001Yes. Experience. [snorts] >> [clears throat] >> So it has to be special. regular outdoors. All right. Good evening everyone. I'm going to uh we're going to get going here. >> Um thank you all for coming. I'm going to call the New Hartford Public Schools Board of Education special meeting dated January 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM to order at 50:02 p.m. If you are able, please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [snorts] [clears throat] >> Okay. Welcome Kristen. Again, thank you for everyone attending tonight and making the change to your schedule for this special meeting uh due to some conflicts at the
002previously scheduled meeting. Uh, next order of business. I'm sorry. Next item on the agenda is B. Order of business. I do not have any changes to the order of business. Does anybody have any items not on the agenda that they wish to motion to add? I'm sorry. We can't do that. It's a special meeting. So, we can't do that tonight. All right. So, move on to item C on the agenda, communication to the board of education. Um, and public comment. So, I'm going to start with and we'll go through them once we get down to uh board of education chairs report with task representatives, but I do have um a few letters that we'll go over at that time regarding interest in the uh task force. Um we also had one communication to the board
003that's being filed with these meeting minutes from um uh resident Jay Bailey that will be filed with the meeting minutes. So, we're going to acknowledge receipt of that email. I think that was all right. Uh, with that we'll have public comment. Anybody like to address the board? >> All right, seeing none, we will move on to the next item on the agenda. Um, superintendent report. >> Thank you so much, Chairman Kps. Would like to start off by just directing everybody to the um packet that you received with relative to some advocacy letters. We've been very busy as a board of education and as a leadership group communicating and expressing the needs of New Harper public schools and the state of education overall. So if you take a look in your packet, you'll see um advocacy
004letters to Jeffrey Beckham regarding our drip programming by the state bond commission. So we wrote that. We've also included that same letter uh to the entire state bond commission and also our our representative Mark Anderson and Senator Paul Honeig. You could see that listed there. So these particular letters of advocacy were written due to the concern that the this would not be funded through the bond commission, but it actually was and we could expect to receive those funds of approximately $47,000 by the end of the year. the drip program is to help with small projects maintenance related uh for our school district. So very thankful for their support and again I wanted to share the letters of advocacy that we had written. Another letter of advocacy that we've been uh engaged in is making sure
005that our mental health grant was sustained. That was cut by um the federal government at Advance had received a grant of $8 million uh for the course of five years and it supported mental health for New Hartford Public School students as well as many other surrounding school districts. Unfortunately, that grant has been discontinued and has not been um moved forward to this date and time. So, we have advocated for our local representatives to support that. So, you'll see that in here. [snorts] Additionally, you're going to see that there are proposed cuts by the House Appropriations Committee back in September, and you'll see a letter of advocacy here um to our senators Chris Murphy and uh many others to state that any cuts to title one, title two, title three funding is absolutely unacceptable because it
006has direct impact on our students. So, you'll see that letter here. Then there are also acknowledgements of those receipts from various um office staff from Senator Chris Murphy for example. There's a letter to Representative Janna Haynes, to Jim Hines, to Joe Courtney, and again, you can see some of the responses that we received to date, and also to Representative John Larson and Richard Blumenthal with again receipts of those representative Deloro. And the same thing there. [snorts] All right, we also partnered with that advance to also write additional letters of advocacy for that same mental health grant that I mentioned. So there's another letter there that Ed Advance uh had shared with us and we partnered with them and our surrounding districts to request those funds uh to be maintained. Next up for our advocacy letters,
007a very very very special thank you to regional board 7. The state of Connecticut has provided an additional grant. Drip grant was unanticipated. So was the seed grant, but after legislation they have provided various funds. The seed grant is approximately uh $50,000 or so to support special education new hires. There are very specific criteria to it and we are very thankful to regional 7 to superintendent Leage to the board chairwoman Molly because they've decided as a board to allow New Hartford to ma maintain or retain the funds that we were supposed to share overall. So that was supposed to be shared with any of the regional school districts that send students up. um and they've decided that they would allow New Hartford to retain theirs. In the current legislation, the legislators uh failed to think
008about regional school districts. They simply stated take the money and divide it by ECS funding. Well, the difficulty is if you don't have ECS funding that's shared within a regional school district, they don't get any of the monies. So instead of engaging in that political conundrum, region 7 thankfully, again, we're very grateful, has allowed us to maintain our monies to help offset the cost of special education. Again, I cannot express enough gratitude. You'll see that letter here as well with the specific amounts. There's the 49,245 and there other districts such as Baramstead, Cobrook, and Norfol. and then our response to um that decision of the region 7 board. Again, super super thankful. All right, those are my advocacy letters. Moving on to some updates regarding our school facility utilization study. So far, we've had two
009meetings to date. The first was a meet and greet to talk about deliverables, uh the tenative timeline and data collection. um spa, all our silver petrol and associates has collected all architectural designs, mechanical reports, oil tank inspections, asbesto inspections, and so much more. We've also established dates for the task force. Those will all be posted online, social media, and throughout our school community. [snorts] And we also have designated a very specific email for the task force and it's nhtaskforhtfd.org. We will also be posting that and sharing that within our minutes today. and also throughout all of our social media platforms and our communication. We have an intentional rotation of the meetings at our schools. Um the board can see some of the meetings that are listed there. The first of which, which will be January
01022nd. It is a Thursday at Antalini in the multi-purpose room right here at 700 p.m. And that'll be our first again meet and greet. We'll talk about uh the goals and the purposes of the task force. Uh the second meeting we've had was dedicated specifically to the enrollment projections and collecting all of the necessary reports so that the silver petricelli and associates uh subcontracted with um a company to provide the pro uh enrollment projections. There are very specific reports that are protected for student privacy. Uh so we have a student privacy agreement with the company so that our students data is protected and that will help to uh provide our enrollment projections which is in part part of the study but it also is very important when we are looking at grants when we're looking
