2-8-21 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001Yeah, Roseberry. This was a meeting that we added that we voted on. Miss Joan, do I have a quorum? >> You sure do. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm calling our budget workshop um to order. It is um 6:05 and it's February 8th um 2021. Um and Kathy um good to um have you on um as the as RTM. if there are other RTM members. I also wanted to say welcome or to the town council or just to the public say thank you for um attending our um budget meeting. So Susan with that um said um march us through my friend march us through >> Kim the minutes please >> even for just a budget workshop. >> Well it's on the agenda. >> See that's when I don't have the agenda in front of

002me. So um Miss Joan when is the date of that meeting? January 11th. >> Okay. So, I would like to entertain a motion for approval of uh the CO minutes for >> January >> 11th. Thank you. Um 2021. Can I have a I have a first. >> Do I have a second? I have Lee for a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Me. Discussion. Discussion. >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. oppose motion has passed. Did I do okay now? Joan, can I start us off? >> Yes, ma'am. You can. >> Thank you, my friend. >> So, I would say tonight's goal is to talk about the athletics both at the middle school and the high school. And there's a couple different proposals of some staffing um changes

003that we wanted to present to you. um it has not been added to the budget but we wanted to see um the thinking of the board and also we have some tuition so Denise will be joining us I have a few things to wrap up with teaching and learning department and the superintendent budget and dues and fees so that's what we're hoping we can accomplish it's a lot but let's see what we can do so I'm gonna can and we did try to um gather some of the um answers to the questions that were posed. So, we'd like to be able to spend some time with that. If we don't get it tonight, we will have some time tomorrow that we can address that because I think it's worthy of a conversation around that. So,

004Ken, I'm going to let you orient us and tell us what page we should start with. >> Okay. So, we're going to start with uh athletic, which uh starts on page uh 6- I'm sorry, 5-64. And I will put that on the screen. 5-64 >> 5-64 5-65 and um we'll go through it like we've done in the past. We'll we'll look at these and I'll bring it off screen so we can see all of the faces. Um so 5-64 is uh just a synopsis. Um um no there's no staff um FTEES uh uh allocated to this uh to this group. This is sports and student activities. That should be clear for the secondary. So, six through 12 six 5-65. Uh here is the uh the the dollars. Uh you'll see that salaries and wages are

005up by 1%. Uh and that's uh contractual. Those are all of our stipens that are in our um our teachers contract. Uh employee benefits follow uh uh the taxes at 1% as well. Um purchase services are up by uh 10%. Uh that is being driven by uh we are proposing to uh increase the athletic trainer uh from a uh it was a 25 hour a week uh position to a 35-h hour a week position to cover uh both high school and middle school. Uh so that's what's driving that uh that increase there. um uh other uh purchase property services down by um 11% or $3,500. That's that's mainly the pool rental. Um so I think we're we're expecting that to come in lower uh than what we had budgeted. Uh uh other purchase services, this

006is um being driven by uh travel, an increase in travel. I think we're expecting to have more uh away games uh next year. uh supplies uh has a decrease of 25,921 or 31%. Uh this is mainly due to uh last year FY21 we increase the budget uh because we knew that the middle school would have to replace all of their uh uniforms and so uh hopefully that process is done this year. So next year we uh expect to see a decrease we go back to a more normal level. uh and then dues uh at 0% uh year-over-year. So, it looks like we're looking for a slight decrease of $4,700 or 6% uh year overyear mainly driven by that uniform um issue that we had put in last year. Um >> and are all the stipings

007stipens according to the teacher contract? So these are really driven those are really agreed upon items um you know that happen with the renewal of the contract. >> We have do we have all like the student activities? >> So uh yeah the the so I'd like to go next to page uh 5-106. That's that's where all the detail for all of the um programs are. Let's see. Let me get there. All right. >> Wow. >> All right. I'm going to reshare here. >> Did you say that Peter was on? >> Peter is on and Ted is on. >> Yeah, I've seen Ted. Okay. >> So, I'll just orient you to to these pages uh and then you you can have your discussion. Um Oops, that happened. Um so on the uh left hand side are

008all the uh programs uh and then the the this middle section here are the number of stipended positions. Uh and then on the second half the the the um the right hand side are the dollars and so you have the you know the amounts for the stipens uh the associated taxes and then uh non-salary expenses which are like officials travel supply uh broken down by programs. Uh so pa page 5-106 are the uh sports programs at the high school. Um and then 5-107 the top half is the uh other activities the student activities uh at the high school and the bottom uh bottom half of that page is the uh is the middle school uh program. Um, and so I'll just point out the the high school uh looks like total for all those programs

009a little under 670 uh,000 70,000 and then middle school a little over 153,000. So total is uh 88 823,00060. Uh, and then there's one more page, page 5-108. And this just kind of gives some history. uh last year's expenses which were cut short, the FY21 numbers uh and then the budget. >> And we don't have the actual numbers though for this year. So that might also be reduced because of what we've gone through. >> Right. Yeah. >> And we won't know that until we wrap up this year at the end of June. >> So you're anticipating the savings, right? >> Stop sharing. So, um, if we're >> not expecting that all of that money will be spent just because we've reduced, >> um, some of the sports because of the pandemic. >> So, can that

010uh, I'm sorry if I'm this is a silly question, but can we move will we be able to save that money and shift it into the next year's budget? >> No. And while the coaches may not be having full-on games, there's some sports that have conditioning and so they are working out with the kids and having this conditioning and practice, >> right? >> Which is different than games, but they do um still, you know, work with the kids. So, there is a stipen involved. >> I was just thinking about like travel and, you know, hiring of, let's say, referees and stuff like that. we're not going to be expending that. Does that get to be shifted into the next year's budget? That's what my thoughts were. >> No, you can't move from budget to budget.

011So, um but we will have more of um an understanding of what that is, what the actual cost is once we wrap up this year's budget. >> Where did Jay go? Oh, >> Jay. So, the only thing I wanted to mention about that, it's a good question, Liz, because unfortunately, we're not like the town council, so we don't have a rainy day fund. We can't roll it in and then take it back out. But, we could vote uh for any surpluses at the end of the year, if I'm not mistaken, to purchase a few things maybe on the bid list that could reduce next year's budget. Unless you've already done all that. No, we have not done that. But that is a good idea. >> Yeah, you could you could pre-purchase some things, right? It's

012my understanding, >> right? >> But not services, not salaries, nothing like that. >> No, no, no. You'd have to we'd have to reallocate the accounts. And Sam's shaking his head. I think he has a list, a wish list. Jay, does that um because it's this is earmarked for sports and student activities. Do those funds then have to be used for those or they could be re Yes. Kim's going yes. >> Yes. They're allocated for athletics and then the they're athletic they're you can't like say I'm going to put $100 into athletics but actually I'm really going to spend it on X. Like you put it you put it in the budget for what you're going to spend on. And I think Jay, I mean I I actually think the point about um taking the monies

013of anything that we've got left over, I think it really kind of depends on what we do have left over in terms of whether we can spend it or whether we need to give some of that back to the town because ultimately it is the taxpayers's money that we need to be that that we've asked for. So I think that there is that really kind of good balance that in the past we have been really good stewards around that. I think um and we've we've um given money back to the town um at the end of the fiscal year. Um >> Oh, definitely. And uh yeah, there needs to be a balance. I'm not saying you spend it down to the penny. >> Um >> no. >> And I think when we've taken from the

014health reserve too, there have been times that we've been able to reestablish that and put that back in. So that's another thing that we can think about. >> Y so that we can keep up with our health savings reserve, >> our health reserve. Am I saying that right, Ken? You're shaking your >> Yes. >> Um, so can I ask a couple of questions? Um, increase 25 to 35. Is that hours a month? >> A week. 25 hours a week is what we've used in the past. Uh, we're want to increase that to 35 hours per week. >> Can you talk to me about why they want that increase? >> It's uh, so there's two things really. uh athletic trainers uh we found um we they they they don't like uh part-time uh contracts uh because

015they want they want to allocate a full full FTE to a contract and so it had been difficult for us to find uh an athletic trainer uh under those circumstances. And then in addition uh the uh middle school uh has never had an athletic trainer uh to to help them as well. And so I think that was uh to help uh help that program uh make sure they got the right uh conditioning and and different things that the athletic trainer would do. I think uh uh Ted and and Vin could probably uh talk more to that than me. >> Um yeah, because I guess Yeah. Hi Ted and and possibly even Peter too because So if is it one person that's going to be doing it? Because then my concern is is is that um

016they're both male and female um sports going on at the same time. And so how do you then al I mean I if you're having one ath is it one athletic trainer or is it a full-time athletic trainer position? Well, usually you're contacting through a through a service and I forget the the name of the service, but um usually they'll send one person that generally comes to your school just because they'll be familiar with the facilities and familiar with the athletes. Um and they'll they'll they'll they'll help out both the the male and female teams. Um the uh the only uh difference is by contracting through a service if that person's not available uh for a certain uh uh uh event then they can um bring somebody else in through their service to to make

017sure that their kids have the help that they need. Um the other piece is is that uh you know I think that a lot of people when they hear the number of hours they think like okay every week they're going to be there for 35 hours. Um the the athletic trainer oftentimes is is uh you know they could have one week where they maybe they're just there for a couple hours a day where we're only running some practices and then they could have a week where they're there like until 8:00 every night because we got games going on at the school and and so on. So one week might be like 20 hours and the next week might be like 50. Uh so it's it it just kind of averages out to the the number

