need to put in for plus three? >> I got to sit down with Lori and see where we are. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um >> cuz I know >> at least one of them was not replaced. So it's not in the budget. >> Yeah, I know. Like the very first budget cycle like that our basser I think you lost four or five if I remember your department correctly. >> Our basser provided us a lot of extra custodial. >> Yeah. >> Because of the cleanliness and all that we were going through. >> So >> we do get used to that. >> Yeah. Anything
127else? >> Anything else? Can you get us um Can you find that sheet of from last year? Can you guess Lauren? And she has it so we can see how we're doing, how we did last year. >> Do you remember what he called it? What I call it? >> Yeah, it was a maintenance and repair. And then there was a safety one. >> I'll have Joyce and Lauren, they worked on it together or something. >> Yeah. Okay. >> We had leaky windows. We had uh when you fire up the uh furnaces, that kind of stuff came in. >> Smells all this nonsense. Yeah. >> Not nonsense, but Yeah. >> A lot. >> Yeah. >> It probably just got worse if Yeah. >> All right. And now on to mine. >> On to yours. >> Theou.
128What a what a lovely document. WONDER WHO DROWNED. >> [laughter] >> SO, SO I'll I'll start this by by saying that uh yeah, this has been hanging out there and I've seen I had to go sort of hunt through the emails to see what everyone has said and commented because a lot of the emails are like, "Yeah, I'm I'm in agreement." Okay, crap. In agreement with what, you know, somebody else said because stuff is nested together. So, Um, that's been my excuse. It's not a very excuse. It's more of a rationale for not actually finishing this. Um, but >> and we had John Bert and Floyd both weigh in. Right. >> Right. So, uh, do for those of you who are paying closer attention, do you think I have all the comments needed now to
129actually finish the draft? And if anybody has any additional comments, concerns, this could be the first time you're seeing this. And if so, you know, that's don't be embarrassed. Don't be shy. >> No, I agree. >> Let me know. Okay. >> Um, >> it's okay to me. >> Yeah. I mean, our concerns, our our basic concern is the school district was we didn't want the town hogging the field just in case we needed it for something. As long as we're not using it, they can use it. >> Yeah. I think that >> they're going to upkeep it, pay for all the >> right >> do all the upkeeping and repairs. >> Did I say that? >> Yeah. >> And we're on their insurance. Our insurance and their insurance. We're all set with that. >> Yep.
130>> Yes. Insuranceation system. >> Why do we capitalize the word field >> where >> on page two that says the use of the field? >> Oh, because I defined it under purpose. I said the the open field in the rear of Mary Morrison Elementary School property located once to get road gr Connecticut in parenthesis. The field. >> So we didn't have to write all of that. >> That's that's I do that with everything. >> Okay. I I define the term and then I just keep using that that that term. >> The other thing that I do sometimes and people find people find it annoying and archaic is I'll say the said field. I can do that if you want. >> I do not do party of the first part of the second part. I've actually
131only seen that in New York. Um but all right. So um yeah feedback. So if nobody has anything they want to say, then I'll just go through that the the email chains and gather my So this is going to go. So let's say that I I I reddraft, right? I revise, I reddraft, I send it to John or or Floyd or we're done. >> They've seen it, right? >> Yeah, they've seen it. >> Should we put it on the committee of the hope? Are you are you thinking do are you think you need to make changes to this? >> I don't know. I thought that I thought that there were changes suggested. If there were no changes, wow, that would be a first. I mean, I >> I don't see anything. >> Okay. >> And
132Floyd didn't suggest anything that I know of. >> Yeah. I thought I saw things that said like, "Yeah, that's a good idea." I'm like, "Okay, where's the idea?" You know? >> So, um >> the only thing did suggest was who's going to who's going to cut the grass? >> I think in there >> I think it's in there already. There was going to be a deduction I think right >> on the on the charge. >> Oh, okay. >> No, no, I think the towel is going to reduce >> um >> Oh, our allocation that we get from them. >> Yeah, I'm pretty sure >> because it's less space. Okay, >> so you're credit for you guys are going to cut the ras. No. Um, >> who's cutting grass? >> Our outside provider cuts the grass.