011at construction when we're looking at recuperating funds or reimbursements. Student enrollment is very critical. So that is part of the study. We've had that um initial meeting and that timeline for completion of the enrollment study is within two months and all of these updates will be posted on our website and again social media and all of our mediums of communication to um our school community. So before you board of ed if I could just turn your attention again these are the meeting dates and tonight I know we'll be sele selecting our community members and also our board members but these are the dates and the uh locations and times there are extra dates here why the study is not a one-year study it's supposed to be about six months it's a yearlong process in my
012humble opinion because we're going to have a lot of discussion afterward and we want to have a lot of community engagement at multiple times of the year, skipping over the summer months because people are traveling. They're on vacation. So you'll note that there are meetings in January, February, March, April, May, and June. Skip July and August. Come back September, October, November, and December. If they're not necessary, great. We cross them off. If we've come to a conclusion and a recommendation of the task force to the boards of education, board of finance, and board of selectmen, fantastic. But these are save the dates outside of that window after probably September or so. Um, also before you and again these documents will all be available online, you'll see a school facility uh facility utilization tenative timeline. So
013you'll see I apologize for the font it is tiny but I wanted to make it a one-pager and thank you to uh Mrs. Sarah Vogle for helping out with that and also Mrs. Michelle Miller from SPA. So here's the tenative timeline. So you'll see that the initial component is what we're doing right now. They have site visits scheduled again on January 16th and 21st. So that is that purple section that you see above. Uh the the task force kickoff will be again January 22nd here at Antelini. We'll define those goals there and that'll take us into February. But also that's happening concurrently are facilities conditions and I just mentioned that they'll be conducting those walkthroughs and also the enrollment projections there. So you'll see that conducted. Some of them overlap. Programming and capacity will be
014the next exciting part of our um task force timeline. You'll see that highlighted in yellow. So they're going to be taking time to meeting with the principles, reviewing uh existing programs and structures, benchmarking with state design and standard recommendations. Um they're going to be incorporating enrollment projections into capacity equations. There is so much that goes into this. And then ultimately around April or so we'll start engaging in our master planning and SPA will be presenting throughout but here they'll be specifically presenting the initial concepts for discussion and refinement. We'll develop viable concepts further based on the task force meetings and feedback. We'll continue to gather feedback from the community meetings, surveys or presentations and we'll redefine or refine those options as needed um for the course of May and into June and beyond. So then
015SPA at the end of it will have a developed booklet of information for all of the documentation of everything that we've done including meeting minutes including all of the deliverables, recommendations, data to support or in inform the decisions that the task force will be charged with uh at the end of the course of the study. >> I just want to be clear on that. >> Yes. The task force [snorts] is not the decision-making authority. >> Correct. >> So they are recommendation. >> Yes. Absolutely. >> Yep. >> Thank you. >> So task force members will be appointed from uh the select bodies board of selectmen board of finance all set board of ed will be tonight and community membership but they are making recommendations. They are not motioning or make they don't have the authority to
016do so. They're not an elected body such as the board of ed or board of finance or board of selectment. any questions on the school facility uh utilization study. >> Okay. [snorts] >> Excuse me. You did say this is on the website. So, I mean I can It's hard to read this little font. >> Yeah. Yeah. Everything will be Yeah. It was just to put it on the one pager. It is tiny outside of a magnifying glass or some serious readers >> took p pictures of it so I could >> So you could expand it. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. All right, up next, just want to give a brief budget overview. We are in budget season. We have been in budget season, it feels like, since I don't know, since last
017budget season ended. There's always preparation. There's always reanalysis. There's always attempts at accurate projections based on enrollment, based on student data and trends. Um, also with contract negotiations. Um, there's so many factors that go into a budget. So, I want to just give a quick budget overview for the public and for everyone to know what our timeline looks like. Again, this will be available on our website. It's on it's in your um packets that I delivered on your desks or on your tables since the original packet went out. So, today we'll have a quick budget overview telling you where we're at and where we're going to continue to work hard at lowering our percent of requested increase. We'll have an official superintendent's proposal on February the 3rd here at Antellini. 7 o'clock. Budget workshops will
018then take place on February 24th, 7 o'clock here at Antellini and also on March the 3. Our capital expenditures will be presented on March the 10th formally if they need refinement. We'll have a budget workshop by the school and the town. That's on March 14th. Yes, that is a Saturday and that's at 9:15 in the morning at town hall. So feel free to come on out um during that time and so was the previous uh meeting at town hall. Budget workshop number three will take place on March 17th after we've received some feedback at 7 p.m. here at Antelini. We'll finalize the budget with the board of finance. Uh the date is TBD still um dependent on how our budget exercises work throughout the course of our time together and that's at 7 p.m. at
019the town hall. We'll have our public hearing as we do every single year. 7 p.m. Town Hall Senior Center budget workshop number four is reserved if it's necessary. Um we will come back at a date to be determined 7 p.m. here at Intellini to make any uh other adjustments that are necessary. The board of finance also has their budget adjustments on April 14th at 7 p.m. at town hall and then we have our annual budget meeting on April 21st 7:00 town hall and then our town referendum May 5th, 2026. So, a lot of time to spend together to talk about the important needs of our entire school community and our town. [snorts] Any questions on the timeline? Yes, sir. >> Is this also posted on our >> Yes, everything will be posted. Yes, sir. >>
020Thank you. >> Yep. It'll be part of our minutes and it'll be posted on our website. task force, I failed to mention, also has a tab just specifically for all the task force information and material that we're going over tonight and anything that we're going to be collecting going forward. So, please note on the school website, there'll be a tab there just for task force dedicated for our public consumption. All right. Also, >> I've got a couple of timeline questions. >> Yes, sir. Is your mic on, sir? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Very good. We're looking, you know, we have the U meetings for the next year. Is there any and these are just regular board MA meetings, right? Is there any way we could set some the stuff that's in purple we have control of.