018of week hours that you get each week. Uh it's and they really fit within the schedule of when we need them. Um you know, you think about like, you know, some of the night games that we have and so on. Uh so it's more than just uh they could be working from two until 10:00 at night very easily. Um so it's uh you know but the the uh you know actually I was introduced to the uh gentleman that we have coming in to start and uh you know but he he'll be working with all the teams and and making sure that the uh the training facilities are up to par. >> Thank you. Um, and then can I ask another question and then I'll open it up to obviously who who else is there. So,

019Peter, um granted that this is your first year, um we won't we don't know about what the activities are, but do you feel like you have what you need to offer for our students um in student activities and in student um and uh and in and student sports? Sorry, I lost the word. >> Yeah, I do. Um, you know, it's it's based upon what we've done in years past at both schools and um, you know, it's I wouldn't say it's on the extravagant side. You there there's certainly things that we could go above and beyond if we were given additional dollars, but I think we've struck a good balance. >> Okay. And it's been kind of an extraordinary different kind of year to be rolling this out. Anyway, so >> absolutely. You know, and you

020know, we're >> we're looking forward and projecting to next year being a heck of a lot closer to to normal. >> Yeah. >> Enough with this new normal nonsense. >> Yeah. >> So, Susan, Ted, and Peter, is there things that you want to talk about in terms of the athletic director? Is this where we're going to talk about this or were you >> I think this is a good place. You actually have a little list, don't you? Was there anything else though that we wanted to talk about with regard to the athletics or the activities? Ken, >> could you tell me what page you're on? >> Uh 5- um 106 5-107 I think is >> that's the um stipen things. And then we were looking at the budget and that's 565. >> Oh yeah, I'm

021sorry. 564 565. You're right. 565. >> So we're we're flipping between those two things. Rita, >> I know you have a nice little chart. Ken, did you wanna? >> Yeah. >> All right. Let me share that. Okay. Is this the one uh Susan? >> Yep. So, so these are some uh additional um positions that um that Susan had spoken about. Um and so one of the things that we've uh talked about is um is uh the full the athletic director becoming full-time uh and covering both the uh high school and and middle school. Uh, and so this line six here is uh is just a calculation of of what that would do to the budget. Um, you know, we're we're making some assumptions here on what the costs would be. Uh, but uh we're just

022we're plugging in the uh the uh the dean salary from the uh from the admin contract and uh we wouldn't have to pay the current ad uh teacher salary and stipend. And so that would be an additional uh $20,000 uh added to the budget. So it would be expansion of the role. We have not negotiated at all with AGSA, but we I think when Mike was here, he had um let Peter know that we were thinking along these lines and that it would support both the middle school athletics and the high school. And I know we've had conversations with the board regarding this in the past couple years. So I did um indicate to Kim that some of this conversation was happening prior to Mike's departure. So we we really asked Ken to figure out

023well what is that differential anyway? What are we talking in dollars and cents? So that's why he created this chart for us. The the other thing too, Susan, is can you speak to my understanding was when um the Graten Middle School happened um we had one of our principles um have some of the salary um or like he was dedicated to working on in the middle school sports. So what has happened in that position? So that goes until the end of the year where the administrator is continuing in his role um as a schoolbased administrator and also doing the athletics for his salary as a principal. But next year he'll be his salary will go to an assistant principal salary and um you know and we can find out what the differential is there. It

024may be a wash to what this is. I'm not sure, but um you know, I'm not sure about that, but we could find that out. >> Sure. And and just just so you're aware, the uh that reduction in the uh in in that administrator has already been taken into account in in in the budget we're looking at right now. >> Oh, okay. Oh, that's right. That's right. You had said that. Yeah. >> Yeah. if you don't mind, I just want it's that you know my discussion first with Mike and then and then with Susan uh and and with Peter as well. Um, you know, it's it's we're Peter and I have had a lot of discussions about how do we make this more of a campus and and how do we uh really connect the

025um the high school and middle school and you know this is one of the things that we we had discussed and you know the the middle school athletics has to be done uh and uh you know I know that there has been discussion in the past about uh the the athletic director position uh uh especially when our athletic director left last year whether or not that should be an a uh a uh administrative position. I feel it should be I do feel that there there should be um not only uh uh evaluation of the coaches uh but it it does I think uh require that especially if it's going to be both the high school and middle school. Um, and I think that the, uh, you know, this will allow one person to, uh, be

026able to work with both the high school and middle school athletics, the high school and middle school facilities, um, building use, um, all of that, and really be able to work with the administration, both the high school, middle school, and make sure that the buildings are being used properly and the facilities are being used properly. um you know we have uh a number of fields on both ca on both uh uh areas now and uh and making sure that those fields are being used equitably uh I think is is going to be an important p piece of this. So, um, that's why, you know, we we felt this was a good time to be looking at this, um, you know, and and, uh, and trying to, uh, really again see what we can do about

027combining, uh, our our our, uh, our schools, uh, into more of a campus. >> And Ted, you had also brought to our attention um, you know, conversations you had had around converting the dean to an assistant principal. Um, and if you could speak to that a little bit. Um, already the dean oversees our summer program and receives a stipen for that. >> So, that would still continue in his role. Um, that's a really important feature, especially now that we're bringing both middle school and high school in for summer learning and we'll have some CARES Act money to help support that. So, um, you know, >> this actually came from I'm sorry, Susan, I didn't mean to cut you off, but this this actually came from, uh, um, some conversation, uh, when the middle school was,

028uh, was just starting out at the beginning of the school year. Uh, Aaron Maguire, my my assistant principal, uh, had been going over to the middle school to assist them. And you know, I think that again as as Peter and I talked about our us becoming a campus, uh, we felt that one thing we could do was is is having Aaron still as the assistant principal at the high school, but having her work with both counseling departments, both at the middle school and high school, could make a huge difference in terms of um, having a, you know, a real uh, uh, consistency between both counseling departments uh, to aid in the transition of students. students coming from the middle school to the high school and making sure that our programs are really aligned well at

029both the schools. Uh I think this would be a huge first step and really again that that campus model that I think we're all looking for uh between the high school and middle school. Um that you know looking at that model and having Aaron pick up some of those those extra pieces. Uh there are some of her uh uh work that I'd like to make sure is picked up by uh what's currently our dean position. Uh what I'd like to become the assistant principal position. Uh in addition to that, uh because of the summer duties that that would entail, it essentially is adding more days onto the position that the dean's uh position would become a full AP position, but the summer school position that he currently does anyway, uh would be rolled into his

030salary and he would part of his position would be to run the summer school. Um I think again uh as I think uh that assistant principal position will pick up a lot of special ed um uh uh responsibilities will pick up a lot of responsibilities in our SRBI process at the high school which needs to be worked on. Um I think the summer school will be a big part of that as well. So um again it just I think makes a position that that really uh fits uh and that the summer school fits within that position. it eliminates that need for that stipen in the in the in the budget which helps with the the offset. Uh but again, you know, I think that the conversations that Peter and I had, it's just another step

031that we can take in really combining our schools and uh and helping our students with uh the transition from the middle school to high school. And and I know that uh you know, not speaking for Peter, but I I know that uh he has enjoyed working with Aaron. And I I think that uh you know having her work with both counseling departments would be a huge plus for both schools. >> Thank you. >> But I'm not giving her up. I just want to be clear about this. [Music] >> Understand these pathways I think is vital. >> Um Kim, I I have a whole host of questions. I think we're mixing up an awful lot of things and we need to get back to first one thing at a time. you're mixing up an athletic director

032with the dean, assistant principal. These are all different roles. Um, what the present athletic director, we have his stipen here. What are his other duties that he will no longer be doing and how would we fill those and what positions would that be filled with? Uh currently our athletic director is uh working with his teaching duties uh involves our apex learning program. >> Yeah. >> And how heavily is he involved in that and who would we need to hire to support that? >> Uh I don't believe we will need to hire anyone in order to support that. I think we'll be able to absorb it with with the teachers that we have now. So then is would we really need then the full-time athletic director if if I I just quite I don't understand what

033his salary is, what his role is. Before an athletic director usually taught health, you know, it was in the PE department and he was the athletic director and he also taught health. I don't quite understand what his role is in the Apex. I I ju I just don't understand what he's been doing. >> He's been working with uh a number of our students that are work uh doing the Apex program and uh you know we have a lot more students that are doing it this year uh because of the uh because of COVID our our numbers have increased substantially. I don't expect that to continue uh once we go back into in-person learning. Um, but the uh the athletic director again uh you know I think it could be argued that the athletic director uh

034could be a athletic directoring position um you know if it was just the high school program. I don't personally agree with that. Um I think that that's uh you know a disservice to our students. But again that's my that's my opinion. um the athletic director handling both the middle school and high school athletics, building use, field use, and all of that. That is an administrative position and and uh and that is I think um you know that that's a lot of work. Um >> well, you know, I know Ted, you you haven't been here, but when my children were at Fitch, when there were like almost 2,000 students there, there was a part-time athletic director who also taught health and sometimes PE. I mean, this is, you know, we have a thousand students. We have

035a thousand students at the middle school. If you combine that, I I understand the campus thing and and and I'm not against having an athletic director. I feel there are other positions though that need to go by the wayside. I believe there are scheduling and um people that do schedules for in the middle school that for basketball games and so forth and things like that. I I I think if we if you want this full there has to be other cost efficiencies someplace else in this budget in schedule C in order to support a full-time athletic director. >> I I mean I'd be happy to talk about some of those cost efficiencies. I mean I'm all for believe me I'm all for cost efficiencies. Uh right. I think that when when I look at this,