133>> Okay. >> Wait, wait, wait, wait. >> Who's cutting it now? >> The outside provider. >> Yeah, but when they take it over, they're going to essentially um reduce. >> They're they're going to essentially pay us for that. >> Is it in this contract in this? >> It was It was in there somewhere. I I don't have that piece of paper you have. That's not an attachment to tonight's meeting, is it? No, >> I didn't write this. >> You didn't write? >> No, I wrote this. I'd got to have my head expanded. It doesn't read like the something I would have written. >> AI or >> this could have been I I did not uh this this could have been uh Yeah. And it's not lettered correctly. This could have been an addition. It could
134be that the comments that were made were incorporated. >> Where are you being? Uh I'm like on the second page under C the party parties agree party parties agrees to respect the field. I I could have made an error there. Parties agrees to respect the field to include but not limited to keeping the field clean and orderly. >> That would mean mulling >> just doesn't seems I'm not sure that I would have worded it that way. And it's also grammatically incorrect. >> Yeah, I think so. >> Yeah. Again, which is possible. I've done that. I I have to review my own stuff. Uh but nevertheless, we're not going to blavorver that here, whether it's mine or it's somebody else's. Take it. Uh >> well, John John Bert did take some of the suggestions and said
135he would go on and put them in. >> So, some of those recommendations have been added >> because the formatting is not mine either. It's changed. I think what's happened was >> Was this your original? No. And I don't recall what frankly I don't recall whether I gave him a um a word or or a PDF. If it was a PDF, he could have anybody could have take taken the language out and recreated it. Not hard to do, but in any Okay. So, uh I certainly know where the original is, so I'll have an idea of It looks like there's a couple of things in here that I definitely would change or Andrea will get on me. Yeah. >> Um >> your last harra my last party agrees. >> Yeah, I know. I can't >>
136believe that I would have said something like that, but uh I'm not perfect. Um anyway, so if there no comments from here uh and any comments that I find online are already incorporated and I guess other than just some mistakes or a feeling that uh we need to expand on the term respect and it just seems like a very kind of a you know something you would say over a beer you know respect everybody knows who we're talking about right that's like we don't do that no we have to define that what do we mean by respect respect the field means What said like obey your thirst? Uh, you know what what I'm talking about. >> All right. So, what are you going to do? You going to clean up the >> I'm going to
137clean it up. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to clean it up. >> Then send it to John Bert. >> Send it to John. >> Okay. >> If Floyd doesn't want to see it again. I'm not going to bother him and have him charge us. >> Okay. So, when do you think all that's going to happen? And because we'll have to put it on a some agenda. I mean, get approved by the board. I take it. >> End of the week. Well, it's got to be approved by the board, I guess, by the town. By the council, too, right? It's an agreement between us and the town, even though we are the town, but >> Okay. >> So, do we pull around the cow meeting and then our meeting at the end of
138the month so that it could go to town council in December? >> Yeah. I mean, >> no. Or is that too aggressive? >> Well, we have a lot on the count meetings, >> so I don't know. >> Well, let's put it this way. things don't have to go through the cow. I mean, this is not like policy or something like that or, you know, where there's a defined procedure. This could >> a regular meeting >> just theoretically do all of our business in the regular meeting and never have a cow if we don't want to meet. >> There's no law that says we got to meet in the cow. >> Uh so if we wanted to expedite, if we thought there wasn't going to be a hell of a lot of discussion, it wasn't going
139to bog down a regular meeting, then by all means put it on a regular meeting, >> right? >> People circulate it. circulate the draft ahead of time so people won't walk in and say, "I'd get it." >> They they will have had it. They have any comments. It's not a very very long document. It's not uh highly technical like the uh like the solar panel stuff. >> Exactly. It's in plain English. [clears throat] >> Field is is capitalized. >> Yeah. >> Plus, we've talked about this multiple times already. So, it's just a matter of them >> yes or no. the discussion, if there's any discussion at all, it'll be on the basic premises, which is the basic concerns, which is, you know, well, what happens if the town takes over the field? And >> that's
140all we need. >> Maybe we shouldn't. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And if we want it back, it's in here. >> Yeah. >> So, this is really straightforward. So, [clears throat] just clean it up and we'll put it on the regular board meeting at the end of the room. Clean it up. We send it to John. We send it to We probably don't have to send it to Floyd again. >> No. And with the senate to board members ask them please if you have any suggestions let us know before the meeting >> right >> we don't want to get bogged down with this >> as you wish forward >> madam chair >> um what's that >> I said as you wish madam chair. >> All right. >> Yes. So let's get it try to give it
141approve before you leave our >> bed. meeting. >> Yeah, >> at the end of the >> When you put it that way, >> I know. >> Well, you did all the work. >> Well, just just think of who's going to replace me. >> Yeah, >> you're irreplaceable. There you go. >> Now, my father told me a long time ago, he says, "You're not irreplaceable. Don't act like you. >> You're just a cog." >> You're unforgettable. Unforgettable. That's who you are. >> They're all cogs. That that was a that was a great album. How they and I've never seen it repeated. Has that ever been repeated where they basically they I mean she sang with her deceased father. My goodness. >> No, that's really good. >> Exactly. >> Um anyway, so I'll entertain a motion to
142adjourn. >> Second. >> Lot done in two hours. >> Done. >> Yeah.