021Could we slide some of this? Is it possible to slide some of the budget meetings in? >> I believe they are. They should be paralleled. >> This doesn't start till August. >> Oh, I know. I'm talking about because this this did we know about all these dates and before tonight? >> Yes, >> we did. Okay, then I've got them in my calendar. I was worried I didn't have them. >> I gotcha. >> And >> these are in alignment with our currently approved board of education budget meetings. [clears throat] >> Oh, they do line up. Oh, good. Good. Because my calendar's tight. >> Understood. >> The other question, um, you know how last year we got the public feedback after it was too late in a way to do much with it? Is there any way
022to improve that? >> So, this is the first attempt, right? Telling people here are all the dates, here are the times. We'll publicize that. This will be cast out in our capability as a board of education. >> The town can certainly do as they see fit from the board of selectmen and board of finance and how they solicit uh folks to come out. This is our first just general give a timeline out. will communicate this out in our Friday folders on our website and our social media platforms so that everyone that we have control over communications with has the information. Hopefully they read it. Hopefully they mark their calendars and can come out and discuss or provide public feedback as we have opportunities twice every meeting. So hopefully this is the first opportunity that people
023take you know that into mind and start to save the dates on their calendars. We have that new uh committee that seems to have a lot of energy with it about communication. That might be something that >> we've talked about that could help. Yeah. And outreach. Absolutely. >> Yeah. We recently had a meeting and there are minutes also available there for some of the ideas that were generated for community outreach. >> Yep. >> Thank you, Frank. [clears throat] All right. So the last piece before we move on from our budget overview is that currently the staff I have to give a great huge thank you to the entire central office staff from Amy Gail Kellyanne Sarah our curriculum coach Heather who's here um director of student services Mike God bless you Mike is also here
024our school admin Dr. Kelly Carroll and Amy Kennedy. I know that they're having a concert right now or else they be here. Um, at the present timeline and under some of the assumptions that I'll go over in just a moment, just to give a very broad stroke, we are currently at about a 5.25% requested increase. And some of those assumptions that again I'll be presenting more officially next week are going to be obviously inflation and cost of living adjustments. So, we'll look take a look at that. Increased cost for employee healthcare has already has already been shared. Board of selectman and board of finance are where we meet regionally to talk about our consortium, but we understand that there are double digit um employee health care increases there. There's increase in our transportation costs. Last
025year, if you remember, we had an awesome savings at a negative one. Now, we're on the increase, but we're at a different baseline. Um so, if we forecast that out, five years out, that's a savings of about a half a million dollars because we reset at a negative one. And I could demonstrate that um within our budget presentation. We're also expecting a decrease in excess cost grant. Um that's typical for what the state does. They appropriate certain amount of money, one big pot, but then everyone requests from it. So then the requested monies that or the anticipated monies that were expected within a threshold of tiers. Mike does a great job presenting that. By the way, could ask the board members at the retreat. Then you'll see that after all of the school districts have
026requested monies, there is less there available for every district. So we work within that. We try to be very conservative in what our thoughts and projections are of that grant to support our special education costs. And then there are also contingencies that we'll see within the budget this year. That's something new. Um we have contingencies for emergencies or unforeseen costs that come up. So you'll see those this year. That's going to be a little change. Uh I've met with our board chair and talked about that. So we thought that would be a nice improvement over the course of our budget season to know what are our contractual obligations. These are fixed costs versus here are some of the contingencies that we can consider as a board to cut. Okay? So, we'll review all of that
027and more starting February the 3rd. And again, to echo Frank's sentiment, please come out. Please share your thoughts. Um, community members that are listening or watching online, please, please, please, the board obviously wants to hear from you, so please come on out. All right. our tools for schools checklist as is required by uh legislation we are publicly making it aware it's available it's online this is something that we do every single year to ensure that our schools are safe and have met standards of the designed by the federal EPA so the tools for schools checklist have been completed if you have your form here you'll see that it's an electronic link on the agenda you could click on that or visit our website all of the information is listed there as well as our indoor
028air quality that we have to do every single year as well. And our five-year HVAC, we're well ahead of schedule, is also posted there, making it publicly official and announced so that the public is aware of our legal requirements to complete those things. They are done and they are posted well ahead of schedule. All right. Up next is our proposed board of education regular meeting schedule. So, you'll see that in your packet. Want to take a look at that. Couple quick notes. Actually, one quick note or maybe two. Uh let's see. The first would be that the regular meeting schedule August 26 to 28. You'll notice that there is a board retreat from December to the last week of January. Why? Too close to holiday season, too close to everything. So, I heard the feedback
029from the board of education very clearly. So, we've selected a different date. we'll go to the end of January after our new year after things have slowed down a bit and we're not all crazy running around buying gifts, wrapping things, doing whatever we need to get done. So hopefully that's appetizing to the board of ed instead. So you see those changes there. Um and then also if you want to make note of this, we've scheduled additional meetings in the month of January. So January 5th and 19th of 27 and January 4th and 18th of 2028 are specifically designed there as two meetings so we could kick off budget season a earlier and b have more time for again community involvement um revisions to the budget just to have it out a little bit earlier going
030forward. So this calendar after review oh also very special thanks to Penny Miller who reviewed the calendar to look for conflicts with board of finance so that we are not conflicted. Thank you. Thank you so much, Penny. Want to make sure that the board has a minute to look at this. You've had the the packets obviously, but we do need to motion to make this official and vote on it so that it can be given to the town clerk and then posted officially. So, I'll turn it over to chairperson to >> I have one question. >> Oh, yes, please. >> Why are we >> start with a motion >> for discussion afterward? Yeah, please. I make a motion that we accept the calendar for August 2026 through June 2028. >> Thank you. Motion by Penny.