036you know, for example, uh I I understand, you know, we don't want to mix positions, but you know, what we are looking at here was >> um you know, we have a a current assistant principal at the middle school who is handling the athletic director position. Um and that they were no longer going to be handling those duties. There was an offset in terms of their uh salary. Um and then the athletic director position obviously is an increase in salary. So, we're looking at that offset. Again, I'm I'm happy to look at other offsets and certainly there may >> I think there are some smaller roles in here that, you know, we need to look at and and there's also like people that monitor basketball games and did some scheduling and they're all in schedule

037C there. There are a lot of these small positions that I think schedule C really needs to be looked at, especially if we have a full-time athletic director. Well, I I could I again I I have no problem looking at schedule C at all and I'd be happy to do that. I do want to make you know when we look at the number of games that we have happening >> in any one particular evening. Uh when we talk about the full-time athletic director, we're still only talking about one person, >> right? When you talk about um uh athletic events going on um in in such a large school, you could have multiple events going on in one building at one time. Um and when you know those those events require supervision and you're going to

038want to have somebody there that's running that event, especially when you talk about the number of fans that we we bring into the school. So, you know, I I mean, obviously I'm sure you know, you all being at football games know the number of security staff and so on that we require for those types of games. >> Yeah, I I wasn't talking about those people. You you'll see there are other people in schedule C that may not be >> Well, I mean, and Rita, I've been to the basketball games and I've been to the other games as well, you know, especially we got shut down, right? And and obviously I've been in larger schools before. So, I understand that the the the type of management that requires uh now when you talk about the athletic

039director position, they may not necessarily be at the school at that time. They might be at an away game that they need to be at. Um they could be at We have a number of teams that operate out of different facilities. So, they could be at Yukon Avery Point. They could be at all of we have multiple fields that are off school grounds. They could be at any of those fields. So again, you know, from from >> I I think I'm thinking more of this was in a middle these were middle school positions. These weren't high school positions. These were people who did scheduling at the middle school. >> This was not the high school. >> I'm happy to look at schedule C. And and again, if you're talking about middle school positions, that that'd

040be something that Peter about. >> That's what I was thinking. >> I just want to clarify schedule C is something that we do during negotiations. So that is a negotiations kind of conversation but we can look at other kinds of efficiencies and go kind of go through that to see um you know that's a fair question but I think schedule C would have to be done at negotiations. >> Well we we just we determine the raises here for schedule C. I mean some of it you know and whether or not a position is needed or not anymore. We we did that last year. remember there were some redundant positions or positions that we didn't have anymore in clubs. We went over that all in budget >> through that. I do remember that. Yep. >> So,

041and my other question is I don't quite understand the uh vice principal the dean becoming a vice principal and and Aaron's duties. Um, >> Servita, before we to your point that we've we've come many people together, I need I I'm going to ask for you to pause for just a second. I am not asking you not to ask the question. I just want I want to get some more input from the board um around um the concept full-time athletic director. But I'm going to come back to you, Rita. I promise. Liz, >> I thoroughly and wholeheartedly support having a full-time athletic director that's going to deal with both uh schools, middle school and high school, having been up there working uh closely with, you know, when I was working with the wrestling team and stuffs

042of this nature, they are essential. And the one thing is that um we have to recognize is that even in the last 20 years their role has expanded immensely and there so has their responsibilities and we have also we're adding you know we have a halftime high school and a halftime middle school. That means we have a full-time if we have this one person taking over that full-time. So I don't think there's a personally I don't have a problem with it. I think it's an essential part. I also think it's essential because with if you look at other school districts, most of them have a full-time athletic director and a lot, you know, that's one of the things that, you know, we're we get a little bit behind with our our our sports and I

043just want to, you know, I want to endorse that. >> Thank you, Liz. I appreciate that. I I appreciate that. Um, Jay, I know that you and I have had a conversation. Did you want to share your perspective at all? >> Yeah. I mean, I I think there's no question if if the high school athletic director is going to take over the responsibilities of the middle school and the new fields that are and facilities that are going in there that it it makes sense. I mean, people have been arguing for years that we needed full-time just at the high school, but now that we're adding the middle school campus, um, you know, I say there's there's no question, >> Dean or Andrea, Rosemary, Jane, >> I'm just thinking down the road there, we may find

044we need even more. >> It's such a large program and and we're going for excellence and getting kids involved. that is probably on the horizon. >> And I agree with that. I agree with what everybody said that um especially since we want to to solidify the idea of a single campus. It's it just makes sense to me in every way. >> It's a pretty exciting concept really. And this gives us a lot of continuity between the two programs so that um this person can get to know these students from the get-go and and stay with them. >> I would be interested, Susan, to see what a athletic director described. Um Wow. I'm gonna try the sentence one more time. Speaking happened yesterday and not today. maybe tomorrow. I would like to see a full-time a

045job description for full-time athletic director um so that if we are going to add that into the budget um that we actually have a description that fits that. >> Yes, I can certainly get on that one for sure. I know that some of the top teams around have an athletic director that also connects with youth programming. I know Ledger High's wrestling team became so good because they had the youth programming for, you know, the young kids and then the middle school program and then the high school. So I know that with the right person, you know, and the right position description that that is an asset. >> Um I I think that there are sort of two things going on. I would like to you know I don't remember what were we paying Mark when

046he was um he taught one cl one course and then he was head of dur of athletics what were he paying him >> that would be a question to Ken I think >> okay and also the the other part of the problem is we're dealing with a a person that is pretty much new to us um and we hired him just around the same time that we weren't having a whole lot of athletics. I think you know I would like to know um you know I would like to know that this is a 12 12 month position pretty much except for some vacation. Um and I too would like to see definitely would like to see um a job description. No question. But we don't know him yet. We don't we need to know what

047he's going to be doing. >> Well, that's the job description that would have >> You're absolutely right. I'm agreeing >> out of the public school. >> Dean, it's dean. I see that you're off mute. So, >> yeah. I guess my question would be very humbly, it sounds as though from from people who have said we need this. This is the way to go. By definition then logically we must have been muddling thus far. So I I can't tell because I'm not really involved in sports uh and not at the high school. My kids in marching band and he grows that that's not treated as a sport and he thinks that it is etc. But uh so I'm just thinking well we've done we've gone this far without a full-time athletic director. So, what is it

048that we wish we could do? Oh, look, if only we had an athletic director, we could do these things in addition to what we're doing now. Do we feel that we're hobbled, crippled, whatever epithet you want to use if we don't go with a full-time athletic director? And I guess this this should dovetail with, well, what would the job description be? What what exactly is this person uh going to be doing? >> Um, that's so I'm I'm hedging a bit, >> right? Do you think that Lori I see that Lori's on. Lori, do you think how long would that take you to sort of put together a job description because we already have a job description for an uh for part-time? >> Yeah, we can put that together pretty quickly. I'll connect with Ted and

049we can put something together in a matter of days. >> Yeah. And remember that the expansion here, Dean, to answer your question, is that um this position will take on both the middle school and the high school athletics. So that's where that expansion piece comes. And there might be more expansion to and probably will be in the job description. So, you know, we'll make sure we get that out to the board. >> Okay. Okay. So then my my followup to that would be I know that there were sports played in the middle schools and my experience and from what I've seen here is that the middle school sports don't exactly mirror high school sports. High school sports was another level up in terms of number of programs etc. Uh middle school gave you kind of

050a taste. >> Um so what would the middle school in other same thing what would the middle school program look like if it doesn't I mean forget COVID for a minute. So, we had middle school sports. So, if we hire the full-time athletic director, middle school sports will now look like what? Will now be transformed into what? >> Because we didn't have one before, but now we're going to have one or we're proposing one. So, what will be different about middle school sports? >> Dean, that's a great question. Peter, do you think that speak to a little bit about that? >> Sure. You know, I think when you think about the campus overall in particular with the addition of those three fields and granted Cutler and Westside both had uh fields, but they were grass

051and now with the addition of a turf field, the management of that because I guarantee you that every every um sports related entity in town, if not the town, the region is going to want to have their their their teams practice and play whenever the the schools are So that's one piece. Um, additionally the the continuity in terms of the training for coaches um you know CIA is um regularly updating um the required trainings uh the modules that are required to to upkeep the the coaching permits um you know and and even if you look right now I mean I know that we have not had our our full complement of participation in sports this year but just the the the level of um extra requirements that you need to go through thinking about basketball

052right now uh for co precautions. I mean the there there's things you really need to pay attention to and and while we we may not have to deal with that a couple years down the line um it's it's things like the the training, the evaluation of coaches and and keeping that continuity um which would be an added value uh for the middle school. And I think truly the the philosophy as well of um how coaches should be operating and and bringing up uh interacting with with youth um is is a would be an added benefit um as they they move from from 6 through 12. and and uh you know I I have seen personally um having been a a high school coach way back um that's something Ted and I share and come we

053both coached boys lacrosse amongst other sports seeing the disparity and how some coaches coach um from your opponents to your your colleagues there can be a great disparity in in that philosophy and if we have someone to really set forth for the the groundwork for 6 through 12 philosophy um and follow through on that I think would help our students tremendously. >> Agreed. >> Dean, did did that answer your question? >> Yeah. I mean there different ways to look at it. One is I mean there sports for the sake of the sport. It doesn't matter whether, you know, we win a championship or or or the children are just put through a program uh and they learn about a sport or athleticism or uh keeping healthy and keeping fit, all of that. Uh there are

054school districts that have killer football or killer basketball. And you know, it's great when your team just sweeps the state every year. Uh but there are always those people who have a point and they say, "Well, you know, the school isn't all about the sports and we're putting too much money in the football team or too much money in athletics, etc. Um so it all depends on you know which side of the of the gem you want to look at. Um are if we have it if we have this extra capacity administrative capacity uh are our um high school sports going to be improved kind of like you know third grade strings. If you're going to have third grade strings you're going to have third grade strings effectively in fifth grade and so it's going