031Can I get a second? >> Second by Who wants it? John. [snorts] >> All right. Um >> my question, why are we why is it a Thursday meeting on April 27th, 2028? >> If I'm not mistaken, I believe it conflicts with um >> is it vacation >> our vacation week? And I'll look to Sarah for any other quick update there. >> Correct. >> For board of finance, I believe. >> Yeah. So, we try to avoid any conflicts going forward because every year we found that, oh, we'd like to have a board of ed meeting, but board of finance meeting, too. Wait, let's So, this is our >> Okay. >> very far s you know, attempt to make sure we have no conflicts. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Just curious. >> No problem. >> Thank you. >>
032Oh, yeah. Of course. >> Any additional questions on the calendar? We've all had time to review it. Seeing none, all those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. Okay. Outstanding. Next up, and this will also need a motion to approve, is our proposed 2026 2027 school calendar. If you've been on the board for a while, you'll notice amazing changes to the calendar. It is um extremely colorful and it's also clearer in respect to the fact that terms are broken down, school days are broken down, but you could also see all of the specific first last day of schools. You'll see early release days, you'll see days for no school for teachers and students. It's very descriptive. It also now has uh synced with your personal calendar option. Thank you, Mrs. Sarah
033Bogle. So you'll see that you could click on that and follow those directions and it'll link with your own calendar at home. Look out people, 2026. Here we come. Um, so that is seeking an approval date. The last revision date was in December of 25. But I also want to turn your attention over to the back. Wait, there's more. So you'll see listed all of the major events taking place over the course of the year for our board of education from meetings to holidays to openhouse proposal dates. Thank you, Region 7. and we were able to collaborate with them again and avoid those um conflicts. You'll see board of ed meetings, like I said, early release days, winter breaks, Memorial Day. This is chalk full of everything so that we're communicating well in advance what
034next year's school calendar will look like in 2026 to 2027, believe it or not. So, we'll need a motion. >> Motion to approve, please. >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Penny. Can I get a second? >> Second. Second by Tim. Can I just make one suggestion that maybe on the back side here someplace put in the year either at the beginning or maybe January the 5th. I'm assuming that's 27 the BOE meeting. >> So it starts in 26. So if on the left hand side you see where it says New H public schools. This will tell you that it's in the 26th year to the 27 year. So that'll guide you through. So after [clears throat] January, it obviously changes over to the 27, but >> I just thought it would help like
035even just put 81826 then everybody knows it starts in this year or August. Just a suggestion. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I quickly looked at it. >> Was there going to be discussion on that or no? >> On what? >> On the uh calendar. >> Yeah, right now. >> Yeah. >> Um just quick question on uh election day [clears throat] November 3rd. A lot of I've gotten a lot of questions about this. A lot of other towns have their professional development day on election day. We have ours the day before. Is there any reasoning for that? We know region 7 also has the the uh their professional development on election day as well. >> Yeah. So we are not a voting site. So we don't have we have school in session here. Otherwise that's
036why it's typically districts do that because the buildings are um vacated of students, right? And staff is there. So it lines it lines up pretty well with that. So that's why we've selected doors. >> Do you want to align it with the with region seven or no? >> Not necessarily. It doesn't need to be because we're not sh our professional development goals are not typically related. They're more focused on our elementary level. >> Community perspective is what I'm thinking about >> and bus savings, >> right? >> How how is it a >> because don't we share buses? >> We do. So >> for the same contracted days outside of after school activities, which region seven is more expensive. the election on the same day, both of us. Wouldn't need to be any buses that day.
037>> Uh, >> but now you have to have buses on both >> for elementary, >> right? >> Mhm. >> Seems like there might >> versus the Monday >> seven students there on Monday and you've got to bring >> the Harvard students on Tuesday. >> Yeah. So, it's just a change of days. >> Yeah. What he's saying is that if you if we both had the same PD day on Tuesday, the third election day, No buses. >> No buses have to run on >> for any of us. >> For anybody might be some savings there >> and it aligns with people who have students in primary schools and people have students in middle school and high school. >> Got it. >> At the same day off. >> Okay. Um I could take it back to my
038admin team outside of any other consideration for it. >> There was a time when during CO when they did use this place as a voting place. Mhm. >> I don't know if it was the first year of COVID or second year, but we did vote in the cafeteria >> outside of any I'm not a fan of that. I'd like to keep school as school. And we have other places where people go to vote for our turnout of couple hundred people for the fire department, senior center. If it became something that they needed to and they needed that space, then we would have to be in discussions with the town >> because voter register voters for that >> because of the regulations from I the state I believe that we had to be so many feet
039apart from [snorts] each other and not in close proximity to anybody else. That's why they did it up here instead of the firehouse because the firehouse doesn't allow us enough room to be separated during CO. Well, the other thing that for now that I can think of that will be practical for some families is child care because some you may have teenagers who are home that on the same day as their younger siblings that could watch their younger siblings. So, there might be bus savings and child care advantages. >> Yep. I could >> when does this need to be approved by? >> We could tape um bring it back to the February 3rd meeting. >> Okay, >> no problem. >> Um so while we're at that, the uh dates that Penny had brought up on
040Thursdays aren't reflected in this calendar. So we'll have to make that adjustment. >> 20th is reflected. Reflect the 22nd. >> Say it again so I capture it. That's the meeting date. That should be in green. >> Got it. >> Thank you. >> Update retreat dates. >> Okay, got it. >> Sarah, thank you so much for making a digital version of this. It is going to save me 500 million hours. So I appreciate it personally for me to you >> will be >> you've got time [laughter] >> but you go online you can save the remainder of the >> All right. Any other feedback for clarity for alignment for thoughts and processes? Speak now. Yes sir. So, I understand not voting this tonight. Questions among the community though, are we are we able to let the
041community know the first day of school will be the 26th of August? >> Uh, until it's finalized, I would not. >> Okay. >> Let's let's motion it officially and then >> it's been a common question. That's why I was just curious. So, >> y >> can I have you change your motion to table till February 3rd meeting, please? >> I'll take back my motion. I don't know who made the second. >> Uh, 10. Okay, he's taken back his second >> to table this until our February board of ed meeting. >> All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. >> Thank you. >> I do agree with Kristen and Frank and Eric. I think it's a good idea to change that PD date. >> Okay, does that wrap up the superintendent report? >> Take
042one more time. Okay. No, I have a couple other quick things. Cool. >> All right. Uh for some department updates in prek, our prek programming continues to grow with several new students expected um in this new year. So again, a very wise decision by the sport of education to support the third section of prek because students continue to come to us from all of our daycarees after three years old. So thank you Mike and all of his staff for running such an amazing program. Some other quick building updates. We are going to enter into a free of cost our Connecticut taxpayer money working very hard with Khan OSHA as a as a preventative and proactive measure to look through our buildings to again continue to ensure the highest of standards for safety for all of
043our students and our kiddos. So, we'll be conducting some walkthroughs there. That will also be in alignment with some of our task force work. So, we'll be providing some of those updates and reviews. that comes again free of cost but we will be engaging in that. So thanks in advance to Mr. Ross Fenner, Jamie Herskll and Arc Palut who will be engaged with OSHA KO OSHA specifically. Okay so lastly um I have sad news um and just want the board to be aware and we all extend our condolences to um our school psychologist Alex on her mother's uh recent passing. This concludes all of my updates. >> Okay. Uh just u just for the board's purpose, you and I spoke about it, but the partnership with Kosha, the uh there was a reason [clears throat]
044that that came to light to us there, just to make the board aware. >> Absolutely. So, region 7 recently um had a wonderful surprise visit by OSHA. OSHA now in their five-year strategic plan will be surprise visiting two school districts per year. So, as soon as Superintendent Leage shared that with me and other superintendents, grabbed the bull right by the horns, get right to work and trying to be preventative versus getting fined. We don't have any interest in that. We'd want to be proactive. And if there are issues that come up through Konosha, that's the measure to take care of that. It is a again free visit where they come in, they will advise and help to remedy issues. And then we have a set timeline if something is significant or severe without being issued
045a fine. Um so I want to avoid that at all costs. And um again amazing credit to um Superintendent Leage because he's also shared that with all of these superintendents in the state of Connecticut because it was one of those surprise we're here and he thought no schools don't get OSHA visits. Well now they do according to their five-year strategic plan. So for wonderful public consumption. Thank you, OSHA. But we will work with you to make sure everything is safe, safe, and more safe. Thank you, Tim, for that reminder. >> And then just with that, um, the drip grant can be utilized for >> Yep. So, the drip grant is for district repair and improvement. Again, small projects, nothing of major construction. And the drip grant was a legislative move in action hearing from boards