055to ripple up up the line. Are we going to have better middle school sports so that the high school teams are better prepared? People will be more interested in high school sports, etc. Are we going to have more offerings? Will will we be able to have more offerings in the middle school? Um, those are pretty concrete, you know, metrics that I I would look at. You know, it's just will the middle school athletics be better because the coaching will be better, but the programs will continue to exist as they are. Will will we have expanded programs, more soccer, more offerings, uh or a combination of all those things, or you just can't tell? >> So, one thing I'd just like to add to the conversation, Dean, is that um one of the things that the

056middle school provides is both inter murals and more competitive sports. So, a lot of times kids will just to get their feet wet will try an inter mural and that might give them the excitement to do something else. So one of the things I think we talked about Peter was that in inter murals we were going to before the pandemic start with a wrestling inter mural team to see if there was you know an interest in creating a team. So I think that because of the way that the middle school has both inter murals and the sports it really does lend itself to the growth of the program. But I think that um we should absolutely put something in, you know, in the job description that speaks to that. >> Uh if I could just

057add uh one thing and I think uh Dean, you're bringing up some some good points in regard to you know the expansion of the programs. I think um you know the the first thing I I would say about you know the the uh high school athletics um from my philosophy I really doesn't it doesn't matter to me if a team wins 10 games 20 games or zero games I if the kids come off the quarter field or whatever they're doing and they've had a positive experience they want to come back and it really complements what they're doing at their academics to the school and is adding a positive uh you know feeling about them and a positive relationship between them and the school. I'm all for it. And and uh you know, I think um

058you know, the one thing I I saw, you know, and I I'll go to back to the marching band. uh you know when I went to go watch them perform last year um and uh down in New York you know you know they won that big award and everything but but the kids were just having fun and they were a group and they were really together and and that and that's you know that's what was important to me and and that's important to me when I when I watch any of the games or or even the practices. Um, from a the athletics director standpoint, you know, um, you know, I think that the biggest thing for me is having an administrator. First of all, it's a it's a large program. It's only going to get

059larger with the with the um with the middle school. um you're talking about, I think if I looked at the budget correctly, you're talking about almost a million dollars uh worth of programs here, which you know, again, I will argue that an administrator should be in charge of of that big of an investment uh for the for the district. Um my second piece is is that when you look at the um the the needs of the coaches uh in terms of the evaluation of what they do to make sure that our programs are not only uh that are servicing our students well and that they're offering a positive experience both athletics, school activities, any of that. um it that you know the evaluation of those coaches to making sure they're getting the training to making

060sure that our eligibility and our compliance is done correctly. Um all of those things are are huge endeavors and and they only get more and more complicated every year. Um you know Peter was was right that you know I I've certainly been involved with athletics and I even played in the band once upon a time. Not well but I did. Um and uh uh but I've been involved u my father was an athletic director um so I know the kind of hours that this takes um it is a huge endeavor and uh and if we're talking about a an athletic director servicing uh two schools 2,000 kids um you know I think that we need to look at my opinion for the board is that uh we we need to look at this uh uh

061as a as an administrative position going forward. Um that's my opinion. Uh you know, I I certainly uh we'll leave it up to that. >> Ted. Ted, thank you. Um >> nice, nice, Ted. Very nice. >> Andrea, >> I just wanted to to expand perhaps on um Ted and what what Ted and Peter said. And when Ted said he doesn't care whether kids won, the teams win 20 games, 10 games, or no games. And that's exactly how we all feel as as principles. It's not about winning, it's about kids learning. And that goes with what uh Peter said because I can recall a time about 25 years ago. So I'm not stepping on any toes now, but u we had a new coach who was not part of the system. It was a coach from

062the outside and he was going to do something that I it's not what we did at our school. And I was talking with him about that in the in the the um the hallway and one of the teachers heard heard it and he said to to the uh coach, look, she's the principal. You do what she says. And I think that's what what needs to what was talking about when he said, you know, we have to have consistency about how we do things. So that's I'm really for a full-time athletic director. So, I I'm thinking procedurally and then um I want to make sure that all voices are heard about this because this is really talking about um adding really a a full-time position. Ken, can you um be clear with me again about what

063what would be the increase for us to um with the offset? >> You want me to share that schedule again? >> Can you just give me the number? >> Oh, sure. I can certainly do that. >> Thank you, sir. um as an estimate realize that this is like ballpark, >> right? Right. >> And this is not a new conversation. I mean, we actually our last public hearing not this past year and not the year last the year before that was that we actually had a couple people who talked about a full-time athletic position. This isn't we a we're not talking about a new concept um for us at all. But Ken >> uh increase uh of 20,364 based upon the assumption of just using the dean salary as a as the as the cost assumption.

064>> Say say that one more one more time. >> 20,364. >> Okay. Um Okay. So that's what we would be looking at adding to our budget. And I think procedurally, Susan, before the board can do anything about that, we would really need to take a look at what the job description um for a full-time athletic director. And I think it needs to come back to our um to our budget um to look at again um but that I think in order for us to do that um I think we need to I I think we need to have that. And and Rita, to your point about finding deficiencies, my sense is that if we had someone who would be dedicated to it, I would want to make sure that that athletic director then would take

065a look at what those efficiency efficiencies could be. Um specifically, if we're doing a campus between um a middle school and Fitch. So I I don't disagree with you um Rita, that there might be some duplication or some other things that could be taken care of. Um but we should I I anyways um um but I think >> I have you know we just need some clarification on page 5-106 5-107 which refers to you know 564 when it talks when it gives you the description of the athletic director and and my question is if you look at line 1549 it says other expensive sports athletic director which is right now he's receiving an additional $11,6769 on top of whatever his teaching salary is. What is that in non salary expenses the 45,940 is going up

066to 58,000. Why is that and what is that for? Uh so uh that amount is uh it's mainly the uh the athletic director, but I'm sorry, the athletic trainer. Uh but there's also something else there. Let me just >> But it says on athletic director. It say it's it's specifically on that line. >> Um you're right. It probably should be on a separate line. Um um I I think I just put it there for just for ease of putting it someplace, but no, you're right. It should be on a separate line. Um it's it's 30,000 for uh an athletic trainer, uh 75 uh86 for uh student accident insurance, >> $3,000 for computer software and $2,500 of dues. >> Right? Because when you have it right there on that athletic director line, it looks like there's

067a big discrepancy between the 12,000 or so for his salary additional to the teaching salary. And then if you go down below and again it's it's line 1549 other expenses in the middle school and you're going um again there's an increase and I can't quite understand that that's 22,219. >> Yeah ju just to be clear uh that's not an increase that's just the total uh budget for and once again I just put it on that line because we put too many lines and it gets confusing. So I I do apologize if this is confusing, but this is just the cost. >> But then there's another page where there's the next page has even more with like a 5.9% increase and an an 85.5% other expensive sports. It goes from $3,985 in 2021 up to 22,000

068for this coming, you know, the next year. And that I don't understand. 85.5% increase. >> Yeah, that that's the athletic trainer. Um so so the all these pages are just showing the same information in different ways. Um and so I apologize if it's confusing, but um that increase in 1549 on page 5-108 of 10,244 is is all athletic trainer at at the middle school. >> What is the actual dollar amount on that? Sometimes it's deceiving the percentage. What was the dollar amount increase for that trainer? >> Um, it went from 4,000 up to 22,000 and then like another additional the increase is 10,344, but we never had an athletic trainer in the middle school before. So, Rita, before you came on, um, >> yeah, I heard you you were talking about that. Yeah. >> Any

069other >> I just think we have to be careful. I mean, you know, it's wonderful to have all these wants and needs, but I think we have to be careful what we're doing. You know, we want to increase this, we want to increase the dean to an assistant principal, we want I don't know. It just seems to be a lot. >> Okay. So Lita, we're taking one thing at a time as your as um per your request in a lot of sense. Jane. >> Yeah. I just want to speak for just a minute in abstract terms having given a high school teacher um for many years and I'm going to um just mention what came to mind as I was listening um the building of program like this I've seen um will build um a

070posit positive culture which is well on the way at Fitch now a sense of community that the kids have pride in self pride in academics and a sense of strong school community. It makes a huge difference. I saw one school um which happens to be a private school in Connecticut start where we are now and it's amazing to watch. These kids can't get enough. They're they're very active um out in society helping out. The sport program is burgeoning. It's it's good. It's changing the school culture. >> Thank you, Jane. I appreciate that. I I I appreciate that. um you could get away from the dollars for just a second and kind of talk. >> Yeah, it's all about kids and community, >> right? So, um I I just think that um to I'm going to

071move us to the next topic, which is um the other things that are on Ken's list. How's that for being really technical? Um but I think in order for the for the board to really kind of consider this, Susan, I think we need to have the job description for the full-time athletic. And it looks like I'm, you know, like I will repeat myself, I'm assured, but that if we're going to change anyone else's position that the board really needs to hold on to those um job descriptions, take a look at it. One second, Liz, I'll then I'll recognize you. Um but so we know that it's a 20,000 difference um 20,000 and odd change um to move from this uh part-time to full-time athletic assistant. Um and maybe um once again to point and to

072other's point about sort of making sure that we understand what we want to expand our budget on um or what we want to cut in order to have to have these positions is is that um we need to kind of keep this in keep that in mind. Um Liz, I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. I just had a quick question. Um, if this if we're adding this to an AD, a full-time AD as an administrator, does that mean we have to open up the administrator contract negotiations again um to add a new position? >> So, have a memorandum of agreement of understand. >> Okay. I just wanted to know. >> No, I think that that's Liz, I think that that is a great question. Thank you for asking. That's why he kept saying it's an estimate,