046of education specifically hearing from superintendent that maintenance costs for older buildings need help and support can't continue without help from the state of Connecticut with additional pressure of student per pupil costs have not increased in the state of Connecticut for over 13 years. Other states are doing better to fund public education. So we put a hardcore press on there. Our advocacy groups also did a great job and we were um awarded as well as other school districts monies to help remedy that. So in this year's upcoming budget, you will see drip. You didn't see it last year because we didn't know it was going to exist, but you'll see an upcoming budget. You'll see those uh to offset the cost of maintenance and emergency repairs. So small things or larger slightly larger things but it
047cannot be a major construction project such as a roof replacement you know but if the a boiler goes down needs to be replaced this would be a perfect use of that money um or our water conditioning uh our water uh treatment that we're going to be installing at Bakerville. This is another exact use of those monies to help the towns to be able to offset some of the costs from the state. So that's why I wanted to solicit that. >> Or OSHA finds >> something we need to address. >> Correct. Yep. So if there's a project that comes up through an OSHA find, the drip funds will be able to support and help that. >> Are there any questions regarding anything on the superintendent report before I move on? >> Could it also be used
048for our oil tanks? >> Uh not. That's a major cost. >> Oh, okay. That's 250,000 estimated last year that I got some quotes on per tank times 41 million. >> I don't know how much the drip grant >> 47 47,000. >> Okay. All right. >> Yeah. Dropping the bucket for that. >> How soon will the board see a copy of the proposed budget for next year? >> February 3rd. >> Okay. >> That's the superintendent's proposed budget. Yeah. On the timeline, that's what I went over. Okay. >> Yeah. February 3rd. I got you. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Well, you'll have it slightly in advance, >> right? I realize that. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Any additional questions? >> Good. All right, let's move on uh to board of education chairs
049report. I have two items under board of education chairs report. The first is uh the cancellation of our April 7th, 2025 meeting. Um we do need to cancel that due to conflict during budget season with the board of finance. Um so we're going to cancel that meeting. Um, do we need a motion to do that? We need a motion to do that. Can I >> 2025? Isn't this 2026? >> Yeah, you're right. Yeah, it's wrong. >> 2026. You got it. >> Going back a year. >> The dates written down. I'm just reading what's on the paper. >> All right. I'll make a motion that we cancel the April 7th, 2026 meeting. >> All right. We have a motion by Penny. Thank you for correcting the year. Can I get a second? We got a second
050by John. Is there any discussion? We have a lot of meetings during that time frame. Yeah. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> A lot of meetings. >> All right. Seeing no no discussion, all those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. All right. The next item on the um chair's report is the task force representatives. So, as Superintendent Susa has said a few times today, uh we do need to appoint members of the board of education and members of the community to the task force. Um I've received um interest in participation from several on the board of education and there is a um sheet in front of you with those who expressed interest as well as those from the community. Um, we do have the opportunity to, if anybody else had not responded
051to me, we do have writeins. So, I will ask that in a minute whether or not you want to participate as well. Um, in addition to the board of education members that will have three. The board of finance will have two members that have already been appointed to the uh task force. They are um Carrie Gilfoy Carrie Gilfoil and Ben Witty. Um and then the board of selectmen have their members and they are >> Alicia Kenderson and Mary Beth >> Greenwood. Um so they are on there. So would anybody who is not listed so again I'll just say out loud the interest from the board of education uh came from John Puzz Penny Miller Kirby Moranti and Kristen Young. So, is there anybody else on the board that would like to be written in for
052uh today's uh appointment to the board or to the task force? All right. Seeing none, again, any board of education member, any community member has the ability to attend any one of these task force meetings. They are public meetings. um they're not allowed to participate but they are allowed to attend um to to listen and um understand what's going on with these task force. So the ask is um and and then again I'll go into because we're going to do this all at one time uh for the three board of education members and then the um community members. So the community members we have broken down into one community member who has uh school age children in our school system and the second is a community member who does not have schoolage children in the
053school system. Um so with children in the school system we only have one expressed interest at least that I've seen through via email and that is Samantha Wald. Uh so Samantha Wald is uh she will be placed on here. We don't have anybody else uh to um consider. When it comes to the community members without school age children in the school system, we have two um that have expressed interest and I did bring their emails that they sent to me. Uh the first is Carmen Neil. Uh Carmen Neil had sent and I shared this with the board of education members, but I'll read it aloud. Uh dear gentlemen, uh this is to both Superintendent Susa and myself. Um, I would like to offer my name for the joint task force joint task force regarding utilization
054of the new Harford schools to fill the slot of the community member without school age children. Here is a brief account of my background. My husband and I have been residents of the town for over 30 years. Our two children grew up here and benefited from the town's wonderful school system. I am a lawyer, but since I retired from the practice of law, I have been involved in children's education in many different capacities. I worked for the New Harford school system first as a general substitute teacher and then as a long-term sub for the Spanish teacher who broke her hip. I was born in Colombia and I'm fully bilingual. For several years, I ran an afterchool book club for children from the fourth to sixth grades to discuss books nominated for the nutmeg award as
055part of the Bakerville Library program. I taught Spanish at the Hunter Montasauri School here in town and at the Farmington Valley Montasauri and for 16 years at Watinson School in Hartford. I am a freelance translator and interpreter for the Torington Board of Education and other entities. I volunteered doing recordings in Spanish for CIS radio, an organization that serves the blind and reading challenged. I enjoy serving our community in different capacities and I believe my background and experience will be an asset to this task force respectfully Carmen Neil uh 39 Spencer Brook Road, New Hartford. Um the he uh this was also followed up with another email on January 13th reexpressing that interest and I did share that as well. Um the other interested individual as a community member without school age children uh comes from
056Jeffrey Linton. Uh he writes, "Hi Tim and Jeff, I would like to volunteer my services, time, and effort for the new Hartford Public Schools strategic planning committee. Having lived in town for 45 years and my wife Nancy and family, we are ve we are committed to continuing to improve the school district for the benefit of the students of New Hartford." He says, "Tim, please say hello to Marissa. For me, it's all Ramis. I'm I am an assistant indoor track coach, so you glad to coach my wife back in the day. [laughter] large, >> right? Um so those are the two that we have to choose from from the community members. So in front of you is a um a sheet of paper for you to uh make your choices for the again three board of
057education members and two um community members without school children. I would ask you to fill that out, sign it and give it to superintendent please. And just for clarification, >> we're really voting for one, right? >> We are voting for one. Yeah, you're voting for one. Yeah, because uh Samantha is the only one with school age children. >> Thank you. What's that? >> The advanced one. >> Yeah. >> Just hold it. Yeah, I'll give it to you. >> That's fine. >> I got it. All right. Do I am I waiting for anybody else's? >> Not the advance one yet. You can hold that one. Is this advance or that's this? >> All right. That's task course. >> Roger. Okay. [snorts] >> [snorts] >> So, this will be interesting because we have a tie in one
058of them. So, John Puzz, eight votes. Penny Miller, five votes. Kirby Moranti five votes. Kristen Young, seven votes. So, we have a tie between Penny and Kirby. >> We have to go again. We have a piece of paper. No. Right. So, they're >> But she's not there. >> So, I can't count her vote one way or the other. And for the anybody else, >> can you do a do the board chair? >> Get your mic. >> I'm sorry. Say that again. >> Can you do a runoff vote with the people that are here for that one position? >> Okay. >> Yeah, we can. Um, do we have any paper on his handles back out and just do a uh >> on the back? >> Sure. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Yeah, that works. So, we are
059going to do a runoff vote >> between um Penny Miller and Kirby Moranti. This is my school. >> You can write on that piece of paper either Penny Miller or Kirby Morant. >> No, I didn't. >> That's what people came back to grab. >> Yes, please. Which one are you doing now? >> I'm just doing it over. Make sure I got it right. >> Thank you. Thank you. Let's >> We could be here for a while. Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight people. Five, three. Okay, got it right. Um, so the final vote on the runoff there is Penny with five votes, Kirby with three. So, our appointed members to the task force are John. Appointed mass appointed board of ed members to the task force are John Puz, Kristen Young, and Penny Miller.
060>> Let me get a motion to appoint. >> Can I get a motion to appoint those three individuals to the task force? >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. We have a motion by Penny, a second by Eric to appoint John, Christristen, and Penny to the task force. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. All right, perfect. >> That was hard work. >> That was We've got to do it again [laughter] couple agenda items later. >> Uh routine business. This should be >> I have to do the community. I'm doing the other ones now. the bottom part, the other the other members, the community members. >> Oh Yeah. Yeah. We're not done yet. >> Almost getting there. >> I was moving on. >> One, two, three, >> six, >>
061seven, eight. One, two, >> four, six, seven, eight. Okay. Uh, votes have been tallied. Carmen Neil five. Jeff Linton three. So, can I get a motion? Can I get a motion from the board to appoint Carmen Neil to the task force? >> Oh, yes. >> And Samantha Walt. >> I am Samantha Walt to the task force. >> I'll make that motion. >> Have a motion by Penny. Can I get a second? Second by Kristen. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. >> Congratulations, Carmen. >> Thank you. I move on now. Sure. >> I don't know. Did you skip anything else? >> I got to get down. I got to get down that one. >> All right. So, the next item on the agenda is item F, routine business. We
062need the approval of the minutes. So, we have uh does anybody object to taking the minutes of November 11th, 25th, 15th, and 17th. All is one motion. We have a motion by Tom to accept to approve the minutes of the November 11th, 25th, 15th, and 17th. Can I second? >> Motion by Tom, second by Penny. Any discussion? >> I just have one question. I was not at the November 25th. Does that matter? >> Um, did you read through the minutes? Is there any reason? >> No, I have no problem. >> Would you want to abstain for any reason? >> I just didn't know. I didn't know if you had to abstain if you weren't there. No. Okay. >> All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. Okay. Can I get
063a uh motion to approve the expenditure report? >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Tim. Can I get a second? >> Second by Eric. Any discussion on the expenditure report? Do we have to do December minutes? >> We did them all. 11, 25th, 15th. >> I thought you just did November. >> Yeah. No, took them all. >> Okay. Took them all. [snorts] >> Discussion on the expenditure report. >> May I make a comment, >> please? Okay. If I could turn everyone's attention to the expenditure report. Um, in accordance with section 36 of public act 2593 requiring the superintendent to report out on the non-lapsing fund on page five at the bottom one, two, three lines up from the bottom on page five. The non-lapsing fund currently stands at $217,452. the encumbered amount of the