073you know. >> Right. Um and and I and I am assured what Rita and I are experiencing about adding an admin position and Liz, you've lived through that is is that the town um gets very concerned about adding administrative positions to the high school. Um and and Peter, actually you live through that as well as an admin in adv. So, um, as you, so you know where we're kind of coming from and that we want to make sure that, um, that we have, um, the board support for to for us to move forward on that with I'm going to move us on to the other things. So, Ken, um, once again, if you can kind of hear that we need to kind of take one thing at a time, that would be helpful. >> I've

074lost it. >> No, you haven't lost it. find it. >> I have it. I certainly am. >> Is that the conversion of the dean to an assistant principal and rolling in the summer schooling with the with his uh salary? Is that what we're talking? >> Oh, stop being so smart. Yes, >> that's >> I just wanted to, you know, >> line seven. >> I would suggest that we would need the job description for that, too, to see what difference between the dean and, >> you know, the assistant principal. Um, and it would maybe impact two different job descriptions, you know, for the two the two assistant principles if Aaron was going to take on the responsibility of the counseling departments kind of officially. She she has been a great supporter of both the middle school

075and the high school and brings a lot to the table. Um and there's a lot of need for us to communicate well to the coun through the counseling team to our kids and parents about all the different opportunities that are at the middle school and at the high school. So I see that as a significant need. Um and we've actually implemented some of that language in these grants, these pathway STEM DODIA and do DOD grants. >> Can we can I can I offer a suggestion? Can we have a robust conversation about these conver uh about these things and then on the 17th have the board kind of make some decisions about budget in terms of what we want to do about those positions and have and Lori I'm I'm just wondering would you be able

076to by the 17th um work with the people you need to work with to get those job descriptions to us um so that we can have a take a look at that and then also Susan to if you could work with the unions around what that would what the range it would be would be helpful but Let's have a conversation about this stuff. Um board, are you um are you amendable to that to kind of have us have a conversation and then bring it back on the 17th? Does that is that is that seem okay >> to have a conversation now? to have a conversation now to kind of get us wet on that. Um, wet our appetite on that and then um ask questions and then um and then we have until the 17th

077to then um if we have more questions for the for the district to kind of do that knowing that you know I'm sorry to say this knowing knowing that um Ted and Peter we might not be able to get everything done this year but at least we can at least step start the path towards that um as much as possible. So, Ken, talk to us. Please talk to me. >> Do you want me to just go through this list or do you want do you want to do you wanna uh you want me to >> Susan? What makes the most sense? Um what makes the most sense for you? >> So, I'm thinking the job descriptions that would have to go in um a board packet. So, the board would have it ahead of time

078to have even a richer discussion, let's say on the 17th. But I'll have to work with Lori and the AGSA on that as well. So, >> so Ford, do you want to table this then? >> No, I would like to lay out what all what all these things are. So, you have kind of the parameters um for what the proposals are. Um I think we spoke to the dean moving to an assistant principal um and what that would entail and we can certainly discuss that, have further discussion around that. But if I could just kind of get you through the um additional 0.5. We thought we were going to find some extra efficiencies when we moved to the two elementary schools, but because of the health program in addition and all the numbers of students,

079we we really needed that 0.5 more. It doesn't say this, but more for the health um curriculum than anything. So, you know, that differential is 28. can't read it. You read it for >> 28668. >> Um and then the conversion of the apex tutor um position. So we have a tutor who is a uh who is a certified teacher but is paid as a tutor and has been for over the years. So, if you don't have the certified position, which currently the athletic director does have, um you would probably need someone as an oversight unless the high school can figure out another way to do it. But we do have the person who is in the program full-time. Um but we need a sign off from a certified teacher for the kids coursework. So, um,

080so that's where it says convert apex tutor position to a teacher. And then the, um, full-time tutor to support magnet themes. Um, we've talked about having that farmtoschool, um, component. Um, the grant has, um, will be discontinued after this year. So, this is really kind of an extension of the grant that, um, Ernie started. and to have someone who would split the three new magnet schools. So the the things um river magnet, you know, that has the environmental marine life science and then the mystic river magnet which has the um ingenuity and play and then the discovery magnet at Charles Barnum. So this this particular position would be able to support the three schools. Katherryn Kolnowski, I'll just remind you that they have a full-time position for their magnet um for Steam. And in um

081NEA, we have additional music um FTE um to support their magnet theme, but we're just asking for one to start with to get this program going. And then um you added in the retirements. We know that there are three. I think there might have been an additional one lately, but we're waiting to hear. And um so the the cost differential from adding um you know and and subtracting is really 32,554. Did I read that right? >> You did. >> Okay. Or 954. >> 32954. >> Okay. So that is for all these positions. That's the addition. you know, when we look at the retirement efficiencies, cost efficiency. >> Susan, with that magnet position, the person that's um helping develop the magnet themes for the three, is that a one-time position, a one-year position? >> Um, well,

082for now it is a one-year um the person may, you know, there is a person um who may be getting certified as a teacher, but we will um keep the board posted on that, but we're for now that's what we need. So that one year, so that position of whatever that is at 35 is actually a one-year position, >> right? >> And then the only other thing on that page was um um we did talk about u adding a social worker at uh NEA and uh and CB uh which wouldn't have any social work uh support. Uh and if and if we determine that that's due to the pandemic, uh this could be uh covered by the the uh CARES Act too. um uh that we uh that we received. We haven't received the grant

083yet, but we've received uh some advanced um um instructions from the state and and if we needed a social worker uh due to the pandemic, that would certainly uh uh be coverable by by the car's act, which could go for uh up to two years, >> I think, out to um FY23 is what they were saying, >> right? So, the other thing is um there was some miscommunication in the paper about the actual amount um and but Ken did receive the actual amount um from the Connecticut State Department of Education in the tune of three million but he has the actual number. >> Yeah. 3,49,000. Uh I don't have the dollars. I'm sorry. But >> okay, that's but remember that that you know is um to supplement based on COVID. So, a lot of that

084will probably be used for summer programming for our kids and accelerated learning and tutoring and, you know, really taking a look at assessments and finding out what students will need additionally after this experience or during this experience. So, you know, as soon as it comes in, we'll be able to um, you know, really develop or we will be developing a plan that I'll come back to the board with with that in mind. So Susan, we we can't supplant anything in the in the budget with that uh grant. >> Thou shalt not supplant. >> Okay. Thank you. >> But there might be things that we have taken on because of this COVID that we might be able to make some adjustments. So, um know that if it's for that intended purpose and to recoup some of

085the things that have, you know, um happened due to that um challenges, we can certainly use those funds and a social worker is very appropriate and that would really make sure that all of our schools would have coverage. Right now, Mary Morrison um does not have a school social worker from the board of ed and neither does Charles Barnum and neither does um well NEA and SBB are currently sharing one but that's again through CARES Act. So questions on the stuff that's um on Ken's sheet so that um the staff can um provide answers for us as we continue on to think about those positions. And once again the for me it's the concept of approving or or not approving but like a um the monies for the one-time position for the magnet schools um

086to get them up and running. Um, and I can remember conversations that Jay, you and I have had about when NEA and um, Katherryn Canowski was being started and they didn't have anyone so or any funds available to help coordinate that. Um, but that also those positions were looking at a $35,000 increase to the budget. >> Liz, I have a question about the Apex tutor. So, is this the same person? Is this the AD slapex tutor? Is that who this is that what this is? >> No. Well, the the AD is the certified teacher overseeing that program because you you know it kind of requires certification to >> right >> sign off on kids grades and all of that. There is a tutor who actually works with kids, you know, for the full day for

087the full both days, you know, in this block schedule. And that person is a certified teacher, but he's working as a tutor. >> Oh, okay. Because I wasn't I was unclear. Um I didn't realize that there was an additional person. >> Good question, Rita. I mean, um Liz, >> thank you. I'll take that as a compliment, >> Lori. Hi, can I just add to the question about the tutor in the Apex program? Historically, when the program started, it was a much smaller population utilizing the the software applications and it's grown significantly over time. So, it it's much more embedded than it used to be. So, we have had to dedicate, you know, full-time support to that um as part, you know, as a portion of the regular ongoing needs of the high school. So, I

088just wanted to clarify while we've had it, it has it has grown significantly and it really should be monitored by a certified staff member versus a tutor. >> Um, oh my god, like I'm going to tell everyone your name is Rita. I have no idea what's happening. Sorry about that. >> Take that as a compliment. I I wanted to speak on behalf of the elevating the dean to a assistant principal position. In my view, it's essential to do that. in terms of cost from what I'm gathering and what I'm hearing and understanding is that the um the merging of the of the position of the the summer school the apex programs I'm sorry well the the salary is going to be the same anyway so there's not an increase in cost there but this allows

089um Erin um him it's happening to Aaron Maguire at the high school to do that articulation between middle school and high school which I think is essential and then what it it allows when the dean moves up to the assistant principal that opens the door for him to do evaluations. And I cannot tell you, I don't know how evaluations are being completed at the high school right now with with the number of people there are available to to do evaluating and and that's absolutely essential in terms of guaranteeing excellence in in education for children. So I'm wholeheartedly backing the assistant principal, the dean to the assistant principal. >> Thank you, Andrea J. So, I'm just wondering if when this comes back to the board, could um Susan, could you have someone just come up with

090the justifications for these? You know, Lori brings up a fantastic point. It'd be great to see the growth in Apex. Dr. Akan brings up a fantastic point about, you know, uh, integrating the middle school and the high school, but it would be nice just to see all of this in writing, you know, as >> good idea. >> Bullet points. Yeah, bullet points. You know, I I'm just somebody that rather than taking in a hundred different voices, if I could see it in writing and then be able to to understand the justification >> along with Ken's sheet, that probably would be helpful for us to be able to process that out. Jay, thank you. >> And I'll be happy to to to write mine down and send it to >> Thank you. That would be terrific.