06428,500 the board of education uh voted to have utilized for the um task force and to award the contract to Silver Petra Selling Associates will be taken from this line. But I wanted to make sure I make sure everyone is aware of that and then to be in alignment with this. We will then also submit the report to the Connecticut State Department of Education when they make that portal available and also send to the exclusive bargaining representatives of the certified employees, the teachers, the admins, everyone that we have to. So in alignment with that, making it public, I want to make sure people understand where this is and that a report will be sent as well in alignment with the current legislation. That is all. or is there any additional comments or questions regarding the
065expensure report? Okay, we have a um motion by Tim, a second by Eric to approve the expenditure report. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. Okay, next item on the agenda is old business. We have some um second reads of it looks like one, two, three, four, four, five policies. Penny, >> did you get my email? >> I like I've asked Kristen to do it because I wasn't there. >> Okay. >> And I could help in support. >> Yes, >> of course. >> Yes, they are second reads. So we could take them one at a time or we could take them together. Does anybody have any comments? Because they are second reads. We did go through these at our last meeting at at our retreat meeting. >> Yes. >>
066So if you've gone through them, whatever adjustments were needed were made at that time, right? Or since that time. >> Yes. That's affirm just affirming your question. Yes. >> Can you do them all at one time and approve them or they have to be done separately? >> I have to I'll take them separately. Okay. We'll just move through them more quickly if everybody's okay with it. >> Are you guys able to hear me? >> Policy 5151, students, child identification, gifted and talented. Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion by Tom. Second. Sorry. Second by John. All those in favor? Unanimous. Policy 6172.1 instruction gifted and talented students program. Can I get a motion? >> Motion by Tom. Can I get a second? >> Second by John. All those in favor? Unanimous. Policy 5131.111
067students video surveillance cameras and schools. Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion by Tom. Can I get a second? >> Second by Penny. All those in favor? That is unanimous. Uh revision policy 6161.3 instruction comparability of services. Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion by Tom. Can I get a second? >> Second by Penny. All those in favor. That is unanimous. And finally, revision policy 3323, business non-instructional operations, soliciting prices, bidding requirements. Can I get a motion to approve? >> Motion by Tom. Second. >> Second by Penn Benny. All those in favor. That is unanimous. That was fantastic. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> We did. Yeah, we we went through these in a lot of detail. >> [laughter] >> All right. Uh, next item on the agenda is public comment
068for agenda items only. Would anybody like to address the board? Come on, somebody. All right, seeing none, we're going to close public comment for today. Next item is >> I have one question. >> Yes, >> Jeff. This policy 3323, business non-instructional operation soliciting prices, is that similar to the new one that we just worked on the other day, that policy? >> Um, it is similar, but stands um alone. >> Okay. >> Because of the bidding requirement process, there'll be some overlap there. >> Okay. Y >> just curious. Thank you. >> They're both in the 3000 series. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Of course. Okay, thank you. Uh, next item on the agenda is I reports. Uh, we have uh item A at advance. So, in your packet was a uh November 2025 board of directors
069report from med advance. Um, I'm not going to flip through this, but you all had this in your in your packets. You all have the opportunity to go through this. Uh, one of the items on Ed Advance, which is the other piece of paper in front of you, was Dearree Tindle was our board of ed representative on Ed Advance. She sat on the board of directors with Ed Advance. Correct. >> Correct. >> Um, and we need to appoint a replacement for Deerream for the town of New Hartford. U, I did send an email out to the board soliciting interest in uh serving as our uh, liaison or on the board of directors. With that advance, I received two interested people, uh, Penny Miller and Kristen Young. Um, so, similar to what we did for the,
070um, task force, we need to select one individual to be our, uh, representative with an advance. So, if you could fill it out and send it in. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Is anyone able to hear me? Come on. >> All right, eight board members. This is why we always love a ninth. Penny, four votes. Kristen, four votes. >> I'm here. Why can't anyone hear me? >> Uh, I will withdraw. Um, I have a million things going on and I wasn't sure you had anybody, so I didn't want this deep to go empty. So, I trust Penny. We've worked together a lot, so I will just withdraw my name and make this easy unless anybody has any objections. Nobody can stop you from withdrawing. I think it's my time. [laughter] I'm out y'all. >>
071Get back and clean. >> Thanks, Kristen. [laughter] >> All right. So, I need a motion uh to appoint Penny Miller to serve as the new Harford Board of Education representative with at Advance. Motion by John. Can I get a second? >> Is anyone able to hear me? Second by Tim. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. That is unanimous. But I have good news for you, Kristen. Next month, yes, >> at our meeting, we have to appoint a a representative to Kate. Great. >> So, you have an opportunity there if you [laughter] >> So, Jeff, do they send out >> Sarah will take care of everything. She'll get you registered, all set up on their distribution list, everything. Get you all squared away. >> Okay. >> Yep. Make sure you keep that
072um email though that had all the meeting dates and expectations. If you don't have it, Sarah will take care of it. So, get it to you. Okay. >> Sarah, can you make sure that I get it, please? The meeting dates. Thank you. >> Who would like to make the motion? >> Okay. Wait a minute. >> Okay. I did get in the mail the other day and I think I already got it once before a pin from Cape for being on the board 10 years. Am I supposed to wear both of them? >> Wear them all. Penny, congratulations. That's awesome. That's an awesome honor. [laughter] >> Yes, please. That's [cheering] fantastic. [applause] >> Thank you. >> Would you like to make the motion to adjurnn? >> Also, I'm giving everybody Monday off from work because it's
073my birthday. >> Ah, >> yes. Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn at 606. Second >> and return someone. That is unanimous. Thank you all. >> All right. >> Trivia was texting. I can't >> answer watching. >> Yeah, we can't.