091Any further questions about this? I'm sorry folks. I'm I'm really goofy around barometric pressure changes and so like I'm also I'm finding like I should be like playing with my cat or something. So I apologize for losing my way. Um, so Susan, if we're not hearing anything, um, I'm I'm just going to also encourage the board that if you have questions or you have thoughts or whatever to to send them off to Susan so that Susan and um can then process that with her staff um so that we can have a enriched conversation. Um, my sense is is that it's I'm going to be too bold to ask for it for tomorrow. Um, so I think our next time that we talk about this in the budget is going to be on the 17th. I

092would like to be able to get it in my board packet though this weekend. That's the goal. >> I would love I would really really appreciate that. That would be great. Liz, >> um I wasn't on the board when you had these magnet themed coaches or whatever you call them. And so could you explain what their responsibility is and the necessity of having these coaches? I don't understand that at all. Well, so we have a steam magnet coach, Katherryn Konowski, and it's more than just a coach. The person goes into the classroom. So, there is embedded coaching in that in the lessons that are provided, but there is really an extensive layout of um steam activities and um that tie in with the core curriculum, but are in addition to at every grade level. So

093there is a steam classroom which is like a a fancy science lab that has robotics and has all kinds of fancy things and so kids come to that as a with their classroom teacher to be able to do these experiences. There's lots of um competitions like um the invention convention and a robotics night for parents. So there's a lot of additional partnerships with NES that this person helped orchestrate and plans for these evening events. So it's really the it's really what was the catalyst to make Katherryn Kolnowski a magnet school. They had other ideas, but it morphed into this because of the um you know the work of the teachers and the principal. And I'm not saying it as eloquently as Chris could do, but I'm trying on her behalf to say that it's really

094what made a big difference. And I can remember Mike saying that um you know, giving a lot of credit to this position that was the catalyst for the magnet theme. And I know I've seen it um in Grten Middle School and the work that those coordinators and coaches have done to really get that magnet up and going. So, it's coaching, it's facilitating, it's partnering with our partners in the community. There's a lot of work that goes into that. >> Thank you. >> Y Liz, once again, that that's really kind of great information. Um, because I, you know, people don't know what we don't know, right? So, I appreciate you doing that. Susan, I'm gonna have you move us along. >> Okay. All right. So, I know that we have both Sam and Denise. Um, so

095I'm going to ask Ken, should we start with operations or should we do the the actual um the the one I think Denise just has one page around um the tuition >> Okay. Yeah, certainly. Um let me just get there. So that's uh page um 5-105. Let me get this here to go to there. Okay. And there. All right. Here's 5-105. Uh so this is our out of district tuition. uh page. Um the the first two functions function 4110 and 411 are regular education the it's the boag school ledger and then uh the 411 is the public schools. So those are the magnet schools the learn and new London magnet schools. Uh and then uh the bottom two functions 4121 and 4122 are um tuitions for uh special education. SE is special education. I'm going

096to change that to uh so it's clearer. Um and so these functions here um uh we're anticipating uh there to be uh no uh increase or no decrease uh year-over-year uh for the both of them combined but we have um move the amounts around within these uh functions uh a little bit >> before we get to the special ed piece though just notice that the in both the VOAG section at the top of the page 4110 there is a decrease 23,5 539. Even though the cost of these magnets have gone up, we've seen a decline in enrollment in a lot of the magnets that they kids have chosen to come to Graten. And the same thing is true with the both the learn and the um New London magnet schools. Um and we're hoping that

097that continues especially now that we're going to be offering five elementary intra district magnet programs and two brand new schools. So you see over $100,000 decrease in those magnet schools. So that is kind of the hope that that you know continues that parents will still have choice and they have lots of choice in southeastern Connecticut not only within Graten but also um in the learn districted schools and the New London. So just to say that for regular ed before we go now to ed and Denise can help us explain. And one thing I will add on the regular ed uh so that's assuming the same number of out of district students as this year uh go uh out of district next year. And so yeah, if that if we can uh continue the trend of

098uh more students staying in our our schools uh we could see uh greater uh savings here. That's the hope. >> Okay. Um, do you want me to leave this up? Um, uh, Denise, or should I take it down? >> Yeah, that would be really helpful, Ken, if you could leave it up. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Good evening again, everyone. Um, I'm Denise Doolittle, director of pupil services. I wanted to share with you some uh insight into these uh tuition accounts. Uh starting with uh 562 which is um special education tuition. Those are board placements. Uh you can see underneath 563 is special education tuition state placements. So there are two placing agencies when we're looking at students um receiving educational services outside of the Graten Public School District. One is the board that would

099be uh my office either myself or the supervisors. Uh the other would be state agencies. Uh those state agency placements have reduced uh mainly due to financial reasons. Um they consist of the department of developmental services and DCF primarily. So you can see that in terms of our um special ed tuition for the board placements, we are projecting uh an increase. We're going to talk a little bit about that when we look down at the last line, line 562. We're really looking at a decrease on the non-public side. And we were shifting that fund those funds up to the public school. Um, Ken, do you want to explain that a little bit better than I probably can? >> Sure. Uh, the auditors uh uh made a more um uh they're trying to uh make a

100better um distinction between uh public schools and non-public schools. So, they've asked us to reclass uh how we're uh how we're classifying some of these uh uh uh placements. So some of them um we had previously identified as non-public schools but they are actually public schools. So it so it looks a little funny but it it it is all all the same numbers. It's just moving it around the page a little bit. >> So I can give thank you Ken. I can give you an example for line 562. A special education public school would be for example the learn ocean avenue learning academy or uh the CRE River Street School or ACES Whitney North High School. These are programs where we have students placed. Um those are risks uh both the learn region the crack

101region and the aces region and they uh they provide uh self-contained specialized schools but they're considered a public school whereas if you look at line 562 under tuition's non-public school those are what the state terms approved private specialed programs some examples of those programs would be Bradley School, New London Regional, High Road School of New London, Joshua Center Southeast Program in Montville. Those are examples of more of the approved private specialed programs. So, in working with the auditors, we're trying to balance how we code these tuitions in the budget. So, this is a correction that we're trying to make for next year. Um, so overall we did have uh Jody Moore, our administrative assistant for the special education department run some numbers for us and overall we are down uh two board placements this year.

102We're down uh three these represent students three state placements and we're down one magnet choice placement. So, we are seeing a decline uh statewide in terms of students having to be placed outside of the school district. Um we're not unique in that we're not necessarily seeing behaviors that are disrupting the learning because so many students are learning at home. >> We're dealing with a different issue in terms of participation and engagement. But for the most part, um, behaviors that disrupt learning, that are unsafe, that cause students to to need a more specialized program, uh, have have decreased overall. Uh the other uh point I wanted to uh make when we look at these pro these tuitions is that we also have some students who um require ongoing support in terms of secondary transition but they're

103uh they they don't require the intensive services of our transition academy. So, we do have some students who receive services with agencies in the community like Sharp Training. Uh, generally speaking, those students do not attend five days a week. They usually attend two to three days per week and on the alternate days, they're working on job skills, obtaining a job in the community. So, that also impacts our our tuition numbers. Does anyone have any questions? take this down so we can see everybody. I >> I don't know about anyone else's sort of video or internet, but mine is going incredibly wonky, more so than me. >> Was I was I freezing? >> Um, no. So if there is Andrea, if you're not frozen, I am frozen and I am and everyone on my screen is

104frozen. So if there is someone who actually isn't, that would be helpful to lead the next conversation. >> You know, Kim, we can hear you and see you moving your fingers and talking. So you don't look frozen to us. >> Okay. So you look nice and warm. Oh, >> I am I am really glad glad about that. Unfortunately, I have no active photos for anyone. >> Um, >> that and I've gone out and come back and for some reason that worked. >> Yeah, I had to do that. >> I'm actually to do that. But Andrea, um, absence, can you just leave the rest of the continued conversation until I get back in? Thank you. Well, I would Susan if I had the >> So, I think >> agenda in front of me, but I don't

105>> if anybody has questions of Denise, um, she can she's here to answer them and then she can off she goes to have dinner or something and then we can move to Sam. So, if anybody has any questions though before she goes, this is a good time to ask. >> Thank you. >> Liz, did you have a question? Uh yeah, Denise, just the bottom line is it's a 1.1% increase overall. Am I correct in that? >> Overall, yes, it is. >> So, um but I'm looking at I don't see where that's at. So, I see that, you know, I'm looking at the far right hand column >> and the very bottom. >> Yeah, I see the very bottom. But isn't that supposed to be a um and the that number comes from everything that's on

106this page? >> I could um that that very bottom that very bottom it's in blue, right? And it says 0.1 on the very right hand side. That that's the summation of everything of all of the functions. This is the end of the book. >> And so that's a summation of everything. >> Oh, okay. >> So it's not a summation of just what's on the page. Uh we we can do that though. Oh, sorry about that. >> Gotcha. Thank you. >> It would be helpful though, Ken, to have the summation on the page. >> Sure. >> And to somehow really highlight that the total summation. >> Yeah. >> And a few notes, Liz. Um, just to to end, you know, wrap up this section. We are seeing a decrease overall in these placements in every school

107except the friendship school. >> Yeah, >> we have seen increases in the friendship school. That's in Waterford. credit services prek and K. Um Naen Mlin is very busy there. That is the one school we have seen because this is the second year that they have allowed students from towns other than New London and Waterford to attend. So last year it creeped up and this year it's creeping up as well. They do have um you know full day prek. >> Yeah. >> So we we do see an increase there. And then the other area we're seeing an increase is in our 504s. So, we do have some schools that we work with in our region who we support um marine science in particular. Some of those schools have a larger number of 504 students. Amy is

108working with them on that, but uh in 2009 the ADA was expanded and eligibility was expanded for 504. So, for the most part um it's a broad eligibility. um category in terms of having a physical or mental impairment that substantially impacts a major life activity. Um and and we do see we are seeing an increase in those numbers. >> Denise, are you um you know, I'm I'm very concerned about people that are not being um identified at this time because of this year. you know, are you are you prepared for um seeing an increase next year and students being um identified as special ed needing 504s and how is that going to impact our budget if you know I mean I don't see any cushion here and this is a concern for me is because

109I have I I I I see people or I hear people say well I haven't had my child evaluated because they're home with me or haven't done that and and So I'm concerned here that we don't have the cushion available, you know, or or prepared for and to see an increase in special education services. >> Well, two two quick points. One is that Susan is looking at an expanded summer program which will complement the special education summer program that's going to be at Northeast this year. Uh many of our high special needs students get a full day of programming from the school district for summer school and then with um Eileen Chicazi for Camp Button. >> Okay, >> that's number one. And then number two, the students who are in the hybrid model are receiving

110um in many cases a high level of instruction when they participate. The numbers in the classrooms, I know you've heard, are very small. Um so when they do come in the the instruction is very personalized. They are receiving instruction remotely as well. Um but for the most part, you know, we did put the numbers together for the board in terms of the number of students who are coming in four days per week. That is an option and we do have a significant number of students coming in four days a week um in many of our schools. I'm just concerned about the impact this CO's going to have especially in the special ed department. >> Yeah, it's definitely unchartered territory and um >> we are certainly learning you know as we progress through this pandemic. I'm

111worried about it too to be honest. >> Thanks Denise. >> You're back. >> Oh Kim, you're back. I don't see Kim. Oh, she is >> on. Continue on. >> He's on your left and right. >> I had I had a quick I had a question about the friendship school. Denise, >> is Denise still there? Um >> that that that is a paid school now. It's like $4,000. Um, so are are these people that have paid tuition to go to the friendship school or are they students that have um a disability and we're supporting them? H how how is this working? >> So if the student has a disability, the districts where the student lives uh pays the special education and related services tuition. >> We also pay the base tuition for kindergarteners. We do not

112pay the base tuition for preschoolers. So, a lot of preschoolers go to friendship school and want to continue and then in kindergarten we pick up the bill. And then >> why why why do we do that in kindergarten >> when we have schools? >> Well, because it's an intradist magnet and it's a choice of the parents and we do that for New London as well. >> Yeah. So they get them in when they're three and it's it's you know and they really like it so they want to stay through kindergarten. So um we actually it's a good question um Rita because really on this registration and putting out information to get kindergarten registration up and to really figure out who needs to come. And she's also going to be um doing a brochure that will

113be on the website and she's going to be sending it out to all of our students who are um in these magnet programs so that they know that they have a choice in Grten and that there will be a lottery. So we are working on that, >> right? >> Because we have a lot of slots for preschoolers. We have our two district-wide programs and our um our six um actually we're up to seven um integrated preschool programs. So we have we have a lot of slots for preschoolers and >> so that's wonderful to to advertise then the parents wouldn't have to pay $4,000 a year for you know three and four year olds >> right >> I I do believe it's a sliding scale. I I know >> it is a it is a sliding

114scale, but I I meant the nor a normal price would be 4,000. It is a sliding scale. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And it's if you're in New London, it's free. >> So, >> any more questions for Denise? >> If not, we'll move on. Susan. >> Yes. So, we've got Sam. So, let's march right through this, Ken to Sam's operation budget. Um, we've accomplished actually quite a bit. So, >> so we want to go to page 5-92 and I will share that here. So, this is page 5-92. Um as far as the FTEES um there is one reduction of one FTE under custodial uh that due to the uh uh elementary school consolidation. Um the rest of the positions uh number of positions stay the same. Um, as far as the dollars, um, you'll see under,

115uh, line 117 custodial, there was a decrease, uh, and that's reflecting that decrease of one custodian. Um, so the total salaries are down, uh, 26,000 or just under 1%. Uh, employee benefits are down a combination of what we've talked about before, as well as having one less FTE in this group. Uh so that's showing uh down uh 5.2% two percent >> and also the overall um health savings that is taken from everyone you know is also shown in that right >> that's right correct uh professional services these are services that we outside services that uh that we use for for uh maintenance such as Mystic Air Quality um that was the only one I had written down uh but we uh we're anticipating that being up uh 5% uh 26,250. Um then a total uh

116purchase property services. Um we have a reduction uh in uh we've had some good few years of uh low snow removal this past week. This week is probably going to uh challenge us somewhat. um >> it's on a roll, >> but we were anticipating a decrease uh of 20,000 in snow removal. Um and then also general building repairs uh where uh we have a decrease of 20,000 in that uh as well. Uh so overall for uh per for purchase property services down 5% or $35,000. Um Sam has one that goes over two pages. So if we could flip to 5-95 um we have um the purchase services is at the top of that page and uh that's uh insurance which uh we're anticipating an increase of $8,700. uh telephone. This shows a decrease of 18,666.

117And this reflects uh we're moving some of um some of these costs to the IT department uh in that they manage the cell phones and some of the uh over the internet uh um services. So this cost of 50,144 is just the cost for the actual phone lines that are coming into the buildings. Um, so this this uh section shows a decrease of 9,882, but we're going to see an increase on the IT side for telephones. Uh, for >> So, we receive a grant, aren't we receiving an alliance grant that's going to help support, you know, we need new phones. If you've ever noticed, we have a real problem with phones. So, getting all the whole district, you know, up and at them is really going to be um terrific. and it's a safety need,

118but we are getting some help and support from Alliance um for the different phones that you know in the schools outside of the brand new schools I believe. >> Yeah, it it's it's support to uh to implement uh a new phone uh system, not so much the the cost of the of the of the lines and whatnot, but it'll definitely put us in a much better position. Uh but you're right, the Alliance um capital grant Um and then for supplies um it shows an increase of 165,000 almost 165,000 9.7%. Um this is being driven by our electricity in our heating uh cooling costs. Uh we're anticipating that these uh two new buildings while being very uh efficient have a lot more services. Uh they have uh air conditioning, they have um air handling. Uh it's

119it's it's it's it's going to be efficient, but uh but it'll probably cost us a little bit more. Uh as well, uh we're anticipating uh carrying some of the existing buildings uh for a period of time um into uh the beginning of next year before they get turned over to the town. So, uh I am hoping that uh when we look at this next year's budget that this this number actually will uh be flat, if not slightly less uh next year. Uh but we wanted to make sure we made some uh um allocation for uh the older buildings that uh we're going to have to carry. Uh in custodial supplies, we have an increase as well of almost $16,000. That's what's driving that 9.7% increase. Uh under equipment, uh we have $10,000. Uh this is

120to cover some of the uh some of the equipment uh that uh that Sam has to buy. he can probably expound better on it, but uh I know vacuums and and um things of that nature come through uh come through this line. Uh and then a small amount for dues. So overall an increase of 45,227 uh for uh operation maintenance 7% increase. And I'll stop sharing. Dam, is there anything that you wanted to add to this discussion before I take questions? >> Unmuted. Uh, no, I didn't have anything else to add unless somebody has a a particular question. >> Any um particular question that's directed towards Sam or actually his budget, not to Sam because that would be rude. Barometric pressure. I tell you, it's the barometric pressure. There's a storm coming in. Yes, Dean.

121>> Um, maybe this was covered earlier, but I heard the word alliance. My impression was the alliance money is going away. So, >> this was a spec because we are an alliance district. This was a specific grant that we applied to capital grant and we really wanted to put our efforts kind of into this phone system so we can make sure that it's a real you know up to-date safe phone system so we were able to take care of some of that through that through that >> will be alliance money for this >> what's that >> there really will be alliance money for this >> well it's called the alliance capital grant >> okay and there funds. Um, you can speak to that, Ken. I know I've read through it, um, but I don't remember

122the exact amount for each. >> It was It was a one-time uh um what they call a buildings grant. It's it's for all Alliance districts. Um, they each get an amount. uh and it's just to to to take care of some capital uh improvements that they typically can't do because they're they're spending a lot of their uh funding on on on getting all their numbers up and that type of thing. >> Right. The other item uh that we got through this grant is uh we we will be replacing the fire alarm system at Charles Barnum School. Um seeing as that's the school that we're going to be keeping, the uh the study that we had done by um the architects uh determined that the fire alarm system needed to be uh brought up to code.

123So that will be taken care of through this uh this same grant and that work will be done over this coming summer. >> Instead of bringing a CIP request to the town, this really is a nice offset to that. you know that we can take care of this through this grant. So, I appreciated the effort of everybody putting together and prioritizing these things that needed to happen. >> Yeah. Thanks. I just heard the word alliance and the flag went up. So, >> well, there's still supposed to be Dean. We're supposed to be still receiving 300,000 um this year, but you know, it hasn't come. So, >> right. Yeah. >> Any other questions? hearing none, we'll move on. >> All right, we're going to move to page 5-96 and I will share. So this is our

124transportation um function. Uh so as far as FTEES, same number of FTEs both clerical as well as the uh as the bus aids. And then under the uh dollars 5-97 um slight increase in salaries of 2% um employee benefits uh zero uh there is an increase under other purchase services. This is the uh this is what we pay to STA and curtain. Um and you'll see an increase of um overall for purchase services 373,757 or 7.9%. This is uh reflecting the um uh the the board having to to cover uh the four buses that had previously been paid by the MSAP grant. So this this reflects 65 uh regular buses or I'm sure sorry 65 buses from SDA. Uh that's the total uh total of our uh total of our fleet. Um as well as

125an amount for uh curtain that's this line 512 for um uh for the the the pickups that they do um that are not on regular routes. Um, so that's what's driving that increase. Um, and then, um, we're hoping we get back to to normal and we're and we're utilizing the, um, uh, the fuel that we would have anticipated, uh, normally. And so that's a little over $200,000 for the fuel. A small increase of.7 total increase for this uh section 385,000 or 7% being driven by the by those four buses that no longer are being picked up by MSP. Jay, >> so Ken, um I know this uh probably comes up every year, but if you could just remind me the fuel for this year, was it prepaid non-refundable? >> Um not prepaid. We we entered

126into a contract. Uh so we'll have to fulfill that contract. Uh last year what we did when we had excess fuel was we held it over and we were able to uh utilize that fuel. I have a feeling we're going to be in the same position this year. Um >> so we'll be able to recover some of that um 200,000 if we don't use it. >> That's correct. >> Uh but the other contracts um basically are um well definitely with STA uh that number is really not going to change. >> Yeah, it's it's uh it's the it's uh the 65 buses. uh the cost per daily cost per bus next year is $356 uh and three cents per day which is a 3% increase which was contractual. >> Okay. And I want to say that

127I um after Kim and I had a conversation and I've talked to Sam and Ken about this and Dennis, the company that we use, the software that we use called Transfinder that helps us with our routes. They have an audit service and they actually said many districts do this every five years, but in light of the fact that we're going to have five magnet elementaryaries and we have this extra four buses that we've paid for, this is a perfect opportunity to have an audit done for transportation. And um you know, still a lot of it will be prediction. They've already told us it's a little more complicated this year because of the pandemic, but we're going to um actually take the data from Malone and McBroom to try to get the best efficiencies and and

128put that together with this Transfinder audit so that we'll have um a a better picture, a clearer picture of what we're talking about. So, I'm I'm trying to get that to move along um as fast as we can. Sam, did you want to add to that? >> Uh, I just wanted to add to the uh uh leftover fuel at the end of a season. Over the course of the last few years, we've uh on a couple of different occasions, we've had additional fuel at the end of the season, and you have a choice of uh uh uh paying to put it uh somewhere. you could uh you could rent space and and hold on to that uh fuel for the next season or you can sell it off at a uh a slightly reduced uh

129number. So uh dependent upon how much we have and what the going rate is at that time. Ken and I take a look at that and and make that determination at that time as to what's better for the district. So uh it we've done it both ways. I think it was uh last year that we actually uh held the held held on to the oil and then used it because it was going to be cheaper to do that than to sell it off. >> That's right. Yeah, you're right. >> Any other questions about that? I'm excited about getting an audit done. >> Me too. as excited as you can be. >> Not a bus audit. >> I love audits myself, but >> you would. >> All right. If I'm not here, I know Dean, I'm

130sorry. It's really is the barometric pressure. Like, there's a storm coming in. I can tell you. Um, next, Susan. >> So, we had another section with teaching and learning. do that or did you have something else that we missed? Did I forget something? >> I'm sorry. Uh, no. Um, >> well, we we there is a computer services. Um, >> let's go on and do that because we can always hold that teaching and learning is just a small portion. So, we could hold off on that till tomorrow night. >> Yeah. But then I I clicked the button and I lost my >> That's just because you were excited about having an audit done. >> I know. got me all >> over here on it. >> Oh, it's assigned to hold it till tomorrow. >> Okay. >>

131You remember the section? >> I do. >> Is it's page 5-98. All right. And I'm going to share that. Okay. Oh, I need it bigger. Okay. Uh, so this is uh computer support services. Uh, so the FTE numbers uh no change. Um um still have the director of IT, the administrators and the six computer techs and the one admin assistant. Um 5-99 the dollars. Uh so a slight increase in salaries and wages at 2% uh which is uh our placeholder. Uh employee benefits um as Susan alluded to before it's it's the reduction of of group insurance across the board. Um there is uh the next section down is uh professional services. Um that is an overall increase of 4,293 or 2.7%. um you know a lot of lot of computer uh services, a lot of

132um um internet services um get charged in this line. Um next line down is um purchase property services. Uh and you'll notice that's up considerably 56.6%. Uh what you're seeing here are um it's the uh the um the copers. Uh we are in the midst of switching all of our copers over to a print management solution. Uh meaning uh we'll be able to um uh print uh to any copier copier/printer uh in the district. Um and in order to do that we we need we get uh we're getting additional copers. Uh but there's a reduction uh down below uh as an offset. Uh but that's what's driving that increase is u additional copers and uh the print management solution. >> Actually a great efficiency to that. I've been in a district with that kind of

133a plan where you have to use your badge when you go to collect the items so you don't have a lot of waste and you can also track the usage, you know, per building, you know, per department. So, um, and then they're they're newer, so we have less, you know, fixing of the the copers. And then we don't have we won't be replacing those individual copers that were in every classroom. There's um also the ability to have more color copy print and I think that's less expensive than those individual little copers too with the print with the ink. So there is this efficiency but getting this up and atom there you know you see the cost the extra you know 40 plus thousands. >> That's right. Um right below that is the telephones. That's that

134decrease that we saw over in uh the um the uh maintenance um function. Uh that was the cost of the lines. This is the cost of cell phones and the the IT side of it. Uh so that's why that's showing up here. So there's a corresponding decrease there. Uh but uh an increase here. Um so overall for other purchase services, it looks like a big increase 87 uh.9% but it's a 16,260 uh increase. Um line 610, this is the decrease uh in the in those uh individual uh printers at the uh in the classrooms. Uh so this kind of offsets what we're seeing above for the uh for the copers. uh will no longer uh have to to pay for those um for those that equipment. Um so that's a that's a decrease. Uh computer

135software is an increase of 17,375. Um this is just this is an increase just in the in the cost for the different uh software uh you know uh packages that we have whether it's uh uh the power school uh the e finance for for my group um it's the um cost of transfinder that we t spoke about earlier all all the different um pieces of software that are operational not not curriculum based >> noninstructional >> that's correct Yep. Uh so that's an increase of 17,000. Uh overall for supplies it's a it's a small decrease of 5,125. Um and then uh under equipment uh overall uh increase of 44,539. That also shows a very big um percentage increase because it's off of a budget last year of 38,812. Uh but these are costs for maintaining and

136upgrading our infrastructure. So all the all the devices can uh can connect and and do what they're supposed to be doing. Uh overall for computer support services an increase of 103,183 or 5.7% increase. You're muted. >> Liz, you need to unmute. >> I think she just waved to say she was >> Okay, any other questions? Is it time? >> There are a couple of small ones. I'm I I hate to >> Let's do the small ones and let's get let's get these underneath the belt. Andrea, we're already, you know, we're already February 8th. I get worried. >> Yeah. Well, we have one tomorrow night, so >> Yep. We have a lot to go through. >> I know. >> So, we're gonna do these two small ones and then um then I will take it down.

137Uh so this is uh page 5-100. This is health services. Um so these are this is um this is really just it's a budget of $2,500 for inoculations and um I think that's all it really is. Testing uh to pathogens. Um it's uh same as we budgeted last year. Um so I'm just going to move on. uh you can stop me if you want. Uh and then uh 5-102 is non-public uh pupil transportation and so we we are mandated to uh transport uh students to Sacred Heart. Uh and we um >> Grao or >> No, just to Sacred Heart. Um I mean we we are um mandated to to transport the students to Grao as well, but uh we don't break that one out. >> Yeah. Ken, we're getting your >> We're seeing your inbox.

138>> You are. >> We're looking at your email. >> Yes. >> That's strange. >> So that's kind of fun. >> It all looks very professional. I just want you to know. >> Thank gosh. Right. All right. Here is non-public. Do you see that one? >> Yes. I don't know how that happened. Um >> a sign. I keep telling you it's a sign. >> We did decrease uh this slightly uh because our experience over the past two years has been uh less than the the 110 that we had uh budgeted 115 that we budgeted in the prior year. So uh we reduced this uh uh this one uh by 18,450 or 16% decrease. >> It reflects act what we were actually doing. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, those are the two little ones that I wanted

139to make sure we didn't uh didn't forget >> any um messages. >> Oh, Liz's um computer has crashed, >> which was sort of what my experience was. Anything else, folks? the computer slash crash. We saw the email. I'm telling you >> time. >> Motion to adjourn. >> I'll second that. >> Any other discussion? I guess we don't need a discussion for a motion for adjournment. Um all those in favor, please say I. >> Gracie. >> Oppose. >> Abstain. The motion is carried. Ken. Um, thank you so much for putting all this together. You do an amazing You do. Thank and Susan, too. Thank you so much. >> I'm glad we were able to get through some of that and >> Yeah. So, thank you. >> We got your message, Susan, about remote tomorrow. >> I

140think all of southeastern Connecticut is going that way. Or most of us. >> It's Yeah, most of the state. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I think the northern part of the state is supposed to get hammered, not us. >> No, not us. Yeah, >> it's just going to be a mess. >> Yeah. >> I'm praying for rain. >> All right. Bye, guys. >> Bye. Stay well.